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Once you have trapped the groundhog it is important to relocate it to a new home in a field, meadow or wooded area that is at least 20 miles away from your home so they don’t find their way back. You can call the local wildlife and game office to offer some suggestions on where to take them.
How far away should you relocate a groundhog?
If relocating your groundhog, do so at least 5 miles away from your property. Choose an area that provides cover so that your groundhog will not want to travel far to make a new home. Though groundhogs are not generally aggressive, one might attack if it feels threatened.
How far will groundhogs travel to get back home?
Thanks for the confidence and information. Len Rapoport (author) from New Jersey on September 29, 2012: Some say you should take them over 2 miles away or they will find their way back home, some say even greater.
Do relocated groundhogs survive?
Contrary to popular belief, live-trapping and relocation rarely ends well for wildlife. A raccoon in the chimney, a woodchuck under the shed, a skunk under the back porch … It sounds like a good idea, but the sad truth is that live-trapping and relocation rarely ends well for wildlife, nor is it a permanent solution.
What happens when you relocate a groundhog?
Relocating an animal may not only give someone else a nuisance problem, but spreads diseases, such as rabies and distemper, Lyme disease and West Nile virus. Handling wildlife may also put you at risk for disease. If an animal must be removed, make sure you call a qualified nuisance wildlife controller.
Can a groundhog find its way back home?
Once you have trapped the groundhog it is important to relocate it to a new home in a field, meadow or wooded area that is at least 20 miles away from your home so they don’t find their way back.
Will groundhogs return to the same place?
While they prefer forested areas, groundhogs are highly adaptable and will keep coming back to landscapes where food and cover is plentiful.
Do groundhogs ever abandon their burrows?
Fall and Winter: From mid-October through February, groundhogs remain in their burrows as they hibernate. First, hibernation ends and groundhogs emerge from their burrows in the mornings and afternoons. Second, spring marks the mating season during March and April as males seek out the burrows of nearby females.
How do you get a groundhog out of its hole?
Place lawn windmills, spinning pinwheels, or a vibrating sonic device near the entrance of their burrow or on top of their burrow to scare the groundhogs away. Windchimes are also great disturbances. If you place vibrating devices around the perimeters of your yard, it will deter the groundhog from coming near.
How far away should you release a possum?
Anytime you are relocating possums you generally want to take them at least 25 miles away from your home to avoid the possums from entering your attic.
How far do you have to relocate chipmunks?
Wear gloves to avoid contact with a trapped chipmunk. If local laws permit, relocate the chipmunk at least 5 miles away from your home to prevent it from returning.
Do chipmunks return when relocated?
“They do not live in colonies. If an Eastern chipmunk were to be released in an area where it came from originally, it would likely come into conflict with the resident chipmunk of that area and be forced to live transiently before being able to set up a new home range of its own.
Do relocated animals survive?
Relocated animals often struggle to survive in unfamiliar surroundings, have to compete with others of their species that are already established at the relocation site, and may potentially transport new diseases or parasites to an area in which they did not previously exist.
How deep do groundhogs dig?
They dig burrows that can be 6 feet (1.8 meters) deep, and 20 feet (6 m) wide. These underground homes can also have two to a dozen entrances, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Typically, they have a burrow in the woods for the winter and a burrow in grassy areas for the warmer months.
What do you do with a trapped groundhog?
The best way to get rid of them is to physically remove them. Nuisance groundhogs can be live-trapped and relocated with permission of the landowner. If you choose not to relocate the groundhog, they can either be released on-site where the animal was originally trapped or you may humanely kill it.
How far can possums find their way back home?
A possum can wander for miles, but if it finds a good hunting area, it will stay. The best place to release a possum, raccoon, mouse or rat, etc., is in a wooded and, hopefully, wild area with access to water and food.
Do groundhogs mark their territory?
Woodchucks raid gardens, fields, lawns, orchards, nurseries, and may gnaw or claw on shrubs and fruit trees. Marking their territories: They may strip off the bark at the base of a tree that’s near their. burrow entrance.
What is the best repellent for groundhogs?
Lavender – Try planting some lavender around the garden. While it smells lovely to us, groundhogs find it offensive and avoid the areas where it is. They also dislike the smell of these herbs: basil, chives, lemon balm, mint, sage, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.
What is the best bait for groundhogs?
Place your trap near the burrow or area that the groundhog frequently visits. Then bait the trap, many people have had great success using sunflower seeds, peanut butter and corn, however cantaloupe is often the preferred bait.
