I was out in the wilderness of my backyard just now, clearing brush away from a little apple tree I put in this spring. When I got closer to the tree I saw the ground around it looked funny, and when I got up to it I saw that there was a sizeable burrow dug into the earth right next to it.
I grew up with woodchucks who lived in burrows like this eating our vegetable garden, and this is the first year I've had anything nibble my growing plants, but (so far) it's been just the zucchini leaves. The lettuce is totally untouched.
I don't know that we have woodchucks in the city -- I'm within the city limits of Boston but in an area where we have decent sized yards (mine is 7000 sq ft) and can garden -- but we do have raccoons and possums. Do either of those burrow? There's also a small colony of feral cats whom my neighbors and I help care for. They live comfortably with the other wildlife, except of course for the birds. Of course I know that cats don't burrow! ;-)
A clue may have been given to me by one of the young girls who live on my street and like to come in to talk to me while I'm out gardening. Apparently a large white pet rabbit with blue eyes (name given but I forgot it) escaped from a house down the end of my street a while ago. She said it's a big rabbit, but this burrow is about the size of a woodchuck burrow, and them succkers is bigger than any bunny *I* have ever seen!
What do folks think? What time of day would be best for my catching a glimpse of it if it's a bunny? The wilderness of my backyard is *very* overgrown, so I may not be able to catch a glimpse. I know! I'll have to look for scat.
What would I bait a Hav-a-Hart trap with to catch it? It's still early summer, but if it's a former pet rabbit it'll need to be retrieved before it gets cold in the fall. I'm sure it's not ready to over-winter.
Do possums burrow?
Any and all ideas would be welcome. The mystery of the summer! And it damn well stay away from my tomatoes or there may be rabbit stew on my stove. [Kidding.]
Thanks!
Priscilla