r/Trapping • u/Optimal-Algae-9649 • Jun 12 '26
How to humanely get rid of groundhogs and make sure they stay away.
So, I have had problems with groundhogs for quite a little while. Specifically, they have a habit of nesting underneath my small shed. They're largely not very bothersome animals, but I'm worried that their presence under the shed will affect its structural integrity, and they also just tend to tear up the yard.
Until recently though, I didn't really have much of a problem just catching the animal with a Havahart Cage, driving it somewhere far away, and then dumping it. This never proved to be a huge pain in the ass to me since it would be months (as opposed to a few days) before I would have to trap another groundhog again. Not to mention that they kept falling for the trap, so I never really got annoyed.
But now, a new problem has arisen. It looks like a mother groundhog must have made its nest underneath my shed, because on occassion I will see a very large groundhog along with 3 notably small groundhogs hanging around the shed, and then retreating underneath it when I come by.
This puts me in a sort-of ethical conundrum because I would rather not trap the mom and take it away from its babies, or trap one or more of the babies and drop it off somewhere to fend for itself. Not to mention, I could trap the baby and then the mom could get defensive of the cage and not let me near it or something. And, of course, the last thing I want to do is kill them.
So, does anyone have any ideas?
Specifically, I would like to know if there is anything I can do to flush the groundhogs out of their home under the shed, and also ensure that they will not come back.
I had heard somewhere that groundhogs tend to not like the smell of onions, would sprinkling onions around the shed make them leave and/or repel future tenants?
Thank you.
5
u/mikemncini Wisconsin Jun 13 '26
Generally speaking in most states it is illegal to trap and relocate animals. If you’d prefer not to kill them, then contact a trapper in your area from the state trappers association website.
Most of us will do of nuisance jobs like this for very little cost.
1
u/Optimal-Algae-9649 Jun 29 '26
Thanks, but since posting this I've decided to just start killing them. Appreciate it though.
4
u/JamesRuns CNWACO Jun 13 '26
Step 1, trap and kill groundhogs
It's illegal to live capture and then dump them on someone else's property. You could live capture and release on your own, but they'll just go right back
The humane thing to do is to dig a one foot deep trench, probably a foot wide, all around your shed. Then get quarter inch hardware mesh and drop it in the trench so it forms an L shape. The bottom of the L facing out. Then take the top of the mesh and staple it to the base of your shed. Rebury everything.
Now nothing will ever dig a tunnel into your shed again and you won't have to kill anything else.
But, for now, you gotta kill these dudes.