To no avail for answers via the Internet, sometime around September 20th, I decided to make a trip across the river and talk to some people who really knew the deal about wildlife law.
When I got to the regional Department of Environmental Conservation HQ in New Paltz, I asked if there was someone who could answer my questions on laws and violation penalties in regards to groundhogs. I then met Gregg, a biologist at the DEC. He was very helpful and genuinely a nice guy.
What I found was that he didn't even really know the rules either; no one does. The reason is because a person basically has to be caught with a groundhog in the back seat of their car (while probably getting pulled over for something else) in order to be penalized. As you can imagine that's incredibly infrequent and since there aren't groundhog cops around, people rarely get caught and penalized, hence no one really knowing the punishment.
This excerpt from a Cornell brochure sums the rules up well:
"Laws and Regulations
The woodchuck is an unprotected species in New York State. Unprotected species may be taken at any time without limit. A hunting license is required, however, to hunt unprotected wildlife with a bow or firearm. Given current Environmental Conservation Law in New York State, woodchucks captured in live traps must be humanely euthanized or released elsewhere
on the landowner’s property. Only licensed nuisance wildlife control operators may transport wildlife off the property and will do so for a fee. Contact your local Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) office for the name of a licensed nuisance wildlife control officer
in your area. When considering shooting, trapping, or both to control problem animals, local
ordinances must also be followed, so it is best to consult with local law enforcement authorities or your regional DEC office if you have questions regarding specific
localities. In other states, consult with your state wildlife agency about laws and regulations pertaining to woodchucks before shooting or trapping nuisance animals."
We also talked about "overpopulation". He said that term wasn't appropriate and that saying the area is "over saturated" would make more sense. Still I can't find any numbers.
I found out that a .22 or conibear trap (see picture for the "body trap" in next posting) are the best ways to catch/kill groundhog as professional wildlife control companies use. More on this in the Ways to Kill and Deter Groundhogs post.
He did some research after our talk and emailed me scanned pages for reference. Groundhog are "unprotected" under the Fish and Wildlife Laws and Section 11-0523 refers to when they are "destructive or menacing". Still no real specifics on fees or charges.
In his email Gregg showed interest in this blog and asked for the address. In fear of incriminating myself, I told him jokingly if I told him the blog address "I would have to kill you" and would give him the address if basically he promised not to turn me in.
I have yet to receive a response.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
NYS laws pertaining to trapping, relocation and killing
OK, I can't find ANY info on official state websites but I find several people stating it is illegal. I know that. I believe you also need a permit to trap them as well.
Besides creating nuisance for someone else, something I didn't think about was transporting any diseases they may be carrying.
I think I just have to kill them now.
I'm still looking for details on fines, etc. ...
Besides creating nuisance for someone else, something I didn't think about was transporting any diseases they may be carrying.
I think I just have to kill them now.
I'm still looking for details on fines, etc. ...
In the News: Bloomberg and Chuck
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/why-chuck-the-groundhog-bit-the-mayor/
# 12
September 13, 2009
This was the first one I noticed that had beautiful orange fur on it's underside.
Just like mine...
# 10 Pelt
August 20, 2009
OK, I am not a big fan of killing things but I will do it for a purpose. Lucky #10 became my first, and only so far, groundhog that I skinned.
I drowned it, skinned, salted, preserved and now I have to oil it. I didn't eat the meat.
It's quite beautiful and not bad for my first time, if I do say so myself.
Better picture of finished product to come.
See the Finished Pelt post.
What do you do with the groundhogs after you trap them?
Well, I set them free, relocate them. I know, I know!
"But what about other people's gardens?"
It's not an issue because I release them in acres and acres of open fields and parks.
I drive them... at lease 10 MILES away... I joke that if these were gophers, I'd be a "Gopher Chauffeur".
Mind you, this is illegal.
And it is legal to kill groundhogs. There is quit an overpopulation problem actually. I'll post overpopulation info and release laws about that soon.
See my A Trip to the Department of Environmental Conservation post.
But I just am not a big fan of killing things.
Here's a picture of Fatty Mama going back into the wild.
# 9 Fatty Mama
July 20, 2009
I got Fatty Mama!! I always saw her waddling away. I had my eye on her and finally she is mine!
She was FIERCE!
# 8
July 25, 2009
Of the all the groundhogs I have trapped, unfortunately about 3 have cut their noses on the trap trying to get out.
Eating groundhog
When I started trapping groundhog, many people joked about groundhog stew and all.
I haven't done but I am curious.
For those more adventurous than me, let me know how it goes:
STEW
1 woodchuck
2 onions, sliced
1/2 cup celery, sliced
Flour
Vinegar and water
Salt and pepper
Cloves
PIE
I haven't done but I am curious.
For those more adventurous than me, let me know how it goes:
STEW
1 woodchuck
2 onions, sliced
1/2 cup celery, sliced
Flour
Vinegar and water
Salt and pepper
Cloves
Clean woodchuck; remove glands; cut into serving pieces. Soak overnight in a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar with addition of one sliced onion and a little salt. Drain, wash, and wipe. Parboil 20 minutes, drain, and cover with fresh boiling water. Add one sliced onion, celery, a few cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tender; thicken gravy with flour.
