Any tips for "live" trapping groundhogs?

[rem788]

My uncle hated ground hogs, running battle for years. I was helping him one day when he got the idea of connecting the tractor's exhaust to the ground hog hole using my aunt's vacuum cleaner hose to "gas" the bastards. After about 3 minutes, the hose completely melted. As we stood there looking at the mess, I heard my uncle say "Don't tell your aunt!!". Ground hogs survived the onslaught unlike the hose.

 

[Hookeye]

The dude that does the KEO vids on Youtube live trapped one.
Said he baited it w cat food.

 

[bwframe]

Dunno if ground hogs would go for the bait or not. I caught two chipmunks in the small hav-a-heart today. Raw almond super glued to the trigger.

 

[chubbs]

Cantaloupe is pretty much my go too. They can't resist

 

[PRasko]

Cantaloupe is pretty much my go too. They can't resist

Ive read this numerous places, but also read that they are one of the hardest to trap. I tried to trap it but didn't have any luck.

I ended up trapping mine with a 12 gauge.

 

[craigkim]

My neighbor and I have a ground hog making holes under some trees of hers. The dirty thing never gives me a clean shot, and conventional trapping is out because she's got lots of cats and critters running around. I've never used a live trap before, but I'd like to in this case because I don't want to harm any of her cats especially. Do any of you have any suggestions of what to put in the live trap that works well for groundhogs? I was thinking about putting it 10' from his hole and throwing lettuce in there, but I'm sure there's a better way to do it than that.

I used to have good luck getting them with a shotgun by sneaking up and then laying down and waiting for them to pop out of their hole and look around. If you are stealthy you might catch them in the open, but if not, they can't seem to stand not knowing where you are and they will pop up just enough of their head to see you, which with a shotgun is all you need. No marksmanship required. Sometimes you have to wait 10-15 minutes.

 

[Hookeye]

I caught a bunch using live traps and 1.5 coilsprings.

Id tie the coilspring to a drag. And place into a shallow just inside the den. Then id cover the hole w stick and dirt.

Sometimes a cinder block over that. Nothing gonna go in and get trapped. Only stuff trying to get out.

 

[Shep79]

Red and Yellow bell pepper slices. Trapped one just a few weeks ago that was digging into my pole barn. Poor thing died of lead poisoning!

 

[Thor]

1/4 gal of gas down the hole and light it with a blow torch...just don't put your head over the hole...then bury it while it's burning.

 

[bobjones223]

I trapped one this weekend with the 10/22.

 

[Hookeye]

I killed a fair number back in the day w 75gr Speer HP out of a Ruger # 1 in .243 win.

Switched to 700 BDL and Nosler 70gr BT when those came out.

Kinda serious about killin for a while

 

[Jones1776]

They love marshmallows lol sounds crazy but it works

 

[DangerousDave]

A double spring jump trap placed in the opening of the den is my method of catching them. Young ground hogs are good to eat but an old one can be tough. Years ago I fried up a mess of young ground hogs. A friend of mine stopped in at dinnertime and I invited him to eat dinner with us. While he was eating he kept saying, "That sure is good fried rabbit." After he got done eating I told him it wasn't rabbit he had been eating but groundhog. He got mad as hell and said he wasn't ever eating with me again.

 

[airrifle82]

I use a live trap with strawberries. Right close to their hole. After that...I would guess they're easy to shoot in the trap, but they usually dont want much trouble if you relocate them.

 

[airrifle82]

A double spring jump trap placed in the opening of the den is my method of catching them. Young ground hogs are good to eat but an old one can be tough. Years ago I fried up a mess of young ground hogs. A friend of mine stopped in at dinnertime and I invited him to eat dinner with us. While he was eating he kept saying, "That sure is good fried rabbit." After he got done eating I told him it wasn't rabbit he had been eating but groundhog. He got mad as hell and said he wasn't ever eating with me again.

I've never had the opportunity to try it, but I always hear its great.