Groundhog gone wild

[USP.40]

A friend has a groundhog on her property near her house. It is aggressive and has come at her on several occasions. She wants to dispatch it. I told her what might work is to pour a gallon of gasoline down the hole and when it comes out shoot it with a handgun. She doesn't want to stalk it with a rifle aka sitting outside with a rifle waiting for a shot and she doesn't have a rifle. She is waiting to hear from me to decide what to do. I would do it myself but she lives 2 hrs away. A 9mm with a hollow-point or FMJ would dispatch it with a shot or two? She is buying a 9mm for sd and doesn't want to buy a long-gun just for this. Would this plan work or is there a better way? I have no experience with them this is what I came up with off the top of my head. Thanks guys I appreciate your input.

[Jseime]

A pail of Gas and a Handgun?

I just had a picture in my mind of a flaming groundhoug running around and under a shed and burning the shed down.

I would use water and a shovel or hoe, no flames no misses and it would be fun.

Or water and a handgun but not gas.

[USP.40]

Well, I didn't tell her to light it I just thought the fumes from the gas would drive the little bugger out. I should have clarified that. But, if water will work that's cool too. Ok no gas and water sounds good to me.

[tomh1426]

I remember someone saying they got a tank of gas (argon ,propain I forget) and ran a hose into a hole and and gassed em all.
The gas is heavier than air and stays in the ground killing everything.
I really forget what kinda gas it was but it wasent liquid and it didnt harm the ground.
All the dead critters turn into furtilizer

[tomh1426]

BTW does this remind aneyone else of Caddyshack

[Mainah]

I had a chipmunk hole near the garage, drove me nuts. I was going to spend a Saturday sitting quietly with the 10/22, but went with another plan. I got a six pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon and spent the day working in the garage, listenning to the Red Sox, and peeing in the chipmunk hole. Haven't seen him since, and I filled the hole with rocks and sand last night.

Might not work on an angry gopher.

[Casimer]

The SPCA in my area will lend you a trap and sell you bait for a nominal fee. They'll even dispose of the animal for you. Animal control departments may offer similar services.

The groundhogs on my property have been around for generations and in this time have developed a pretty extensive network of tunnels - i.e. gas or flooding probably wouldn't work to flush them out.

[USP.40]

Animal control won't touch it.

[mako8551]

1 part amonia to 1 part bleach and poor down a garden hose. toxic gass will kill um almost instantly.

Do not breath it yourself.

[Mainah]

There's a guy in our area who takes care of animals like this. Check the yellow pages, she might have an urban trapper around. Fifty bucks might be a better bet than dumping chemicals.

[JWT]

mako8551's formula will likely work, but if you try it be extremely careful, you'll be generating chlorine gas and it's very dangerous stuff.

[Scorch]

Do your friend a favor. Take a drive up there with a 22 rifle. Make sure they agree to buy you dinner for your troubles. Go to the place where the groundhog lives, and when it comes running towards you, shoot it in the head. Then turn around and tell your friend "Let's go eat".

I did a similar thing for a friend in CA that had feral goats running around the hillside above her cabin. She thought they would cause erosion. She was amazed that anyone could just sit down and shoot 5 goats like that (bang, bang, bang, bang, bang). Just shoot the one in the lead, and they turn around and try to run back the other way.

[Jseime]

I wasnt thinking that you would light it on fire yourself but a rodent covered in gas and shot at close range may just ignite.

[wolverine350]

i think id just throw some poison around the hole if he comes up to eat then shotgun it

[Selfdfenz]

Somehow the idea of using gasoline or another chemical to get rid of the critter issue replaces one problem with another that could be worse. If the local animal control folks won't help perhaps the local wildlife warden will. You might also try the local ag extension agent for some ideas.

IF you could get it to enter a box trap that would be the safest route to take. Leg-hold traps or traps that kill are liable to catch a dog or cat. Possibly a kid. Also, it seems to me one big enough to do the deed on a groundhog would be hard for her to cock.

A watchful eye and a 22 would be the most specific solution assuming she has a safe backstop and there no local law prohibiting discharge of a firearm in her area. Subsonics at close range will do the job if she can hit the head. If she lives on a farm or rural area an inexpensive 22 is a good investment. A used but servicable unit from a pawn shop would be worth looking into.

S-

[teeroux]

I remember in my Pa-Pa's barn he had these spring loaded spike things and i asked him what they were and he told me they were mole stickers.

You stake the device in the ground cocked over the hole and when the rodent or whatever cam up and hit the pressure plate the spring loaded plate above it with the spikes would impale the critter.

I do not know who makes them or where to find them but i did see one oneday hanging from the ceiling of a Craker Barrel.

Personally I always liked shootin critters anyway.

[45Marlin carbine]

sounds like groundhogsenfeffer to me!

[USP.40]

I'm going to drive up there and take of the bugger myself. I have a 30-06 that seems like serious overkill for a groundhog. I don't have a .22 but that is on my list for future purchases. I'll bring the 30-06 but I'll go over to the hole with my 90-Two and see if he comes out first. If that doesn't work I'll try and flood it with water to draw him out. If that doesn't work I'll stalk him with the rifle.

Thanks for your input it is appreciated and I'll let you guys know how it works out.

[davlandrum]

Sounds like fun - prepping for hunting season. I would probably go total overkill - ghille suit, masking scent and bow hunt the bugger. If the arrow doesn't kill it right off, it should keep him from scooting down the hole...

[FirstFreedom]

.30-06 vs. groundhog...something tells me you will win that battle.

[Fremmer]

Something tells me that you now have a good excuse to buy a .22!

But if you don't buy a .22 and you use the .30-06, let us know whether it has enough stopping power for groundhog.

[Capt. Charlie]

Sounds like he's already decided on his solution, but in the interest of safety, I would strongly discourage this...

1 part amonia to 1 part bleach and poor down a garden hose. toxic gass will kill um almost instantly.

Unless you have some way of mixing them remotely, don't do it. The reaction is immediate and violent, and a number of people have been killed doing this.

[Dirty_Harry]

Who has a .30-06 and not a .22??? I had a .22 before I ever had a bb gun.

Definatly an excuse to go buy one.

[tomh1426]

I had a 30-06 befor I had a bb gun then I got a .22 then I got a bb gun
Other family members gave me these guns , I didnt pick them out.
I blame that 30-06 for my flinching problems , I have to really try hard not to flinch.
Who goives a kid that small a gun that big. (Rem 700 BDL)
Dont get me wrong I appriciated it VERY much.
I thought amonia and bleach make somthing like mustard gas.
Like when you clean a toilet with bleech and then pee on it (amonia) it makes your eyes burn.
less than $100 will get you a nice .22 at a pawn shop , I would totaly use this as an excuse to buy another gun.
Then you can say he wont stand still and you can buy a shotgun too

[kickshot85]

Water and a .22 like everyone else has stated. It works wonders on critters of the burrowing variety. We used this method to dispatch a mess of armadillos that were digging our camp from beneath our feet. If that fails, C4 would work equally well, I'd guess. Good luck.

P.S. If you've never shot an armadillo with a .22, its amazing. One shot and those things could win the olympic high jump. They easily get three feet airborn sometimes.