Add Marmota monax to the growing list of urban wildlife. Anyone know anything about the most humane way to deal with woodchucks? I've seen threads elsewhere about relocating squirrels and other critters, so maybe someone here might know.
Now, ordinarily I wouldn't care all that much if there was a woodchuck living nearby, but one has decided to take up residence in my garage! (It's an old garage with a gravel floor). I know where I can rent a live trap... is there anything I need to know about relocating? (I know plenty of vacant/rural areas I could relocate it to). Are they territorial, and are they able to dig their own burrows quickly?
Better make sure it's a STRONG live trap. Woodchucks are powerful animals, and if there's a weak spot in the trap they will find it and pull the trap apart to escape.
I don't know about where you live, but in my municipality in NJ there is a $2000 fine for relocating wild animals. They say it is because of promoting the spread of rabies to other areas. We just call animal control in our town and they come pick him up and dispose of him.
A Hav-a-hart trap is a nice thing to own. I've captured and released numerous woodchucks, squirrels, possums and raccoons from mine. I take them to a nearby state park. I would recommend getting the largest trap (~$50). Mine is next to largest and I had to give up on a big raccoon. If animal is too big for trap, it will not close. Some may tell you that relocating the animal may endanger it. Me: I don't care ;) Frank
"Frank Logullo" wrote in news:jTy4d.2022$ snipped-for-privacy@monger.newsread.com:
it's not that you are endangering the animal you relocate, it's that you are endangering *all* the animals in the area you relocate an animal *to*. while the wildlife population in your area may be resistant to certain diseases, that may not be true of animals in the area you move the animal to, hence spread of disease. the best thing to do with an animal that is causing you trouble is just kill it & get it over with. you aren't doing it or any other animal a kindness by 'relocating'. besides, what makes you think anyone else wants *your* problem? if it's destroying your property, why take it elsewhere to ruin someone else's property? lee
Don't forget the skunks that love these traps. The unfortunate thing is that you usually have to destroy the skunk when you weren't really after it in the first place. No matter how you handle it, it is a real stinker.
I have shot my share of groundhogs, but destroying them is like destroying a grain of sand. Every time you destroy one, two take its place. I have been doing this for 40 years. What does good is if you know where the groundhogs hole is, you can kill them and bury them in their own hole and other groundhogs will not use that hole. I did that. Now they are living in an outhouse, a barn, and under some creeping juniper next to our house.
To anyone suggesting this: Out Of The Question for a number of reasons:
I live in an URBAN area with high population density. That is to say, the houses are all about 20-30 feet apart from each other. The buildings are so close together there's a good chance of hitting someone else's property if a gun were to be fired. (And you're suggesting I shoot a gun *inside* my garage?) Shooting a gun (even a BB gun) is illegal within city limits. I don't own a gun anyways, and buying one would be more expensive than buying a live trap. Also, doing this myself would probably be quicker and cheaper than hiring somebody.
I don't have the time or the patience to sit around waiting for the animal(s) to appear.
I have no worries about the animal(s) reappearing on the property if relocated a few miles away. There are so many cross-streets and busy city intersections in between, would take nothing short of a miracle for a relocated animal to return. (I live in a city with a population of 400,000, not out in the boonies.)
Rodents are not as likely to be vectors of rabies (FWIW raccoons and skunks are not rodents).
The places I'm thinking of relocating to are not near farms or private properties. There's a park in an area surrounded by commercial zoned, corporate/light industrial parks and an abandoned shopping center. Woodchucks and other wildlife have existed in this area for years; they come out in the open, and if they were a problem I'm sure someone would have done something by now.
I've caught several skunks in the traps. I generally just wait until noon, walk quietly up to the trap and open it slowly, placing a brick under the door so the skunk can see that it's open after I leave. None of them even tried to spray. The skunk may not leave right away. There's generally a brick handy because I place a brick on the door of the large Hav-a-hart traps to (1) keep it from sticking open (since eventually the trap gets old and bent up) and (2) knock the trapped animal more forcefully into the trap. I've lost a couple of animals when I didn't use the brick.
