I caught the groundhog

[amerikat]

I had a bag of shelled sunflower seeds I found in the pantry. They were way past the expiration date so I took them outside for the birds and squirrels. I noticed that the groundhog was really liking them too.

Yesterday I made a place out back behind the barn for some zinnias. When I looked at them in this morning several had been eaten.

I figured I would give the trap another try with sunflower kernels as the bait. Off to the store to get some fresh sunflower seeds. I set the trap and made a trail of seeds starting outside the trap, thru the trap with a nice pile at the end.

One of my projects for the day was to install an electric outlet on the back of the barn to have a place to plug in the weedwacker.

I sat at the picnic table on the deck and started to prewire the outlet when I noticed the hoggy near the trap enjoying the sunflower kernels. I stopped working on the outlet.

My cell phone rang and he ran away. A few minutes later he returned. He actually got part way into the trap. Then the ice-cream wagon came by playing that calliope/carnival version of "she'll be coming round the mountain". Very irritating to say the least. The groundhog thought so to and ran away again. The ice-cream truck went further away and the hoggy reappeared.

I watched as he went on eating sunflowers seeds and was totally inside the trap and only a few inches from the trigger, with that creepy music still playing in the background.

I started thinking oh no! What next. What if I do catch him? Need a sheet to cover the trap so not to freak him out. Is the truck ready? Do I have room to fit him in the truck? And where will I take him to be released?

While those thoughts raced through my mind I watched as he stepped on the trip bar. I had caught him. He stood up a bit and looked around then he tried nudging both ends of the trap.

I went over and put the gate down on the truck then went to get an old sheet from the rag bin in the basement.

I approached him slowly and covered the trap with the sheet. Grabbed the cage and walked it to the truck and put him in and rolled up the window.

I pulled out of the driveway drove past the ice-cream truck and waited to turn onto rt 29, damn if that ice-cream truck didn't pull up behind me playing that awful music as I waited an eternity to turn left on Rt 29.

Finally made the turn headed for the waterfall, a protected area owned by the local hydroelectric power company. It's a preserve, no hunting or trapping. The sign said take nothing leave nothing.......had to break one of those rules.

Anyway I carried the trap about a quarter mile in and found a nice spot with some flat ground and some sunlight. Seemed like a good spot. I took the sheet off the trap and the hoggie looked at me like WTF is this all about. I opened the trap and a few seconds later he ran like hell into his new world. I hope I did the right thing.

I hope he finds a nice home there.

I feel guilty about removing him from his home of many years. He was like a family member....and a sign of spring.

I guess I can get on with the garden now.

[madeline_con]

1. This part reads like Stephen King...

"I watched as he went on eating sunflowers seeds and was totally inside the trap and only a few inches from the trigger, with that creepy music still playing in the background."

:applause:

Good story. I think you did the right thing.

[amerikat]

2. I was thinking, to the groundhog it must have seemed like

Kidnapped by aliens.......I hope he thrives in his new environment.

[sazemisery]

7. I was thinking the same thing.

I was engrossed in the story but stopped at that sentence and thought, "Oh, that is so Kingish. LOL.

[blue neen]

3. You are my hero!

I need to do the same thing in my yard. I would love to know the specifics of how you made the trap, set it up, etc.

:toast:

[amerikat]

4. trap was a standard trap for that size animal

available at Tractor supply......where I got mine. read my post. It gives the details.

[tabasco]

5. Hoggie now living happy as a hobbit

down by the waterfall.

[troubleinwinter]

6. Here's what I get in my yard

They aren't pigs, they are Javelinas- pecaries. They come in herds of about a dozen. The adults are about 40-70 pounds. They eat everything. Bird seed, flowers, vegetables, bulbs, but their natural food is prickly pear, spines & all.

They are strong. One old fella just decided to rip my wooden gate to shreds last year, just for kicks. There isn't much to do about a herd of these, but a sturdy fence around the growing zone and give up on the larger yard and grow what they won't eat, like junipers, pines and butterfly bush.

I can get past the plantings, but they tear the lower siding off the house when they decide to have a cool nap under there. They rub themselves on the ducting and plumbing. Not at all good.

I did try some chemical impersonator of Mt. Lion urine, which they laughed at. This year I will try the real thing... I understand it stinks to high heaven for a few days.

I think ya did the right thing with hoggy. I hope he finds a nice girlfriend in his new territory.

[NJCher]

9. OMD!

I will come back to this post every time the groundhog eats up my crops!

Man, I thought I had it bad.

:crazy:


Cher

[tigereye]

where is this that you have peccaries? The Southwest?

[tigereye]

11. where is this that you have peccaries? The Southwest?

[elleng]

8. I keep thinking,

I shot the sheriff!!!

[amerikat]

10. I thought that too after I posted.

I caught the groundhog but I did not catch his deputy.