Have you ever seen a groundhog? Maybe, you’ve heard of these chubby little critters because of their well-known Groundhog Day when they either get out of their dens or just stay put there predicting a long, cold winter? Anyway, these mammals are known to do little if no harm at all, and mostly considered to be sweet spring-mongers.
Despite being nothing like rats or squirrels, groundhogs can still be pretty dangerous and cause a lot of trouble to people whose crops or household they’ve taken a liking to.
As woodchucks invade your property, they start to settle there, by making themselves comfortable. In search of food and teeth-sharpeners, the critters like to gnaw on tree bark, thus damaging the trunks and leaving the trees without the necessary winter protection.
Let alone this, it’s interesting to learn about woodchucks and that they normally reside in burrows and caverns. A regular size rodent can manage to dig an underground tunnel in your garden up to 9 yards in length and 2.5 yards in width.
Regarding how stubborn and persistent these rodents can be, it becomes a real hardship for the owner to deal with them. But fear no more. Based on my experience, I’ve got myself the best bait for groundhogs, as well as a few honorable mentions.
Top 5 Best Groundhog Baits for Your Yard and Property
- C & S Products Sweet Corn Squirrelog
- Pro-Pest Woodchuck/Groundhog Lure
- Henry’s Wild Bites – The Only Food for Squirrels
- Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla
- Dunlap’s Woodchuck ADC Lure
These treatments are highly likely to rid you of the cute but dangerous pest for good.
1. C & S Products Sweet Corn Squirrelog — Best Sweet Corn Groundhog Bait
Specifications:
- One Squirrelog replaces 12 – 24 ears of corn
- Package Dimension: 14.8″L x 5.0″W x 5.0″H
- Includes six 2 packs of Squirrelogs, 12 total logs
- Item Weight: 2 pounds
- Product Dimensions LxWxH: 2.3 x 4.6 x 5.5 inches
Since groundhogs are kind of squirrels, both these species have similar habits and, consequently, the same weak spots. The C&S Sweet Corn is a nice woodchuck bait that comes in handy for a peaceful and harmless treatment of critters.
With the dimensions of 15 by 5.1 by 5.1 inches in length, width, and height, the bait makes a perfect fodder that can easily feed a grown groundhog. The product is placed underneath a tree or slightly higher the foot of the trunk to make it reachable for the critters.
Thanks to the sweet, savory smell, woodchucks are drawn to it irresistibly, thus avoiding the bark, bird feeders, flowers, plant fruit, and other possible food. By placing the bait away from your yard or garden, somewhat 10 feet away, you ensure the security and integrity of your property after the first use. A single piece of the sweet bait counts for over 20 pieces of real corn. It means that with the set of six pieces, you’re going to be able to keep a critter away for about 10 months.
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2. Pro-Pest Woodchuck/Groundhog Lure — Top Pick Bait to Catch Groundhog
No products found.
Specifications:
- 100% Food-Grade Materials
- Formulation: Paste-like substance
- Item Form: 4.2 ounces
- Product Dimensions LxWxH: 2.72 x 2.17 x 2.09 inches
- Target Pests: Woodchucks, Groundhogs
I’ve used this product myself before, and I can claim that it’s truly the best groundhog bait that can be possibly found on the market today. The Pro-Pest Lure is a completely natural, chemical-free bait that consists of actual, ground components that woodchucks love so much. Since the container is very minute and comprises the product well, the size is no bigger than 4 by 3 inches. Thanks to this, it’s completely effortless to carry it or even hide it nearby the infested areas for later use.
Although the dimensions are low, the volume of the bait is condensed. The single bucket which weighs only around a quarter of a pound is more than enough for an efficient and multiple-time treatment.
To utilize the substance, simply put it around and in a trap or any other secured area. Spread it well and make sure there is dampness or moisture around.
Since the bait consists of exclusively eco-friendly materials, it’s safe to use it around children and animals, both indoors and outdoors, or around your vegetable and fruit patches.
