Groundhog removal

Groundhogs, also called woodchucks, are a north Georgia animal, and they are diggers. One burrow system can have several entrances and run a long way. When it runs under a shed slab, a porch, a driveway or a foundation, the ground underneath can wash out and settle.

Signs of groundhogs

• A large hole, roughly 10 to 12 inches across, with a mound of fresh dirt beside it
• Burrows along the foundation, under a shed or deck, or beside a fence line
• Garden plants eaten down to the ground
• A heavy, brown, low-to-the-ground animal seen in the morning or evening

How I handle it

1. Map the burrow

   Find the main entrance and the secondary holes so nothing is missed.

2. Trap the groundhog

   Live traps set at the active burrow.

3. Close it off

   Once the groundhog is out, the burrow is filled and the area under the shed or deck is protected with buried wire so the next one cannot move in.

What customers say

★★★★★ 4.9 on Google · 80 reviews

• ★★★★★

  Total Animal Control was very good at their job. Brandon let us know when he would be at our house and showed up on time. He was very courteous and gave us good advice to keep animals from under our deck. I would recommend them to anyone that needs animal control. I give this company a 5 star rating out of 5.

  Diane C. · July 2026 · Google review

• ★★★★★

  Brandon’s pricing was very fair, and he did an excellent job helping us resolve our groundhog problem. Before we agreed to move forward, he assured us that the issue would be taken care of and that he would catch the groundhog no matter how many attempts it took. He kept his word and delivered exactly as promised. I truly appreciate his professionalism, persistence, and commitment to getting the job done right. I would definitely use his services again in the future and highly recommend him to anyone in need of wildlife removal services.

  Brandon M. · May 2026 · Google review

• ★★★★★

  Brandon was awesome . He handled my groundhog problem within a few days !

  Theresa C. · June 2025 · Google review

Reviews are copied word for word from Google. Older ones mention Total Animal Control, the company’s former name. Read all 80 reviews on Google

Do groundhogs really live in north Georgia?

Yes. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources describes the woodchuck, which most people here call a groundhog, as a short-legged, short-tailed rodent found primarily in the northern half of Georgia. Its range in the state runs from the Piedmont up into the North Georgia mountains.

The same Wildlife Resources Division fact sheet notes that the woodchuck is the only member of its genus, Marmota, east of the Mississippi River. In other words, it is the one marmot most of the eastern United States has.

That geography matters if you live in our area. A groundhog is not a stray animal that wandered far from home. It is a normal resident of the landscape, and Georgia DNR notes that groundhogs live in both rural and urban settings.

Where on a property do groundhogs like to set up?

Georgia DNR says woodchucks prefer open ground such as fields, clearings, open woods and rocky slopes. They seem to favor places that are brushy or weedy, or land that was disturbed at some point and has since grown up.

The fact sheet names fencerows, embankments, retaining walls, dams and kudzu patches as excellent woodchuck habitat. Many yards have at least one of those features, and a retaining wall or a grown-up fence line next to a garden is a common combination.

Purdue Extension, in a publication written by a USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services biologist, adds that a groundhog in good habitat may feed only 20 to 30 yards from its den. In poorer habitat such as woodlots, road edges and yards, one may travel several hundred yards a day to reach food. A groundhog in your garden may be living next door.

How do I tell a groundhog from a beaver, muskrat or nutria?

All four are large, brown rodents, so the confusion is understandable. The quickest clues are the tail, the setting and the body shape. Georgia DNR describes the groundhog's fur as a grizzled reddish brown, with a flat-looking head and tail and small, rounded ears that are easy to miss.

Penn State Extension puts an adult groundhog at about 16 to 20 inches of head and body, with males averaging 5 to 10 pounds. Purdue Extension describes a stocky animal with short, powerful legs, small ears and a short, bushy tail. Groundhogs live on dry ground. Their burrows sit in banks, fence lines and yards, not in water.

The other three are water animals. A USDA APHIS Wildlife Services fact sheet says adult beavers weigh more than 45 pounds and have large, broad, flat tails they slap on the water. Muskrats weigh 2 to 4 pounds and have long, narrowly flattened tails that whip side to side when they swim. Nutria weigh 15 to 20 pounds, have heavy, rat-like tails thinly covered in bristly hair, orange front teeth and long white whiskers.

