Do You Have to Remove Groundhogs From Your Property?
Groundhogs play an important role in our ecological systems. While they mostly prefer open country and the edges of woodlands, these animals have invaded our properties and become a nuisance pest due to the extensive damage they cause. Therefore, learning how to get rid of groundhogs can spare you the stress and hustle that comes with having them take residence on your property.
Do You Have to Remove Groundhogs From Your Property?
Reasons for Removing Groundhogs from Your Property
Damage crops
Groundhogs are typically herbivorous, with a preference for beans, carrots, tomatoes, peas, apples, and pears. Therefore, they are a threat to your crops. Groundhogs will not only eat the fruits and vegetables planted on the farm but will also burrow dens around the farm, eventually harming the crop by damaging its stability.
Holes in your yard
Groundhogs mostly live in holes where they burrow and draw large amounts of dirt onto your property. Since they are skilled diggers (their dens can be enormous tunnel networks with chambers, passageways, and several exits), they can destroy the soil’s structural integrity, causing damage to agricultural equipment, barn foundations, and sheds, as well as potential harm to livestock.
Health risks
Groundhogs are most likely to have rabies, which they transmit to humans through their bites or scratches. Most of them are always protective of their burrows, so you should take proper caution when approaching their entrances. Therefore, it is wise to contact professionals for help to avoid any incidents.
How to Get Rid of Groundhogs
Use of repellants
While there are no commercial repellants specifically for controlling groundhogs, natural repellants that target other rodents can also do the trick. To better the odds of success, these deterrents are placed at the groundhog’s hole’s entrance. These repellants include ammonia, dog fur, Epsom salt, dog urine, and red pepper, among others.
Hiring animal control professionals
Using pest control methods to get rid of groundhogs may not be comfortable. However, hiring professionals such as Shumaker’s Animal Control may be the best option. It is the most humane method which does not entail killing and saves you energy, patience, and peace of mind.
Constructing a fence
Building a fence helps keep groundhogs out of your property, but it is also labor-intensive since the fence should be at least four feet high and one foot buried underground. This is because groundhogs are great climbers and can also burrow in the ground. Choosing the right material is also crucial so that it can be able to withstand wear and tear. For instance, hardware cloth may outlast chicken wire.
Cleaning up your yard
Routinely pruning and cleaning your yard gets rid of shrubs, tall grass, and wood piles that groundhogs use for cover to flee from predators. When the sufficient cover is no longer present, groundhogs may start to feel less secure and look for new homes.
Set baited traps
One strategy for getting rid of groundhogs is to use traps baited with fruits and vegetables. Setting the trap early in the morning and close to their burrow entrance boosts its chances of success because location and timing are vital. While baited traps may seem like the easiest option, it’s important to adhere to all applicable municipal, state, and federal laws.
Do You Want to Remove Groundhogs from Your Property?
With over 25 years of experience in the animal removal business, we at Shumaker’s Animal Control have been performing rodent control and groundhog removal in Maryland in the most humane way possible.
Feel free to check out our services, and if you have a groundhog pest problem, don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 443-854-8072. Our team is ready to help you.
