Big Surprise when I went to check oil

[dlundblad]

If OP didn’t do the dirty deed it would have been right back unfortunately. They are very territorial. Catch and release and it would have had to be taken miles away or become somebody else’s issue.

I haven’t seen any here, but the neighbors to the east and west of us have had issues with them making holes in horse and cow fences. Quite disturbing when you think about their holes breaking a leg on a 1000 lb+ animal.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

So a couple hours ago I step outside to check the fluids in my truck and see a flash underneath, in my mind I thought wow that was a big bird. Pop the hood only to be face to face with a 12 lb groundhog sitting on top the engine. He made an about face and went down behind the motor. I got a stick and probed but could not get him to move out. WARNING dont read any further if you like these things. I went inside and got my 22 pistol and keys, came out and started the truck. After about 2 or 3 min he dropped out, walked to the side of the truck and looked like he wanted to go back up. At least he did for 5 sec until POP. Now hes buzzard bait.
I have seen squirrels go up into the engine before and they usually meet the same end although from a distance when they try hopping away with my firewall insulation. Is there something that can be done to keep groundhogs out. They dont even need to chew on anything, just their weight will pull the wires out.

What did he taste like?

 

[samven]

What did he taste like?

View attachment 68996

I dont know but if I get a chance to talk to whatever hauled it away last night I will ask, probably chicken. I do keep a kind of wildlife refuge at the very back of the yard about 300 yds from the house. Its really just a brush pile. I dumped him there yesterday and today there is no sign of him, no fur or bones so whatever took him must have been fairly big because he went all of 12 lbs+.

 

[samven]

You won't really like this answer 'cause it stinks, but it worked for me to get them out from under my shed.
Janitor strength Ammonia or Fox urine. Dribble it around where you don't want them to go. They won't stay, afraid they'll get et. Apparently can't tell the difference between really strong ammonia and predators' urine.
But yeah, lead to the head is the only way to permanently make them go away.
Illegal to poison, illegal to trap and release, too many pansies passing touchy feely laws, etc. Only leaves us with acute lead poisoning.

I will give the ammonia a try, maybe the fox urine they sell as a cover scent is not strong enough, thanks.

 

[Bud_One]

What did he taste like?

View attachment 68996

Cook some rice !!

 

[srfdude]

Some years back, living in Alaska, I went to start my car and heard a screech, a thump, and a flash out of the corner of my eye. Couple days later I saw the neighbor's cat with a cast on one leg, and other bandages. Needless to say, discretion was the better part of valor, and I didn't say anything.

 

[samven]

Samven, I'm concerned about the groundhog's brazen behavior while you were standing nearby. Most critters would have run away with a person nearby. That one didn't. I'd be concerned about rabies. West Virginia and Virginia have problems with it in raccoons, foxes, bats, skunks, feral cats, and some other animals, and you're in West Virginia.

Keep an eye on other critters that show up. You don't one that is rabid attacking you.

That is a good tip, I had not thought about groundhogs and rabies but I did find it strange that he ran about 7 feet and stopped to look back, normally they make a bee line for a hole in the ground or a tree. I have seen them go 8 ft up in an apple tree before, surprised the sh** out of me. You wouldnt think that fat wobbly chunk of animal could climb like a squirrel.

 

[demarpaint]

I have never killed an animal and never will unless it attacked me unprovoked.

You and me both my friend!

 

[doitmyself]

You and me both my friend!

Gotta give you some credit. I simply cannot live with mice in the house and find it impossible to keep them out. I suppose one could live trap mice and release them? I also have not chosen to become a vegetarian or forgo leather footware, so I am responsible for animal deaths in that indirect way also.

 

[demarpaint]

Gotta give you some credit. I simply cannot live with mice in the house and find it impossible to keep them out. I suppose one could live trap mice and release them? I also have not chosen to become a vegetarian, so I am responsible for animal deaths in an indirect way.

