Groundhog removal: the excavation project under your stoop
A groundhog is a 10-pound excavator. A single burrow system can move hundreds of pounds of soil and run 20+ feet, with multiple exits - and when it runs under a stoop, slab, or shed foundation, the problem stops being about your garden and starts being structural.
Get connected about groundhog removal now
Call (833) 555-0100Calls answered 24/7. No obligation.
EmergencyAnimalRemoval.com is an independent connection service. We are not a government animal control agency and do not directly perform wildlife removal. When you call, you may be connected with an independent, third-party wildlife removal provider or a partner call center. We may be compensated when callers are connected with a partner provider. Availability, services, pricing, and licensing vary by location.
Signs of the problem
- A main burrow entrance with a distinctive fan of excavated dirt
- A second, cleaner "spy hole" exit nearby with no dirt mound
- Vegetable garden or ornamental plantings cropped fast and low
- Cracking or settling at a stoop, walkway, or shed slab
What the process typically involves
Providers vary; this describes the industry-standard approach, not a guarantee of any specific provider\u2019s method.
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1.Map the burrow
Technicians typically find both the main entrance and secondary exits - trapping one hole of a two-hole system fails.
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2.Trap placement
Cage traps at the active entrance, baited seasonally (spring greens work; fall almost nothing does).
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3.Verify vacancy
Before closing a burrow, it must be confirmed empty - loosely plugging and re-checking is standard.
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4.Trench-and-mesh exclusion
The durable fix for structures: hardware cloth trenched down and out in an "L" along the slab or deck perimeter.
Seasonal timing
Groundhogs are true hibernators: activity runs roughly February/March (emergence and mating) through October. Young disperse in early summer, which is when new burrows appear under structures.
Legal notes
In Virginia, groundhogs are on the DWR rabies-vector precaution list, and the no-relocation rule applies. Pennsylvania NWCO rules govern paid groundhog work there. See wildlife removal laws by state.
What it typically costs
Typical trapping runs $200-$500. Perimeter trench-and-mesh exclusion is priced by the foot and often exceeds the trapping cost.
What moves the price:
- • Number of animals (dispersal season can mean several)
- • Length of structure perimeter needing mesh
- • Soil and access conditions for trenching
- • Slab or stoop repair if undermining has begun
Ranges reflect typical figures from national cost guides — not quotes. Actual pricing comes from the provider after an inspection. Full breakdown in the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can a groundhog really damage my foundation?
The burrow itself does not break concrete, but removing soil from under a slab, stoop, or shed pad removes its support - settling and cracking follow. Porches and outbuildings on shallow pads are the classic casualties.
Do repellents or fumigants work?
Repellents, rarely and briefly. Burrow fumigants exist but are restricted near structures and useless if you cannot find every exit. Trapping plus exclusion is what actually ends the problem.
Why did a new groundhog show up after the last one was removed?
A vacant burrow is prime real estate - skunks, rabbits, and new groundhogs move in. If the burrow is not collapsed and the perimeter not excluded, removal is a subscription, not a solution.
Available in these states
Talk to someone about your animal problem now
Call (833) 555-0100Calls answered 24/7. No obligation.
EmergencyAnimalRemoval.com is an independent connection service. We are not a government animal control agency and do not directly perform wildlife removal. When you call, you may be connected with an independent, third-party wildlife removal provider or a partner call center. We may be compensated when callers are connected with a partner provider. Availability, services, pricing, and licensing vary by location.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-04