Skip to Content

How To Plug Groundhog Holes? [11 Humane Ways]

How To Plug Groundhog Holes? [11 Humane Ways]

Today’s article is all about “How to plug groundhog holes?”. But, first of all, let us understand a bit about groundhogs.  

If each day is Groundhog Day on your lawn, you will possibly agree with people who name that gluttonous rodent their least favorite outdoor creature. Even skunks get greater respect. 

The hassle is that groundhogs—additionally referred to as whistle-pigs—are binge eaters or woodchucks who can wipe out your veggies in minutes. 

They climb, they swim, they burrow, and they eat—a grown-up consumes approximately a pound to a pound-and-a-1/2 of plants daily. Between fall and spring, they 2x their body weight.

Are groundhogs aggressive?

Groundhogs spend maximum time inside the burrows, rising a few hours at some point of the day to collect food. When they’re out, they do their best to avoid human beings.

If you encounter a rabies-inflamed groundhog, however, it could assault unprovoked.

Other than rabies, groundhogs aren’t considered dangerous to human beings and do not normally transmit other illnesses to them.

11 Effective Humane Ways to Avoid Groundhogs Holes

1) Repellents and insecticides

There aren’t any commercial chemical repellents particularly to manipulate groundhogs.

However, insecticides targeting different rodents placed at the doorway to a groundhog’s hole will work.

Natural repellents that a few humans swear by consist of:

2) Canine fur and human hair: 

Groundhogs dislike humans and man’s exceptional pal is a dog, so sprinkle a number of canine furs collected from a barber around your flower bed to discourage groundhogs.

3) Coyote, fox, or canine urine: 

Spray, pour, or drizzle this close to a groundhog’s hole to discourage their return.

Groundhogs are afraid of predators like foxes, coyotes, and dogs; smelling their urine is a caution to stay away.

If you do not have a canine, a few humans claim to place used kitty litter simply inside a groundhog’s hole to keep them away.

4) Red pepper: 

Groundhogs, like many humans, do not like highly spiced foods. Therefore sprinkle red pepper close to groundhog tunnels and holes. You will have to reapply it after the rain.

5) Ammonia: 

A cloth soaked with ammonia placed close to the doorway of a groundhog’s hole acts as a “Keep Away” sign. Other sturdy scents groundhogs do not like consist of talcum powder and garlic.

6) Blood meal: 

This groundhog repellent additionally does your plant life good, as a blood meal is a good fertilizer. Consider this a win-win — the groundhog might be long gone and your greens might be healthier.

7) Scare tactics

Most tries at scary groundhogs do not paint well. Scarecrows can be moved around frequently and rotating pinwheels can provide temporary relief. However, they do not work long-time periods to frighten groundhogs into digging up a person’s yard.

Ultrasonic noise and vibrations can also scare away moles,  groundhogs, and different digging pests. Solar stakes that ship ultrasonic pulses cause the floor to vibrate. The shaking leads groundhogs and different nuisance pests to seek more secure quarters elsewhere.

8) Trap and release

Here’s a way to trap a groundhog: Set your trap near but not block off the doorway to the burrow entrance. As bait, use a slice of any fruit. Replace it daily, as clean bait works better.

Once trapped, it is recommended that you release your groundhog far from your yard and away from cities, and different populated areas.

If you’re freeing the groundhog on personal property, get that owner’s permission. Check your state’s legal guidelines protecting releasing a trapped groundhog.

It’s additionally feasible you may inadvertently trap different wildlife, or that captured groundhog is probably carrying rabies.

9) Target their holes

The Humane Society recommends people make the groundhogs’ holes inhabitable to get them to leave.

10) Flooding: 

Groundhogs do not like a moist den, so flooding their holes works to get them out of their home and search out drier land.

11) Fumigation: 

Gas the groundhogs. The Missouri Department of Conservation shows fumigating burrows with cartridges present at your farm or home.

Gas cartridges release carbon monoxide in deadly quantities in a groundhog’s holes.

When is the best time to try to get rid of groundhogs?

The pleasant time to plug a groundhog’s hollow as an elimination technique is between July and September.

You do not need to be ousting a groundhog right before hibernation nor at some point where females are pregnant and elevating their young.

Why is a groundhog referred to as a whistle pig?

If you have ever heard a groundhog screech whilst alarmed, whistle-pig makes ideal sense for them.

Scientific American notes that a groundhog releases a high-pitched whistle as a caution to different groundhogs withinside the area.

How to prevent groundhogs from invading your garden?

The satisfactory woodchuck deterrent is the fences. Excluding woodchucks from the lawn will even preserve rabbits, deer, raccoons, and stray animals.

Since groundhogs climb and additionally burrow, you’ll need to construct a steady enclosure using six-foot-huge woven-wire fencing.

Above the floor, the fence must be approximately 4 feet high, with the pinnacle 12 inches unattached to the fence posts.

The feet of fencing that are buried underground must form an L-shape, with 12 inches going directly down and the bottom 12 inches bent at a proper attitude away from the lawn.

An apron of weighed-down plastic across the lawn discourages a few diggers, as does an electric-powered fence strung 4 to 6 inches off the floor about 4 to 6 inches outside the woven-wire fence.

Frequently asked questions

What can I put in a groundhog hole?

You can sprinkle Epsom salts around or near the hole entrances to keep the groundhog away. If these groundhogs eat your plants, you can try to place a plate filled with the salts. You must replace it after the rain.

What time of day are groundhogs most active?

Groundhogs are very active during the daytime from spring to fall. Most of their activities happen during the morning and evening. During this time, groundhogs come out of their holes to collect food.

What smell do groundhogs hate?

Plants that have a strong smell irritate the groundhog the most. In fact, groundhogs also hate the smell of herbs like basil, mint, lemon balm, sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and chives.

How long do groundhogs stay in their holes?

During the month of September, groundhogs stay in their holes before going into hibernation. These groundhogs stop eating and then enter the hibernation period. Now, by mid-October, they will sleep in the holes and will hibernate during January and February.

Does Irish spring soap keep groundhogs away?

Irish spring soap is a good option to remove groundhogs. In fact, it is recommended to keep the soap in the packing but drill holes in it. This will prevent it from washing off during the rainy season.

Can groundhogs dig through concrete?

These groundhogs are very fond of digging under the concrete slabs. In fact, it substitutes for big rocks they dig under in wild areas. Soak a cloth with ammonia and keep it deep into the hole. This will act as a deterrent.

How do you know if a groundhog is in the hole?

From the ground level, hole entrances look like medium holes that lead to some underground network. Groundhog holes can be near trees, fences, and walls. Every burrow opening is between 10-12 inches. Also, it is marked by a mound of dirt.

Final words

Keeping away these mischievous groundhogs is essential to keep the belongings secure. But removing them is not enough.

You ought to cope with your property and hold it secure from the harm they have done after they have been here.

This article has shed some light on how to plug groundhog holes. I hope you enjoyed the article. We will be back soon. Till then, stay connected. Thank you.