LESLIE: Alright. Now we’ve Al in Arkansas on the line. And perhaps, Al, now we can finally answer this question: how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? I think you can help us with that. What’s going on with that woodchuck infestation?
AL: That’s a good one, Leslie. I’ve got a hill that runs down to a creek. And when it floods, the bottom of the hill gets wet. And some woodchucks had moved in a few years ago and they dug holes. And when the water got up there, it kind of washed out and caved in. And then it came up the hill more and now here, this year, there – I’ve got a 6-foot-deep section of earth missing and I – my wife doesn’t want me to shoot these woodchucks. And they can chuck a lot of dirt and they can climb trees.
LESLIE: That sounds crazy.
TOM: Yeah. So it sounds like a pretty bad woodchuck infestation. Well, would you like to evict them? How about that if we’re not going to shoot them? You want to evict them?
AL: Yes.
TOM: Because I think you could use a Havahart trap for that woodchuck infestation. Havahart traps are great. They work for groundhogs and woodchucks. Pretty much the same size animal, same type animal. There are slight differences, of course, but the Havahart trap is a good option. Now, the problem is you’re going to have to take the animal for a ride, miles away, and let him go.
LESLIE: You have to put it in your car.
TOM: But what you do is you get this Havahart trap and you get the one that’s sized for woodchuck infestation. You’ve got to bait it. Now, a little trick for that is if you take some fruit, like an apple, and you put it in the back of the trap, you take a wire – like a piece of picture-frame wire or something like that – and you thread it through the apple. Or a piece of electrical wire, something that you can thread through the apple. And then you tie it off to the back of the cage. Because this way, he can’t smack it towards himself, right, and just grab it and run. He’s got to go back there to have the treat and then the door slams. Now, when that happens, the animals are going to panic and especially if you approach them. But what you want to do is throw a cloth over it, pick the cage up safely using the handle and then you can take it out somewhere, well away from your property, and let them go. And then go reset it again and do it again the next day or the next few days. And eventually, you’ll get rid of that woodchuck infestation and that will give you a chance – a fighting chance – of getting that hill back in shape.
AL: I appreciate it. Thank you very much. Good job.
TOM: Alright. Well, good luck with that project and thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. Now, if you get the answer to Leslie’s question, please do let us know how much wood a woodchuck can chuck.
LESLIE: We’re dying to know.
Leave a Reply