Groundhog problem

[kd3pc]

If they are cooked well, and your other options are limited, then....

As a kid, growing up in the Mtns of North Carolina, in the late 50's early 60's, my granny made them quite often. Usually in a "stew" of onions or ramps (try them!!) and some turnips. Greasy then, now that I know better, but cheap and plentiful. Not really any worse than squirrel or rabbit. Bear was actually good, but we seldom got it more than once a year or at the ramp festivals where more people got together.

Granny talked of "jerky", dried/spiced/salted but I never tried that, same with sausage, she like it, but it always tasted "spoiled" to me. But then I really dislike "country ham" and sawmill gravy, having grown up on it for 20 meals a week, some months.

They are stringy, gamey, and greasy for the most part. And it takes a really stout one to make a meal for a family, and a stout family to enjoy it.

 

[Professur]

If they are cooked well, and your other options are limited, then....

As a kid, growing up in the Mtns of North Carolina, in the late 50's early 60's, my granny made them quite often. Usually in a "stew" of onions or ramps (try them!!) and some turnips. Greasy then, now that I know better, but cheap and plentiful. Not really any worse than squirrel or rabbit. Bear was actually good, but we seldom got it more than once a year or at the ramp festivals where more people got together.

Granny talked of "jerky", dried/spiced/salted but I never tried that, same with sausage, she like it, but it always tasted "spoiled" to me. But then I really dislike "country ham" and sawmill gravy, having grown up on it for 20 meals a week, some months.

They are stringy, gamey, and greasy for the most part. And it takes a really stout one to make a meal for a family, and a stout family to enjoy it.

Thanks. It struck me odd that so many people didn't care what happened to the meat .. particularly when others here actually hunt squirrel. Dare I ask ... what's 'ramp'?

 

[kd3pc]

ramps make garlic and green onions tasteless.

they grow beside the creeks and are part of the leek/alium family but are violently potent. When we cooked them as kids, my mom would make us burn our clothes and you definitely did not cook them in the house, or on the summer kitchen/porch. I like them fried in butter with potatoes, others tame them with bacon or a game meat that is available, beef and horseradish and ramps is decent, too. One of the better tasting uses was in a bear stew, one of the best meals I have ever eaten.

Years back there were "ramp festivals" and were often near a decoration day or memorial day or church day, where the people and families attending those would then go to eat at the ramp festival.

When I cooked ramps there, again the only option was to burn the clothes and even still the smell (onion) would stay in your skin or system for at least a week or so. You certainly did not want to talk to someone or breathe on someone who did not share your taste for ramps.

just for grins, I wiki'd them.....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_tricoccum

all the best, and when you get brave one day, try them - if you like green onions or garlic.

 

[scab]

Milky spore isn't working for me and the moles. I think this is the third year that I will be spreading it, (haven't yet), but the moles are already hitting my yard. I thought it was still frozen.

The timing of your application is very important. You might have put it out at a bad time. Also, it can take a few years to start working.

 

[John in OH]

If they are cooked well, and your other options are limited, then....

As a kid, growing up in the Mtns of North Carolina, in the late 50's early 60's, my granny made them quite often. Usually in a "stew" of onions or ramps (try them!!) and some turnips. Greasy then, now that I know better, but cheap and plentiful. Not really any worse than squirrel or rabbit. Bear was actually good, but we seldom got it more than once a year or at the ramp festivals where more people got together.

Granny talked of "jerky", dried/spiced/salted but I never tried that, same with sausage, she like it, but it always tasted "spoiled" to me. But then I really dislike "country ham" and sawmill gravy, having grown up on it for 20 meals a week, some months.

They are stringy, gamey, and greasy for the most part. And it takes a really stout one to make a meal for a family, and a stout family to enjoy it.

kd3pc pretty well summed it up. Yeah, they are edible and my Dad and uncle would cook one in a stew once in a while when I was a kid (mid-1950s) in SE Ohio and I thought it was OK. But, they avoided using mature groundhogs and limited their edible harvest to "yearlings" only.

FWIW, we never ate ramps!! There have to be some limits in a civilized society, ya know!!

