groundhogs in the pasture

[madelyn]

.....Bast in your case, I think traps are your only option. I'm sure animal control will pick the groundhog or rhodent up once you've trapped it. Tractor Supply Stores normally stock the size trap you'll need.....

My local Animal Control will not pick up groundhogs, raccoons, or absolutely anything that is not a cat or dog. Cats must be ferals, dogs must be stray or wild. We trapped 17 raccoons last year and relocated them to a massive wild place called the "River Bottoms" about 8 miles away and they have not returned. I have no problem shooting groundhogs.

[mightyhijames]

i have a live trap set close to the barn now; so far, i got a possum. i've had great success trapping groundhogs w/apples, for what its worth.

[xfactor fan]

Anyone got tips on how to trap feral cats? I'm down to one nasty bad actor, all the others have been trapped and snipped, and are now doing well. The remaining cat is a orange devil who has been chewing holes in the other cats, and spraying EVERYTHING.

I've never seen him inside the trap, even when it isn't set to trap. And none of the things that the feral cat folks have suggested have worked.

I'd shoot him myself if
1) If I had a gun
2) If I could hit anything with a hand gun
3) If I wasn't within the city limits.

The feral cats that have already been snipped don't seem to have any problems with the traps--I've caught several of them multiple times. So the traps are working.

In addition to retrapping some cats, I got a baby possum. Rat sized. Silly thing was sound asleep then didn't want to get out of the trap.

[Shammy Davis]

Xfactor: Most folks around here just use the same traps as they use for coons, possum, and groundhogs. Bait with "gourmet" cat food. You should be able to out wit one cat.

[horse]

Over wrought with ill chosen verbiage. Not only banned, but now forgotten!

I wrote on the second page of this thread.

I carry a 12 gauge shotgun with me. I've learned that ground hogs get pretty cocky and it doesn't take long for me to get close enough to get off a shot. 00 Buck shot will do a trick on them. When it comes to the safety of my horses and my youngest daughter riding through the pastures, I don't think any where close to being humane to ground hogs. They are destructive and dangerous and putting them in someone else's backyard is not good game control. If they start to become extinct, which is unlikely, I might support a habitat program. Hell, they've re-introduced cayotes in our area and it is a mess. The state bounty program is normally depleted in the first month of each year. Animals like wolves, cayotes, and ground hogs are dangerous to domesticated farm animals especially horses.

Horse wrote:

Shammy,
What a refreshing liberal approach you have!
It is noted that you spend an inordinate amount of time grazing all the blogs, then launch an attack on the poster. Your MO is to forget the topic and make it personal. So, as a rebuttal because you did not follow the posting rules, you shall be banned forever in the land of the aristocracy.
I was kind to say this, but feel so sorry for you.
Horse

You are either being cute or unaware of my conservative nature or you can't read. I'm sorry if you took my last post as being sarcasm or ridicule. My comment was meant to be a compliment to you for suggesting that the only control for groundhogs is to kill them. The idea of trap/relocate or chasing them with dogs doesn't work. Shooting them is the only practical way of ridding land of the problem.

Now that you've made me fully aware of what you think of me and my posts please save your pity for someone who wants it from you.

AMF. :wink:[/quo

[xfactor fan]

So far:

Human 0 Cat 5

I've tried smelly cat food, gourmet cat food, & tuna. The red devil won't go into the trap to eat. I've tried asking the neighbors to not feed him--No problem there, we are all united in wanting to be rid of this guy--. . The problem is that he may have been trapped before and knows to stay out. Or that he's not interested in human food. Or that's he more interested in the ladies. So far I haven't figured out how to get a female cat to stay in the cage till lover boy comes calling.

Do any of the hunting stores stock "female domestic cat in heat" scent?

[Shammy Davis]

Xfactor

Common Catnip.

[xfactor fan]

Great Idea Shammy. Will report the results.

Thanks

[kezeli]

Just FYI, I just found out that ground hogs are "commonly" rabid. Even more reason to get rid of the pasture pests!!! They just found the first rabid ground hog in Michigan but every where else they arn't at all unusual. We had a rabid pony in Michigan a few years ago and now skunks and ground hogs in urban areas are common. People
DON'T FORGET TO VACCINATE!!!