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3. Henry’s Wild Bites — Baiting Groundhogs Professionally
Specifications:
- Flavor: Peanut
- Item Form: Chunks
- Product Weight: 1 Pounds
- Product Dimensions LxWxH: 8 x 4 x 10 inches
- Target Pests: Squirrels
Another effective way to keep woodchucks away from your property is to gear up with Henry’s Wild Bites.
Created with proteins and vitamins, the product is not only tasty but also healthy for the critters. Woodchucks find the treatment very alluring due to the ingredients they lack in their natural surroundings. This makes Hendry’s treatments real groundhog bait food.
The clusters are made by compressing highly nutritious components into small cubes that are hard but pleasant to gnaw. Using the bait, you can lure groundhogs out of your garden by placing it away from your property. Make sure to identify probable groundhog burrows and scatter the pieces as far away as possible from their nest. This will make the fellas do an extra distance to deter them from your household and improve your groundhog control.
Besides working for woodchucks, the product is great for other rodents, like squirrels or even mice. Due to this, you’re likely to kill two birds with one stone.
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4. Watkins All-Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla — Match It With Food for Groundhog Trap Items
Specifications:
- Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Corn Syrup Free, Kosher
- No Artificial Colors or Flavors
- Note: Contains Sulfites
- Item Volume: 11 fl. oz.
- Item Weight: 11 Ounces
- Product Dimensions LxWxH: 2.75 x 1.5 x 8.1 inches
If you think that acquiring a real, specialized product for baiting groundhogs is a bit too radical, then you might as well use traditional remedies, like vanilla.
Yes, the smell of vanilla is known to be a real green flag for rodents. Unlike deer who despise the scent and would rather stay away from it, groundhogs and other critters would gladly feed on it.
Since vanilla reminds woodchucks about sweets, it can be a great replacement for other, more expensive baiting products. I recommend Watkins Original Baking Vanilla because of its concentration and completely natural components. We don’t want the chubby guys to feed on any chemicals, right?
Apply a little of the extract to an apple or corn used as a bait and place it in the trapping area. The scent will whiff rapidly and draw woodchucks out of their burrows, and right into the trap.
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5. Dunlap’s Woodchuck ADC Lure — Simple and Efficient Woodchuck Bait
Specifications:
- Type: Trapping Bait/Lure
- Item Volume: 1 oz.
- Target Pests: Groundhogs
In case you’re allergic to or simply appalled by typical food for groundhog trap products, then you should consider Dunlap’s Woodchuck Lure.
Among the many great features that make up this item, the ability to hide chemical and human scents, as well as turn them into effective baiting smells, is outstanding.
You won’t need much of the product but a couple of drops to make your bait very attractive for critters. Also, the lure can be utilized both indoors and outdoors. Apply it to your backyard or front lawn to create a great groundhog bait for live trap.
I like it the way you can combine the bait with other alluring substances to double your chances. Don’t worry, the product is 100% natural and doesn’t contain anything that a typical groundhog wouldn’t consume as a part of its ratio.
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Identifying and Treating Woodchucks
Before purchasing and applying a bait along with a trap, it’s essential to put your mind to two things. First, the type of bait you need depending on your case. And second, the specifications of your bait.
Types of bait
There is an array of products that pose as a lure for large critters, like woodchucks. However, all of them are easily divided into a few tiers based on their constituency and effect.
Food baits
You can use food that woodchucks favor as an actual bait. Apples, corn, peanut butter, or other excessively savory natural products can do. Though they may be very attractive to groundhogs, simple food products are limited in their scent radius. Despite being effective, this makes them quite difficult to find when a rodent comes by your household.
Professional baits
The main and most versatile product you can find on the market is the fodder designed specifically for alluring groundhogs. Such baits are usually made of natural, nutritious components like sweet corn, cantaloupe, nuts, etc. They are meant to either drive the critters away by being placed at a distance from the property or simply guide the animals right into the trap.
Aroma baits
Used as a supplement to real food baits, amora droplets and extracts turn any bait into a highly effective, attention-drawing treatment. They are extracted from natural products that contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients, like vanilla, for instance. These essences tend to give off a strong smell that can spread tens of feet around the area.
