The Feral Hog (or Wild Boar) population in Florida has grown in the past couple of years. Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is specially equipped and expertly trained to handle Hog Removal and Hog Control throughout Central Florida including Tampa, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie and the surrounding areas. We specialize in Hog Removal, Hog Trapping, and complete Hog Control solutions.
We understand the complexities of dealing with these animals and can provide you with the best solutions.
HOG DAMAGE
These fast moving animals have been known to attack household pets, livestock, and small children when they feel threatened. The Hog will use its tusks to pierce the predator in an attempt to frighten them and deter them from attacking the hog. These mammals are also known to create massive amounts of damage to people’s yards during their search for food. Their diet consists of acorns, roots, fruit, small animals, insects, and bird eggs.
HOG TRAPPING
Hog trapping is the most common way to remove Hogs from your property but can be tricky during certain times of the year. Feral Hogs are active in the day during the winter and nocturnal in the summer. It is always recommended that you consult with your local professional wildlife removal company, such as Nuisance Wildlife Rangers to handle Hog Removal as well as any other Wildlife problems you may have.
Groundhogs – also called woodchucks – belong to the family of large ground squirrels known as marmots. They are primarily lowland creatures, and so found throughout much of the eastern United States.
Although they build and reside in extensive borrows (of up to 66 feet long), they have learned that building these tunnels under the porch, shed, or deck provides an additional layer of security against external threats.
But having groundhogs under the porch or house comes with several problems. First off, they can dig burrows that are up to 1.5 feet deep. A groundhog living under the porch for a long time can dig as much as 700 pounds of dirt!
When these tunnels are close to the foundation, they weaken its structural integrity. What’s more, these tunnels make it easier for water (especially from rainfall) to flood the foundation, which even further weakens it.
That’s why it’s important to get groundhogs out from under the porch, deck, and house as quickly as possible. Nuisance Wildlife Rangers offers professional groundhog removal. And in this post, we explore how to get rid of these nuisance critters.
Trapping is an effective way of getting rid of groundhogs. To trap a groundhog, you need a live trap and cantaloupe as bait. Set the trap close to the entrance of the main tunnel. Then divide the cantaloupe into smaller chunks and place it at the front of the trap and inside the trap. This helps to lure the animal into the trap.
Check the trap every day, so you know when it has caught the animal. Once that happens, relocate the animal to at least 5 miles from the site of capture.
Note that the trapping and relocation of a groundhog are subject to local wildlife laws. That’s why you need to confirm with your local wildlife authority before proceeding. Another option is to get a licensed professional like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers to handle the process.
As mentioned before, trapping is effective – but only in the short term. Why? Because another wildlife can quickly replace the relocated groundhog, especially if there’s still access to your porch.
Exclusion is much more effective because it makes underneath your porch inaccessible to these nasty critters. Here’s how it works:
Install a wire mesh fence around the perimeter of your porch. Ensure that it goes at least 18 inches into the ground. Also, form a U-curve protruding outwards at the bottom of the fence. With this in place, no groundhog will be able to dig underneath the fence into your porch.
But if you had a groundhog before installing your fence, make sure you leave a small space and install an exclusion device there. Once the groundhog leaves through the exclusion device, it is unable to get back in. Only then can you remove the device and seal the hole permanently.
Certain repellents are also known to drive groundhogs away. You can apply these repellents into their tunnels. Examples of these repellents include ammonia, garlic and pepper, talcum powder, and predator urine. Note that repellents need to be reapplied to remain effective.
There are several poisons in the market that claim to be effective for killing groundhogs. While this may be true, note that the use of poison is cruel, inhumane, and risky. Poisons cause unbearable pain for animals. What’s more, it can be consumed by unintended wildlife. For these reasons, the use of poison isn’t recommended.
At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we pride ourselves on humane groundhog removal. Trust us today to bring an end to your groundhog infestation problem.
Birds aren’t the first thing you think of when you hear “nuisance wildlife”, but these animals can cause a lot of problems. They affect both residential areas and commercial ones. Their droppings are acidic, and they can slowly damage anything around. This will slowly wear down the building and ruin nearby cars. Their waste also has a bad connotation, which can sully a business’s reputation.
