Groundhogs, albeit small, have the potential to wipe out your vegetable garden in minutes. They are the most gluttonous of rodents. The damage does not stop at feeding on your foliage, groundhogs like to burrow, which can destroy the aesthetic value of your garden. It can also compromise the structural integrity of small structures like garden shacks or your deck if they burrow beneath the foundation.
Therefore, it is better to deter them from encroaching on your land than to wait to react after they’re already present. The best way to keep them away is using groundhog deterrents.
What Is a Groundhog Deterrent?
A groundhog deterrent is any measure put in place by homeowners to prevent groundhogs from invading their property. Groundhog repellents could be substances or practices that keep groundhogs at bay.
Groundhog Deterrent Examples
Luckily, there are multiple ways to keep groundhogs away from your property. Below are some measures you can take to deter them from invading your garden:
Pungent and spicy scents
Groundhogs will not go anywhere near anything pungent or spicy. Therefore, the following substances can help you eradicate them from your property:
- Garlic and pepper: You can throw these inside their burrows or puree them into a liquid that you may then spray on the vegetables in your garden to discourage them from nibbling at your vegetables.
- Talcum powder: The smell of talcum powder is effective at repelling groundhogs. Sprinkling some around your garden’s perimeter will prevent them from invading.
Predator scents
Groundhogs use their sense of smell to detect predators. They consider humans, coyotes, bobcats, wolves, cats, and dogs as predators and will steer clear of any areas with those scents. Therefore, you can keep them away from your property by spreading human hair clippings around your yard or any of the other animals’ urine. You can also throw the hair down their burrows or pour the urine down the burrow to create paranoia and drive them away.
Using vibrations and ultrasonic devices
Groundhogs do not like vibrations and will steer away from any property with vibrations in the ground. You can leverage this by using vibrating sonic devices, windmills, and windchimes. You can also purchase special ultrasonic devices that produce high-pitched sounds that deter groundhogs from approaching. This is a good deterrent since it does not affect plants and its frequency is way above the human hearing range and, therefore, won’t affect you.
Baiting and trapping
This is the most effective way to eradicate groundhogs from your property. The best way to trap them is using non-lethal means like live traps with a one-way door that shuts itself after the groundhog finds its way inside. You can also use fresh fruits and vegetables to lure the groundhog into the trap. After trapping, you can then relocate the groundhog to the woods, far away from other residential properties.
When Deterrents Aren’t Enough
The methods above work best as a first line of defense, particularly before groundhogs have settled into a burrow on your property. However, once they are established, the situation changes. A groundhog with an active burrow has already claimed that space as home territory, and scent repellents, vibrations, and similar deterrents are rarely enough to drive them out at that point.
There are a few signs that you’ve moved past the DIY stage. Multiple burrow entrances in your yard, visible damage to your deck or shed foundation, or a groundhog returning repeatedly after you’ve tried trapping are all indicators that the situation has become harder to manage on your own. Young groundhogs present in spring and early summer are another bad sign, since a mother groundhog is significantly harder to displace when she has a litter nearby.
It is also worth knowing that trapping and relocating groundhogs yourself may not be as simple as it sounds. Many states regulate the transport of live wildlife, and releasing a trapped groundhog in the wrong location, or without following proper guidelines, can result in fines. The rules vary depending on where you live, so it is worth checking your local wildlife regulations before attempting relocation on your own.
When deterrents have failed and the infestation is entrenched, professional, humane groundhog removal from Shumaker Animal Control is the best path forward. Our trained wildlife removal experts can assess the full scope of the problem, handle trapping and relocation in compliance with local laws, and advise you on exclusion measures to prevent groundhogs from returning.
Hire a Professional from Shumaker’s Animal Control to get rid of Groundhogs
Our humane animal removal team at Shumaker’s Animal Control is conversant with all groundhog deterrents. We can advise on the best way to deter groundhogs from invading your property and help you get rid of them if they already did.
Have a groundhog problem in Maryland? Contact us today through our website or speak to a member of our team directly at 443-854-8072.
