Groundhogs, also called woodchucks, are one of the more destructive backyard visitors in central Indiana, and they are especially active through the summer as they feed heavily before the cooler months. A single groundhog can undermine a shed, deck, or foundation with an extensive burrow system, and their appetite for a garden is legendary. By the time most homeowners call us, the animal has already been digging for a while and the damage is starting to add up.
The Wildlife Guys handle nuisance wildlife across the Indianapolis area, and groundhogs are a steady part of our summer work. Here is what to watch for and how professional removal actually works.
How to know you have a groundhog
The clearest sign is the burrow. Groundhog burrows have a main entrance, often marked by a mound of excavated dirt, and one or more hidden secondary exits. These openings are typically found along foundations, under sheds and decks, beside retaining walls, or at the edge of a field or wood line. Other clues include chewed garden plants, gnaw marks on wood, and worn paths through grass leading to and from the burrow. If you see a stocky, brown, low-to-the-ground animal sunning near one of these openings, you have your culprit.
Why groundhogs are more than a nuisance
The real problem with groundhogs is structural. Their burrow systems can be surprisingly large, and when they dig beneath a shed, deck, patio, or foundation, the excavated soil and voids can compromise the stability of the structure above. Burrows near driveways and walkways create collapse and trip hazards. In gardens and on farms, groundhogs can clear rows of vegetables quickly. And an abandoned groundhog burrow rarely stays empty, because skunks, raccoons, and other animals readily move into the ready-made den.
Why do-it-yourself removal usually falls short
Groundhogs are smart and persistent, and the home remedies people try, from flooding burrows to store-bought repellents, tend to offer temporary relief at best. Trapping without experience often catches the wrong animal or leaves the burrow occupied, and relocation is governed by state wildlife regulations that many homeowners are not aware of. Filling in a burrow while the animal is still present simply prompts it to dig a new exit. Effective removal requires correctly identifying active openings, using the right strategy for the situation, and confirming the animal is actually gone before sealing anything.
How professional removal works
Our approach starts with an inspection to map the burrow system and confirm how many animals are involved and whether young are present. From there we use humane, regulated methods to remove the groundhog, handling the animal in accordance with Indiana wildlife rules. Once the animal is removed, the important final step is exclusion and repair: sealing and reinforcing the areas where the groundhog dug, and recommending deterrents like buried barrier fencing along vulnerable structures so a new animal does not simply move into the old burrow.
Preventing the next one
Groundhogs are opportunists, and a yard that offered one a home will attract another. Reducing brush piles and tall cover near structures, installing barrier fencing that extends below grade around sheds and decks, and addressing openings under porches all make a property less inviting. After a removal, we point out the spots most likely to attract the next visitor so you can stay ahead of the problem.
Handling a groundhog the right way
A groundhog burrowing under a structure is a problem that gets worse the longer it waits, and it is one that rewards professional handling. If you have spotted a burrow along your foundation, shed, or deck in the Indianapolis area, The Wildlife Guys can inspect the situation, remove the animal humanely, and help you seal things up so it does not happen again. Reach out and we will take a look.