Woodchuck under trailer

[Stormin Mormon]

I've been filling chuck holes. Last couple days, I've filled three tunnels under my trailer skirting. Two holes in the ground behind the trailer.

Today there is a new hole. About 4 inch diameter. I ran the garden hose into the hole, and turned on for about five minutes. No signs of filling up. So, it must be a pretty big cavern.

Being in a trailer park, it's not legal to shoot. I called the park office, and now I'm on the list to use the Havahart trap. They trap and release.

Have checked out several web pages. They suggest coyote or fox urine (and have some for sale) or various types of trap. All for sale.

Any cheap and easy answers come to mind?

Here is a typical picture I found on the web:

[Shopdog]

What you can do, if you want to use urine, go to your local Wally Mart and in the hunting section you should be able to find urine for about 4.00. You can demand removal from your TP office. THey have to provide you with a SAFE living environment. THey should be willing to call in a professional. They cannot expect the homeowner to set and maintain traps.

Searcher

[Stormin Mormon]

I did call the TP (toilet paper; trailer park; same diff) and they said they had a "several week waiting list" for the Havahart Trap. Critters caught in said trap are released. Sounds about as effective as using a spaghetti strainer to try to bail a boat.

[C & E]

Yep, and I guarantee that anyone living *near* the release point would scream bloody murder if they knew it. These varmints rank sufficiently high on the vermin scale that there is no closed season on them in Penna. Too bad you live in such a close community because there are sulphur bombs available at most feed stores which will suffocate the monstrous rodents. But, it stinks too much and could be a fire hazard if something/ somebody malfunctioned in its use.

[Pete C.]

Got a big bucket? Immersion in water shouldn't hurt a galvanized trap at all...

Pete C.

[Jeff]

Buy a bag of granulated lime, the kind you spread on your lawn, put a couple of shovelfuls down the tunnel. This has worked for me. Apparently groundhogs hate the stuff and leave.

[Stormin Mormon]

I had thought of smoke bombs. Soak a whole bunch of sawdust in potassium nirate. Light it up, shovel the hole closed. However, with my luck I'd have the fire department on scene in about five minutes. Asking all kinds of questions.

Who has ever complained about someone dumping a *dead* woodchuck?

[Stormin Mormon]

That, or a blanket to cover the trap, and the tailpipe of my truck.

Not sure how big those are, might need a bath tub or stock tank instead of a bucket. Or a blue barrel. Now, we're thinking. Blue barrel. Thanks; great idea.

Tailpipe is a bit cleaner. Who wants a soggy, dead woodchuck?

[Stormin Mormon]

Now you're talking. I used to ahve a bag of lime in the closet, the last people left here in the trailer. Wonder if it's still there? I'll go look.

[Trent©]

Did you ever SEE the woodchuck? Many animals burrow into holes...rabbits, rats, etc.

Check your lease agreement...then go to the monthly association meeting if you have one and complain. It should be the responsibility of the park management to solve the problem.

If that doesn't work, call a local governmental agency for help. Don't forget to mention that yer worried about the possibility of rabies.

Good luck.

Have a nice one...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

[buffalobill]

cute picture! prop open a USPS priority carton with a stick, lure him with some paypal-purchased woodchuck food, and sell him on eBay! :)

see also: WOODCHUCKS Woodchucks are found in agricultural lands throughout much of eastern North America. Wood- chucks may cause damage by digging burrows and building associated dirt mounds, which can damage farm machinery or tree root systems; and by tearing the bark on the trunk of trees during scent-marking activities. Woodchucks are unprotected wildlife in New York State, and animals causing damage may be taken in any manner by owners, lessees and members of their immediate families, or authorized employees, occupy- ing or cultivating lands without a license or permit. Consult your regional Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) office if you have questions about a specific situation. Landowners have usually relied on lethal methods to reduce woodchuck damage. However, lethal controls are marginally successful for controlling woodchuck populations, as animals invade orchards from surrounding areas and reoccupy burrow systems. Shooting and trapping can be used to remove prob- lem woodchucks from fields. Shooting may be illegal or unsafe under some circumstances. Woodchucks can be captured using #2 leghold traps, #160 or #220 body-gripping traps, or livetraps baited with apples and set near burrow entrances. Only livetraps should be used where pets or livestock might be inadvertently captured. Woodchucks captured live cannot be legally transported off your property and should be humanely euthanized. Check with your Regional DEC Wildlife Office about restrictions.

[ds549]

find out what he likes to eat, lace it with antifreeze and put it down his hole.

[Jeff]

Get some bags of lime that you spread on your lawn, dump down the holes. This worked for me, worth a try.

[Stormin Mormon]

Wow, old th read. The trailer park put down a Havahart trap. Caught one chuck, and no more holes.