Woodchuck Prevention

Dogs can help by scaring away woodchucks.

The woodchuck (Marmota monax), also called groundhog, measures up to 20 inches in length and weighs approximately 12 pounds. Burrowing rodents, woodchucks build diverse tunnel systems beneath the soil. During the summer months in the early morning and evening hours, woodchucks enjoy feeding on a wide array of plant life, including vegetables and flowers, to beef up for the coming winter months when they hibernate. The rest of the day woodchucks spend lounging in the warm sunlight. To prevent damage to the landscape, homeowners should focus on making their properties unattractive to woodchucks.

Things You'll Need

• Scarecrow
• Colorful streamers
• Wind chimes
• Shovel
• Fence poles
• Electric wire
• Electric wire insulators
• Electric wire fence charger
• Gopher plant
• Crown imperial fritillary
• Human hair
• Coyote or fox urine
• Hot pepper sauce
• 2-inch wire mesh fencing
• 1-inch wire mesh fencing

Instructions

1. Erect a scarecrow in your hard to scare away the woodchucks. Move the scarecrow every three days to a different location in the yard to continue to frighten the woodchucks. Attach colorful streamers or wind chimes to trees, shrubs, or structures to help scare away the rodents.

2. Install a fence with 2-inch wire woven mesh that extends into the air at least 3 feet around your property. Stake the fencing so it points outward at a 45-degree angle to prevent the woodchucks from climbing over the top.

3. Dig a ditch at least 1 foot deep where the fencing is to go. Sink at least 1 foot of wire fencing straight down into the ditch, to prevent the woodchucks from digging under the fence.

4. Run an electric wire attached to a fence charger 5 inches above the ground along the outside of the fence line. The electric wire will help prevent the rodents from digging under the fence or climbing it.

5. Plant woodchuck-repelling plants around the perimeter of the vegetable garden or flower bed. Woodchucks do not like the gopher plant (Euphorbia lathyrus) or crown imperial fritillary (F. imperialis).

6. Collect human hair from brushes. Spread the human hair around shrubs, plants, or trees to deter the woodchucks.

7. Spray coyote or fox urine with a squirt of hot pepper sauce in areas you wish to protect. Repeat the application after it rains or after irrigating.

8. Block all access holes under structures with rocks or blocks. If the woodchucks continue to burrow under the foundation, dig a trench that extends downward at least 1 foot, and run 1-inch wire mesh straight down into the trench. Attach the top of the wire fencing to the foundation, and replace the soil to prevent the woodchucks from digging under the foundation.

Tips & Warnings

• Live traps are available that safely and humanely trap the woodchuck so it can be removed to another area. However, this is not a very effective method of preventing damage, because in areas with food, more woodchucks will move in to replace the relocated ones.

• Use apples in a live trap to attract the woodchuck.

• Consider planting sweet alyssum, annual poppies, snapdragons, or marigolds in the home landscape, because woodchucks do not like them.

• Using motion-activated lights, a sound system, or a sprinkler may scare away woodchucks.

• Avoid using lethal methods to kill the woodchuck. It is a valuable native animal.

• Using poisons to kill woodchucks puts pets and children at risk.

• Lethal traps can kill not only woodchucks, but other wildlife and pets.

References

• MassWildlife: Woodchucks in Massachusetts
• Penn State University; Woodchucks; 1997
• Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Woodchuck (Groundhog)
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management: Woodchucks in Rhode Island
• Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Wildlife Division; Woodchuck; December 1999
• Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources: Living With Woodchucks

Resources

• Cornell Cooperative Extension; Woodchucks; Paul D. Curtis, et al.