Woodchuck living by my garden

treehopper · Mon May 28, 2012 1:23 pm

yep, sometimes the most efficient method is not the prettiest...the conibear is my go to method. I cover the hole and the trap with a black 5 gal plastic pail-make sure that trap is securely anchored.

midtown bistro · Mon May 28, 2012 1:24 pm

This forum is good luck!

Not sure why, but after joining this forum on Saturday I caught a groundhog, and now this morning I got another. Same hole, same #220 trap. This makes SEVEN ground hogs in 4 weeks.

I never knew we had that many, and now I have no idea how many there actually are.

rainbowgardener · Mon May 28, 2012 1:24 pm

These days you can get solar electric fencing pretty easy to install and not overly expensive.

Jeremy brua · Mon May 28, 2012 3:11 pm

Midtown, watch out useing those 220s on land in Ohio. I would hate for somone to get fined over a whistle pig.

orgoveg · Mon May 28, 2012 4:54 pm

Jeremy brua wrote:Midtown, watch out useing those 220s on land in Ohio. I would hate for somone to get fined over a whistle pig.

Jeremy is referring to Ohio Trapping Regulations which prohibit use of conibear traps with an inside diameter greater than 5" (except underwater). The #220 is 7"x7". #110 is the biggest legal one that I know of (4-1/2"x4-1/2"). That's just big enough for a groundhog to get his head into.

midtown bistro · Mon May 28, 2012 5:41 pm

I just looked up the regs. Thanks.

You mention a 4.5x4.5. Can I get a 5x5? Is that legal?

Jeremy brua · Mon May 28, 2012 6:15 pm

I think bridger makes a 5x5 its called a 155. IMO a foot trap would be better. But if your in town dispatch might be a problem.

midtown bistro · Mon May 28, 2012 6:33 pm

I found the exact groundhog regs in Ohio for 2012:

(D) It shall be unlawful for any person to set, use, or maintain a foot hold trap, on land for the purpose of taking a wild animal, that has an inside diameter jaw spread larger than five and five-eighths inches, or a body gripping trap having a jaw spread larger than five inches in diameter, except as provided in paragraph (BB) of this rule.

(BB) It shall be lawful to set, use, and maintain a body gripping trap to take groundhogs from March first through September thirtieth each year. Provided further, it shall be unlawful to use a body gripping trap with a jaw spread greater than seven inches by seven inches to take groundhogs.

(CC) It shall be unlawful to set, use, or maintain a body gripping trap to take groundhogs which is set more than three feet from the hole, or structure the groundhog is inhabiting.

(DD) It shall be unlawful to set, use, or maintain a body gripping trap to take groundhogs that does not have an enclosure or structure around the trap which prohibits other animals from getting into the trap from the outside.

(3) Body gripping traps shall be measured from the inside of the main jaw at the trigger assembly to the inside of the opposing jaw across the entrance window

Now I have to research how to build a legal enclosure.

Jeremy brua · Mon May 28, 2012 8:28 pm

its good that you can use them (7x7) for groundhogs. you can try to make a plywood box that the trap fits inside. Then put chicken wire on the other end so it looks like he can go through. You will need some blocking so he cant go around.

orgoveg · Mon May 28, 2012 10:12 pm

Wow, that's good news! Where did you find that? I can't find my regulations booklet and the ODNR website is hard to navigate.

midtown bistro · Mon May 28, 2012 11:51 pm

https://codes.ohio.gov/oac/1501%3A31-15-09

midtown bistro · Mon May 28, 2012 11:51 pm

https://codes.ohio.gov/oac/1501%3A31-15-09

orgoveg · Tue May 29, 2012 11:03 am

midtown bistro wrote:https://codes.ohio.gov/oac/1501%3A31-15-09

Thanks. I had to officially declare war yesterday when I discovered all of my swiss chard eaten to the ground - inside my deer fence! I'm getting out the smoke bombs (they do work if you plug all the holes with old towels) and in September, I'm getting #220's.

rainbowgardener · Tue May 29, 2012 2:57 pm

Oh yeah, did I say the deer netting has to be staked down all the way around so they can't get under? I use earth staples:

https://www.gardeners.com/Earth-Staples/11858,default,pd.html

and that's because I garden in raised beds with wooden sides. For in ground you might have to bury some of the fencing to keep them from going under it.

orgoveg · Tue May 29, 2012 3:46 pm

Yep, mine is chicken wire buried down a few inches. In my case, they had to climb over it. The upper portion is just straight wires that anything other than deer can climb through.

Ohio Tiller · Wed May 30, 2012 2:55 pm

Jeremy brua wrote:Midtown, watch out useing those 220s on land in Ohio. I would hate for somone to get fined over a whistle pig.

Yep Ohio law says they must be set in water. unless it is cover so no other animal can get in it. And must be set in the hole.

RogueRose · Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:27 am

Just want to add that the KITTY LITTER solution is so far working GREAT! I have only had to add it TWICE and no chuckies have come back!! :::knock on wood:::

orgoveg · Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:22 am

RogueRose wrote:Just want to add that the KITTY LITTER solution is so far working GREAT! I have only had to add it TWICE and no chuckies have come back!! :::knock on wood:::

Same here, I think. Long story short: Two holes under shed. Saw groundhog's head poking out. Got bag of litter clumps and shovel. Poured litter into one hole and blocked with rock. Began pouring litter into other hole and groundhog ran IN to hole right in front of me. He was watching me from brush a few feet away the whole time! Filled holes with dirt. Groundhog dug himself out one end. Filled back in with shovel. Haven't seen him since.

RogueRose · Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:13 am

Yup - I haven't seen mine at all this year, but seen the destruction. I tried a whole mess of sprays, nothing worked. Blocked the hole with a big metal thing that is usually used to patch roads (no idea where it came from, but found it in the garden by the shed), but it kept going around it. So put the kitty litter down the hole then put the metal plate over it. It tried once to go around it. Put kitty litter down the beginnings of that hole....I keep going back to make sure I don't see any new holes but haven't seen any yet. Either way, I got an endless supply of kitty litter.

TZ -OH6 · Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:27 pm

I catch several every year. Mostly young of the year looking for a new place to live. They walk into the live trap even when it is not baited, and do not care if it is covered in blood from the last animal caught --which was generally a racoon (sorry to be graffic, but a head shot with a 22 leaves blood).

I'm a true beleiver that if you can catch a skunk in a live trap you won't need bait for anything else. Animals seem to be drawn to a skunky trap. For skunks I set the trap so that one side is blocked so that I can walk up to it and prop open the door to let the little guys out. I have never been sprayed and often had repeat visitors the summer that the skunks were thick.

I also try to set the trap against a fence or side of the house. 'hogs seem to like to follow edges.

For bait I use peanut butter inside an old plastic jar.

Jeremy brua · Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:44 pm

I like that there are some fellow trappers on here.