Ground hog eating garden

[CapricornFarm]

I need to save my garden. Ground hog i think eating everything. Already fenced in. Ordered fence charger. Got a shot gun. Any other ideas?

 

[GardenTillers44]

Groundhogs are amazing climbers and diggers, so it may be going over or under the fence. You are on the right track with the fence charger. We have no more GH (or anything else) problems since electrifying our garden. In the meantime, you can try pepperwax spray on your edibles to get by until the charger comes. You can buy it at most gardens stores or make your own by adding cayenne pepper powder to water (1 tsp/pint) with a few drops of liquid dish soap to get it to stick to the plants. Spray it on and reapply if you get a big rain. In theory you can eat it, but I would not use it on anything you plan to eat in the next week. There are other garden pepper spray home remedies online. Of course you can live trap and relocate the critter, but most furry animals don't survive long after relocating to other animal's territories, so I'm not a big fan. More humane to shoot them. Better to exclude them.

 

[Sara Ranch]

I kept filling in their holes - everyone I could find that was around the house and the garden. They kept digging them out. Eventually, the moved on.

 

[GardenTillers44]

I have also soaked rags in ammonia and stuffed them down their burrows and placed them around a perimeter you want to keep them out of, like a garden. If you can stand the smell, it works most of the time...keeps skunks away as well.

 

[Zoomie]

While you are waiting for your fence charger... do you have an indoor cat? Or do you know someone who does? I've taken used cat litter and put it deep in the burrows of prairie dogs and moles. I put quite a lot because, hey, there's more where that came from... when you've got a good amount nice and deep in there, cover over the top with dirt, that way you'll know if they come back. The prairie dogs will abandon the burrow after I do that and so far have stayed away from those sites for 4 years now. Admittedly they are not ground hogs, but it's cheap! Might be worth a try.

 

[CapricornFarm]

While you are waiting for your fence charger... do you have an indoor cat? Or do you know someone who does? I've taken used cat litter and put it deep in the burrows of prairie dogs and moles. I put quite a lot because, hey, there's more where that came from... when you've got a good amount nice and deep in there, cover over the top with dirt, that way you'll know if they come back. The prairie dogs will abandon the burrow after I do that and so far have stayed away from those sites for 4 years now. Admittedly they are not ground hogs, but it's cheap! Might be worth a try.

I would do that for sure if i could find the hole! But we have 12 heavily wooded acres, so it may be a long search. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[DR ARNETT]

''one bite'' rat poison in a 4'' pipe so others don't eat it works here for rock squerrls gophers ect or in a 'bait station' find on amazon or else where. hope this helps GBA

 

[sixinva]

I use the live traps baited with apples and that catches them. What you do after that is up to you. Im not of fan of giving someone else your problems, so I use my .22 pistol. I think the shotgun would tear up the trap.....

 

[DR ARNETT]

IF U GONNA KILL THEM ANYWAY ''one bite bait bars'' do it for u & u don't have neighbors callin' cops when u shoot silly people I got coyotes to shoot & neighbors who should mind there own business lost 9 og 11 geese half my little ducks & 15 chickens to them 4 legged killers a predator is a predator wheather it's livestock or veggies.

 

[Flashpoint]

From DNR:

Management and Control
To prevent a groundhog from eating your shrubs or plants in your garden, install a fence around it that is at least 3 feet high, made of heavy poultry wire or 2-inch mesh woven wire, and staked at a 45-degree angle. You must also bury the wire 10-12 inches below ground to prevent them from digging underneath. An electric wire fence placed 4-5 inches above ground outside the fence will also discourage climbing and digging underneath the fence.