How to Catch & Release a Groundhog in a Live Trap

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Plus, how to keep groundhogs away

Co-authored by Luke Lewis and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: July 22, 2026 Fact Checked

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Trapping a Groundhog

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Relocating a Groundhog

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Groundhog Exclusion Methods

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Groundhogs love digging holes in your yard and making a mess out of landscapes and gardens. To get rid of these pesky critters, many homeowners turn to trapping. It's not an easy process, but with our helpful guide, your yard can soon be groundhog-free! Keep reading for advice on trapping a groundhog in a live trap, plus how to safely relocate them if it's legal to do so in your area. We'll also explain how to deter groundhogs from coming back into your yard once you've evicted them.

Caution: Relocating groundhogs is illegal in some states! Check with your local wildlife department or animal control office for advice on legally removing groundhogs from your property.

Trapping Groundhogs: Overview

Set a live trap about 3 ft (0.91 m) from a hole that the groundhog uses frequently.
Bait the trap with cantaloupe, apple slices, broccoli, or cauliflower.
Arm the trap by lifting the door and latching the trigger arm.
Check the trap at least once or twice every 24 hours.

Section 1 of 3:

How to Trap a Groundhog

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Buy a live animal trap that's 30–36 in (76–91 cm) long. Adult groundhogs can grow up to 32 in (81 cm) in length, so purchase a 30–36 in (76–91 cm) live trap that can hold them.^{[1]
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Research source} You can choose a single-door or two-door model. The one-door model leaves more room for the groundhog to spread out. Meanwhile, the two-door version gives them more than one exit when you're ready to release them (provided relocation is legal in your area).
- Live traps can be reused as often as necessary.
- If you prefer to use a trap that kills the groundhog and it's legal in your state to do so, call a professional groundhog extermination service to have them set the trap and remove the groundhog after it's been caught. This is not recommended if you have pets that may wander near the trap.
- Relocating groundhogs is illegal in some areas of the U.S.! If this is the case in your region, call animal control or your local wildlife department to dispose of the groundhog on your property. You may have to pay a fee for the groundhog's removal.
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Plan to set a trap for the groundhog anywhere from July to September. By mid to late summer, the pups that the female groundhogs birthed in the spring are old enough to survive on their own. Trapping a female groundhog before her babies are born or while their pups are still defenseless is inhumane. It may also make it more difficult to evict the groundhog, since the mother will fight being separated from her young. Avoid waiting until winter, though, when groundhogs naturally begin to hibernate. If you remove them from their burrows, they won't have the food resources to survive.^{[2]
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- Check with your local animal control or wildlife department to find out if your county or state only allows trapping at certain times of the year. If so, you must wait until trapping season to catch your groundhog.
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Position the trap about 3 ft (0.91 m) from a groundhog hole. The best place to set the trap is close to the entrance hole to the groundhog's burrow. To find the hole, look for a place where the dirt is disturbed, and follow it to a small hole or caved-in spot. Set the trap 3 ft (0.91 m) from the hole to make sure it's within easy reach.^{[3]
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- Which hole? Groundhogs dig tunnel systems with multiple exits and entrances. Determine which holes your groundhogs use the most by looking for footprints, trails, or signs of damage to your yard. Set your traps in these high-traffic areas.
- Pro tip: Always handle the trap and bait with gloves on. If your scent gets on the trap, it may deter the groundhog from entering.
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Bait the trap with cantaloupe, an apple slice, broccoli, or cauliflower. Scatter sweet fruits like cantaloupe and apple slices just outside the trap, as well as inside on the far side of the trigger plate. Other foods that work well are broccoli and cauliflower. Replace the bait daily until you catch your groundhog, as these little guys prefer fresh food.^{[4]
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- Pro tip: To make the trap more enticing, rub a slice of cantaloupe or another sweet, juicy fruit across the interior and exterior of the cage.^{[5]
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- Pro tip #2: If you have a garden, and the groundhog likes to munch on your fruits and vegetables, use the ones they eat the most as bait. For example, if they like your squash, set slices of squash in and around the trap.
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Arm the trap to shut on the groundhog when they step on the trigger plate. To set the trap, push the door lock inward, then pull the lock and the door all the way up to the top of the cage. While keeping the door lifted, pull the trigger arm on the side of the cage forward and latch it. Now, when the groundhog walks into the cage and steps on the trigger plate, the door will swing shut and lock it inside.^{[6]
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- Pro tip: Tie a string or hook a bungee cord to the door of the trap. That way, when you release the groundhog, you can lift the door open from behind the cage without risking your fingers getting bitten.^{[7]
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If you're using a live trap, it's inhumane to leave the groundhog in a trap without water and exposed to the elements for long periods of time. Make sure that you remove the animal from your property within 24 hours after they're caught.^{[8]
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Release a Groundhog from a Live Trap