It’s well-known that the best bait to catch a groundhog is the one that contains lots of sugar. Therefore, such products are made by infusing sweet and sugary elements that are so attractive to critters and humans.
Specifications
Now, when you’ve determined the exact type of a lure to use, it’s time to see the difference between one and multiple-critter treatments.
One-purpose bait
Such baits are designed to work with only one kind of a rodent. In this case, when you buy a one-purpose lure, it’ll be effective for dealing specifically with groundhogs. Thanks to the narrow use, the product is great for leading a groundhog to the trap. It contains elements that woodchucks find especially attractive, whereas other rodents disregard it.
The disadvantage of using a one-purpose bait is that it’s not really effective against other species that might as well reside in your household.
Multi-purpose bait
Unlike the one-purpose lure, multi-purpose products have a wider range of treatments. Designed with a whole array of natural components, such baits can attract mice, squirrels, or even deer. This makes them great for dealing with more than just one critter problem at the same time.
However, due to its generalized capacity, multi-purpose baits can be less efficient with woodchucks. Other natural components in the formula can interfere with the smell of the ones that allure groundhogs.
How to use groundhog bait?
Depending on the type of your baits, there can be specifications. For this, always check the instructions that come along with the product. However, the general principle of applying bait is very simple.
The product is placed inside a trap. If it’s food bait, then make sure to locate it in the most accessible spot of the trap so that a woodchuck can get to it effortlessly. This will ensure the comfort and safety that the animal feels, thus luring it easily.
If you’re not using food but simple scent-infused bait, then it’s important to apply the product directly onto something that a critter will find attractive. Use apples or corn as the basis and base it with the aroma bait. It’s advised to apply the scent generously around the whole area to increase the chances of the animal smelling it from the far.
On the other hand, if you’re not using a trap but you rather want to deter a groundhog from your property, do the same. Place the bait at least 10 feet away from the household. Apply the scent both around the site and on the food, and make sure that it’s reachable for the animals.
How does groundhog bait work?
As it’s already been mentioned, the bait gives off the scent of materials and groundhog favorite food supplements. Vanilla, nuts, corn, cantaloupe are the extracts that deceive the animals so well.
Unlike other rodent treatments, groundhog remedies do not aim at harming them or deterring them away. They rather focus on directing the critters to a trap or far from the property. In the end, the woodchucks are safe and sound and don’t cause trouble anymore.
FAQ:
To save you some time from reading endless Internet articles – here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about dealing with woodchucks.
How to attract groundhogs?
Use food and nutrients that they find so tasty. Place them far from places with the hustle and bustle as these animals try to avoid noisy places with people crowding around. To double your chances, resort to natural aroma baits to trick the critters.
Do groundhogs eat apples?
Yes, in fact, it drives them crazy. This is all because of the high concentration of sugar in the fruit.
How to trap a groundhog in a live trap?
Use baits and food that the animals prefer. Avoid placing the trap in noisy areas since it can easily deter them. Advisably, utilize only baits designed specifically for woodchucks.
What makes groundhog baits better than fruit?
Concentration and versatility. Since baits are made of extracts and essences, they are more distinct than food. Thanks to this, the critters can smell them from a longer distance than a regular apple.
Bottom Line
Right. So groundhogs are pests. They don’t devastate your crops or spread disease all over the household. But they can be very annoying and cause a lot of trouble by gnawing on tree bark, chewing wooden constructions, and digging endless tunnels underneath the garden.
Here, you’ve learned what bait to use for groundhogs that you want off your property. Apply the bait wisely, make sure the trap is harmless to the animals, and, more importantly, treat them well since these critters mean no harm.
I’ve been using baits like these for a long time and I find them effective and useful. What about you? Have you already found the best bait for woodchucks? Or, maybe you’ve managed to deal with them in some other way? Share your experience and thoughts down below!
References:
- Learn about woodchucks (Commonwealth of Massachusetts):
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/learn-about-woodchucks - Groundhog (Indiana Department of Natural Resources):
https://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5694.htm
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