seedcorn
Garden Master
Some may use them interchangeably but 2 different animals.
With those problems, trained dog is best. My wife's dog HATES groundhogs and kills them with one bite. He hunts for them every time he is let out.
Woodchuck nearly broke me
- Thread starter catjac1975
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With those problems, trained dog is best. My wife's dog HATES groundhogs and kills them with one bite. He hunts for them every time he is let out.
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catjac1975
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Yea I keep wondering about the tree climbing-never have seen that here. I suppose habits can be very different regionally. The one I saw was still slender and lithe. Later in the season the get slow and waddle. I would love a varmint killing dog like that.
Ridgerunner
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Marmota Monax can be called groundhog or woodchuck. There are some other common names too. Some sources online say they max out at 9 pounds. Others say they can max out at 31 pounds. The ones around here can certainly go a lot more than 9 pounds, a couple of them have been pretty heavy to drag off. I did not weight them though. I think some of that might have to do with how well they've been eating. They do store up fat for hibernation.
Seed, I can see a dog killing a 9 pounder in one bite. My two dogs are around 40 pounds each, they cornered a groundhog and kept him at bay while I got the shotgun but they were not going to go in and kill it. Just how big is your wife's dog?
Seed, I can see a dog killing a 9 pounder in one bite. My two dogs are around 40 pounds each, they cornered a groundhog and kept him at bay while I got the shotgun but they were not going to go in and kill it. Just how big is your wife's dog?
ninnymary
Garden Master
That is so frustrating when all our hard work is destroyed by pests or animals. I still hate to see how much damage our rat problem did. I hope that maybe some of those plants might come back.
Mary
Mary
Nyboy
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That why a good farm dog is worth his weight in gold
Carol Dee
Garden Master
Shoot, we battled them for a few summers. I was so annoyed with them. Too much garden to fence everything. Dh would sit out and try to shoot them. (Shot the rain barrel one time.) Finally am M80 down the hole under the shed. (it made the shed bounce!) That took care of them that summer. Back again the next but did not stay on as the new dog hated them too. What a fight when he'd catch one! They stay away pretty much now. Thank Goodness, because I did not like the dog fighting it. the buggers would take one bite out of everything and it would soon spoil. Argh.
I hope the fencing works for you and the plants recover.
I hope the fencing works for you and the plants recover.
digitS'
Garden Master
I have had a rabbit eat every leaf off about 20 young broccoli plants. I put down fertilizer, hilled up around the plants and watered well.
I missed a plant that was a little off by itself. They had eaten the leaves off that one, too. It failed to come back and produce a decent size bud. The others did just fine! Late. But, Just Fine!
So, if you still have some undamaged stems, maybe there is hope for those broccoli plants, Cat'.
We have marmots, ground hogs' bigger cousin, but they are both are Marmota. I once had a garden near a park. We were not supposed to bother any of the wildlife so I had to rely on my chicken wire fence.
After a few growing season months, a marmot would always find a way in. Keeping the fencing loose at the top, helped. The wire would tip with their weight as they tried to climb. But, they would always get in after awhile.
It helps that they seem so resistant to new things to eat. I think that they can live on lawn grass so they don't really need to learn to eat lots of different things. But They Will Learn!! After a few years, they would eat most any vegetable. Mature cabbage and onions? Sure.
They show up in my current garden but I think that this year, the neighbors have taken "corrective measures."
I've taken corrective measures. One neighbor had to take his dachshund to the vet when she caught a marmot about 20' from my garden. The marmot moved back to his home in a rock pile even closer to my garden!
The owner of the rocks was in Europe ... another neighbor's home is about 100+ yards from the marmot home. I loaned the dachshund owner my 22 carbine. He may have had problems with his eyesight and solicited further help. I shot both the marmot honeymooners at the incredibly looong distance of about 25' while I was perched in a tree. I was confident that the nearby homeowner didn't see me, 22 shorts don't make much noise, and shooting is allowed in the hood. If one of my 2 shots that passed through a marmot and ricocheted off a rock it might have hit a barn but I felt fairly confident of safety. However, if I ever have to do that again, I'd better have the neighbors fully apprised of my intentions.
