Pa. Game Commission provides advice on dealing with rodents this fall
With autumn upon us, this is the time of year when pests and rodents become more active and threaten aspects of our daily lives.
Raccoons, skunks and groundhogs are among the creatures that can be both dangerous and destructive, because they eat from our gardens and dig under our homes, causing structural damage.
According to Travis Lau, communications director with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are a handful of solutions for residents who are dealing with issues from small critters.
“First there is hunting,” Lau said. “While this might not be a good fit in a town setting or neighborhood, in some situations it might work for homeowners looking to address issues with groundhogs.”
Groundhogs are natural diggers, Lau said, and them digging under a house can cause damage to the structure that could cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
Groundhogs can be hunted nearly year-round with a general hunting license, Lau said, but there are some general guidelines that people should follow to ensure the safety of neighbors.
While hunting is broadly prohibited within 50 yards of a home when hunting with archery gear, or within 150 yards of a home when hunting with a firearm, hunters may hunt closer than that with permission from their neighbors or homeowners association.
“So if I have a groundhog under my shed, and I don’t have any neighbors within 150 yards, I could surely turn to hunting for a solution,” Lau said. “If I have two neighbors within 150 yards, and both give me permission to hunt on my property, within their safety zone, I can. Again, that’s not going to be ideal in every situation, but could be an option for some.”
Aside from that, groundhogs damaging personal property may be live-trapped, Lau said.
However, groundhogs, as well as raccoons, bats, foxes and coyotes can carry the rabies virus without showing symptoms.
“Therefore they should not be relocated to other areas, which is often a solution for animals like squirrels or rabbits that are trapped for causing problems,” Lau said. “A homeowner may dispatch a problem groundhog, but there are specific parameters that must be met.”
Landowners and homeowners may not trap beavers, bobcats, migratory birds, big game, threatened species or endangered species, according to the Game Commission’s website.
Landowners should contact the region office that serves the county where they are located before trapping nuisance wildlife. Also, once traps are set, they must be checked daily.
Lau said homeowners who are unsure of how to act when it comes to these rodents, especially with trapping, should call the Game Commission and speak to a game warden at 1-833-742-4868 or 1-833-742-9453.
Or they could hire a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator to address their problem, which can be done by calling the numbers above, or by calling a local pest control company, Lau said.
