Groundhogs in yard

[22250Rem]

They've been known to relocate when they have to. I live on a bay on the south side of Lake Ontario. The 'chucks that live about 120 yards out back got flooded out back in 2017 and 2019 when the lake was at record high levels. I figure they moved up into the woods next door, as the woodchuck holes had water right up to ground level. Then they came back when the lake level got back to normal. They also have very good eyesight and when I'm walking toward them I can't get within 100yards of them before they flee toward holes. If they have been shot at a lot it seems like maybe you have eradicated them but some of them may have moved to greener pastures to avoid danger. Earlier in this thread someone mentioned using a trail cam to verify if they are still around, and that's a good idea. I sometimes put cams near chuck holes just for grins... ..

 

[gspn]

We have gophers and moles, so we don’t get a lot of shot opportunities.

I built a plow that makes a round tunnel under the ground and drops a thimble full of poison seeds every ~3ft. I haven’t found anything more effective for very large areas.

I have a similar problem, and poison is one of the methods I'm using in an attempt to control these vermin. One thing that bugs me though, is that I can't tell if I'm making any progress, I never see any dead bodies. Do they come up to die when you poison them? Or do they stay in the ground? I'm trying to figure out what to look for so I can get this problem under control. They're destroying my yard.

 

[jmorris]

They stop making dirt piles, you don’t see any evidence of the deceased.

If they came up after I poisoned them, I probably wouldn’t use that method. I probably couldn’t keep a dog alive at that point.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

My grandmother used to what she called power boil young ground hogs. Whatever that exactly means. Was supposed to make them less greasy and gamey.

 

[entropy]

Use the shotgun. One to the head and done. If you had a smaller shotgun, I'd use that. My son took out a groundhog with a .410 at 7 years old.

 

[Savage30L]

Unless it’s a head shot, I’ve found that my 22 lr isn’t sufficient to anchor the bigger/fatter ground hogs. Same for raccoons, which in my area run quite large.

For those dudes, I use a 5.56/.223.

>>This.

Use a shotgun up close. You can poke several holes in a groundhog with a .22 without killing him, unless you hit him in the brain...which is about the size of a small marble.

I once had a yard (and garden) full of groundhogs. I learned that, at close range, a 12-gauge shotgun works really well. Pop out of the door loaded and ready to fire.

 

[Savage30L]

My grandmother used to what she called power boil young ground hogs. Whatever that exactly means. Was supposed to make them less greasy and gamey.

There is a layer of fat along the back, that must be removed prior to cooking, as it imparts a very strong, unpleasant flavor to a groundhog. Even after doing that, they are marginal fare, at best.

 

[moose1858]

To the OP - Do you live within city limits and are your neighbors averse to the sound of gunfire?
If so a .25 - .30 cal airgun might be worth considering adding to your arsenal and a worthy target platform