Cinta that sounds terrible!!

Today found the trap still empty. I used to have a lot of dahlias, but lost them last year due to a hard freeze that took place before I could get the pots in the garage. I was OK with that, I guess, since I'm trying to simplify a bit and something had to go. So this year, facing the temptation, I decided to allow myself one new dahlia. The package I purchased had 3 divisions, so I planted each of them in large pots.

Well, just found them today, eaten by something. I'm wondering if it was groundhogs or rabbits? Anybody have any thoughts as to which is more likely? Never had dahlias eaten before. The plants will recover, but I'm not sure if it will be in time to flower this year. I've moved them to a much safer location. Re-baited the trap with an ear of fresh corn...

I've growing dahlias for decades and never had any eaten even though I have an abundance of rabbits and raccoons.

I have a couple of dahlias and we have wild rabbits. They have never bothered the dahlias. We don't have groundhogs.

Thanks for the info, that's very helpful. BTW, the trap had been shifted in position, but none of the bait in the trap was taken. Probably the groundhog investigating. I'm going to have to pin it to the ground.

Good idea. What did you have in it for bait?
I read that they like cucumbers, summer squash, an occasional apple.
Wow, I didn't know they could climb trees.

Any small holes in the ground?
Voles did tremendous damage in my gardens a few years ago.
They took down trees and shrubs(by eatting all the roots) and ate all my Lily and tulip bulbs and flowers.

We ordered product here http://www.volecontrol.com/

and since placing it throughout the gardens, we are again able to have things survive.

(Unfortunately, we found no "peaceful" solutions where voles are concerned.)

We have the Carolina Pine voles here, but there are over 400 species in the US alone.
Before our encounter with these pests I had never heard of voles.
Guess they are vegetarians and use mole tunnels to travel through.

The first time I saw a vole was one that came into the house after it rounded the corner of the back door entry. I didn't know what it was when I saw it and so couldn't even describe it to my hubby to go after it. I just said, "look for something small and grey and it went that way..."
My husband broke my best broom going after it...

But the important question is - did he get it?

Waiting for the answer.

Hubby knows I would be too nervous to cook dinner for anyone knowing that there's a loose and very bold, unidentified critter in the house...

Bet he got it very fast.

I have been battling groundhogs for a long, long time.

I found if you put anything in the hole like cat poo or ammonia or bleach - they just move over a few feet an dig a new hole. You have to get rid of the ground hog, then fill in the hole, then put something down to keep them from digging. We used two layers of the heavy plastic lattice bolted to the bottom of one of my buildings, let it go out 3 feet from the building and that has worked pretty well for several years.

For groundhogs, the only things I have ever caught them in a live trap with are canned corn and sliced apples. I've heard cabbage works too, but never tried it. I think it helps to leave a little bit of the bait food around the hole each morning for a couple days before you set the trap.

Only set the trap early in the morning and take it up at dusk. Otherwise, you'll get skunks, o'possums, raccoons and other night critters...

I've also caught one by positioning the trap over a hole I knew they were in and putting cement blocks all around it to keep it from moving (and on top!!). Then I started running the hose into the other hole and flooded him out into the trap.

I am in the country, and I have a small pole barn. It used to have a dirt floor, and I parked in it like a garage. Went out one day to go to work, and the truck was sitting on it's front axel. The groundhogs had undermined the floor so much, it gave way. Had to call a neighbor to pull the truck out. It was a mess to get that dirt all packed in. Then had it cemented with rebar and mesh, but the groundhogs still get under there. It is so bad again, that I no longer park in there because I am afraid of ruining the cement because the dirt is all undermined again. I have a guy who loves to hunt, and he has a blind set up, permanently, just so he can see 2 sides of my little barn - and still they get in there and make more and bigger holes. They have just about ruined a new dam I had made on my pond in 2005. I paid for 2 blinds down behind that dam for groundhog hunters. I lived here for several years without seeing any. Then, we started seeing and hearing coyotes. I think the groundhogs have now moved in close to the houses and buildings because it is safer away from the coyotes.

I have 3 garden cats that are 10 years old. Once I don't have them, I will probably use the method most farmers do around here. I am not sure what exactly it is, but I know they do it in the winter when the groundhogs are denned up and hibernating. They fill in all holes but one and put some sort of canister down the hole, then fill that one in.

My Ex used to bow hunt them for people in a nearby town. They had an old farmhouse and barn that the city grew around. They had a terrible time with groundhogs in the barn. They were so bad, it was an issue with the foundation of the building. He'd sit in the upstairs of their old barn in a lawn chair near what used to be the window/door they put the hay up into and wait for them to come out during the day. That actually works pretty well - direct shot down to the ground, so very safe, and no sound, quick kill if a skilled hunter.

Juli, this is starting to depress me. The groundhogs are still around, the neighbors have seen them. I tried corn on the cob bait, but no takers. Apparently no other groundhogs in the neighborhood except for this empty house. I will get them eventually. I'll have to try the apples. They went after my broccoli initially, so I think cabbage and broccoli will work eventually. I am a patient hunter.

We see groundhogs across the road in the park all the time. I'm amazed that they stay over there and haven't ventured into my gardens. I've only ever seen one here. Good luck Twit, hope you get the lousy varmints!

Try the canned corn instead of on the cob. Just a few kernels leading up to your trap. You may have to "feed" it to them as a "treat" at the entrance to the hole without the trap around so the get a good taste for it so they will then follow is trail of it into the trap.

It is very frustrating. Believe me, I know!

Canned corn is cheap. I am also going to try cabbage.

I'm cheering for you twit. I know you will win this battle. Can we have proof of your victory when it happens?

Havahart brand says that in their field tests, cantaloupe worked best for ground hogs. They suggest rubbing the rind and juice all over the cage and then adding a piece inside as well as leaving a trail of juice leading to the cage (along with a couple of pieces near the burrow). Their site: http://www.havahart.com/advice... also lists some other recommendations.

At our home, it is the racoons that are destructive. One year, we were waiting for our corn to reach that perfect stage and the night before we planned on harvesting, all but about 3 or 4 ears were stolen by these little monsters. I was extremely .

Also, 4 years ago we had a raccoon scale the side of our 2 story home and eat my husband's pet Koi that lived in a large balcony "pond". He had raised the 2 fish from small fry until they were about 20" long. When the first one disappeared, we thought perhaps hawks but then the second one turned up dead. We did locate the head and the detached body - we think the dogs chased the raccoon once it reached ground level - but the raccoon left paw prints in the dust on the railing and wet prints on the flooring so we are sure who the culprit was. I don't know how it knew that the Koi were up there unless it accidentally discovered them while exploring.

Now days, we have one that keeps climbing on my husband's motorcycle so we will be trapping it, too. Needless to say, I have no affection for racoons what-so-ever!

Gee, I don't feel so bad now for having to deal with only mice and what I think are pocket gophers! Had to get rid of skunks a couple of years running, but haven't seen one in well over 7 or 8 years now. (Too bad I can't get rid of my neighbor the same way, sigh. )