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Mammals Woodchucks NATURAL HISTORY
Woodchucks, also called groundhogs, are members of the marmot family. These grayish brown creatures are typically 16 to 20 inches long, including a six inch tail, and weigh between six and twelve pounds.
 Basking in the mid-day sun, families of woodchucks may evoke thoughts of a harmonious existence between man and nature in suburbia. But many Massachusetts gardeners soon learn that most of their precious plantings may be sacrificed to the woodchuck's voracious appetite unless precautionary measures are taken.
HABITAT
In New England, woodchucks inhabit both urban and suburban yards, fields, meadows, woodland clearings, and are frequently seen in grassy areas along highways. Woodchucks live in extensive burrows two to six feet deep and up to 40 feet long, which contain numerous chambers with specific functions such as for nesting or for wastes. The main entrance can be identified by an adjacent large mound of dirt which is used for observation and sun-basking; in addition there may be as many as five other openings to the den.
BEHAVIOR
Woodchucks are active during the day. In summer they commonly feed in the early morning and the late afternoon, spending the rest of the day sleeping or basking in the sun.
Woodchucks are among the few true hibernators found in Massachusetts. In late summer they begin to put on weight in preparation for the move to their winter dens, often located in wooded areas. Woodchucks begin their hibernation in October and emerge in February or March.
Woodchucks do not mate until their second year. The average life span for a woodchuck in the wild is five to six years.
FOOD
Mainly vegetarians, woodchucks feed on a variety of grasses and chickweeds, clover, plantains and many varieties of wild and cultivated flowers. They eat blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and other fruits and along with the bark of hickory and maple trees. To the dismay of gardeners, woodchucks love fresh vegetables especially broccoli, peas, beans, carrot tops, lettuce, and squash. They will even eat grasshoppers, June bugs, and other large insects.
BREEDING
Males and females breed in March or April, after which there is no further contact; the female raises the young alone.
YOUNG
Woodchucks give birth from early April to mid-May following a 32-day gestation period. One litter contains four to six kits. The young open their eyes at four weeks and are weaned at six weeks when they are ready to leave the burrow with their mother.
In the fall the young woodchucks venture off to seek their own territories.
SITUATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
WOODCHUCKS AND GARDENS
Garden vegetables savored by woodchucks include broccoli, peas, beans, carrot tops, lettuce and squash. Common flower garden targets include asters, daisies, lilies, marigolds, pansies, phlox, snapdragons and sunflowers.
FENCING
The only true plant protection is by excluding the woodchuck through the use of fencing. Ideally fencing should be installed before the woodchuck gets a taste of the produce inside as this will lessen his determination to get through the barrier.
Woodchucks can burrow under and climb over fencing so specific fencing techniques have been developed.
The first uses six foot high chicken wire buried at least ten inches underground, around the perimeter of the garden and attached to five foot high posts with the top twelve inches left unattached and bent outwards so that the woodchuck cannot get a good grip to climb over it.
Another fencing method involves laying a piece of three foot wide chicken wire flat on the ground all around the garden. Six inches from the edge closest to the garden, place a four to six foot high, vertical fence securely on top. As shown in the diagram, there will be 2½ feet of the chicken wire on the outside of the vertical fence and 6 inches on the side closest to the garden. The top 12 inches of the vertical fence should be left unsecured and bent outward, away from garden. The woodchuck will be unable to dig under the vertical fence because of the chicken wire under it.
OTHER OPTIONS
When proper fencing is not possible there are numerous methods which may possibly deter woodchucks but are by no means guaranteed. One method is to plant species which repel woodchucks, such as gopher plant (Euphorbia lathyrus) or crown imperial fritillary (F. imperialis) around the garden.
Allowing a pet dog access to the planted area may also help deter woodchuck visits.
Repeated treatment of the planted area with various repellents such as fox or coyote urine, diluted Tabasco sauce or red pepper flakes, or scattered human hair are other reported deterrents.
Construction of a visibility barrier such as a three foot black plastic wall, before the woodchucks identify the area as a foraging ground, may also be effective.
WOODCHUCK HOLE HAZARDS
No interference with woodchuck burrows should be attempted until after the young are capable of leaving, approximately July 1st. If woodchuck holes in walkways present a hazard to people, pets or farm animals, they could be located and flagged so that they may be deliberately avoided. After the young are able to leave, an attempt to drive the woodchucks from their burrow may be made. Locate all the holes and stuff all but one with rags which have been soaked in olive oil. As the olive oil becomes rancid it gives off an odor repugnant to the woodchucks and they will relocate. However there is no guarantee that they will leave the property, they may just move to another location in the same yard.
WOODCHUCKS UNDER BUILDINGS
Woodchucks often conceal their entrance hole by placing it under a rock, in a thicket, or in many cases under a building. Rarely is the structure of the building affected.
Openings can be closed with wood, concrete, or hardware cloth (half-inch wire mesh aluminum screening). To prevent the woodchucks from burrowing, a one-by-one foot trench should be dug around the base of the structure. The fencing is then nailed to the bottom of the building and buried underground as shown below on the left.
Another option (above, right) is to slide three foot wide chicken wire under the building about six inches. When placed around all sides of the building, the woodchuck will be unable to gain access by digging. If the base of the building is more than four inches above the ground, vertical fencing should also be placed around the building.
WOODCHUCKS AND RABIES
All mammals, including woodchucks, are susceptible to rabies. Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is invariably fatal to wildlife. The virus, found in the saliva of an infected animal, and transmitted through a bite or scratch, manifests itself in two forms: "furious" rabies and dumb rabies. The symptoms, which appear anytime from two weeks to three months after exposure and vary in each species, cause marked changes in behavior. An animal with the "furious" form can become aggressive, disoriented, and snap or bite at anything in its path; whereas, an animal with the "dumb" form is unnaturally tame or friendly.
If you suspect that you have been exposed to rabies, immediately wash the area with soap and water and seek medical attention. The treatment of rabies no longer requires the series of shots in the stomach, it is now quite simple. Notify the local animal-control officer if the animal is suspected of being rabid or the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at (617) 983-6800.
Good judgment and common sense will eliminate the chances of rabies posing a threat to people and their pets. Dogs and cats should be vaccinated against rabies. Avoid contact with wild animals and unfamiliar domestic animals, and be sensitive to unusual behavior patterns in pets. Obey state laws which make it illegal to possess or transport and relocate wildlife.
WOODCHUCKS AND THE LAW
Relocating wildlife is illegal in Massachusetts. It is detrimental to the well-being of wildlife as well as the public. Unknowingly, sick animals may be transported and released in other locations, causing the spread of disease. Animals released in unfamiliar territory have a hard time surviving. They must compete with resident animals, and they have difficulty finding food and shelter. Furthermore, relocation is ineffective: each time a territory opens, there is always another woodchuck "waiting in the wings."
It is also against state law to possess wild birds and mammals. Wildlife rehabilitators are trained and licensed by the state to care for injured and orphaned wildlife. If you need the services of a rehabilitator contact MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife ) at 508-366-4470, or Mass Audubon's Wildlife Information line at 781-259-2150.
According to state law, animals which are damaging property can be destroyed under certain conditions. MassWildlife should be contacted if this course of action is being considered.
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