Darn, I hate Groundhogs!

Ssayer

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I saw her live on video and went out and chased her out of the garden. Couldn't specifically find where she got in so I checked the video and went out to see. After repeating this a few times, I can only concur that she pushed through the fence in an area so tight that I couldn't push my own HAND through. She's going to be a toughy until I send her to Lala land (hopefully BEFORE she cleans my garden out...

 

vandyman

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I saw her live on video and went out and chased her out of the garden. Couldn't specifically find where she got in so I checked the video and went out to see. After repeating this a few times, I can only concur that she pushed through the fence in an area so tight that I couldn't push my own HAND through. She's going to be a toughy until I send her to Lala land (hopefully BEFORE she cleans my garden out...

I hate to do it, but I have sent many to lala land. They will dig and destroy anything. My front and back porch, my garage, my privacy fence, my gardens, and much more.

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sebastiantombs

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We've got a few that seem to hang around periodically. My neighbor dispatched one of them two weeks ago, 00 buck.
 

Sparky19053

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I bagged a few with my have a heart trap. Took em to work with where there is plenty of natural wooded area and no vegetable gardens to raid. Squirrels are another problem for me in the garden. One summer I traped and relocated twenty one to the office. Then last year a hawk moved in the neighborhood and the squirrel population dropped drastically. Without the hawk helping it was like draining a swamp.
 

CCTVCam

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We don't have groundhogs over here so don't know if them digging under fences is going to be a problem, but given you say it's pushing through an easy option might be to run an electric fence wire around the base of the primeter of the fence. They can be both battery and mains driven and protect large distances (depending on the Joule energy). I have one around my garden pond. My loss of fish to cats / herons went from 5 or 6 a week to none for about 10 years so far. I really rate PEL fence energisers although they are expensive now. In the EU German made VOSS seem to be gaining traction. Reasonably priced and 3 yr warranty although I have yet to try one. I think my fence energiser is around 1.2 Joules although I have a very short run. I would say that between 1.2-3 joules is probably sufficient for a garden fence unless you live on a farm or mansion. Most fence websites provide advice. I'd mount the wire inside your existing fence for 2 reasons - 1. you don't want it on the public side for liability reasons, 2. the critter can't duck under it if its pushing through a hole in the fence at the same time! Don't forget warning signs for liability purposes.
 

Ssayer

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I've had electric wire on top of that fence for around 15 years now. I've tried putting it up along the bottom, but the grass and weeds quickly grow up to it and short it out. We also have two kinds of fencing (Utility and Chicken Wire). Along the back (which drops off about 2 feet directly behind the fence), the fence is tied down to 2" water pipe. On the sides and front, I have metal stakes into the ground every 2". Did I mention that we've always had a critter problem around here? :p The problem is that the whole area backs up to wetlands (we're zoned as Agricultural).

For removal, I average 3 groundhogs, a couple of dozen squirrels and around 150 chipmunks a year. My neighbors have similar stories. Still, I wouldn't DREAM of trading where I live for city living. Knock on wood, there are NO people problems around here! ;)
 

concord

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Looks like a violation, no mask, according to your Governor :). Grew up in the country, up north, and we called them woodchucks. The holes are dangerous for cows and horses, so we always had the .22 rifle ready.
 

CCTVCam

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I've had electric wire on top of that fence for around 15 years now. I've tried putting it up along the bottom, but the grass and weeds quickly grow up to it and short it out. We also have two kinds of fencing (Utility and Chicken Wire). Along the back (which drops off about 2 feet directly behind the fence), the fence is tied down to 2" water pipe. On the sides and front, I have metal stakes into the ground every 2". Did I mention that we've always had a critter problem around here? :p The problem is that the whole area backs up to wetlands (we're zoned as Agricultural).

For removal, I average 3 groundhogs, a couple of dozen squirrels and around 150 chipmunks a year. My neighbors have similar stories. Still, I wouldn't DREAM of trading where I live for city living. Knock on wood, there are NO people problems around here! ;)
One thing you could do is remove the turf just inside the existing fence - only to about 1- 2 inch deep by maybe a foot to 18 inches wide. Put a high quality weed barrier down, install your fence in the barrier then cover the barrier with gravel - 40mm slate is ideal as it's thin and flat. That should remove the grass growth problem. Anything that does come up, hit with weedkiller. Another alternative would be just to spray the perimeter with a permanent weedkiller, although bare earth (mud after it rains) might not look as nice as gravel and despite claims of being permanent, most weedkillers do need re-treating after 6-12 months.

eg:

 
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Ssayer

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This has been an amazing year so far. We've lived here since '96. Each year, I've had to eradicate (kill, for those that don't like to mince words ;) ) one or two of them. One year I had to off three of them. So far, and the year is young, I have seven confirmed (confirmed means that I've removed their carcasses by hand), one probable (it fell back into it's hole and you don't go reaching into a groundhog's hole unless you really REALLY don't like your fingers), and one that I shot at from about 16 feet away (I can't imagine I missed him) but he made it to a thick planted area so I'll have to wait for the smell to confirm and remove him. I hope this is it. Hopefully all the neighbors have been removing their share, eh? :rolleyes:
 

Old Timer

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We ended up laying fence on the ground just outside of the garden fence and tying the two together with wire, then cover the outside fence with dirt.
The grass will grow through and keep it down. The varmints have to dig down under for over 38" to get into the garden. This is the only way we have kept
dogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, and cats out. Squirrels can still make it in, but I have a radio tower close, so the hawks sit up there and enjoy squirrels.
 
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