• Groundhog: short, bushy-looking tail; burrow with a dirt mound on dry ground
• Beaver: broad, flat, paddle-shaped tail; lives in or beside water
• Muskrat: small, with a long, narrow, flattened tail; lives in or beside water
• Nutria: rat-like, bristly round tail and orange teeth; most abundant along the Gulf Coast, according to USDA APHIS

What does a groundhog burrow look like underground?

Penn State Extension describes a main entrance 10 to 12 inches across, marked by a large mound of dug-out earth. Each den has one nest chamber, separate toilet areas, and usually one to three hidden secondary entrances.

Purdue Extension puts the average burrow system about 2 to 4 feet underground, running 15 to 25 feet or more horizontally. A burrow that has been used for several years, or by several generations, can be longer and more complicated, with more openings.

Purdue also explains that the secondary holes, sometimes called plunge holes, are often well hidden in vegetation and may even be plugged. Georgia DNR adds that the side entrances are escape routes from predators such as coyotes, bobcats, foxes, hawks and owls. This is why I look for every opening before setting anything. Trapping or filling the obvious hole while ignoring a hidden one is how a job fails.

Can one groundhog have more than one burrow?

Yes. Purdue Extension describes two kinds of dens. Winter dens are often in wooded or brushy areas, usually have a single opening, and serve as the hibernation chamber. Groundhogs typically leave the winter den a few weeks after they come out of hibernation.

They then move toward grassier ground and dig summer dens, which can have one to five openings. Adults often dig more than one summer burrow system, with a main home burrow and auxiliary burrows they duck into while feeding. There can be constant traffic between them in summer.

For a homeowner, this means the hole under the shed and the hole along the back fence may belong to the same animal. It also means an empty-looking burrow is not proof the groundhog has left. Purdue notes that vacant burrows can be reoccupied by groundhogs from surrounding areas.

When do groundhogs hibernate and have young?

For breeding, the Georgia source is the one to use. Georgia DNR says woodchucks breed at one year of age. Mating happens in March and April, and after a 31-day gestation a female has 2 to 9 young, usually 4 to 5, once a year. The young are dependent on her at first but can live on their own by about 8 weeks of age.

For hibernation timing, the published dates come from northern states. Penn State Extension says hibernation generally starts in late October or early November and lasts until late February or March. Purdue Extension, writing for Indiana, gives mid-October through February. I have not found a Georgia publication that gives local hibernation dates, so treat those as a rough guide rather than a north Georgia calendar.

What the timing means in practice: in spring, a burrow may hold a female with a litter. Purdue recommends control in early spring because active burrows are easy to find and the young have not yet scattered.

When during the day are groundhogs out?

Georgia DNR describes groundhogs as crepuscular, meaning most active in early morning and late evening. Purdue Extension notes that they are one of the few large wild mammals people commonly see during the day.

Purdue Extension adds that the pattern shifts with the weather. On cool spring days they are most active in the warmer parts of the morning and afternoon. In summer they spend the hottest part of the day in the cool burrow and feed very early and again at dusk. They are least active on cool, rainy days.

That schedule is useful when you are trying to confirm what is in your yard. A brown animal grazing near a fence line at seven in the morning is a strong hint. So is a fresh dirt mound that appears without any night-time noise.

What will a groundhog eat in my garden?

Groundhogs are plant eaters. Georgia DNR says they eat grasses, plants, leaves, ferns, fruits and bark, with particular favorites including clover, alfalfa, and fruits and vegetables when they are available. Because they are exposed to predators above ground, they eat quickly.

Penn State Extension lists soybeans, beans, peas, carrot tops, alfalfa, clover and grasses as preferred foods. It also names alfalfa, soybeans, beans, squash, tomatoes and peas among the crops that can take serious losses, and notes that fruit trees and ornamental shrubs can be gnawed.

The scale of the damage surprises people. Georgia DNR says a groundhog can destroy an entire garden or flower bed in a relatively short time. Purdue Extension says one or two groundhogs can ruin a small garden almost overnight, and that an adult eats between 1 and 1.5 pounds of vegetation a day.

