Ground Hog. Got one!

[Denim Deb]

We have at least 2 ground hogs in our yard. Last year, they tore up my garden, and I still haven't gotten my garden in because I need to get a good fence up around it, and haven't had a chance to get it all in. We set a live trap. Some one told me to use cabbage for bait, but so far, we have yet to catch one. Does anyone have any ideas as to what we can use instead?

 

[FarmerJamie]

Sliced apple

 

[D1]

.22 rifle

 

[~gd]

A fence won't stop them, they just dig under. Apple is the usual bait for traps. We used to be able to get cyanide gas bombs to put in their burrow but they are probably outlawed by now. We used to have a dog that got bit on the nose by one when he was young and he woulld track them down and kill them whenever he got the scent. Rifle with scope is the usual answer. Find a burrow,find a safe angle to shoot from, wait when you see one moving a sharp whistle will get him to freeze, standup and look around. Shoot then. So common that we called them whistle pigs.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

I don't know that this would be ANY help at all, but ...

I have serious moles. Everywhere. And I worry about the rabbits with the heat. I keep a fan on my rabbits in the summer, and they are in deep shade. I set up a mister there too, which lowered the temp considerably AND softened/moistened the ground. And I spray down the ground under the cages for extra cooling. Guess where the moles went? So much so that it became easy to scoop them out with a shovel and dispatch them.

Wonder if such conditions would draw gophers???


I have no idea of course, just thought I'd toss it out there.

 

[Denim Deb]

I can't sit out there w/a gun waiting for them to pop up. Plus, I live in town. The idea is to trap them, and then dispose of them. When I have my fence, it will have electric at the top. I know they'll climb, so I'm hoping that will discourage them. I've had a few people tell me that if you put hardware cloth around the bottom, and have it down a few inches, that will normally keep them from digging under. Don't know if it will or not.

I'll try the sliced apple.

 

[me&thegals]

I'm going to watcht this thread also, as we have one under the deck that DH is worried about causing foundation problems...

 

[FarmerJamie]

Good luck, Deb. I was 3 for 3 on the sliced apples, but these were stupid Ohio groundhogs.

 

[freemotion]

I got some bombs at the hardware store....sulpher, maybe? Worked last year. Gotta get out there soon. Gotta find all the holes, first, though.

 

[Denim Deb]

I know I have one in my green house, and there's one where I store my motorcycle.