Groundhog Removal

Groundhog and Woodchuck Removal in New York

February 7, 2025·9 min read

The groundhog — also called woodchuck (Marmota monax) — is a large burrowing rodent found across New York State from Manhattan's outer parks to the farmland of the Hudson Valley and beyond. Despite their benign cultural image as weather prognosticators, groundhogs are capable of extraordinary structural damage: their burrow systems can undermine foundations, crack concrete slabs, destroy vegetable gardens down to bare soil, and create ankle-breaking holes in lawns. This is not a nuisance animal to leave unaddressed.

The Structural Risk of Groundhog Burrows

A groundhog burrow is an engineering project. A mature groundhog moves 35 cubic feet of soil — roughly 700 pounds of dirt — when excavating a full burrow system. The system typically extends 5–6 feet deep and 25–30 feet horizontally, with a main chamber, side tunnels, and two to five entrance/exit holes.

When this burrow system is located under a concrete stoop, a poured concrete foundation, or a wooden deck with concrete footings — which is extremely common in Nassau County, Westchester, and suburban areas across the Hudson Valley — the soil removal creates voids that can cause the overlying structure to shift, crack, or collapse. The damage is typically not immediately visible from the surface, which means homeowners often don't discover foundation compromise until it becomes significant.

Beyond foundations, groundhog burrows under concrete walkways, driveways, and retaining walls create the same subsidence risk. The multiple entrance holes — often concealed in dense vegetation along property lines or fence lines — also create serious trip-and-fall hazards.

Garden and Landscape Destruction

A single groundhog can consume 1–1.5 pounds of vegetation daily. Their preferred targets in New York gardens include: beans, peas, squash, and virtually all leafy vegetables; clover, alfalfa, and grass; ornamental plants including hostas, day lilies, and coneflowers; and the bark of young fruit trees (winter gnawing when other food is scarce).

Unlike deer, groundhogs feed close to ground level and typically take entire plants rather than browsing. A vegetable garden unprotected from groundhogs can be stripped bare in a single night during peak summer feeding season. This is particularly problematic in suburban and semi-rural properties across Long Island's East End and the Hudson Valley, where productive kitchen gardens are common.

Trapping and Relocation

Live trapping is the most common removal method for groundhogs in New York. Box traps (10" x 12" x 36" or larger for adult groundhogs) are placed at active burrow entrances or along known travel corridors (typically the fence line or garden perimeter where groundhog runs have worn visible paths in the vegetation).

Effective bait options include: cantaloupe, apple slices, broccoli, and leafy greens. Groundhogs respond well to fruit and melon in particular. Traps should be placed in the morning (groundhogs are most active in early morning and late afternoon) and checked by mid-morning and again at dusk.

Trapped groundhogs should be relocated at least 5 miles from the capture site to habitat appropriate for the species — open meadow, woodland edge, or grassland areas away from residential structures. Releasing a groundhog across the street or in a neighbor's yard does not solve the problem — they will simply walk back to the familiar burrow site.

Permanent Exclusion: The L-Footer Method

Trapping without exclusion provides only temporary relief — the removed groundhog will be replaced by another individual within weeks during peak season. The proven long-term solution is L-footer exclusion fencing:

1. Install 2-foot-high galvanized hardware cloth (2" x 2" mesh minimum) along the perimeter of the protected area (deck foundation, garden bed, etc.).
2. Bend the bottom 12 inches of the hardware cloth outward at a 90-degree angle (forming the "L").
3. Bury the horizontal flange 2–4 inches below the soil surface, extending outward (away from the protected area).
4. When a groundhog begins to dig at the fence base, it hits the buried flange — groundhogs dig straight down and will not follow the horizontal flange to dig around it.
5. Secure the vertical portion to wooden or metal stakes at 4-foot intervals. The top does not need to be buried — groundhogs rarely climb fencing.

The L-footer works for skunks and opossums as well, making it a multi-species solution for under-structure denning when properly installed. For gardens, a 3-foot-high fence with an outward L-footer is typically sufficient, as groundhogs are not persistent climbers and will abandon a well-fenced area.

Filling Abandoned Burrows

After removal and exclusion, existing burrows under structures should be filled with compacted gravel and crushed stone, not just backfilled with loose soil. Loose fill compresses and creates voids. Gravel fill provides structural support and discourages re-excavation. Burrow systems that have extended under a foundation may require consultation with a structural engineer before filling, particularly in older homes with block or stone foundations.

Frequently Asked Questions