Can a groundhog burrow damage a house, slab or driveway?

It can. Georgia DNR states that burrowing along sidewalks, driveways and building foundations can lead to serious damage to structures and potentially costly repairs. Penn State Extension also notes that burrowing can weaken building foundations, and that it can weaken dikes.

The burrow measurements explain why. A system that runs 15 to 25 feet sideways and sits 2 to 4 feet down, as Purdue describes, removes a lot of soil from places that were meant to carry weight. Under a shed slab, a stoop or the edge of a driveway, that empty space is the concern.

Burrows also create hazards in the open. Penn State Extension notes that the mounds and holes are a danger to farm equipment, horses and riders. On a residential lot, the same holes can turn an ankle or catch a mower wheel.

Do groundhogs carry rabies?

They can, and among rodents they are the main concern. A study of rabies in rodents and rabbits reported to U.S. laboratories from 2011 to 2020, published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases and held in the CDC's library, found 401 cases in total. Groundhogs made up more than 90 percent of them.

The same study puts that in perspective. In every year studied, fewer than 2.5 percent of the rodents and rabbits tested were positive. Most cases were found from May through September, and rabies in groundhogs has declined significantly since 1993. Penn State Extension describes the groundhog as a potential rabies vector.

The practical advice is simple. Do not corner or handle a groundhog, and keep children and pets away from one. Purdue Extension warns never to pet, handle or harass a captured groundhog, because some are vicious biters with extremely sharp teeth and powerful claws. If anyone is bitten or scratched, the CDC says to wash the wound with soap and water right away and seek medical attention promptly.

Is it legal to trap a groundhog in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia DNR states that there is no closed hunting season on woodchucks, so they may be trapped or shot at any time. Local rules on discharging firearms still apply, which is one reason trapping is the usual answer in neighborhoods.

Georgia's laws on native wildlife, as summarized by the DNR Law Enforcement Division, list groundhogs among the species that may be taken because of their nuisance status. The same page says live groundhogs may not be held without the proper permits or licenses, and groundhogs are on the list of native animals that cannot be kept as pets.

So a homeowner can deal with a groundhog, but cannot keep one, raise orphaned young, or hold a trapped animal for long. If you have questions about a specific situation, the DNR page directs people to its Special Permit Unit.

Can a trapped groundhog be relocated?

Georgia DNR guidance on nuisance wildlife control permits says that animals may be killed, or trapped and relocated, but carnivores may not be relocated. It also says animals may be released in suitable habitat with the property owner's permission, or disposed of properly. A groundhog is a plant-eating rodent, not a carnivore.

The key phrase is the property owner's permission. Releasing a groundhog on land you do not own, including a park or a stretch of woods beside the highway, is not the same as releasing it with the landowner's consent. The guidance also notes that these permits are issued for a specific property and species.

Other states handle this differently. Penn State Extension says Pennsylvania does not allow relocation to other properties. Purdue Extension, writing for Indiana, suggests releasing at least 5 miles away. Those rules do not apply here. If you want to confirm the current Georgia position for your property, the DNR guidance directs people to their Wildlife Resources Division region office.

How is a groundhog trapped?

The extension methods are consistent. Purdue Extension advises setting the live trap in the trail right in front of the main burrow entrance, with logs, sticks or stones on either side of the path to funnel the animal in. Georgia DNR describes the same idea, using logs or other barriers to guide the groundhog into a raccoon-sized trap.

Bait helps with groundhogs, which is a real difference from some other animals. Georgia DNR suggests fresh fruit or whatever the groundhog has been eating, naming strawberries, apple slices, salad greens and carrot tops. Penn State lists apple slices, carrots with tops, cantaloupe, lettuce, cabbage and fresh peas, and recommends a trap at least 10 by 10 by 24 inches.

In my work, mapping the burrow comes first, because a trap at a secondary hole the groundhog rarely uses can sit empty for days. The trap goes on the path the animal actually uses, guided in with barriers. Purdue also recommends working the trap floor into the soil so the animal walks in on natural footing, and covering an occupied trap so the animal stays calm.

