Our barn has had groundhogs for quite some time. I don’t own the property so I can’t technically do anything about them. However, I have had experience with groundhogs under my shed before and was able to get rid of them fairly easily.
The above picture is one of the entrances these pests use to get under the barn, and that hole is right under our horse’s stall window. In other words, they live right underneath him.
These groundhogs, or woodchucks, are a nuisance because they were getting into our feed room and chowing down on sealed bags of food.
What kind of issues can groundhogs cause to your barn?
These little critters can cause a lot of issues both to the structure of the barn itself and hygienically. Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are a carrier of some nasty illnesses that we don’t want our horses to get.
First up on the list, is rabies. If your horse gets rabies it’s practically a death sentence. Most horses are vaccinated against it, but it’s still not worth taking the chance.
They can also carry ticks, and the last thing I want is for our big guy to get a tick-borne illness.
Because they burrow holes, a horse can step down into a hole and hurt his leg, and they also live under the barn and can create issues structurally if it persists for too long.
I’m petitioning the barn owner to let us get rid of these critters so I don’t have to worry about illness or them eating our grain.
How to get rid of a barn groundhog
- Trap and transport
- Smoke them out
- Smell them out
- Call a pro
There are several ways you can get rid of a groundhog, but because our situation has them living under a structure where other animals live, it calls for finesse. For this post, we’ll focus on the humane methods that wouldn’t hurt horses or the pests themselves.
I have always opted to trap and transport. But, you can also opt to not physically remove the pests from under your barn, by using one of the other methods.
Let’s go into depth on each method, and then discuss some other things to be aware of when it’s time for you to get your groundhog problem under control.
Trap and transport
Again, my preferred method is to use a live trap, and then once they’re in there I like to move them somewhere they won’t bother us. There are several different types of traps, but I’ve always used something like this found on Amazon.
These traps are a humane way to get the critter off your property and out from under your barn. I also recommend getting a pair of heavy-duty gloves to ensure you don’t get scratched or bitten.
You can also hire a pro to remove them for you if you’d rather not deal with it.
Smoke or smell them out
This consists of putting a smell in or near their entrance holes to deter them from going in. The thought is that they don’t like the smell and won’t return.
You can use some of the stronger-smelling natural substances like hot peppers and garlic. They tend to not like this smell, but the problem here is that the scent does eventually wear off and they may return unless you do a good job backfilling (which you should be doing).
Another consideration is to not forget that you’ve got other animals taking up residence inside the barn. We personally have 6 horses and 3 cats that live in ours, so we wouldn’t use smoke.
Make sure you backfill any burrow holes
Each and every hole you find should be backfilled to prevent a new woodchuck from entering her new underground bunker. This is trickier than it sounds because there can be multiple entrances, and you may not have seen them yet.
Before you get to work on getting rid of the groundhog under your barn, it’s a good idea to survey the area to make sure you know where all of the holes are so you can actually fill them in with fresh soil.
The last thing you want is for a new family to move in.
Time it right
Timing is actually important. The best time to get rid of groundhogs is actually in the very early spring, right before they start having babies. Groundhogs tend to only have one litter of pups each year, and you’ll want to catch them before mama gives birth.
That way, you won’t have to worry about moving a mama from her litter.
Early spring is also great timing because the plants haven’t started to overcrowd the ground making the burrows easier to spot.
Conclusion:
It’s pretty easy to get rid of groundhogs under your barn once you know how. Just make sure you don’t use anything that can hurt livestock and try to be as humane as possible.