Sometimes it gets compulsory to know the odor that woodchucks or groundhogs hate in order to use in the yard so that they won’t enter.
So, what smells keep woodchucks away? They hate ammonia, talcum powder, green pepper leaves, geranium or cinnamon leaf oil, D-pulegone, coyote urine, and pennyroyal oil odors. Apart from these, you’ll find some plants, veggies, and other scents that they do not like.
In this guide, I’ll show you all the scents that keep them away in detail and bring other related stuff, so you know the whole topic in detail.
Smells That Groundhogs Hate and They Stay Away From It:
No matter whether are groundhogs smart or not, they can’t bear the fusty scent of some herbs, food, and flowers. It’s because they hate the odor a lot that triggers them in a bad way. Here are a few scents which they dislike:
1. Ammonia
One of the best repellents for woodchucks is ammonia. It is NH3 transparent gas that smells like urine or sweat. As it contains a strong odor, the groundhogs will feel terrible staying in the nest.
Try to pick 1 cup of ammonia in 3 cups of water to make the solution and use it on the burrows of groundhogs to keep them away.
2. Talcum Powder
Using talcum or baby powder is another solution to get rid of woodchucks. It contains vanilla, musk, rose, orris & white floral essences which baby to adult groundhog’s dislike. You only need to grab the powder and fill the holes using the powder to successfully remove woodchucks.
3. Green Pepper Leaves
Groundhogs don’t like the fragrance of green pepper leaves. It’s due to the natural capsaicin which causes them to stay away from the pepper and the leaves too. Use 30 grams of fresh green pepper leaves on 1 cup of water and grind them to use under the den.
4. Geranium Or Cinnamon Leaf Oil
The natural scent of geranium and cinnamon leaf oil is sweet herbaceous, musky, and spicy. As it contains a strong odor, the groundhog avoids roaming near these oils. 2 drops of these essential oils in a cup of water will be enough to remove the groundhogs from the yard.
5. D-pulegone
This ingredient is terrible for groundhogs as they do not like the scent of D-pulegone. You’ll find this element in the catnip or peppermint that keep woodchucks away from the garden. Placing the catnip inside each burrow will help remove the groundhog forever.
6. Coyote (Canis latrans) Urine
Woodchucks do not like the odor of coyote urine as this works like a natural repellent. It contains a higher pH value than 0.05 that includes toxic elements. The groundhogs avoid the places where the coyote urine is present.
7. Pennyroyal Oil
The citric or minty scent of pennyroyal oil will create a bad impression on woodchucks as they feel toxicant to inhale if smelling. Plus, its fragrance is effective and strong enough to keep the groundhogs away from your land.
Other Ingredients
- Rotten Eggs
- Cayenne Peppers
- Garlic
- Black Peppers
- Purée
- Mints
- Sages
- Basils
- Rosemary
- Thymes
- Grapes
- Lemons
- Castor Beans
- Chives
- Rotten Meat
- Oreganos
- Epsom Salts
Plants That Woodchucks Hate the Smell Of
Chucks dislike some plants that contain a strong odor which as spicy, minty, or citrus types. Here are the plants that repel groundhogs:
- Golden Raintree
- Blue Cohosh
- Forsythia
- Gray Birch
- Cinnamon Fern
- Lilac
- Japanese Maple
- Potentilla
- Hay-scented Fern
- Staghorn Sumac
- Sweet Fern
- European Privet
- Fringed Bleeding Heart
- Rose of Sharon
- Ostrich Fern
- Wisteria
- Wild Ginger
- Holly Fern
- Wood Fern
- Bleeding Heart
- Hellebore
4 Groundhog Resistant Vegetables to Try!
In case you don’t have plants, herbs, or flowers, no need to feel sad as there are some veggies that woodchucks hate to smell. These includes:
- Beets: It smells like the earth with a freshness that groundhogs avoid inhaling.
- Fennel: This has a green and aromatic odor that repellent the chunks.
- Onions: With the strong enzyme and smell help prevent groundhogs to enter the garden.
- Potatoes: Although it smells nutty, the woodchucks don’t like their scent.
Vinegar Will Keep Woodchucks Away
Vinegar of any kind will successfully work against woodchucks as they avoid the smell. Using apple cider vinegar and water in a 1:1 part ratio helps keep them away. Groundhogs usually love the scent of apples and eat to get the sweetness inside their body.
But, when it’s about rotten apples, they do not like the scent. As you know, the vinegar is made out of rotten apples which cause woodchucks to avoid the path.
If talking about white vinegar, it contains 4% – 7% acidic acid which causes them to keep away from this element.
The Distance From Which Groundhog Can Smell
The groundhogs have a sense of smell from around 1 hundred yards to their burrow. Woodchucks tend to have a strong sensing ability through inhaling to understand the smell of the food.
Its sensing organs (ears, nose, and eyes) are on the skull that can figure out the predator or bad scents in 10 seconds. In fact, the groundhogs can stay alert even if they are simply eating or walking.
Ending Note
No one like to see woodchucks on their farm as they ruin the crops and cause trouble. Placing food that groundhogs hate to smell will help them go away from your yard.
After reading this guide, you know what smells keep woodchucks away so use these in your garden and protect your farm. Be sure to learn about how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if you find this guide handy. Hope To See You in Next Guide!
