The mulberries on the ground have attracted a whole herd of groundhogs.  Late one afternoon last week, there were at least 5 playing in the back yard.  Vince called animal control and they brought out a trap.  They seem to have a 24 hour limit on how long a trap can be left at one house because that’s the second time they’ve brought a trap and picked it up the next day without catching anything.  The critters had been in the back yard eating berries all day for several days til we had the trap set up and then we didn’t see them for 24 hours . . til the trap was removed.  They can’t be that smart . . had to be coincidence, right?

They  seem to be camping out under the neighbor’s little building.  Chad decided he’d go poke under there with a stick.

Not sure what Chad was expecting to accomplish with the stick but . . nothing happened.

Then, Vince decided he’d poke the groundhog with a stick.

Not sure what Vince was expecting to accomplish with the stick but . . nothing happened.

So, then Vince decided we’d go buy our own trap and we can keep it set up til every groundhog in my neighborhood has been caught!

Now I’m really not sure what’s going to happen if we catch a groundhog.  Chad said . . you know that’s not going to do any good because you might catch one and then his friends will see him struggling in the cage and they’re not going to take the bait once he’s gone and you re-set the trap.  I’m thinking . . Chad!  Do you really think they have that much sense?  Heck . . maybe they do.  We haven’t caught one yet and Animal Control’s trap was here for 24 hours on 2 different occasions.

Then I told Vince . . well, I won’t tell you what I told Vince but I volunteered to help the groundhog meet his maker and Vince said “They have a right to live too!”  Huh?  They’re tearing up the yard, they’ll eat the garden . . they can live as long as they want but just not in my yard.

So . . at our house, a new adventure begins — trying to catch and relocate a herd of groundhogs.