They seem to like lettuce, try that.

A shotgun works really well and gives great satisfaction, especially after your food crops are eaten all up.

It's illegal in NY to relocate a trapped nuisance animal. If you use a trap, you may want to drown the animal in a garbage can full of water.

I've done both and it doesn't really bother me that much. I have enough stress in my life without adding rodents to the list. lol.

I agree - you have to kill them. They are almost impossible to fence out if there's something inside your garden they want.

Most states don't allow you to relocate them off your property. But also be aware that car exhaust and drowning are regarded as inhumane in many states. Agway sells "gopher bombs" that you put down the burrow and they work very well, in my experience, but only WHEN you manage to seal up all the other burrow entrances. You can also shoot them in many locales.

When it's illegal why then does the state permit selling traps? So it is not illegal! State, county and town do not enforce that law.
I caught a rabbit and relocated it into a park of my town just over a thruway, reasoned that I improved its habitat and also any coyote's. Woodchucks got treated by a neighbor with an air rifle. I used a handy sharp spade on one as I caught him eating my beans. It's survival, he ate my food. They dug up my garden and under the deck. New houses around me took care of any other woodchucks.

You can trap and kill them, you just can't relocate them to be someone else's problem.

susan, those traps are called 'Have a Heart' traps, probably not to be used for killing. In my town we may not discharge guns.

This post was edited by berndnyz5 on Mon, Sep 30, 13 at 17:16

You can use the traps for anything you want! The name Havahart is just a name. I put the whole trap and animal in a garbage can full of water and drown it. Saves MY heart from endless stress from a rodent eating my food. Lol