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Groundhogs (also called woodchucks) dig extensive burrow systems under sheds, decks, and gardens, and they’ll demolish a vegetable patch in an afternoon. They’re surprisingly persistent and they don’t care about your property lines. Getting rid of them means combining exclusion, deterrents, and sometimes removal. Here’s what works.
1. Confirm It’s Actually a Groundhog
Before you invest in fencing or repellents, make sure you’re dealing with groundhogs and not rabbits, voles, or neighborhood cats. Set up a game camera near the burrow entrance or damaged plants and check the footage. Groundhogs are active during the day (especially morning and evening), they’re chunky and low to the ground, and they have short bushy tails. If you’re seeing activity at night, it’s probably something else.
2. Install Proper Fencing
This is the most effective long-term solution. Use three-foot tall woven wire fencing with 2-inch or smaller mesh. Bury the bottom 12 inches in an L-shape pointing away from the garden, and bend the top 6 inches outward at a 45-degree angle. Groundhogs are decent climbers but the floppy top throws them off. The buried base stops them from digging under. It’s tedious to install but it actually works, unlike the flimsy stuff from big-box stores.
3. Add an Electric Wire at Ground Level
If you’ve already got a fence and they’re digging under it, add a single strand of electric wire 4-5 inches above the ground on the outside. Use a low-impedance charger designed for small animals. One zap usually convinces them to move along. This works well in combination with standard fencing but less reliably on its own.
4. Block Access Under Structures
Groundhogs love burrowing under decks, sheds, patios, and sidewalks because it’s easy digging and good cover. Screen off these areas with hardware cloth, welded wire fencing, or cinder blocks buried 12 inches deep. Make sure you check first that nothing’s actively living there (shine a flashlight in, watch for activity for a few days). If you seal them in, you’ll have a much worse problem.
5. Use Motion-Activated Sprayers
Motion-activated sprinklers startle groundhogs when they enter the detection zone and they eventually decide your yard isn’t worth the hassle. Place them near burrow entrances, garden perimeters, or known feeding areas. They’re most effective early in the season before groundhogs establish routines. Change the position every week or so because they’ll figure out the blind spots.
6. Try Commercial Repellents
Granular or liquid repellents containing capsaicin, garlic, or predator urine might work temporarily, especially on new arrivals. Apply around burrows and garden edges after rain. Results are mixed and they need constant reapplication, so treat these as a supplement to fencing, not a replacement. They’re better for discouraging groundhogs from setting up shop than for evicting established residents.
7. Set Live Traps
If you’re willing to deal with the logistics, live trapping works. Use a large cage trap (at least 10x12x32 inches) baited with fresh vegetables (cantaloupe, lettuce, apple slices). Place it near the burrow entrance or along their travel path. Check traps every few hours because leaving an animal in a trap in the sun is cruel and illegal in many places. Once caught, check your local regulations – many states require you to euthanize nuisance wildlife on-site or hire a licensed professional for relocation.
8. Use One-Way Exclusion Doors
If you know where the main burrow entrance is, install a one-way door (basically a hinged flap) that lets the groundhog exit but not return. Wait a week or two to confirm they’re gone, then seal the entrance permanently. This works best in late summer after young groundhogs have left the burrow. If you do it too early in the season you risk trapping juveniles inside.
9. Eliminate Food and Cover
Groundhogs are there because your yard offers food and shelter. Mow grass short, clear brush piles, remove fallen fruit, and fence off vegetable gardens. Keep bird feeders away from the house and pick up spilled seed. They won’t leave immediately but they’re less likely to settle in if there’s nothing to eat and nowhere to hide.
10. Call a Wildlife Control Specialist
If you’ve got multiple burrows, structural damage, or they keep coming back, hire a licensed nuisance wildlife control operator. They’ll trap and remove groundhogs legally, identify entry points you missed, and handle exclusion work. It costs money but it’s faster and more reliable than DIY trial-and-error, especially if you’re dealing with a groundhog that’s already torn up your foundation or garden.
Groundhogs are stubborn but they’re not invincible. Fencing and exclusion work better than repellents and scare tactics. If you’re patient and methodical, you can make your yard unappealing enough that they move on. If you’re not patient, hire someone who deals with this for a living.