Should I gas or fumigate a groundhog under my house?

No. Gas cartridges are sold for groundhog burrows, and Georgia DNR describes them as an effective option in open ground. The same fact sheet is clear that, because of health and fire hazards, they should not be used in burrows underneath homes or other structures.

The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management gives the same warning. Cartridges should not be used under sheds or buildings, near anything that can burn, or where people may be exposed to the fumes. Purdue Extension adds that sparks can be thrown.

There is a timing problem too. Purdue says fumigation should not be done after September, because most groundhogs are hibernating by then and the hibernation chamber is often walled off. For a burrow under a slab, porch or crawlspace, trapping is the method extension sources point to. Purdue calls live-trapping the safest and most appropriate approach around buildings.

What kind of fence keeps groundhogs out of a garden?

Groundhogs climb as well as dig, and Georgia DNR notes they can climb trees. A fence has to stop both. Penn State Extension recommends a fence at least 3 feet high made of heavy poultry wire or 2-inch woven mesh wire.

Penn State's specification has two important details. The bottom edge is buried 12 inches deep, with the lower 6 inches bent outward in an L shape so a digging groundhog hits wire. The top 15 inches are bent outward at a 45-degree angle so a climbing groundhog falls back.

An electric wire can be added. Penn State suggests a wire 4 to 5 inches off the ground and the same distance outside the fence, connected to a fence charger. The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management notes that vegetation has to be kept clear so it does not short out the wire. It also points out that a good garden fence keeps out rabbits, dogs and cats as well.

• Height: at least 3 feet
• Material: heavy poultry wire or 2-inch woven mesh
• Bottom: buried 12 inches, lower 6 inches bent outward in an L
• Top: upper 15 inches bent outward at about 45 degrees
• Optional: electric wire 4 to 5 inches high and 4 to 5 inches outside the fence

How do you stop the next groundhog from moving into the old burrow?

This step matters as much as the trapping. Purdue Extension warns that vacant burrows may be reoccupied by groundhogs from neighboring areas, and that without a thorough approach, removed animals tend to be replaced.

Once the groundhog is out, I fill the burrow and protect the spot it used. Under a shed, deck or porch, that means wire buried along the edge so the next one cannot dig back under. The buried-and-bent-outward idea is the same principle Penn State recommends for garden fences: the animal digs down at the wall and runs into wire.

It is worth checking the area for a while afterward. A fresh mound at an old entrance, or a new hole along the same fence line, means another groundhog has found the spot. Purdue recommends checking treated burrows weekly for a month in farm settings, and the same habit makes sense around a house.

Do groundhog repellents work?

The evidence is thin. Penn State Extension says no repellents are registered for groundhogs in Pennsylvania. The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management says powdered fox urine is registered with the EPA for groundhogs and has shown some effectiveness, and it cautions against getting liquid fox urine on plants, nearby soil or skin.

Some effectiveness is not the same as a solution. Repellents do nothing about a burrow that is already under a slab, and they do not undo damage already done to a foundation or a driveway edge.

The Internet Center also notes that a dog with territorial behavior may discourage groundhogs, as long as the dog is contained by a fence. For a garden, the fence described above is the better-supported answer. For a burrow under a structure, removal and buried wire are.

What affects the cost of groundhog removal?

Every property is different, so I quote after seeing the burrow rather than over the phone. The factors that change the size of the job are practical ones.

The biggest is how many burrow systems there are and where they run. A single burrow along a fence line is a smaller job than several entrances under a shed slab and a porch. The amount of wire needed to protect the area afterward, and how hard the ground is to dig, also matter.

Timing plays a part. In spring, there may be a female with young, which can mean more than one animal to catch. Access counts too, such as a tight space under a deck or a burrow behind a retaining wall. I explain what I find before any work starts, so you know what you are paying for.

• Number of burrow systems and entrances
• Whether burrows run under a slab, porch, deck or foundation
• Whether a female with young is likely, which depends on the season
• How much wire is needed to protect the area afterward
• Access to the burrow and the ground conditions

Common questions

Where I do this work

Groundhog Removal across Bartow County, Cobb County, Cherokee County, Paulding County, Floyd County and Fulton County, Georgia.