Ground Hogs

[koja48]

Rockchuck/marmot . . . western cousin of your groundhog but it is a small one. Yellow-bellied marmots of the west don't get nearly as large as groundhogs, although hoary marmots found high-up in the mountains come close. This one was part of a hoard decimating a friend's alfalfa field & using a conventional firearm as a thinning tool wasn't an option.

 

[Clipper]

I've used cabbage for bait with good results.

 

[Selfdfenz]

koja48

Understood. I'm not too well versed on identifying the various models of ground dwellers issued out west?

I just got interested in air gunning in the last couple of years so I'm no expert but the technology options and capabilities are real eye-openers.

Nice rifle.

S-

 

[koja48]

Thanks; air-gunning has its niche & after the initial gun purchase is relatively inexpensive, good practice, and fun. The 22s & 25s are quite efficient on small game.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I have trapped many of them using steel leg hold traps...wear scentless gloves, set the trap in the hole that the groundhog calls home, conceal it using litter from the mouth of the hole (leaves, grass....but not too much, you don't want to interfere with the trap)...when you get him...a 22 between the eyes and its done.

 

[Zeke/PA]

I use a large Havaheart trap for the pesky critters.
About 3 or 4 slices of apple works well.
Believe it or not a handful of sunflower seeds placed on a coffee can lid is a great bait.
I dispatch the animals with a .22 short HP.
Zeke

 

[sm]

Fishing "throw net" works in a garden setting , where shooting is not really the best choice.

There is an Art & Science to standing on a pc of ply board decking , atop two 55 gal drums, and tossing a throw net.

I recommend selling tickets to neighbors as if one is going to get laughed at, they might as well get paid for entertaining folks.

Tip: fall pretty for bonus style points...

Tip II: Do not try this around rose bushes, the net will not let go...

 

[Shawnee]

You could always simply dump moth balls down the burrows. Also can grind some up and dump the powder down the entrance so the animal tracks it deeper in the burrow.

 

[EricTheBarbarian]

Please see post 13 above. My .22 caliber airgun works very well. The .25 I'm building will work even better. Airguns work fine within their power & range limitations. I couldn't recommend .177, however

I dont know much about the higher dollar airguns, but I know the .177 caliber 40 dollar wal-mart variety don't even do that good of a job on squirrels in my experience.