We value animal lives at Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, which is why we use exclusion techniques whenever possible. This involves sealing up all gaps the birds use, ensuring they can never get back into your home. By timing when we seal these holes, we can let the bird leave on its own accord, making this approach one of the most humane.
BIRD SPIKES Another popular control method involves bird spikes. The idea is to place uncomfortable spikes on ledges where birds normally rest. This makes the area uncomfortable for them, so they’re less likely to stay there. Over time, this makes the birds leave your home and search elsewhere for a place to stay. Other methods include BIRD WIRES BIRD NETTING TRAPPING BIRDS
The best way of controlling any nuisance wildlife is by stopping it from showing up in the first place. Remove Standing Water Birds love being around standing water. It provides them with what they need. By taking the time to remove small puddles, clean gutters, and take care of other sources of standing water, you’ll drastically reduce the chances of them showing up. Remove Food Sources Food is another major necessity for birds. You can prevent them from showing up by cutting off their food supply.
Groundhogs are notorious for ruining people’s gardens. These small animals love fruits and vegetables, so they’ll eat most of your plants. The rodents also dig holes throughout your garden as they create burrows to live in.
No one wants to see their hard work ruined by some wild animals, so here are a few steps you can take to prevent groundhogs from ruining your garden.
A fence is a great way to prevent groundhogs and other wild animals from entering your lawn, so you should install these barriers around your yard if you don’t have one already.
Groundhogs are excellent at climbing and digging, so your fence should be at least 3 feet high, and it should extend at least 2 feet underground. You should also regularly check your fence for damage, as small holes would let these animals into your yard.
Groundhogs enter your garden in search of food, so you can remove some items to prevent these rodents from entering the lawn.
The simplest approach is to remove all your fruits and vegetables. Especially plants like cabbage, cantaloupe, and corn. Groundhogs are especially fond of clovers, so you should definitely stop growing them.
Alternatively, you can quickly pick fruits and vegetables the moment they ripen. This stops gophers from feasting on your garden.
Another way to prevent groundhogs is to scare them. You can install motion-activated sprinklers and lights in your garden. These trigger whenever groundhogs get close, and the sudden movement will frighten the animals and force them to leave. You can also purchase and install specially designed sound-emitting repellents to further frighten these animals.
Keep in mind that this method varies in effectiveness, and it may not work for you.
You can deter groundhogs by adding scents and tastes that irritate the animals. Some recommended items include:
Some of these items, like lavender, can be planted in your garden. Others have to be sprayed or poured around the lawn to deter the rodents. Items like cat litter and ammonia remind them of predators, so they will be far more reluctant to enter your home. Also, bear in mind that these are considered home-remedies, and their effectiveness varies.
Groundhogs hide in garden debris, making them feel safe in a new environment. You can remove some foliage and items from your lawn to unnerve these rodents, forcing them to leave.
You can start by regularly trimming grass, as tall grass lets these animals move around unseen. You should also remove or cut shrubs in your garden, as they heavily obscure groundhogs and their burrows. Finally, you should remove any piles of boxes, wood, or brick because they also give groundhogs cover.
6. TRAP THE GROUNDHOGS
Prevention is not very effective if there are already groundhogs in your home. These animals would already be comfortable with the environment, so your deterrents will be far less effective.
In these cases, you will have no choice but to remove the groundhogs. This can be done by placing traps near their homes and food sources — like their burrows and your plants. Once the groundhogs have been captured, you can relocate them away from your home to ensure they never bother you again.
Keep in mind that trapping and relocating groundhogs may require a permit depending on where you live. There are also many local laws that can restrict what you can and cannot do, so it is recommended you contact local authorities before you attempt to do this yourself.
7. GET PROFESSIONAL HELP
Preventing groundhogs is a difficult and time-consuming process, and each case is different from the other. Professionals can simplify the process by providing customized solutions that will suit your needs, all while saving you time and money. Experts are also familiar with local laws and have all the necessary permits, so they can trap and relocate groundhogs for you.
So if you have a groundhog problem, you should contact some professionals today!
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