If woodchucks have become a problem on your farm, now is the time to take action. According to an article by the Humane Society of the United States reprinted in the newsletter of Pennsylvania Certified Organic, late July and August are the months when woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, are most likely to move away on their own if you make your farm inhospitable.
Wait until you’ve seen baby woodchucks running around above ground for a few weeks. At this time the young are weaned and preparing to disperse and their mothers may be more willing to move on as well. Don’t wait until fall weather hits, though, because once a woodchuck has found a good burrow in which to hibernate it will be especially unwilling to move.
Begin harassing woodchucks non-lethally: partially dig out burrow entrances, clear vegetation from the entrances and place soiled cat litter just inside burrows. One application may be sufficient but two or three may be necessary. To verify that a burrow has been abaondoned, put loosely packed hay across each entrance (most have at least two entrances). If the hay is not disturbed within a few days, fill in the burrow with dirt. To reduce the chances that the burrow will be reopened later, bury a 3-square-foot section of welded wire (3-inch squares) about 1 foot deep around the entrance.
For more information on non-lethal wildlife damage control, contact Bette Stallman , Bstallman@hsus.org, 301-258-3147 or visit www.hsus.org.