[xfactor fan]

Sad to day the drugs didn't work either. Still no cats in the trap despite some very nice catnip.

Any other ideas?

[mightyhijames]

Sad to day the drugs didn't work either. Still no cats in the trap despite some very nice catnip.

Any other ideas?

i'm in the process of luring a groundhog in the cage. he/she wouldn't go inside for the apples so, for the last two nites, i've put a piece of apple a little farther in, the first nite it was outside of the cage. so far, he/she has eaten them. i'm hoping that tonite is the nite. maybe that will work w/your cat.

[Shammy Davis]

Live Traps

Live-trapping cats in commercial or homemade box traps is a feasible control alternative, particularly in areas where uncontrolled pets are more of a problem than wild cats. Trap openings should be 11 to 12 inches (28 to 30 cm) square and 30 inches (75 cm) or more long. Double-ended traps should be at least 42 inches (105 cm) long. The cat can be captured and turned over to animal control agencies without harm, given back to the owner with proper warnings, or euthanized by shooting, lethal injection, or asphyxiation with carbon dioxide gas. Sources for commercial traps are found in Supplies and Materials. Set live traps in areas of feral cat activity, such as feeding and loafing areas, travelways along fences, tree lines, or creeks, dumps, and garbage cans. Successful baits include fresh or canned fish, commercial cat foods, fresh liver, and chicken or rodent carcasses. Catnip and rhodium oil are often effective in attracting cats.

Leghold Traps

Leghold traps No. 1, 1.5, or 2 are sufficient to catch and hold feral cats. These traps are particularly useful on cats that are not susceptible to box traps. Place the traps in a shallow hole the size and shape of the set trap. Cover the pan with waxed paper and then cover the trap with sifted soil, sawdust, or potting soil. Place the bait material far enough beyond the trap that the cat must step on the trap to reach it. Traps can be set at entrances to holes where cats are hiding, entryways to buildings, or near garbage cans. Domestic cats caught in leghold traps should be handled with care. Cover the cat with a blanket, sack, or coat; pin it down with body weight; and release the trap. Catch poles can also be used to subdue trapped cats.*The above information was taken from a University of Nebraska Web site with express permission of Stephen Vatassel, wildlife damage project coordinator.

Sorry about your unsucessful trapping. I just took this off the web. Looks to me if you are patient you might be successful. Just keep trying.

[xfactor fan]

I've been working with my local Feral Cat Group, and the neighbors and I have trapped/gotten snipped, 6 adults and 7 kittens. It has settled down the cat population. So the traps work, and even after they've been trapped some of the cats will return to the traps to eat. Maybe I've managed to trap all the forgetful or dim cats.

The problem is that there are two toms left that refuse to go into the traps. I've never seen either of them in the trap eating. (During the lull the cat into thinking dinner is coming in a strange metal cage today part of the process.)

I'm thinking of trying a net. But the problem of what to do with a large enraged feral tomcat once he's in the net has been the stopper on that idea. (I'd rather not deal with cat bites--on me!)

The feral cat folks of course are not very helpful about any methods that are fatal to cats. In fact they are pretty upset at the idea using lethal force.

I'm afraid that if the trapping doesn't work the next call will be to animal control which will be lethal-- maybe they will have better luck.

[griff]

if you have taken care of all but two toms you have solved the population growth; i.e., toms can't contribut much w/o a female

griff

by the way, don't you still have a cat problem when you "snip" and release. That's not working with feral horses and will probably not work for cats.

g

[xfactor fan]

With cats the snip and release program works well. The snipped cats keep the territory patrolled, so that new feral cats don't come in, and stops the production of kittens. Also the cats settle down are much less aggressive and keep the rodent population under control. Haven't seen a mouse or rat in years, and they are working on the squirrels and pigeons.

The problem with the red devils is that they chew on the snipped cats both male and female, and spray everything. One neighbor had $300 in vet bills for his snipped cat. One of my snipped cats is taking quite a beating. No vet bills yet. And because there are two toms, there is a major round of territory marking going on.

If the trapping and snipping program doesn't work the next step is Animal Control.