Groundhogs (woodchucks): how to spot them, what their burrows do and how to get rid of them humanely

How to recognize a groundhog

Groundhogs are true hibernators. They usually go underground around the end of October or early November and come out from late February to March, depending on how far north you live. They breed soon after waking; litters of 2 to 6 young are born in April or May, start foraging outside the den at 5 to 6 weeks and leave home by late June or early July. Burrows dug in late summer are usually the work of older animals.

Signs of a groundhog in your yard

• A large mound of fresh earth next to a hole 10 to 12 inches wide, often under a deck, shed, porch or stone wall, or at the edge of a garden.
• One to three smaller holes nearby without mounds, dug from inside: the escape exits.
• Vegetables and flowers eaten down to the ground, especially beans, peas, squash and tomatoes.
• Gnawed bark on young fruit trees and shrubs.
• A groundhog sitting upright on the mound, watching for danger.

Groundhog damage under decks, sheds and foundations

Penn State Extension notes that groundhog burrowing can weaken building foundations and earth banks, and that holes and mounds are a trip hazard for people, horses and machinery. With tunnels up to 5 feet deep, a burrow next to the house can undermine:

• Deck and porch footings and the soil under steps and patio slabs.
• Shed floors, which can settle or tilt.
• Foundation walls and slabs next to the burrow.
• Retaining walls and garden beds.

After an eviction, fill and compact the burrow once you are sure it is empty, and check deck posts, steps and slabs for settling. If you see new cracks in a foundation wall or a slab sinking, have it looked at by a structural engineer or foundation contractor.

How to keep groundhogs out: fences and mesh skirts

Groundhogs dig well and climb surprisingly well, so a barrier has to stop both.

Garden fence

• Height: at least 3 feet above ground.
• Material: heavy poultry wire or 2-inch woven wire mesh.
• Underground: bury the lower edge about 12 inches, with the bottom 6 inches bent outward in an L shape, away from the garden. Connecticut's wildlife agency suggests going 1.5 to 2 feet deep for more protection.
• Top: bend the top 15 inches outward at about 45 degrees to stop climbers.
• Electric option: a single hot wire 4 to 5 inches above ground and the same distance outside the fence stops climbing and digging. Clear weeds under it, and take care where children and pets play.

Under decks, porches and sheds

• Fit galvanized wire mesh around the open sides, from the underside of the deck or shed down into the ground.
• Bury it 1.5 to 2 feet deep, or bury it shallower and bend the bottom outward in an L so a digging animal hits mesh.
• Seal it only after the animal has gone (see the next section).

How to get a groundhog out from under a deck

1. 01

   Check the season

   Wait until the young can leave with their mother, which in most areas means from about July, and finish before the animals hibernate in late fall. Shutting a den in April, May or June can trap helpless young inside.

2. 02

   Find every entrance

   Look for the mound at the main hole and the smaller exits nearby.

3. 03

   Make it uncomfortable

   Connecticut's wildlife agency notes that a radio playing constantly for a few days can drive a groundhog out from under a shed or deck. Loosely stuffing the holes with leaves or newspaper shows you whether they are still being used.

4. 04

   Use a one-way door if needed

   A one-way exclusion door over the main entrance lets the animal out but not back in. Use it only outside the birth season, for the same reason as above.

5. 05

   Confirm it is empty

   When the stuffing stays undisturbed for several days in a row, the den is empty.

6. 06

   Seal and fill

   Install the buried mesh skirt, then fill and compact the burrow.

Making your yard less attractive

Groundhogs like dense cover close to food. Mowing tall grass, clearing brush piles and keeping firewood and debris away from the house removes hiding places, and netting or row covers protect individual plants. Specialists at the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management point out that habitat changes alone rarely solve a groundhog problem, so treat them as support for a fence, not a replacement. Commercial repellents with capsaicin or predator urine and motion-activated sprinklers can give some short-term relief in small gardens.

Trapping and relocation: rules vary by state

Live trapping is legal in many places but tightly regulated, and the rules differ a lot:

• Pennsylvania: the Game Commission does not allow relocation to other properties; trapped animals must be released on the same property or humanely euthanized.
• Connecticut: trapped groundhogs may be released on-site after exclusion, and never on state land or on private land without the owner's permission.
• Nebraska: University of Nebraska–Lincoln guidance says to release within 100 yards of where the animal was caught.

Check your own state wildlife agency or county extension office before you buy a trap. If you go ahead within the rules, extension guides recommend a cage trap at least 10 × 10 × 24 inches, baited with apple slices, carrots or fresh greens, checked at least twice a day, shaded in hot weather and closed at night to avoid catching skunks and raccoons. Delay trapping until the young can be removed too. A licensed nuisance wildlife control operator can handle trapping and exclusion for you.

What not to do

• Sealing a burrow in spring or early summer, when young may be trapped inside.
• Using gas cartridges under or near decks, sheds or houses: Penn State warns of the fire risk. Restricted fumigants are for certified applicators only.
• Moving a trapped groundhog to a park or someone else's land: it is illegal in many states and stressful for the animal.
• Using poisons: Penn State notes that no toxicants are registered for woodchuck control in Pennsylvania.
• Pouring fuel or household chemicals into burrows: a fire and poisoning hazard for you, your pets and other wildlife.
• Building a fence without the buried L-shaped footer: groundhogs simply dig under it.

Sources

University extension and state wildlife guidance, checked on 27 October 2026.

• Penn State Extension · Woodchucks ↗Size, habits, burrows, breeding, hibernation, damage, fence specifications, trapping, relocation rules in Pennsylvania, fumigant warnings and rabies vector status.
• Connecticut DEEP · Woodchuck fact sheet ↗Burrow length and depth, hibernation, birth timing and when young start foraging.
• Connecticut DEEP · Woodchuck nuisance problems ↗Mesh under sheds and porches, fence depth, harassment, trapping and release rules.
• Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management · Woodchuck damage prevention and control ↗Fencing, trap sizes, repellents and the limits of habitat changes.
• University of Nebraska–Lincoln · Woodchucks ↗Cover and brush piles, fence depth, row covers and the 100-yard release guidance.
• CDC · About rabies ↗Washing bites and scratches and seeking medical care quickly.