Skunks are nocturnal and don't do well in the daylight. If you're really worried, you can hold a tarp in front of you when you walk up to the trap. The skunk has to raise its tail to spray, and that's hard to do inside the trap, so if you see the skunk getting agitated, just back off and wait for it to settle down. The skunk will generally indicate annoyance by pounding the ground with its front feet. If you use the tarp, you can cover the trap while you open the door. That way the only thing exposed is your hand.
Tomato juice is not very effective at eliminating skunk smell, although it will reduce it. There are a couple of remedies based on hydrogen peroxide. One is 1 qt peroxide (3%, the kind you find in the grocery store), 1/4 cup baking soda (not baking powder) and a shot of detergent. Don't get it in your eyes. Use mixture right away. It doesn't keep.
I think you're exagerating about the BB gun, but in any case, submerge the live trap in a trashcan full of water, or take it to the lake or river and throw it in (with a rope tied on so you can pull it back), or call the city's Animal Control office and let them decide what to do with it after you've caught it.
You shoot it *after it's in the trap*.
That's a good point.
It still might have the flu or leprosy or cooties or something, and infect all the others that are currently living in the park.
Killing is certainly an option but not for me, viz my wife objects. I do have a neighbor that catches groundhogs in his Hav-a-hart and drowns them. Cage trap is preferred over leg trap which can result in free, crippled animal. Shooting is usually legal but not here as you must be 200 yds from occupied dwelling. Trap and release is legal here but not everywhere. I doubt the disease argument because we're only relocating a few miles away. Animals do have their ranges. Only one I know is whitetail deer, which I hunt, and they spend their lives within about a square mile. In my experience, groundhogs stay close to home but I'm not sure about the others. Frank
But seriously what is the downside to having a woodchuck under the shed? That's where mine is. Other then eating my cantaloupes, and I guess some of my tomatoes and cukes.
Actually, I should say woodchucks as it seems that he's got a girl now. Will I be seeing little chucks next year? A chunk of chucks?
I don't mind all the rabbits and squirrels and chipmunks that are in my yard. I don't really mind the woodchucks either, but I don't know much about them. I do have some reservations about a herd of them.
I am surprised by how fast they are. Look like racehorses when they head for the shed.
Just a thought... please don't drop it off at my place.
Hopefully, if you DO relocate th little pest, you will not be making a problem for someone else. That wasn't meant to be hurtful, it just occured to me.
Kate
| > Now, ordinarily I wouldn't care all that much if there was a woodchuck | living | > nearby, but one has decided to take up residence in my garage! (It's an | old | > garage with a gravel floor). I know where I can rent a live trap... is | there | > anything I need to know about relocating? (I know plenty of vacant/rural | areas | > I could relocate it to). Are they territorial, and are they able to dig | their | > own burrows quickly? | | A Hav-a-hart trap is a nice thing to own. I've captured and released | numerous woodchucks, squirrels, possums and raccoons from mine. I take them | to a nearby state park. I would recommend getting the largest trap (~$50). | Mine is next to largest and I had to give up on a big raccoon. If animal is | too big for trap, it will not close. Some may tell you that relocating the | animal may endanger it. Me: I don't care ;) | Frank | |
Excellent advice. This happened to me with my first home made trap. I did not want to spring the $40 or so for a Hav-a-hart and it was more difficult to let the skunk out. My wife suited up with rain gear while I was at work calling around and removed door and ran. Skunk remained in trap for a while and left later. I understand now that skunks do not spray when confined but I would not take chance of transporting when in trap. Frank
I wouldn't bother relocating skunks. They don't bother your vegetables or flowers and if they dig up your lawn it means you have grubs so they're doing you a favor. The lawn will recover from small holes better than it will recover from grubs.
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