How to remove groundhogs from under a shed or porch?

Have you seen or finally identified the animal digging under your shed is a ground hog? Then you need to consider removing it from under there.

Why remove them
• They are going to ruin the structure of your buildings including the porch, your barns and any animal sheds they may be burrowing under.
• Their burrows may cause animals or even peopleserious injuries. Larger animals like cattle and horses may suffer fractures on their legs when they trip.
• Digging through the burrows has been known to sometimes cause damage to your farm equipment like tractors.
• You risk diseases like rabies - although this is quite minimal.

So how do you remove them?
First, understand that they are pests and you may need to consider some ‘inhumane’ methods to get rid of them. The following are ways you can use to get rid of them:

• You can use live traps to catch and relocate them. Although humane, you may have a run in with the authorities because exactly where are you going to relocate them to?
• Although inhumane, you can shoot them. You have to be very careful when doing this to avoid hurting your pets or other animals. To do it, you must be very close to the entrance of the burrow, must watch carefully for the groundhog and shoot at the right time.
• You can also fumigate them form inside their burrows. To do this you must be sure they are inside their burrows. This is done by dropping fumigating device into their burrows when you are sure they are there. You may need a lot of these devices especially when they have many outlets to their burrows.
• You can kill them by applying poison on vegetables near their burrows. This generally doesn’t work because most poisons are made to kill other pests and not groundhogs. If it works depends on its potency against the hog. Remember, you may have other animals that may fall prey to this ploy. So be very careful when using poison

Remember.
You really do not need groundhogs under your buildings, they are very destructive and although most suggested methods sound inhumane, you must get rid of them one way or other.

Beware
They are feisty animals and will fight hard to protect their territories. Do not risk handling without protection like gloves.