The dachshund owner was happy, the dachshund considered me a hero of the First Order, and my plants were safe from the dang (non-endangered) rodents!
I wish the bunnies would beat up the Ariedale next door! I know that the dachshund can kill rabbits and has proven that after I have asked for assistance & pointed out the burrow to her owner. She can't catch the lop-eared galoots coming out of the alfalfa, however. The Ariedale is totally useless behind his fence!
Steve
I missed a plant that was a little off by itself. They had eaten the leaves off that one, too. It failed to come back and produce a decent size bud. The others did just fine! Late. But, Just Fine!
So, if you still have some undamaged stems, maybe there is hope for those broccoli plants, Cat'.
We have marmots, ground hogs' bigger cousin, but they are both are Marmota. I once had a garden near a park. We were not supposed to bother any of the wildlife so I had to rely on my chicken wire fence.
After a few growing season months, a marmot would always find a way in. Keeping the fencing loose at the top, helped. The wire would tip with their weight as they tried to climb. But, they would always get in after awhile.
It helps that they seem so resistant to new things to eat. I think that they can live on lawn grass so they don't really need to learn to eat lots of different things. But They Will Learn!! After a few years, they would eat most any vegetable. Mature cabbage and onions? Sure.
They show up in my current garden but I think that this year, the neighbors have taken "corrective measures."
I've taken corrective measures. One neighbor had to take his dachshund to the vet when she caught a marmot about 20' from my garden. The marmot moved back to his home in a rock pile even closer to my garden!
The owner of the rocks was in Europe ... another neighbor's home is about 100+ yards from the marmot home. I loaned the dachshund owner my 22 carbine. He may have had problems with his eyesight and solicited further help. I shot both the marmot honeymooners at the incredibly looong distance of about 25' while I was perched in a tree. I was confident that the nearby homeowner didn't see me, 22 shorts don't make much noise, and shooting is allowed in the hood. If one of my 2 shots that passed through a marmot and ricocheted off a rock it might have hit a barn but I felt fairly confident of safety. However, if I ever have to do that again, I'd better have the neighbors fully apprised of my intentions.
The dachshund owner was happy, the dachshund considered me a hero of the First Order, and my plants were safe from the dang (non-endangered) rodents!
I wish the bunnies would beat up the Ariedale next door! I know that the dachshund can kill rabbits and has proven that after I have asked for assistance & pointed out the burrow to her owner. She can't catch the lop-eared galoots coming out of the alfalfa, however. The Ariedale is totally useless behind his fence!
Steve
majorcatfish
Garden Master
@catjac1975 question what type of fence are you using that they jump though?
you can always use sub sonic hollow point 22 rounds they sound just like a pellet gun. or install a good 4 wire electric fence real low....
you can always use sub sonic hollow point 22 rounds they sound just like a pellet gun. or install a good 4 wire electric fence real low....
Nyboy
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Steve loved the line " shooting is allowed in the hood" My friends have no interest in gardening. They have a whole family living under their shed. They enjoy watching them from their porch, not sure the neighbors feel the same.
seedcorn
Garden Master
100# of big baby EXCEPT for groundhogs. Has some pit in him that makes for short, strong legs, deep chest and beyond strong jaws. Dad was mostly golden retriever-his personality along with pits wanting to be your buddy.
He chases cats, won't hurt them but loves the chase. He saw a ground hog, thought it was cat. Ran at it, when it stood up, he went to sniff it. It ripped up his face. On instinct, one bite, dead ground hog. Now, he hunts for them. He thinks they ALL MUST DIE!!!! I'm telling him no different. Still chases cats & doesn't hurt them.
