# How do I persuade a woodchuck to move?



## PrtyMolusk (Aug 13, 2000)

Howdy-

A couple of times in the last few weeks we've been awakened at 1:30 in the AM by the noisy antics of a groundhog in the neighbor's yard.

I've spoken with him and he's OK with whatever I wish to do to about it.

I live in the 'burbs, so gunplay is out....

Can I convince them to move along with an application of mothballs in the burrow? If so, is it best put in AM or PM? (I don't want to kill any young, just get them to pick another location....)


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## Rencoho (Oct 18, 2000)

That's interesting 1:30 in the am? Just asking cause groundhogs are diurnal, meaning they are mostly active during daylight hours, are you sure your dealing with a groundhog?


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## U D (Aug 1, 2012)

Ground Hog Antics??

Please - do tell.


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## PrtyMolusk (Aug 13, 2000)

Howdy-

Awoke to a God-awful ruckus. Sounded like pigs rooting with a loud bird caught in the activities (hence the whistle-pig appelation, I guess...)

Anyway, caught a glimpse of one when I headed out with a flashlight; found the hole the next day.

Just want a decent night's sleep; not to mention the fact that it trips my Jack Russell out to no end!


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## MERGANZER (Aug 24, 2006)

If you know where the hole is just place a conibear and be done. They aren't likely to leave and can be stubborn about staying. If it has young then youre in trouble because they will be digging up the neighborhood. Its illegal to relocate them so I would say go with the conibear ASAP. Good luck!

Ganzer


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

PrtyMolusk said:


> Howdy-
> 
> Awoke to a God-awful ruckus. Sounded like pigs rooting with a loud bird caught in the activities (hence the whistle-pig appelation, I guess...)
> 
> ...


Really can't see your issue being a woodchuck in the middle of the night.

Your jack r is probably the best way to eradicate the issue.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## CaptainNorthwood (Jan 3, 2006)

Conibears over the den work well but if you can't use a gun to shoot them I am guessing kids and pets are an issue as well.........and since you got a JR I definately would not want you to find your dog punched out in a coni. Set a livetrap over the den entrance and dispose of accordingly. Comstock live traps with their nose cones work great on chucks.


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## CHASINEYES (Jun 3, 2007)

Last week I persuaded one to leave my garden area using 3" #2s. Problem was, he didn't go very far and I had to take care of the mess. I see I have a second one that needs persuasion.

I have live trapped them using apples. Half the apple just in front of the entrance and the other half made visible inside the trap but behind the trip pan.

I've heard of others using co2 by adding an extension to a vehicles tail pipe. Make sure all but one hole is covered then pump it full of co2 for an hour, then fill remaining hole.

These critters have no place around buildings, they will ruin foundations.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

You may have a woodchuck IF you found a den entrance and if you did, Capt advised you how to take care of it. I've also set a 160 body grip at the moth of dens and over turned a garbage can over the trap/den entrance to keep pets and nosy people away.

*BUT-BUT-BUT!!!* What I believe you heard was a mama **** and young making their nightly patrol through the neighborhood. The bickering & playing of the kits is quite noisy as well as when ma has to do some disciplining. Use a couple of live traps, again as Capt advised.


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## CaptainNorthwood (Jan 3, 2006)

Seldom said:


> What I believe you heard was a mama **** and young making their nightly patrol through the neighborhood. The bickering & playing of the kits is quite noisy as well as when ma has to do some discipline.


Bingo! I wouldn't be surprised if the mother and babies are also the ones using the den/hole.


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

If it is a **** then I've found it pretty easy to convince them to leave. Found a mama in our outside bar and grill, shined the flashlight on the mom on the newborn babies one night and she was gone the next.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

I did that once Jager and all I got was "please pass the potato salad and do you anymore hotdogs?":lol:::lol:


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## jatc (Oct 24, 2008)

In residential settings where guns aren't an option and conibears are a no-go due to pets, I've had good success just pouring a little diesel fuel down the burrows. It won't kill them, but they will move out.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Never seen a woodchuck out at night.

Tabasco sauce in the hole, chilli powder etc. will deter woodchucks in residential areas. They are clean animals and won't like that. First I ever heard of diesel fuel, but that'd work too. They clean their den daily, from what I've seen, that's why it's easy to see the fresh dirt in the fields.

My bet is on **** also. Dispatch accordingly, transporting and/or releasing elsewhere is illegal without a license.


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## HTC (Oct 6, 2005)

You can have success by simply running a garden hose down their hole. It will take a couple minutes but they will come out. Just fill the hole once it leaves if you don't want to kill it. Or whack it with a shovel on its way out...it is pretty straight forward.


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## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

CHASINEYES said:


> Last week I persuaded one to leave my garden area using 3" #2s. Problem was, he didn't go very far and I had to take care of the mess. I see I have a second one that needs persuasion.


#2's huh? Crap, that's what my problem was.... I can tell you that 3' #5's at about 15yrds rolled my last one. He made to his hole where I figured he give up the ghost so I covered it up to contain the smell and 3 day's later, the hole was wide open. Did I witness a miracle?


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## Hammer62 (Oct 20, 2010)

I've been dealing with a few for the past year, trapped one and since then they won't go in the live trap....instead they grab the food through the back of the trap (dumb smart animal) I've used mothballs, ammonia, mouse poison blocks, garden hose. Someone told me used motor oil down the hole, that they don't like that on their fur and will move on...I didn't notice a difference. The neighbor killed 3 of the 5 I know that exist, they haven't opened the hole back up YET, but I fully expect it. They are a real pain to get rid of good luck.


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## CHASINEYES (Jun 3, 2007)

Craig M said:


> #2's huh? Crap, that's what my problem was.... I can tell you that 3' #5's at about 15yrds rolled my last one. He made to his hole where I figured he give up the ghost so I covered it up to contain the smell and 3 day's later, the hole was wide open. Did I witness a miracle?


I took one out last year with the .22 mag and thought my brassica munching problems were solved. Long story short, there ended up being a whole family of them in the den. Fortunately, the rest were young and fairly easy to live trap. 

I used #2s as I was leaving for vacation and I was uncertain on how close I could get before he bolted. #2s and xtra full choke closed the distance. Go big! Lol


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Hammer62 said:


> I've been dealing with a few for the past year, trapped one and since then they won't go in the live trap....instead they grab the food through the back of the trap (dumb smart animal) I've used mothballs, ammonia, mouse poison blocks, garden hose. Someone told me used motor oil down the hole, that they don't like that on their fur and will move on...I didn't notice a difference. The neighbor killed 3 of the 5 I know that exist, they haven't opened the hole back up YET, but I fully expect it. They are a real pain to get rid of good luck.


You are talking about racoons, not woodchucks. ***** will reach through a live trap, woodchucks will just look for food elsewhere. Chucks will easily move on from hole to hole and out of an area that they are harassed, ***** will come back every night, as long as their is food there.


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## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

CHASINEYES said:


> I took one out last year with the .22 mag and thought my brassica munching problems were solved. Long story short, there ended up being a whole family of them in the den. Fortunately, the rest were young and fairly easy to live trap.
> 
> I used #2s as I was leaving for vacation and I was uncertain on how close I could get before he bolted. #2s and xtra full choke closed the distance. Go big! Lol


I was coming in from turkey hunting when I saw the rotten pot licker come from a new hole next my house. 12ga. 3" #5's, X-full choke @ 15yds


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