Things to know about woodchucks and how to get rid of them
Woodchucks, aka ground hogs, are sort of cute, furry mammals that are most often observed dead on the side of the road. Just glancing at them with their tiny eyes conjures up images of a harmless, not too smart, nearsighted, creature that is bound to get run over now and then. Is this regard they join squirrels, raccoons, skunks and possums as our most common type of non-serious road kill. That is unless you happen to hit one while riding a motorcycle, as I did about 50 years ago. That collision caused me to dump my bike and I still have scars from the crash!
The name given to the Woodchuck was originally an Algonquian name taken from the word “wuchak” which was used to describe different animals of similar size and color. They are largest member of the squirrel family and belong to the rodent order — “order” is a broader taxonomic classification than “family” — which also includes rats, mice, prairie dogs, chipmunks, beavers and porcupines.
They live in underground burrows, which can be quite extensive with several entrance holes, observation mounds, nesting chambers and even a bathroom chamber. The tunnels may go down vertically for 4 or 5 feet and then extend horizontally for more than 30 feet. Woodchucks have been known to excavate as much as 700 pounds of soil from their burrows in only a few days!
The major concern with woodchucks is the fact that they love to eat many of our favorite flowers as well as garden vegetables!
Once they develop a liking for any particular plant, they will ruthlessly return to eat it, regardless of what you may try to do to repel them. Their preferred food list is extensive and it is hard to say that any vegetable or flower is completely immune. They are what is known as crepuscular, which means active at dawn and dusk. They do not need to drink water, obtaining moisture from the dew on the leaves of their food.
Some over-the-counter repellents are quite ef-
fective if applied before the critter starts feeding on any particular plant, but some of the best repellents are not recommended for vegetables. Read the label before purchasing. Dried blood is effective, but must be reapplied after heavy rain and since it is also a highly concentrated nitrogen fertilizer, it is easy to overfertilize the plants you are trying to protect.
Getting rid of woodchucks can be quite challenging. Sometimes they may be live trapped using broccoli or melon as bait, but once trapped they must be disposed of. If they escape from a trap once, they will never enter it again. In New York state it is not legal to transport them elsewhere in your car or truck. It is not legal to transport any wildlife in the state without a permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. They may be drowned, or shot or clubbed to death once captured. They may also be gas-bombed, but that is also a tricky procedure. If you decide to try that tactic, make sure you carefully follow all precautions and never use a gas bomb under a porch or anywhere humans or
pets may be found. Once they are killed it is crucial to completely destroy their burrow entrances by tilling the entrance under and filling it in as much as possible with soil. Filling the burrow with rocks or wood will not work, as it will soon be re-occupied by other woodchucks. My Cousin Ken in Pennsylvania has shot eight woodchucks so far this season, that have been occupying the same burrow on his neighbor’s property and they keep on coming back.
Fencing them out is possible if you extend the bottom of the fence horizontally about a foot away from the ground, but a determined woodchuck may just back up ten foot or more and tunnel beneath it. A strand of electric wire running just a few inches above the ground may also deter them, but that tactic is also not foolproof. A home remedy to prevent them from burrowing under a porch or shed is to pour a large quantity of household ammonia into the entrance of the hole and repeat that procedure several times. When no new activity is observed, the entrance hole must also be filled in.