Thanks. I don't have to kill a cow to eat a burger, and I don't have to milk one to drink its milk. I think Paul's point was there was no need to kill the ground hog, I agree. He was voicing his opinion, we do that here, not everyone has to agree. People are going a bit too far with this I think.

 

[Lyman]

When in doubt shoot it out! Good job. I thought you were going to tell us that you now have a hole in your trans

 

[Rand]

Thanks. I don't have to kill a cow to eat a burger, and I don't have to milk one to drink its milk. I think Paul's point was there was no need to kill the ground hog, I agree. He was voicing his opinion, we do that here, not everyone has to agree. People are going a bit too far with this I think.

I dont think anyone is really getting bent. Let me rephrase my point.

If a groundhog went under your jeeps hood and did $4800 in damage-- damage to the wiring harness etc... then came back 2 months later and did another $3500 after you had it fixed what would you do? I'm guessing you would be less respecting of its right to live.

I have a tree with 27 squirrels in it.. (REALLY BIG TREE). They leave my property alone.. they get left alone.. so far no issues in 8 years.

They start chewing soffit or garage door seal and tearing up stuff.. they will have to go too.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

Haven't you seen Caddyshack? You're supposed to use dynamite.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I managed to run one over in my driveway once. Or one of the cats killed it. Not sure but it was sitting dead behind the tire of one of the vehicles. I ended up picking it up with a shovel and tossing it in the lake. Of course ,every neighbor had to stick their head out and ask what it was.

 

[Trav]

Thanks. I don't have to kill a cow to eat a burger, and I don't have to milk one to drink its milk. I think Paul's point was there was no need to kill the ground hog, I agree. He was voicing his opinion, we do that here, not everyone has to agree. People are going a bit too far with this I think.

That's pretty much it Frank.

 

[wpod]

Thanks. I don't have to kill a cow to eat a burger, and I don't have to milk one to drink its milk. I think Paul's point was there was no need to kill the ground hog, I agree. He was voicing his opinion, we do that here, not everyone has to agree. People are going a bit too far with this I think.

As a kid I would spend my summers on my Aunties and Uncles Cattle ranch. It was heaven on Earth to me ! I was taught to milk the cows and slaughter them, gut and skin them . It isn't fun but it had to be done to eat. there is always a reason to kill a ground hog . I'll name two reasons 1) your $15,000 ranch horse steps in one and breaks a leg bye, bye Horsie or 2) a cow breaks a leg and there goes a bunch of income. there are many more reasons.

 

[samven]

I respect everyones opinion and right to not kill but if you have never had to deal with them then its an uninformed opinion and if you just hire someone to do it for you then its hypocrisy.

 

[demarpaint]

I dont think anyone is really getting bent. Let me rephrase my point.

If a groundhog went under your jeeps hood and did $4800 in damage-- damage to the wiring harness etc... then came back 2 months later and did another $3500 after you had it fixed what would you do? I'm guessing you would be less respecting of its right to live.

I have a tree with 27 squirrels in it.. (REALLY BIG TREE). They leave my property alone.. they get left alone.. so far no issues in 8 years.

They start chewing soffit or garage door seal and tearing up stuff.. they will have to go too.

I don't recall reading that happening to the OP, and if that were the case the animal could have been trapped. I guess I'm a city slicker we don't have those problems. Different strokes for different folks. I don't hunt, and I'd rather not kill an animal, my right my choice. People do, that's their right, their choice. We're exchanging opinions here, nothing more.

FTR- Around here we have some pretty big oak trees with plenty of squirrels in them. They run through the trees knocking acorns to the ground, along with the wind knocking them down. My buddy had $8K damage to his RAM PU parking under one. You might want to keep that in mind if the tree is an oak.

 

[Trav]

I respect everyones opinion and right to not kill but if you have never had to deal with them then its an uninformed opinion and if you just hire someone to do it for you then its hypocrisy.

I don't hire anyone to do it either. Yes I have had to deal with some pest but never killed or had them killed.

 

[RooflessVW]

I don't hire anyone to do it either.

Are you vegetarian then?