PIE
- 1 groundhog skinned and cleaned
- 1/4 cup onion
- 1/4 cup green pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 4 1/2 tablespoon flour
- 3 cups broth
-
- Biscuits:
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon fat
- 1/4 cup milk
Cut groundhog into 2 or 3 pieces.
Parboil for 1 hour.
Remove meat from bones in large pieces. Add onion, green pepper, parsley, salt, pepper, and flour to the broth and srit until it thickens.
If the broth does not measure 3 cups, add water.
Add the meat to the broth mixture and stir thoroughly.
Pour into baking dish.
For biscuits:
sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Cut in the fat and add the liquid.
Stir until the dry ingredients are moist.
Roll only enough to make it fit the dish.
Place dough on top of meat, put in a hot oven (400 degrees F.) and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until dough is browned.
# 2
I didn't take a picture of this one because I didn't think I was as big of a deal as my first. But then I realize there were enough to blog about.
Havahart Trap
To date (9/2o), since the end of June I have caught 13 groundhogs. That is passively putting out the trap when I get a chance. I am sure I could catch one every day on the farmland I'm on if I tried.
I bait the trap with a head of lettuce they have half eaten, placed to the back of the trap, past the trip. Maybe a few leaves toward the entrance to lure them. Place 5-10 feet form a burrow hole.
I suggest getting the kind with one entrance. With the double-doored ones, sometimes they are so fast they run through without being caught.
If you decide to use one of these, make sure the lock doesn't flip back. I tied a piece of twine above the lock on the trap so the lock would be stopped when the trap was tripped. Make sure it is loose enough to let the door bar get under the lock but tight enough that it will stop the lock. It's the speed and strength of the mechanism's momentum that throws the lock back past the locking place.
I bait the trap with a head of lettuce they have half eaten, placed to the back of the trap, past the trip. Maybe a few leaves toward the entrance to lure them. Place 5-10 feet form a burrow hole.
I suggest getting the kind with one entrance. With the double-doored ones, sometimes they are so fast they run through without being caught.
If you decide to use one of these, make sure the lock doesn't flip back. I tied a piece of twine above the lock on the trap so the lock would be stopped when the trap was tripped. Make sure it is loose enough to let the door bar get under the lock but tight enough that it will stop the lock. It's the speed and strength of the mechanism's momentum that throws the lock back past the locking place.
Definition: Groundhog
Groundhogs are also known as woodchucks, ground dogs, whistle-pigs and land-beavers. It is not a gopher or prairie dog which are in the same family, Sciuridae and is of the genus Marmota, so they are know as a type of marmot ground squirrel. It is a rodent.
They burrow in the ground (burrows have 2-5 entrances), hibernate in the winter and multiply in the spring. Each female gives birth to about 2-6 in a litter, which make their own dens after about 6 weeks old.
Besides your garden, it eats weeds and berries but also grubs, grasshoppers, insects and snails.
Predators include wolves, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, bears large hawks and owls and dogs.
Here are some cool links that are pretty informative about groundhogs:
http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/ro_b183.pdf
http://wildlifecontrol.info/pubs/Documents/Woodchucks/Woodchuck_factsheet.pdf
They burrow in the ground (burrows have 2-5 entrances), hibernate in the winter and multiply in the spring. Each female gives birth to about 2-6 in a litter, which make their own dens after about 6 weeks old.
Besides your garden, it eats weeds and berries but also grubs, grasshoppers, insects and snails.
Predators include wolves, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, bears large hawks and owls and dogs.
Here are some cool links that are pretty informative about groundhogs:
http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/ro_b183.pdf
http://wildlifecontrol.info/pubs/Documents/Woodchucks/Woodchuck_factsheet.pdf
I trap groundhogs
In my garden this year, I have played Elmer Fudd to my garden's Bugs Bunny- the groundhog.
But not just one groundhog, dozens. They have eaten my squash seedlings (one of my favorite families, I planted it 4 times), my lettuce, all my brassicas...
I tried border cropping, trap-cropping, intercropping, spraying garlic oil, pepper oil and row cover (the last being one of the most effective). I considered bombs, dogs, floooding and clubbing in the process.
Finally I found revenge by trapping them. Live trapping them in a Havahart trap. Very effective!
Because I have heard many others fighting the same battle, I decided to start this blog for info and humor. Enjoy!
But not just one groundhog, dozens. They have eaten my squash seedlings (one of my favorite families, I planted it 4 times), my lettuce, all my brassicas...
I tried border cropping, trap-cropping, intercropping, spraying garlic oil, pepper oil and row cover (the last being one of the most effective). I considered bombs, dogs, floooding and clubbing in the process.
Finally I found revenge by trapping them. Live trapping them in a Havahart trap. Very effective!
Because I have heard many others fighting the same battle, I decided to start this blog for info and humor. Enjoy!
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