 

[MScott]

Gotta ask ... how edible are they?

I remember my dad saying that, during the depression, he used to shoot and sell them to the Italian workers on the railroad for 25 cents each. Said he made quite a bit of money (for the time and for a young teen) during a couple of summers. Apparently the Italians loved them.

 

[TractorJeff]

In Wisconsin, it is illegal to shoot Woodchucks!
Hence, I live animal trap them, take them over to the fellow's place I like the least to let them go!
Actually my Siberian Huskies like playing "Catch" with them as they squeak and squeal!
They always seem confused when the "Toy" stops squeaking!

 

[SSAAHemiFan]

Ingredients:
Hav-a-hart medium size live trap.
Wheel barrow full of water.
Heavy duty husky garbage bag.

1. Bait trap with peanut butter (or similar)
2. Place near hole. Wait for loud rattling.
3. Place live trap with ground hog in wheelbarrow. Wait till motionless.
4. Put groundhog in garbage bag, tie tight, throw in trash.
5. Re-bait, repeat.

Notes:
- don't do it with kids watching - freaks them out.
- don't do it with tree huggers watching, they'll find some law you are breaking and turn you in.
- works for squirrels, raccoons, other vermin.

x's 3 - followed this same procedure for years - Last year I bought some of the smoke bombs at Home depot - Now I just light a smoke bomb and just throw a tarp over the trap instead of using the water dip

 

[Jim in Wis]

In Wisconsin, it is illegal to shoot Woodchucks!

I've shot quite a few of them with a 22, (in Wisconsin). I don't care if it's illegal - I hate those things!
I guess if they catch me I'd have to plead insanity or self defence or say it was an accident or something.

 

[KRB52]

As a kid, I lived on a small farm. Of course, we had woodchucks in the hay fields. My Dad let me use his .22 Hornet, provided me with the first box of shells (I think it was 25 rounds for about $1.75). He paid me a $1.50 bounty for every one that I shot. I was able to collect some money that summer, too. Toughest one was the little baby that I caught in the short grass after a section of one fields had been mowed. It froze about 20 feet away from me. The rifle's scope was set for 100 yards, so I tried to sight as best I could down the side of the barrel. First round hit, took off one front quarter. Little critter was still alive and hissing at me. Second round from about a foot or so took care of that. Thought about carrying Dad's .22 pistol with me after that one, but never did. Another time I shot at (and missed) one that had climbed up a fence post. I didn't realize they climbed, either.

 

[LB-1911]

In Wisconsin, it is illegal to shoot Woodchucks!
Hence, I live animal trap them, take them over to the fellow's place I like the least to let them go!
Actually my Siberian Huskies like playing "Catch" with them as they squeak and squeal!
They always seem confused when the "Toy" stops squeaking!

Some information for you;

Landowner: The owner or occupant of any land, and any member of his or her family, may hunt or trap without license and subject to all other restrictions except seasons, hunt or trap on their own property for coyotes, beavers, foxes, raccoons, woodchucks, rabbits,
and squirrels year-round.


COYOTE, BEAVER, FOX, RACCOON, WOODCHUCK, RABBIT, SQUIRREL

Landowners, occupants, and/or agents may trap or shoot these species when causing damage. s. 29.337(1)

Landowners/occupants are not required to have a hunting or trapping license to
shoot or trap these species on their own property, year-round.

Nuisance Wildlife Guidelines
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/documents/nuswlguide.pdf

 

[G McKay]

I would sit and wait and nail them with a .22.

 

[NUTTSGT]

For those of you in a drought, it's an old farmer's tale to hang them on a fence post after you shoot them that brings the rain.

 

[Tim Kennedy]

Have read all the posts so far -- none have mentioned 2 ways that I am aware of to get rid of critters -- my aunt & uncle used instant mashed potato flakes & said it was the best -- pour out a big bowl along side a big bowl of water -- animal eats the flakes & drinks the water -- pretty violent reaction results -- the flakes swell up & tear them apart inside.

