Here's Something Different : "Predation" by a Ground Hog !!

[geezerfinneran]

My son has nice salt water swimming pool . Dead animals : moles and baby rabbits started turning up dead/nearly dead in pool.Yesterday evening, a baby rabbit was fished out-still (barely) alive. It had been mangled.

Just feet away from the pool, there is a "rabbit hole", which has been left open because there were little bunnies in it and my daughter-in-law (and my son) couldn't bring themselves to hurt them.

This morning,they looked out the window and saw a ground hog in violent confrontation with the Momma Rabbit. It was trying to mangle a bunny and Momma had counter-attacked.

My son has blocked off the hole now.

As to the surviving bunny ? I saw it briefly, and set up to take a picture---but the dog suddenly remembered rabbits were prey and did him in. The dog is pretty lame (hip displaysia), but managed the job. He had already been ruled out as the backyard predator, however, as he is almost always in view when he goes out.

 

[skip3]

Is the ground hog rabid ? I think he would die of lead poisoning if he were in my back yard.

 

[geezerfinneran]

I'm thinking he wanted the rabbit hole for a new den.
Lead poisoning was my thought too,but neighbors can be difficult sometimes.

 

[manumuskin]

A carnivorous groundhog? I saw one climb a tree once but never seen one eat a rabbit.

 

[Boyd]

I pulled into my driveway and surprised a groundhog, so he climbed up a little tree right next to my car and was clinging to a thin branch for his life, hoping that I didn't notice. I just stood there and had a good laugh.

 

[manumuskin]

I was sitting in a little woodlot outside my old job years ago eating lunch and I had my lunch box sitting next to me and i was sitting on the ground leaning against a big oak reading a book while I ate.I was sitting very still no doubt when I felt something push against my leg.I turned to look and when I did a groundhog was investigating my lunch pail and was pushing against me to get to it.When i turned he shot like a jet ten feet across the ground and up a medium size tree which happened to be a very large Sassafras.He went up twenty feet and sat in a crotch investigating me.I was in awe,I never knew they could climb.I knew there were dens in the woods behind me and that they ate in the field but never expected a close encounter with one.Learn something new everyday.

 

[skip3]

I'm thinking he wanted the rabbit hole for a new den.
Lead poisoning was my thought too,but neighbors can be difficult sometimes.

That is problem number 127 with neighbors.

 

[geezerfinneran]

"Our" groundhog doesn't seem carniverous (unless he's some kind of were-chuck...Quick: was it full moon ? No, huh.)
They are surprisingly agile. I've seen them go right up the side of a wooden fence - about 8' high- and sort of shimmy down to the neighboring yard.

 

[46er]

I pulled into my driveway and surprised a groundhog, so he climbed up a little tree right next to my car and was clinging to a thin branch for his life, hoping that I didn't notice. I just stood there and had a good laugh.

They seem to like doing that, chipmunks too.

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

 

[geezerfinneran]

What is that animal thinking ??
(Charlie Brown style)

"Here's the fierce Were-Chuck scaling a tree in search of hapless prey..."

 

[RednekF350]

Sounds like a territorial dispute. Ground hogs and rabbits will try and claim claim the same burrows.

I have been using the new Hornady 30 gr. V-Max polymer tips in .22 magnum this summer on ground grizzlies and it is a devastating load. I have been helping a local farmer thin the herd whenever I can.
They fly flat between 50 and 100 yds with a lot of retained energy out to 100. I gave up on Winchester 40gr hollow points after having several limp away to die another day.

If you are worried about the neighbors but can still sneak a stealth shot in, .22 CB caps are very quiet and will do the job with a head shot at close range. (15 yards max) I have killed squirrels with them at 40 yds. without a problem.

Of course if you think they're cute and fuzzy, you can live trap them with sliced apples for bait and transport them to your least favorite neighbor's house with instructions to undermine his shed.

 

[geezerfinneran]

Thanks for the tips ! Sliced apples, huh ? (I notice rabbits go crazy over popcorn -already popped).
I had suggested .22 WMR to my son, and he agreed-BUT-circumstances do not lend themselves to such a satisfactory conclusion...

 

[manumuskin]

My Granny says their darn good eatin.Helped hold her family thru the Depression in WV.

 

[Gibby]

Another no nonsense solution for a problem groundhog, is a #220 Conibear trap. Quick, easy and quiet. Just be absolutely sure to keep your dog or cat safely away from it because this trap is strong enough to harm or kill both. A Conibear is much quieter choice compared to a 22 mag or for longer range a 22-250 and just as efficient.

 

[RednekF350]

Another no nonsense solution for a problem groundhog, is a #220 Conibear trap. Quick, easy and quiet. Just be absolutely sure to keep your dog or cat safely away from it because this trap is strong enough to harm or kill both. A Conibear is much quieter choice compared to a 22 mag or for longer range a 22-250 and just as efficient.

A conibear is definitely an efficient choice but as you indicate, very risky to use in a suburban setting because of its lethality and the potential for killing non-target species. More importantly for those who don't know, conibears are illegal to use in New jersey for use in land sets. Conibears must be submerged underwater in NJ in non-tidal water and submerged at high tide in tidal water. Of course this is all assuming you have a trapping license and are pursuing furbearers during a regular season.

Discharging a weapon in a suburban setting is certainly risky and would be illegal if you were less than 450' from another building. If you have the distance, in order to be fully compliant you would also need a NJ hunting license and rifle permit to dispatch groundhogs with a .22

 

[dogg57]

Is the ground hog rabid ? I think he would die of lead poisoning if he were in my back yard.

I agree

 

[Gibby]

A conibear is definitely an efficient choice but as you indicate, very risky to use in a suburban setting because of its lethality and the potential for killing non-target species. More importantly for those who don't know, conibears are illegal to use in New jersey for use in land sets. Conibears must be submerged underwater in NJ in non-tidal water and submerged at high tide in tidal water. Of course this is all assuming you have a trapping license and are pursuing furbearers during a regular season.

Discharging a weapon in a suburban setting is certainly risky and would be illegal if you were less than 450' from another building. If you have the distance, in order to be fully compliant you would also need a NJ hunting license and rifle permit to dispatch groundhogs with a .22

Rednek, thanks for bringing to light, the rules and regulations that are behind being a responsible sportsmen in New Jersey. My intent wasn't to give bad information, just another option. It can be hard to find a legal location to release an animal and not all of us have a firearm to use.

I follow the state rules and regulations to the letter when I am on state land. However, I am more lenient when it comes to private property. I believe in doing what you have to do to take care of your land, as long as it is morally and environmentally sound. If one comes to the decision to remove an animal because it has become a nuisance, such a posing a threat to cause injury to a person, to livestock or to a structure, by all means, dispose of the creature. Within reason, I have no problem with the action.

 

[noboat]