Getting rid of groundhogs under buildings

Groundhog burrows can cause structural damage to farm buildings.

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Groundhogs – which are also called woodchucks – build extensive underground burrow systems. They can be several feet deep and 25 - 30 in length. Groundhogs live in a variety of locations, but also love to cozy up under the shed, deck, or even your home.

Around the main entrance of the burrow you'll typically see mounds of dirt, which indicates the creatures have moved in. Since groundhogs don't pay rent and their excavations can cause structural damage to the building, it's time for eviction.

Bob Pierce is an extension fish and wildlife specialist at the University of Missouri. He says live trapping is the easiest and safest.

"Particularly around foundations and under buildings when you may not want to use a poisonous cartridge to control them because of the potential fire hazard or other problems. So live trapping is probably the best route to go," says Pierce. "You may need to bait the trap and the animal may not just jump right in it overnight, but over a period of time, you're more than likely going to capture the problem animal."

Move the animal to another location or euthanize it, but be sure to know what's considered legal groundhog control in your state.

Unfortunately where there's one, there's often more, so you'll need prevention strategies.

"You can certainly fill in the areas where they were causing damage. There might even be a chance to put in some fences that could deter the animal from building around your foundation," says Pierce. "Probably the best route to go is to just keep an eye out and make sure that the animals aren't coming back in. You might have to set that trap again and try to control the family, if you will."

A big issue once the groundhogs are gone is how to tell if there is any damage to the structure they were living under. Having a professional check it out might be worth the expense.

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