Previously the longest time I had left traps at a location for woodchucks was 36 days, next to a flower garden that absolutely needed guarding.  The traps were positive sets over den holes set a few feet apart.  Intermittent chucks can be gone for days or weeks, only to show up just as vegetables ripen and flowers bloom.  In the case mentioned above the first chuck to show was not until 13 days after setting.  In the next three weeks five more chucks and an opossum were taken, thus saving a large flower garden from immanent destruction.  It was 6 chucks in 36 days.

This year I was told that a family of chucks had been raised in a woman’s yard last year and then, of course, had dispersed.  Rather than plant a garden and wait for the carnage sure to occur this year, we opted to keep a set in place after the first chuck was spotted, again a positive set over a den hole to catch whatever returned.  When the first chuck arrived early before gardening season, we set a trap immediately and caught that one first night.  The trap has been left in place ever since and after 51 days five chucks and a skunk have been caught, which was a few days ago.   This is to date the longest amount of time I have trapped at a woodchuck location, but it has been well rewarded.  Had the trap been removed any of the chucks could have nailed the garden.

All locations are different, requiring varying amounts of time for trapping.  Some are merely left overnight to catch a single chuck, but in some areas leaving a trap for extended periods is the only way to assure success of a garden.  It’s a waiting game.