Diggin’ in on Groundhog Removal
Our first blog in June was dedicated to groundhog removal, noting it is the time of year when their activity and nuisance level really ramps up.
It had been a while since we wrote on the topic of groundhog removal but definitely not that long since we’ve talked about it with people.
So, in honor of the many conversations we have with people on groundhog removal, here’s another post on a recent groundhog removal job.
The Big Problem with Groundhogs : Digging
Has there ever been a shed a groundhog doesn’t like?
Often, the number one problem people in the Akron, Canton, Kent, OH area have with groundhogs is their digging.
When a groundhog moves into an area and begins an excavation like this one, people take notice.
Groundhogs love to live underneath things and this sort of digging causes a lot of conflict.
Trapping This Groundhog
How is this groundhog captured? Pretty easily really with the right tools. Let’s take a look at the circumstances and see if they apply to your situation.
One of the first questions we ask people when discussing a nuisance groundhog is…do you know where it lives? If you have a groundhog hole like the one in the picture, the odds of you (or us) catching a groundhog go way up.
In this case, the groundhog is living under the shed: That’s where the digging is and that’s where the groundhog runs when it gets surprised.
Checking around the shed, it is pretty easy to tell if the groundhog has another way in or out . In this case, there was no alternative exit which would need another trap or blocking.
This fact and the fresh dirt indicate a fairly new occupant. Removing a groundhog that has an extensive tunnel system and has lived there for years is more difficult.
So, for a quick capture of the problem groundhog, what trap would you use and where would you place the trap?
A Double Door Trap Right on the Groundhog’s Hole
There are multiple ways to catch this groundhog, but we believe the simplest method is to place a double door trap right over the hole. That way there is no luring the groundhog into the trap. If the groundhog is in the den when the trap is placed, the next time it comes out it is captured. If the groundhog is away when the trap is set, the next time it goes to enter the den, it is captured. Coming or going, the groundhog is caught.
Here is the groundhog in the trap. It is a quick process that happens in a matter of hours, not days.
Ryan set the trap and the area was left alone. The groundhog was probably very wary of the trap right on its hole but, wanting to go in or out without a lot of digging, decided to go through the trap. When it did, it brushed by the wire triggers and set off both spring loaded doors.
Here is a close up of the set. The trap has a framework with darker wire and sits at a slight angle. The lighter colored wire is called a nose cone. It is a device used to cover the hole so the only way to go is through the trap. The two pieces are the same width and are attached with zip ties in this case.
Here are the trap specifics. We are using a spring loaded double door trap that is 18 by 9 by 11 inches. It is made by Comstock Custom Traps. It retails for $89.50 and can be found at this link. The nose cone (ours is home-made) is not this exact model but if you click this link you’ll get the idea of its use. It sits over the hole and forces the animal through the trap.
That’s How You Catch A Groundhog
For all you DIYers we hope this has been helpful. Groundhog trapping can be fairly simple and straightforward with the right circumstances and the right tools.
But, for all of who live in the Akron, Canton, Kent, OH area and would like us to do it for you, please give us a call.
Maybe your groundhog problem is more extensive or you’d just rather have someone else do it. If so, we’d love to hear from you.
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