How much wood could a woodchuck chuck in your turning studio?

[Roger Chandler]

I don't have pics yet............[I will have to try to catch this culprit in the act, if I can!] but I have this ground hog that has taken up residence underneath my shop building. I noticed that when I have been turning on the lathe, that I hear thumps, bumps and such going on at times........then, yesterday morning I saw the booger scampering from my back door right by my pile of turning wood, and underneath the shop.

Last evening I saw it again......this time he ran right underneath my shop right beside a large piece of walnut crotch that I am saving for a platter. This morning behind the shop, there he was again .....this time raiding my neighbors garden right behind my shop.......

Any ideas on how to rid my shop of this "guest?" Will he do damage to the shop building or is he just an opportunist, looking for the freebies from both my neighbors gardens and happens to like the security of being underneath the shop when he is not raiding the gardens?

I wonder if what he really wants is some turning lessons? Maybe a woodchuck [garden salad] bowl?

[charlie knighton]

with all the rain we have had this summer, i'm betting he is just looking for a dry spot
we have several generations of woodchucks that sunbathe in our backyard, liked my brothers peppers, have seen geting under the tarp of the woodpile

[wes murphy]

try moth balls. when i worked for Orkin years ago, i used to use them rid house of all kinds of vermin.

[Tim Leiter]

I had a woodchuck living under my back garden shed all last summer. He was always scurrying around and when the peaches started dropping from the trees, it was cool watching him grab a peach and sit on his back legs to take a couple bites, then take it under the shed. I didn't see any damage anywhere at all. Just the hole under the shed. He didn't even bother my gardens. I doubt if you'll have any trouble with him. If you want to catch him to relocate you could get/borrow a live trap and lure him in with some fruit. That's what I was going to do if he became a problem. I haven't seen him at all this year. I'll see if he shows up when the peaches start dropping from my tree. We enjoyed watching him and tried to take a few pictures. Oh, and we live in town, odd to see him here at all......................Tim.

[Roger Chandler]

try moth balls. when i worked for Orkin years ago, i used to use them rid house of all kinds of vermin.

I had not thought about moth balls, but that is an idea for sure! My neighbor does have a live trap......we are overrun with rabbits in our subdivision, but he might be willing to set out the trap for this groundhog.......

[Curt Fuller]

Roger, this is an age old question that goes clear back to the ancient Romans.......

Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?

[Reed Gray]

Send in a call to the Turtle Man........ Love that show... Could have been me.

robo hippy

[Sid Matheny]

A 22 hollow point will do nicely!


Sid

[Mike Cruz]

A 22 anything will do just fine... Or you could sit my dog Skittles out back for the day. The GH wouldn't stand a chance.

I'd get rid of him (her), Roger. Nothing good can come of one of those buggers living under your shop. Soon, it won't be just one, then they'll be looking for other places to dig holes and take up residence. And your shop will have multiple holes all around it, which will bring air flow under your shop. Not to mention, water flow, too, maybe. They make traps, too.

Not sure of the laws in VA. But in MD, once trapped, it is illegal to "relocate" the culprit. Apparently, that would be some sort of death sentence because they would be in a strange area and wouldn't know where the food and water sources are. I think it is hogwash, but that is their story and they're sticking to it. I think that worse part is that, by relocating the varmint, you are just making your problem someone else's problem. In MD, you are supposed to take him to the nearest Humane Society to be put down. Yeah, right, like I'm driving 40 minutes and wasting my gas on that critter! Like said above, a 22 will do the trick nicely.

[Rick Markham]

I've got a family of fat Racoons that seem to think this area is their stomping ground, the dog enjoys chasing them under the shed. These guys aren't afraid of people, If the neighbors trapping efforts don't work they will be fodder for my 22!

Good luck with the woodchuck, you could always turn a bonker then bonk him!

[Brian Brown]

Teach him to clean your shed when you are done turning. He can do that in exchange for rent.

[Roger Chandler]

Well, these are considered a nuisance species here in Va. ....open season for them.......the close proximity of neighbors and their houses preclude any .22 caliber weapons or higher ........hummm..........I am a bowhunter.......I guess I could set a chair on the deck where I could catch him in the yard and pin his hide to the ground!

Hummm..........

[David C. Roseman]

Roger Chandler wrote:
[snip] I have this ground hog that has taken up residence underneath my shop building. I noticed that when I have been turning on the lathe, that I hear thumps, bumps and such going on at times........[snip]

Cute story, Roger. Sounds like the tenant in the lower suite is telling you to keep the noise down.

Unless you have horses or livestock, I think the only damage the little guy can do is to your neighbor's garden. As my grandfather used to say, "They gotta eat too, boy."

As to relocation, see http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlif...ms/groundhogs/

David

[Mike Cruz]

I was going to suggest that, Roger, but didn't think you bow hunted. Yeah, that would work well. You might want to set up a couple of targets to get used to the trajectory from the deck...you don't want to give away your position with a "miss"... smart buggers those ground hogs.

[Roger Chandler]

I was going to suggest that, Roger, but didn't think you bow hunted. Yeah, that would work well. You might want to set up a couple of targets to get used to the trajectory from the deck...you don't want to give away your position with a "miss"... smart buggers those ground hogs.

Hey Mike.......just got a new range finder with ARC [angle range compensation] so that won't be an issue!

David.......the only problem with letting it continue staying around, is that they dig so many holes, and that could be a problem! At the back of the property, there is a transformer......all our electric utilities, phone and cable run underground.........right from there to the house and neighbors homes...........a lot of holes would not be good here, trust me!