Woodchucks normally stay close to their entry holes during day light hours. They will stay about 100 feet from their hole. It is normal for one of the woodchucks stands guard ready to warn the colony of danger. When danger is perceived the guarding woodchuck they will emit a high pitched whistle to warn the colony. After they whistle, they make a low, quick “phew” sound and a fast warble that sound. All Kinds of sounds such as squealing, chattering, low barks and tooth clicking are made when the woodchuck fights or is injured. Woodchucks may charge at a human to chase them away from a burrow. So woodchucks can be dangerous to humans as well as causing damage on your property. Here are a couple of techniques to remove the woodchucks yourself:
- Ground Exclusion is one technique that is successful for ridding woodchucks from making a woodchuck den. You’ll need a backhoe to destroy the existing woodchuck/ groundhog den. You have to destroy the complete den with the backhoe or you’ll have a new repaired den built shortly after you think you have ridded them from your property.
- Fences work well to keep out woodchucks from a specific area on your property; but woodchucks can climb a fence so I recommend a low voltage line at the bottom and/or top of the fence. You should install hardware cloth under the fence to keep the woodchucks from burrowing under the installed fence. If the woodchucks are eating your plants in your flower bed or vegetable garden, the low voltage technique about 4-6 inches above the ground. Sometimes a single electric wire placed 4 to 5” above the ground, may deter the woodchucks.
If you don’t want to have the hassle of getting rid of it yourself, you can hire a woodchuck removal professional.
