Ground Hog

Common names: Groundhog; woodchuck

Biology:

• Adult body length (without tail): 16 to 22 inches
• Adult body weight: 5 to 13 pounds
• Gestation period: 31 to 32 days
• Litters per year: 1
• Litter size: 2 to 7 young (average 4)
• Breeding season: March and early April
• Birthing season: April through May
• Age at which young are weaned: 6 weeks
• Activity period: Daytime; especially sunrise to mid-morning and late afternoon until dark
• Range: 40 to 160 acres
• Primary foods: Vegetables, legumes, grasses and fruits

Pest status:Groundhogs (a.k.a. woodchucks) commonly invade cropland and vegetable gardens, eating or destroying vegetables and succulent landscape plants. Groundhogs have been known to enter engine compartments of parked vehicles and gnaw on various rubber or plastic engine components and electrical wiring. Hiker’s boots, wooden tool handles and other items with salt residues may also be gnawed. This is thought to be related to sodium deficiencies occurring in the animals, which may be seasonally and regionally more pronounced. Groundhogs excavate large, unsightly burrows in fields, golf courses, cemeteries, lawns and landscaping beds, leaving mounds of soil at the dig site. They often excavate burrows along and beneath home and building foundations. They also burrow into levees and dikes, causing damaging washouts. Farm animals are occasionally injured when they step into groundhog burrows and smaller vehicles may be damaged as a result of running over a burrow.

CONTROL

Exclusion:Groundhogs will dig beneath ordinary chain-link fences, but if extra wire (e.g., 1/2-inch mesh hardware cloth) is buried about 18 inches deep and curved outward at the bottom; it will normally restrict their movements. Although not considered very good climbers, if determined, they may even climb chain-link fences. A buried wire fence consisting of 1/2 inch mesh hardware cloth, fastened as a complete skirting around wood decks and raised porches, will prevent groundhog activity beneath those structures.

Live-trapping:Rottler technicians live-trap groundhogs using 32x 12x 10 or similar size wire cage trap. Live traps are most effective if placed directly in their runways or at burrow entrances and baited with cut vegetables such as apples, corn on the cob, tomatoes, sweet potato, carrots, cabbage, or specialty lures. Keep in mind, however, it may take several days before an animal will become accustomed to and enter the trap. When only a few animals are involved, live-catch traps are a practical approach.

Toxic baiting:No rodenticide baits are currently registered by the EPA for groundhogs.