Groundhogs, like many other mammals, like to hibernate during the winter season to avoid the dangerously cold weather. The problem is that when they wake up they tend to have a larger than normal hunger that can last for much longer than you’d expect.

Clean Your Garden Routinely

The easiest and most straightforward way to dissuade any potential yard invaders is the same method that you would use against insects like cockroaches. Keep your yard clean at all times. Messy yards can attract groundhogs as they can take advantage of anything they can find to either forage for food or help build their burrows and food stocks. They can hide entrances to their secret hideouts in dirt piles or between thick patches of untamed grass and really anywhere else that isn’t visible due to clutter. A nice cleared out and trimmed lawn will make it impossible for groundhogs to hide their burrows, making them too risky to depend on.

Keep Food Out of Your Yard

The main reason, as stated above, for groundhog’s wild behavior and why they dig is their intense hunger for food. Therefore, ensuring that your yard is clear of any leftovers or garbage can go a long way to stop them from ever entering your backyard in the first place. They prefer to eat vegetables so that is what you should focus on. If you own any sort of fruit or vegetable garden, then you’ll want to make sure you don’t leave ripe food out for long. Of course, meat can also attract any kind of animal so any grill or outdoor eating area should also be kept clear of food at all times. 

Use Natural or Store Bought Repellents

Groundhogs can be warded off with specific repellents found in any general store or through some other less than obvious ways. You don’t have to worry about buying anything too crazy when it comes to store bought animal repellents or tools.

Interestingly enough though, groundhogs can also be warded off using a wide variety of natural and even common household objects. Groundhogs, despite their hunger, will go out of their way to avoid any type of smell or item that they don’t like. Pretty picky eaters for being ravaging pests. You can ward them off with the smell of garlic and pepper, talcum powder, and even, surprisingly enough, human hair. You can scatter some of your hair around to mark it as “human territory”. Groundhogs will understand the danger humans pose and will steer clear of your yard. Either sprinkle human hair (dog hair works as well), pepper, or garlic directly into their burrows (be careful to avoid an attack) or make a spray to use around your yard. Groundhogs hate spicy smells.