I was at my mom's house, and looked out the back window. I saw what looked like a HUGH squirrel underneath the sunflower seed feeder. But it had a short, stubby tail. It finally dawned on me it was a groundhog.
I ran outside to chase it off, but it scurried away and vanished. Then I noticed a large hole in the ground right next to the chimney that wasn't there a couple of days ago when I cut the grass. The thing is digging a burrow right next to the outside of the basement wall!
I grabbed the garden hose, and started pouring water down the hole. After a couple of minutes on full volume, the groundhog stuck his head out of the hole, where I hosed him down some more, and he ducked back inside. But it was a standoff. I couldn't stay there forever with the hose.
So I went into the house, and found a bottle of industrial-strength Drano. My mom wouldn't let me shoot the groundhog, but had no objections to chemical warfare. If he was still in the hole, or was coming back to it later, he had a nasty suprise waiting for him.
So now I have to plan to eliminate the critter if he's still there tomorrow. I'd load up my "dressage show special" with .38 shotshells, but my mom is opposed because this is a built-up suburb. But she isn't opposed to me trying to cut him in half with a heavy-bladed ice chopper.
So it looks like I'll be there tomorrow to flush him out and terminate him. If anyone has a better idea, I'd appreciate it.
We used to flush moles out that way and beat 'em with a baseball bat.
gasoline works great... 'specially when yuh touch it of... but with it right next t'yer foundation, not sure that's a good option... werks great out here... as do moderate explosive charges...
other options, yuh got some heavy wire tuh make a snare?...
At least it sounds like you have an adventure in store winmag!