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Check that groundhog relocation is legal in your state. Call your state's wildlife department or visit their website to find out if you can legally relocate your groundhog. Some states, like North Carolina, require you to either release the groundhog at the site where you captured it or euthanize it.^{[9]
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Research source} Others allow you to move the groundhog, but require you to have a permit to do so. Make sure you're following the law!
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Cover the trap with the groundhog in it with a sheet or a tarp. Once you've verified that the trap successfully caught a groundhog, it's time to act quickly. Take the trap to a safe spot in your yard, preferably with shade, and cover it with a light sheet or a tarp. Keep it covered until you're ready to release it or transport it.^{[10]
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- Pro tip: Keep the trapped groundhog out of direct sunlight, if possible, especially if it's hot outside. Otherwise, the animal might get dehydrated.
Choose a wooded area far enough away from your property that it won't return—at least 5–10 mi (8.0–16.1 km).^{[11]
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Research source} The area should offer plenty of shade and have an easily accessible water source. Speak to the local wildlife management department or to an area conservation office to find out the best place to release the groundhog. There may be laws dictating where it should be released.^{[12]
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Release the groundhog. Place the cage in the back of your vehicle on top of some newspaper or cardboard to catch any urine or droppings from the groundhog. Drive to the area where you plan to release the animal. When you find the appropriate location, park, then get out and set the trap down next to the driver's side door of your vehicle. Remove the covering, then get back in your vehicle. Roll down your window, lean out, and pick up the string attached to the trap door. Pull on it to open it, then give the groundhog a few minutes to leave the trap.^{[13]
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- Avoid getting too close to the groundhog! Groundhogs' teeth are quite sharp, and you could end up with a bad bite if you aren't careful.
- Pro tip: If you attached a string or bungee cord to the trap door, stand as far back behind the cage as you can and pull on it to open the trap.

Section 3 of 3:

How to Keep Groundhogs from Coming Back

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Keep the grass, weeds, and other vegetation in your yard trimmed. Groundhogs like to use tall grass and other plants for cover when they dig their burrows. Cutting your lawn regularly will make your yard less enticing. They might even be less tempted to return to old burrows if the foliage around it is short.^{[14]
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Close up the burrow entrances with a 3 ft (0.91 m) square piece of fencing wire. If the groundhogs rediscover the burrow entrance, they're sure to use it. Make it inaccessible by centering a 3 ft (0.91 m) square piece of heavy-gauge, welded fencing wire over the opening. Bury the bottom of the square about 1 ft (0.30 m) underground, and secure the other sides to the ground with landscape staples.^{[15]
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Install 3 ft (0.91 m) (or higher) fences made of heavy wire around your yard or garden. Groundhogs can climb or dig under most fences, so it's important to modify your fence around them. First, make sure the fence is at least 3 ft (0.91 m) high and made of heavy wire, like poultry wire or 2 in (5.1 cm) woven mesh. Next, bend the top of the fence outward about 15 in (38 cm) at a 45-degree angle. This will prevent the groundhogs from climbing up. As for the bottom edge, bury it 10–12 in (25–30 cm) underground, or bend it outward in an L-shape and bury it 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm).^{[16]
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- Pro tip: If the groundhogs are burrowing underneath concrete slabs on your property, deter them by burying L-shaped wire mesh along the edge of the slab.
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Call a pest control specialist or a local wildlife control operator for help. If all your efforts to keep the groundhogs out aren't working, or you don't have the means to install fences or close up burrows, call in a professional. A pest control specialist or wildlife control operator can recommend ways to exclude groundhogs from your property. They can also either trap and relocate any groundhogs still in residence or humanely euthanize them.
- Keep in mind that these professionals charge fees for their services.

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When do groundhogs eat?

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They eat in the early morning and late afternoon, typically.

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How long do they live?

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About 80% of groundhogs die before they are 1 year old, while others live for 2 to 3 years. They can live for up to 10 years in captivity.

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Can woodchucks live in brush piles?

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Typically no, although they might investigate brush piles while looking for food. If you notice a woodchuck frequenting a brush pile, try setting a live trap nearby for a few days.

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Tips

Wash and disinfect the groundhog trap with bleach between trappings, especially if any of the groundhogs you trapped were sick.^{[17]
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Warnings

Wear thick gloves when handling a trap with a groundhog in it.

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If the groundhog bites or scratches you, go to emergency services immediately for a checkup. Groundhogs are normally harmless, but they can still carry a deadly disease called rabies. Treating rabies early is critical to avoiding death!^{[18]
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