Groundhogs, or woodchucks, often cause a nuisance for Connecticut homeowners. They eat vegetables in gardens and dig tunnels and holes that can make a mess of a yard and create a safety hazard.
Groundhogs give birth between late winter and early summer, and they hibernate during the winter. The best time to remove woodchucks from your property is in mid or late summer. If you’ve got groundhogs living in your yard, here are some ways to get rid of them.
Strategies to Deal with Groundhogs
There aren’t any repellents that are specifically designed for groundhogs, but some repellents that are intended to be used with other animals may also be effective at getting rid of woodchucks. You can place repellent in burrows and use it to drive groundhogs away from your property and into a more desirable location.
Flooding and fumigating groundhogs’ tunnels can damage your lawn. Chemicals used for fumigation can also be dangerous to both people and pets.
Scarecrows and other visual tactics might scare away woodchucks, but probably only for a short time. Auditory and tactile tools tend to be more effective long-term solutions. Planting herbs with strong odors can also encourage groundhogs to leave your yard.
How to Make Your Property Unattractive to Groundhogs
The best strategy is to prevent woodchucks from moving into your yard in the first place. The easiest way to do that is to eliminate things that woodchucks find appealing. That means keeping the grass, trees, and bushes trimmed and getting rid of any piles of leaves or wood. Installing a fence that sits above the ground and extends below the surface can prevent digging and keep groundhogs out of your yard.
Have Professionals Remove Groundhogs
Another solution is to trap woodchucks, remove them from your yard, and release them in another location. When trapping any type of wild animal, it’s important to exercise caution to avoid harming the animal and getting hurt yourself.
You shouldn’t try to catch or handle a groundhog yourself. You can get bitten or scratched, and the animals sometimes carry rabies. It’s also important to follow state and local laws when dealing with problem wildlife.
The professionals at Anderson Wildlife Control trap and relocate groundhogs and other types of animals every day. We understand and follow Connecticut laws and use humane methods that don’t harm wildlife. Our team can use traps to capture the groundhogs that have been tearing up your yard or garden and transport them to another location.
If you’re having a problem with woodchucks, don’t wait to act. The problem will only get worse with time. Contact Anderson Wildlife Control today.