Second way -- go to a Tractor Supply outlet & ask for a container of fly bait -- mix the granules with a liter bottle of Mountain Dew [finally a use for that ****] & pour into a container -- sprinkle a few miniature marshmallows on top [raccoons love them]. Had a friend of mine tell me he has found raccoons, groundhogs & other critters lying around the container dead -- sometimes even face down in the mixture. Obviously not something to leave out unattended but from all accounts it works. Disclaimer: not that I would actually endorse this stuff but ......

 

[swervin irv]

Havahart Trap bait with cantaloupe,works for me..............

 

[richla]

Speaking of have-a-heart traps.. I had this issue two years ago. I have a neighbor that encourages them to live under his foundation, shed, etc. That's another story.
When I put a lot of work into my garden, only to have it stripped clean, I looked for solutions.
Having two daughters, I put way too much time into "what is the right way to deal with this" and bought a trap, planned on relocating them.
Turns out where I am, I can kill them, but you cannot relocate them. It is considered inhumane.
The reason is that if you relocate them, they are not established, fall prey to other animals and die anyway.
So, a bit discouraged, I bought sub sonic .22 ammo. Tried it at the range, and was glad I did, it seemed as loud, if not louder than the regular stuff.
In the end, I gave up, but my problem also seemed to go away, the ground hogs stay in my neighbor's yard and eat his garden, now!

 

[Bondo]

Gotta ask ... how edible are they?

Ayuh,.... Tastes just like chicken,.....

 

[Tool Time]

we had a ground hog issue and tried many of the items noted. But the one option that worked best for us was to unwrap double bubble gum and threw 10, 12 pieces into the opening. It worked remarkably well

Best of luck

 

[WVBrady]

...So, a bit discouraged, I bought sub sonic .22 ammo. Tried it at the range, and was glad I did, it seemed as loud, if not louder than the regular stuff...

I have read that a two liter bottle over the end of the barrel will quieten the noise. Anyone try it?

 

[Lippyp]

I have a similar problem with a massive badger sett under a big shed at the bottom of my garden. The problem is they are protected in the UK and its a crime to interfere with them. Farmers hate them because they carry Bovine TB, my farmer next door neighbour who farms the field that this has a tunnel into as well suggested that emptying a couple of big cylinders of propane and a few gallons of diesel down the hole followed by a match was one way of dealing with them. A slightly less illegal (but not by much) method ws to get them to move on by soaking tennis balls in Creosote and lobbing them down the holes, they roll down into the burrows and stink em out so they leave. This is my plan, backed up with a few creosote bundles of rags shoved down at all but one entrance and then back fill em with some rubble to keep the smell in. Give it a couple of nights and then backfill the last entrance. They must have excavated at least a ton of soil from under the concrete slab if not more.

This will probably work for your groundhogs too.

 

[CheckeredFlag]

oil filter

 

[MScott]

I have read that a two liter bottle over the end of the barrel will quieten the noise. Anyone try it?

Mark Wahlberg used one in the movie "Shooter." Seemed to work well there.

 

[TractorJeff]

Thanks!
I believe the key words are "Prove they are a nuisance and Must be the property owner".
When I lived in NYS, all you needed to do was ask the Farmer/property owner.
I was told I couldn't shoot them here, figured OK.
Never followed up.

BTW
2 Liter Bottle on the Barrel always worked on Deer! (that's what the old timers told us!)

 

[mmb617]

But who can answer this question -

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Sorry, this thread just made me think of that.

 

[RiceD]

Yeah - If you have the space and like guns, shooting can be sporting fun.

But that gets old if you have many. I went to Trator Supply and bought 3 cages. Baited them with smashed up peaches. They can't resist.

Each ground hog gets a trip to my tree line where it is dispatched (I shoot it while in the cage - That's what works best for me).

 

[C2 Turbo]

But who can answer this question -

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Sorry, this thread just made me think of that.

A wood chuck would and could chuck quite a bit of wood but then he doesn't like to chuck all kinds of wood though.

Wood chuck reminds me of Movie Chucky, man do I hate that character

 

[rodm1]

I had to put chicken wire around my barns and shed. Haven't had a problem since. Rap it up the wall 3 to 4 inches.