Survival and Emergency Preparedness

Been having trouble with wood chucks aka ground hogs at the woods house. They've been digging under the porch, around the foundation to the house and under the barn doors. Not to mention pooping all over the porch. They are a menace.

I killed 3 of them last weekend but have seen at least 2 more when we got to the woods house today. Currently sitting on the porch with a 22 rifle waiting for them to come out and face the music.

One problem is I see them when I don't have a gun on me. I usually carry my 9mm but sometimes take it off when working around the house. Don't really want to use 9mm on them. Started carrying my TX22.

Will keep you informed.

happy hunting.... and I thought squirrels trying to get into attic were a problem

Got one more last night. Pretty sure there's at least 1 more but haven't seen him at all today. Putting out some trail cams at his burrow entrance and exit to see when he comes and goes.

There are always more.
Growing up, we had a hole in the backyard that we called the groundhog hotel. Killed a half dozen out of it every year.

Yup, he's still here. We blocked up the entrance and exit to his burrow so he dug new ones.

I make it a hobby. Sneak out the door opposite his hole every once in a while. Creep around the house and catch him slipping.
Perfect use of a suppressed 22lr pistol.

Went and bought a connibear 220 trap.* Had to go on utube to figure out how to set it without a trap setter. Took me awhile. I'm not as strong as I used to be but eventually I got er done without losing a hand or finger yet...

They say to use cantaloupe as bait. Bought some mixed fruit pieces at the grocery store and set it up with the cantaloupe pieces.

We'll see what happens.

Update...bait is used in live traps not spring traps. He didn't go near the baited spring trap. According to the trail cameras he looked at it then walked around it.

So I closed off one the holes into his burrow and put the trap blocking the other hole. He's going to have to walk through it or dig another hole.

*The new Tractor Supply in the small town on the way to our woods house had only live (politically correct) traps. The Family Farm & Home store had the connibear spring traps. Was going to order some more when we got home from the woods house yesterday but Amazon doesn't sell politically incorrect spring traps.

Unfortunately I won't be going north until just before the 4th of July. Will have to check it then.

Here's the trap.

Those things on the side are springs. You compress the springs and unfold the trap. There are catches on the springs to keep them compressed while you set the trigger. The trigger is the thing that hangs down from the top. It has a notch to hold the two pieces of the frame. You then set the trap standing up as shown and release the catches. The critter goes through brushing the trigger which springs the trap. The spring is powerful enough to kill the critter instantly.

Shown with the springs compressed but with safety catches engaged.

I never liked the spring traps. Humane killers, but huge pain to set the bigger ones. I'd rather use a live trap and just shoot them after they're caught.

Ronin.45 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2024 4:17 pm I never liked the spring traps. Humane killers, but huge pain to set the bigger ones. I'd rather use a live trap and just shoot them after they're caught.

Hadn't really thought about cage/live traps so thank you for that. That solve another problem. I have a woodchuck living under my shed behind my suburban house and was wondering how to get him without shooting him outright. Can't use a spring trap because of all the damn cats that go in and out of the yard. I guess I could but all the neighbors' cats would start to disappear.