They are called whistling pigs for the same reason they are referred to as hogs because they relentlessly tear through the earth like a pig eating slop. The whistling part refers to how they respond to a whistle. Most of the time, they’ll sit up and thats when you can pop em.

I think we have one in our outside room under the porch.
What exactly does the digging look . like?

I do as Lynne suggests/feel the same. I behave myself, am a respectful, caring person and the animals whose habitat I live in are well aware of me and my lifestyle, will sit outside observing me in ‘my cage’, sing for me, do not run or strike in fear, come to the window to remind me its feeding time (I only put seed out that can be eaten before the afternoon).
I place a rock on my car engine that keeps the hood partially up which works perfectly to keep the packrats out and….I decorate their midden with a lovely windchime/colored glass whatever, so that it is an enchanting vision to me as I walk about my property(pardon me-their property)……..because I have learned over 30 years that they are there to stay…even if I catch the whole family one at a time in a Havaheart and drive each one 5 deserted miles away for a ‘family reunion’.
At times I have placed a trinket such as a little red translucent plastic heart or a pretty bead out and the next day there is a little piece of crap they have left in exchange. I smile thinking of all the little hearts and pretty jewels which decorate under my property.
Lastly, there seems to be a packrat-imposed building code limit to how many their planning association will legally allow on my property (4) so voila…I try to Live and Let Live.

My dog has killed 13 in two years. On the estimate MY dog has probably save this land from the spread of more than 200 . You gotta draw a line. those holes can get a horse leg stuck and break and thats the end of the horse. they are big nuisances . I’m a huge animal activist ,but ya gotta stop somewhere.

I have been shooting them with a 22 at my farm, killed 8 so far, saw one last night in a 40 ft. container last night where I store seed corn, chased him out, I thought I had them all. I also put out poison (it will kill raccoons, opossums, and everything else. So you do not want to put it out if you have cats or dogs that may drink the mixture. I use the granulated fly spray. Pour one fourth of the small can in a shallow pan, pour in a bottle of regular coke. It is guaranteed to end your critter problem. After it is consumed, the animals make it about three feet before the expire. I have caught and released 14 raccoon in the past few weeks after breaking into my back porch, I have shot two, and poisoned 4. I have pretty much gotten rid of the raccoon problem, the Oppossum problem and I have one wood chuck to go. These animals climbed up my apple trees and have broken branches and picked every apple, and they made havoc out of my garden last year. I think a 22 rifle is the best solution, I use a Marlin 22 semi automatic with a scope. Good luck.

I had a groundhog that dug a hole/burrow right next to the foundation of my home. I didn’t mind having it around, even though it liked to eat some of my flowers, but the idea of it digging around my foundation was a little scary. I bought a Havahart trap – it took nearly two weeks for me to finally catch it. Although I believe it took so long because I didn’t place the trap in a good location and/or blend it in with the surrounding area enough in the beginning. I used cantaloupe as bait. I checked the trap at 7am today and he was in there. I called a local wildlife control company to pick up the groundhog and relocate it. I have the trap to use again if I need it and it cost $50 to have someone relocate the animal. I couldn’t kill it and wanted it to be relocated somewhere safe, but also far enough away from my property and other private property so it couldn’t do anymore damage. I don’t feel that it’s right to kill them as they are just doing what groundhogs do and have no way of knowing that they are creating problems for humans. It didn’t attack me, my dog, or any of the neighborhood cats. I haven’t thoroughly checked out the area where it had it’s burrow. I just hope it didn’t cause any structural damage to my home. I could have found a better use of the $50 that I paid to have it relocated, but it was worth it to me for the peace of mind that I now have knowing that it can’t cause anymore damage to my property and knowing that it will not be killed.

Yes, I have groundhogs invading my yard. They have several tunnels dug under my fence from a “free space” (ie, not inhabited property next to mine). I have tried the water torture by putting a hose down their hole, unfortunately, the soil is sandy and soaks up the water thereby not really flooding the hole. I have spread a “wild life” deterrant powder supposedly made up of urine, blood, etc. of their natural predators, which by the way is VERY expensive, that supposedly would deter the little creatures, however, I do not think that it has held up to weather conditions and really has not deterred them at all.

I will tell you what I think has deterred them. A wild, stray cat in my neighborhood who has somehow adopted me. He/she/it does not bother me at all but has taken up “watch” in my yard. It stalks my yard for any rodent. Mice, squirrels, groundhogs do not enter when he/she/it is around. Birds do not land.

Mind you, I have not feed, watered, interacted with this cat in anyway. He/she/it has just adopted me and/or my yard. Let me also say that I am a dog person. Really have had no use for cats and do not own one and probably never will. I will however tolerate this one cat if it can do the job and I don’t have to take care of it.

Perhaps, what can get rid of groundhogs is a “Watch Cat”.

I like the tip about using “Well Used Cat Liter” I’ll let you all know if it works for me.

The marmots are reproducing at alarming rates. They have so many holes you can’t count them all. The fish and game dept does not want them released – they suggest shooting them or spending money I do not have on exterminators. They have shredded my drywall in my garage (and it only took one to do that). Anyone who is suggesting that we preserve their lives must also love rats – both are rodents-take a look at their claws and the damage they do. Between the deer and the marmots there is little hope of ever having a decent yard. Any suggestions for the end of either species would be appreciated.

I found the motion-activated sprinklers get HIGH ratings for keeping these animals away from desired areas. We plan on using this and used cat litter in the holes near our garden.

NOTE WARNING!! My husband was ATTACKED by 2 growling and lunging groundhogs. April-May are when the babies are born, and they can get aggressive at this time. Simply walk or run away; they are not predators and will calm down when the “threat” is gone. I also found MANY stories and videos of injured dogs who tangled with them; they will apparently fight to the death.