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i have been trying to trap a groundhog for someone and i have a few questions. first of all i found one hole and set a 220 in it. the next day i checked it and found nothing. went back today and still nothing. after some searching i found another hole about 25 or 30 yards along the slope. i set this one also and continued my search. another 25 or 30 yards and i found a third hole. this one i didnt set because im not sure if it is on the same property. my fisrt question is, how many holes will a single den have and how far will they be apart? also how many groundhogs can i count on per den? and lastly how often do they come and go? im hoping to not take too long in trapping out the bothersom chucks.


here is the seconf hole that i found. is dug right into the base of a fallen tree.


here is the third hole i found. this one i left unset for now.

I have taken 16 hogs in the last couple weeks in a small area. They can have multiple den entrances and multiple dens. cover as many of them as you can find and you will be more successful.

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Nelson (954)
photobucket /nelson_from_maine

2013/14
red fox 3
gray fox 2
coon 3
muskrat 25
mink 1

Hunting
130 lb 4pt buck - Mathews Z7, Grim Reaper 100 gr. at 6 yards.
17 lb tom turkey - Remington Express 20 ga #4 at 10 yards.

well this morning i went to check my traps i had out and the first one i checked had a big groundhog in it. it was the marbel wall set and i decided to pull both traps. im not out to get all of them. if there is still a problem i will go back and try to get a few more but i think it was really only this one that was being a bother.


here is what i call "the marble wall set" that i caught it in. its hole is at the base of the old marble wall which partially collapsed when i was making the set. the chicken wire over the hole is to make it cat proof.


pretty good size female


here it is next to the single spring 220 i caught it in

Good job. BTW, by cover as many as you can I ment put a trap at each one. But it sounds like you have taken enough. What I am finding around here is when you trap one out, another moves in.

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Nelson (954)
photobucket /nelson_from_maine

2013/14
red fox 3
gray fox 2
coon 3
muskrat 25
mink 1

Hunting
130 lb 4pt buck - Mathews Z7, Grim Reaper 100 gr. at 6 yards.
17 lb tom turkey - Remington Express 20 ga #4 at 10 yards.

That's cool Pup! If you want to keep trapping them though, you should. I can't imagine you are going to drive them to extinction.

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Roadkill is a redneck's paycheck- Jase Robertson

The second amendment is in place in case the others are ignored.

hmmm. well i was asked to take out "the" ground hog. so thats what i did. if another one becomes troublesome ill do it again and try to trap more than one. but in the prcess the fact i was groundhog trapping has passed from word of mouth and i might have another person that needs help. we will see

lol im not worried about that. i just believe in using any critter you kill. their fur isnt worth much so i will skin the ones i catch and probably try to put them up like a beaver on a hoop as a decoration or something and use the carcess as bait for a trail camera. i might try to eat one of them too. i hear they are not bad.

Well that's a pretty cool idea! I'll bet that a groundhog hide would look neat in a hoop!

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Roadkill is a redneck's paycheck- Jase Robertson

The second amendment is in place in case the others are ignored.

i trap groundhogs pretty regular, seems they love to den under my grandmothers barn . but they dont stay just move thru the area according to whats available to eat in the fields i keep 1 set at the most popular spot where they like to dig at all times and set any fresh digs as needed!! TS

thats cool didn't think they were that big
dont have any where i'm at just gray squarls

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Respect the land and the land will respect you
Always trap safe and enjoy the day

we have ground hogs here but not that big

thanks for the info. about them

DB

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Respect the land and the land will respect you
Always trap safe and enjoy the day

Careful eating groundhogs taken in coni style traps in the summer heat. Might get more then you bargained for or worse. They are good eating, very popular around here, fried, crockpotted, baked, stewed etc. Tons of recipes around. Wooden or metal cage traps would help thin the hogs out and the cats wouldnt be much of a bother then and all the "hogs should be edible then too. That would increase your set options too. Groundhogs are very prolific, Ive taken over 12 out of one big denning system before. Two years ago we set up a den(multiple holes) at the inlaws with no.11's toggled. There was 3 age class's, 2 full grown 20lb adults, 4 12lb sub adults and 3 6lbs younger one's. They arent going extinct anytime soon Im sure. We had several people calling wanting the meat. If your into tanning etc you can make alot of stuff ie:possible bags etc for rendevouz etc's. Alot of busy buckskinners/powder burners love the traditional look but dont have the time or inclination to do/make the stuff. Possible bags go for $10-$100 depending on size, design, material used etc. Hats arent hard to sew either and while 'hog hats wouldnt be the most desirable for most, in this economy $25-$35 would look alot better to frugal buckskinners then $75-$100. Groundhog makes great trapping bait too either tainted by itself or as a bait base mixed with other ingredients. Its an old standby for canines and they say its a passable cat bait. We've used it for the critters around here with and without the hair on. Good Luck

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Archery/Youth Deer Camp 2011- Everyone else in the group/camp-1 hen turkey, 1 coyote, 3 squirrel's, 1 groundhog, 1 single horn spike, 2 does, 1 button buck and 8 miss's. Youth gun deer season 2 adult does-2 doe fawns. Me-0-goose eggs-nada

well u guys were right. the problem hasnt stopped. went back and set all three holes with #1 blake and lambs cross staked with 18 inch rebar. i figured it would be good to get a little practice in bedding leg holds on land. there is at least one more groundhog (i have seen) but will keep trapping there even after i get it. it/they have been eating all of the califlower and digging up the potatoes. this time there will be no mercy!!!! i used the last one i caught for bait in front of a scouting camera. after a few nights something found it and dragged it off. im guessing a fox or yote. today my dad shot one in our yard so it went out in the same spot and the camera went back up. we will see what the morning brings.

Good work Pup! Groundhogs are prey animals and tend to reproduce plenty, don't be afraid of wiping out the population. You take some, they make more!

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Roadkill is a redneck's paycheck- Jase Robertson

The second amendment is in place in case the others are ignored.

well i checked the traps this morning with no luck. checked them again in the evening around 5.30 ish and had a woodchuck in the first trap. it was the same hole i caught the first one in and it was about half as big. had a perfact front paw catch and the cross staked rebar held him fine. took him over to my house where my scouting camera is. the chuck i baited it with yesterday was half eaten and dragged about. re-set the camera with both of them, and im really looking forward to see what i have out there! if its a fox, coon, or yote which it probably is there will deffinantly be a dirt hole or two set there come october.

Wistle Pigs are also good practice for gun seasons. keeps ya on your toes and you get plenty of practice and good gun time. me and my dad shoot some with out muzzelloaders. last one that we got Pop shot at 125 yards wiht his flintlock. 45 cal ball does a number on a critter.

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as a group:
Sept. Ohio Teal-
September goose-
Duck-
Regular goose-

yesterday i checked the woodchuck holes and two of the traps had been set off but nothing in them. not sure if they were pullouts or just went off without anything getting caught. today i went back and in the same hole i have gotten both the ground hogs in i had a small skunk. the #1 had him by the front paw. im wondering if this meens i got all the chucks out of that hole and he was going to try to move in now that is was empty. ill keep them out for a while more. if i go for a few days in a row with no luck i will call it a job well done.

got another two woodchucks today. had to let one go though.