Saw my first groundhog tonight, finally waking up....

[Jack Valentino]

Come out to say, "hey Jack, where's my schorgasborg (sic) ??"


Well, I'm normally a "nature-lover"---

but those little bastards have terrorized and/or destroyed my garden
for the past two years (there's a colony next door, and maybe here--
well, they also nest under my front porch, and under the shed out back--)

I tried every 'home remedy' to discourage them, but nothing has worked.

Used a live trap, but only managed to capture one young one, 2 years ago, whom I relocated
(which, as it turns out, is against local law). After that, no dice.

Sprayed ammonia into their holes, etc

Last year, I raised some sunflowers far above ground, until they were more than 2 feet tall,
before I put them into the ground--- (thought they would be safer then, right ??)

then one of them took them all down, one day at a time,
even after I had staked them and tied them up--- and this was way before they even
started to develop any flowers! WTF. I think the mother developed a taste for their leaves...


Well, it's war now. I intend to murder them all.
Ordered that .177 pellet rifle tonight (which purportedly has a velocity greater than a .22 rifle).

Since they now all run when they see me, I intend to shoot them through the screen
of the back-bedroom window...


I didn't want to have to do this---
but to make myself feel better,
I will presume that they are all Republicans!

Want my garden, dammit. Enough is enough.

[Keepthesoulalive]

1. Large male dogs

The scent of the male dogs keeps deer and other critters away. Terriers made for catching vermin.
If you live in a wooded area snakes and birds of prey keep most animals in check. Good luck.

[Jack Valentino]

2. I know, I would, but I can't afford to support a dog :(

Have wanted a dog for other reasons, but I realize it would be a poor economic decision for me now.

[Keepthesoulalive]

3. A younger dog is not as much of a financial strain

Both of my dogs are rescues. Older dogs will set you back , I’m still paying vet bills. Some one suggested putting milorganite around the perimeter and where they hide , not near crops . It is human waste composted.

[Jack Valentino]

4. All dogs eventually get old...

and the bigger ones get old sooner.

[Keepthesoulalive]

8. I know

I lost 3 large dogs in thirteen months but i take the heartbreak for what they give. I have had to continue learning because each one is different, firmness and consistency is the most important thing the pack leader should learn and they are also smarter than me. I garden in raised beds , the older beds are open to the ground, hubby put mesh on the bottom. Good luck you have to do what you have to do.

[Dixiegrrrl]

9. FWIW.....you can buy dog,and/or other animal pee scent.r

It's commonly used for such a purpose.
Google, maybe?

[usonian]

5. I must have hundreds, or so it seems.

Nothing works. But nature has a cure or two.


1. A gopher snake.
2. A good cat.

Others? I dunno.

They eat toxic plants.

[NJCher]

6. I have them at the community garden I supervise

Yeah, we could kill them but I can't bring myself to do that. They're just beings trying to live, like we are.

I also think it's probably not going to work because they go by scent. As soon as one family is killed off, another groundhog family is going to move right into their "residence." They'll find it by scent.

My solution for our gardeners is to use a spraycalled Repel-It. It does work, but you have to be diligent. And it's inexpensive, too. Although the package says you only have to use it about once every 20-30 days, I go out every Monday and spray. And then some--I'll sometimes spray every other day.

Whatever you do, don't leave the spray bottle in your car! It will make your car smell like rotten eggs.

But above and beyond all that, we've got enough stuff to protect our plants from them. I've collected all kinds of solutions, such as wire baskets to put over the tops of plants they like. Grow stuff they don't like down low (onions, leeks, garlic, herbs, etc.) and grow things they do like high up in the air. We are doing hanging tomatoes this year for the first time, but also I have elevated beds where items like tomatoes will grow. In addition, we were able to purchase some very attractive fencing to go around some of the raised beds.

I've asked the hairstyling salons to save customers' cut hair for me. Some of them are great about doing it because they like contributing to the community garden. Leaving hair around plants bugs them and the deer.

They can totally ruin gardening if you don't have a plan, that's for sure.

[Jack Valentino]

7. Oh, I have "a plan" now---

and as I said, these other sundry "solutions" have not worked---
or I can't afford them. Besides that, they climb fences...


It's the last resort, but there I am.


Wish I had experience as a skinner, then I would eat them---
but that is a bridge too far. Oh well.

[NJCher]

10. They dig holes under fences

I’ve never seen them crawl over a fence.

All the stuff I’m using to protect the plants I’ve gotten for free. I just keep my eyes open as I travel down the street and I find things like rolled up chicken wire, lattice, fencing, all kinds of stuff. I haven’t spent a dime. And it’s all attractive, too.

The thing I would hate about your plan is disposing of the bodies. It sounds so horrible. Ugh.

[Jack Valentino]

11. I've seen them swiftly climb over the standard 4 foot chainlink fence

at one of my previous houses--- seemed to be part of his daily route---
Seemed to live under my back porch, and I'd see it go out on its rounds...

( I didn't have any garden at that house, so it was only a curiosity--
but also one of the longest ground-hogs I have ever seen...
wasn't even quite sure what it was, at the time...)

Yeah, disposing of them... I suppose I'll bury them between rows in the garden,
or near where I intend to start a peach tree