Chasing off Ground Hogs

Sunday | CH3CN

[CH3CN]

We have a family of ground hogs who have lived under the concrete front steps of our house, under a giant climbing rose for generations. We bought the house from Mom, and they have lived there for as long as she can remember. She is 96.

We've had the front steps "mud jacked" six years ago because it was falling into the den. However, the ground hogs came back 2 years ago and started raising new families. We tried last year to get rid of them, but they came back this year. We had mom, pop, and 3 babies. The babies have finally left home and now that it's getting colder, Phil is trying to winter.

So, my son is dropping giant stink bombs down there and will cover the hole with a large rock. However, I suspect Phil and his mate will be back in the spring. Any ideas how to get them to find a new home? We've tried cayenne pepper, human urine, fire crackers, traps, and of course, the mud jacking. They keep coming back. Hopefully, the big bombs will work. We hate to use the poison smoke because it comes into the house, so the bombs we're using were acquired at a fireworks stand in July. Oh, and it's in the middle of town so we can't just shoot the boogers.

Sorry about a vanity. Thought it might get our minds off the election for a few minutes. Besides, I'd love to hear from any experts in groung hog removal.

[Joe 6-pack]

[tiki]

You could run a hose from an exhaust pipe into the den and let it run for a while.

[CH3CN]

Ah, they already do tricks. They have these wonderful parasitic flies trained and every time they go into their hole, the little flies jump off, sit on the porch and wait for their hosts to come back out. Unfortunately, the flies like people, too. You can spray and spray, and more flies find the groundhogs. Great trick!!

Seriously, lots of good advise here. I’ll check the rock tomorrow and see if Phil has come back and started digging again.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Try mothballs

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But it is worth a try.

[LongElegantLegs]

You need a dog to pursue and eat them, not scare them. Something in the daschund or terrier family might do the trick.

[JRios1968]

[Slings and Arrows]

See if you can rent one of these:

http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/gopher-blaster.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrGnW0KLFZk

[Hot Tabasco]

Move! Its their home which has been passed down from generation to generation.

I can just hear the conversations around their dinner table now......."How do we get rid of those people? Stink bombs don't work....

[CH3CN]

LOL, I’ve considered that. I won’t have a good defense to explain why I put a bunch of black powder down their hole and lit it on fire last fall. Made lots of good smoke, killed the aphids on the rose bush, but Phil stayed put. I am such a warmonger. I am sure they discuss my hateful proclivities around their dinner table, provided free of charge from my garden, compost pile, and occassional snatched pie left to cool on the patio.