I have been trying to convince a young groundhog that it shouldn’t make a home in a burrow near the back of our house. Each time I get a chance, I sneak up on it, make loud noises, and chase it. It scurries back to the burrow. I think I am losing the battle. Today, things took a very different turn that completely surprised me.
I looked out the back window and saw the groundhog sitting on a log with its back to the house. I got a plastic bag, put on my shoes, and headed outside. My plan was to sneak up on it with a large tree between us. Then, I would jumped from behind the tree shaking the plastic bag. Surely that would scare the dickens out of it.
I got partway toward my destination and discovered the groundhog had moved quite a distance while I was in the house getting my bag and shoes. It didn’t see me yet. It moved behind another large tree. I sneaked up closer. I was between the groundhog and its burrow when I burst out from behind the tree frantically shaking the plastic bag. I’m glad no neighbors were out to see my antics. What it did next completely surprised me. It went straight up the nearest tree trunk. I didn’t know they could do that.
It sat there watching me while perched about 20 ft up that tree. It seems I won this brief skirmish.
After typing up this post, I went back to see if it was still up in the tree. It was nowhere to be seen. No doubt it is in the burrow plotting its next move.
Our View From Iowa 
Great video and photos, think it’s chosen you like it or not!! We all need a nice home x
Thanks. There are plenty of other nice home locations farther into the woods.
Keep an eye on your trees. It seems groundhogs sometimes favor tree bark.
That is not good. I’ll watch out for that.
A gardener’s nightmare! Placing dishes of ammonia-soaked rags near their burrow will repel them.
Worth a try. Thanks.
Your antics sound laughingly familiar. Rick had a similar battle with a squirrel eating all are bird food right outside our window. He throw up the sash and say, “what are you doing in my bird feeder?” The squirrel would jump to a tree and they’d eyeball each for a few minutes. In the end, the squirrel won, we removed the feeder.
I had no idea groundhogs when up trees, either!
Those critters provide lots of entertainment for us and for them.
A climbing woodchuck~ who knew?! We used to try stuffing the hole(s) to the burrow with large rocks to deter them but I think ultimately we always had to have them removed. I am enjoying the mental image of you chasing it with a bag 🙂 🙂
It was a fun chase. It completely surprised me when it went up the tree.
I can well imagine~ maybe next time you can recruit your neighbors and start a new pastime.