Groundhogs go by many different names, including woodchucks, marmots and whistle pigs. They do exist in Minnesota. The Minnesota government provides public information on how to prevent and control property damage caused by groundhogs, including live trapping when local laws do not allow for hunting or shooting of the animals.
Risks of Groundhogs
According to the Minnesota Nuisance Wildlife Control, groundhogs are carriers of diseases such as Colorado tick fever, rabies and Lyme disease. Although Wildlife Control admits these are rare in Minnesota, they have been identified in groundhogs in other parts of the U.S. Groundhogs are vegetarian and can be lured live into traps using carrots and lettuce. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends putting the trap at the entrance of the groundhog's burrow to capture the resident animal.
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Writer Bio
Catherine Lovering has written about business, tax, careers and pets since 2006. Lovering holds a B.A. (political science), LL.B. (law) and LL.L. (civil law).
