Groundhogs come with several names. Woodchucks and whistlepigs are all the same animal. In the past 20 years, groundhogs have expanded their range to just about all of North Carolina. Groundhogs are ground den dwellers. In the forest, a groundhog digging a den by an old tree is no big deal. A groundhog digging a den under your house is a big deal. They can upset the foundation of buildings and even central air units. If you are an avid gardener or love your flowers, then having a groundhog as a neighbor is not a good idea. Groundhogs cannot be relocated and must be euthanized. If you see a cat size light brown animal and fresh dug dirt call as soon as you can before you incur costly damage.

Remember if you set traps yourself, you must acquire a depredation permit prior to setting a trap. To protect your lawn, please call Denton Wildlife Services at the first sign of damage for a consultation visit. Denton Wildlife Services is a certified Wildlife Damage Control Agent for the state of North Carolina and can issue animal damage permits.