Author Topic: Deck growling.... again (Read 1934 times)

karen J · « **on:** July 19, 2007, 11:07:51 PM »

So here we are, ONE O:Clock in the morning. My daughter is having a sleepover with her friends, and I'm trying to stay awake until they're asleep. I go outside to have a smoke (shoot me please instead) and I hear the growling under the deck. Does anyone remember me posting this from a few years back?

It sounds like a hot air balloon. But it's growling. I know there is a groundhog under there, do they growl? Now my daughter is complaining of my clicking/typing... so I gotta go. Everyone else is asleep (finally!).

Only 1:08 AM...

But what's that darn growling???

Esther · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2007, 06:48:29 AM »

Sure I bet they growl. Or a woodchuck. If you soak a rag with ammonia to put under there or throw mothballs under there it may repel your visitor.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:52:27 AM »

SOOOOOOOOO Creepy! Sleepover nightmare for me!

karen J · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:59:19 AM »

Esther, This groundhog has been with us for years, now. I have mixed emotions about him/her.

miguynmkoi, it sure was eerie!

All I can think of is that maybe there was another animal under the deck? A stray cat, or a possum maybe.

This morning I went out there with my coffee, and the groundhog was sitting under the pear tree, eating a pear. Happy as a clam. Go figure!

Johns · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2007, 08:56:28 AM »

Groundhogs!

Do I remember my experience with a groundhog like it was yesterday!

My dad was superintendent of the Shell oil Terminal in Harristown Illinois, and I had just been discharged from the military and thought I could handle anything. One night, coming home from a date with my future wife, I spotted a GH running across the driveway and elected to give chase. I jumped out of the car (1954 Chevrolet blue flame Six) and persued my quarry. We were in a large field and while the GH was anything but cornered, he turned and lept at me and I could distinctly hear his teeth gnashing inches from my face, and I saluted him and said “Adios, Groundhog!"

And that was the end of my Groundhog pursuit.

El Jefe · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2007, 09:16:41 AM »

I have heard possums do that and cats but never a groundhog, then again my experience is VERY limited

Andy

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2007, 09:25:39 AM »

Johns

you describe your adventure so vivdly

Johns · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2007, 12:34:14 PM »

miguynmkoi

All my remberances are vivid,,,If only I could remember them...

tootsie · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2007, 02:13:56 PM »

E-gadssssssssssss," hearing teeth gnashing inches from your face" ACKKKKKKK, I remember when I was living in a farm house, I could look out the huge kitchen windows in the morning and see an adult groundhog and 4 little babies just jumping up and down in the yard

I then decided to watch and see where they were going? Well, early the next morning I walked quietly toward a wood pile, sure enough up came the head of the adult!! I hurried up and took a flash picture! Up came that head again, so I shot another one, yep head up, and another and another, what fun I had:)
Then I heard the neighbor yell out, DARN GROUNDHOGS ATE MY GARDEN...WANT ME TO SHOOT YOURS?? Heck no I replied, I only shoot pictures of mine, oh and they've never touched my garden I softly replied

Esther · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2007, 06:58:28 PM »

Maybe your under the deck friend was having a bad dream or was snoring.

Bonnie · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:13:47 PM »

Karen where are you??

Hopefully you've not been abducted by the UGO!

Johns, toooooo funny!

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #11 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:52:25 PM »

Johns, loved your groundhog story. Here's mine.

When I was a kid we had a groundhog under our house. We lived in town, not much yard to play in, and my Mom was afraid to let me play outside. We had the family come over one Sunday afternoon and my brother brought his shotgun. We all stayed inside and were very quiet. My brother stood in the kitchen window waiting. When the groundhog came out, he was history. Then we all ate homemade peach cobbler and ice cream.

Karen, I think it would be kinda cool to have a resident groundhog.

Karen

karen J · « **Reply #12 on:** July 20, 2007, 09:42:23 PM »

Great stories.

Johns, that is a funny one! Why did you elect to chase in the first place? Curiosity?

I've heard that groundhogs can damage houses, indeed ours has chewed a hole through the skirt board on the deck. But I like him/her. The poor thing is so timid I can't imagine it growling. It runs back under the deck whenever it sees us. I'm so fond of it, I'm willing to accept the damage. I've never had a groundhog before living here. It's been living under our deck for at least 3 years now.

I read on some website that they actually make affectionate pets. Don't let my kids hear that, though.

I can hear my daughter now "But Mom, I'll sleep in the basement and he can have my room!!!"

Quote

When the groundhog came out, he was history. Then we all ate homemade peach cobbler and ice cream

That made me laugh. No Groundhog stew with the peach cobbler?

PS Bonnie, In a way I was abducted. I was abducted by the Garage Sale monsters. They make you drive around all day long looking for antique radios (DH), superballs (DD), matchbox cars (DS), and Legos (uhh, the Mom monster).

We may remove a few of the deck boards and/or skirt boards to investigate further.

I want to see the burrows & make sure they're not too close to the foundation.

Jennie in MT · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2007, 05:43:09 PM »

I had something growling on my patio late the other evening. The dogs were going crazy. Here is the culprit....

Sure glad I did not go out the door to move the hose about that time!

My nephews were here and they gathered all the old eggs from the barn in a bucket for Thadd to take to the garbage in the morning. Needless to say, the eggs did not make it to the garbage.

karen J · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2007, 06:44:38 PM »

Jennie in MT, Skunk! That is a definite possibility...

I love Skunks. The little things are so misunderstood.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2007, 07:31:24 PM »

I once heard weird growling in the middle of the night. Woke up DH and got a flashlight. It was raccoons. I don't know if they were fighting or mating but they were making a heck of a racket up in the neighbor's trees. We shined the light at them and they both looked at us like "what?"

Jennie in MT · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2007, 12:07:16 AM »

It certainly was a skunk! At least it did not annoint my patio in order to prove itself to me...thank goodness!

I too think they are cute... However, since I am up at all hours of the night and walk through that patio countless times on my way to the garage, pond or gardens, I hope the little guy will just move on. Add to that the fact that I believe it has been killing my peafowl chicks, scattering the duck nests, and getting into my henhouse, I am less than happy to see him at such close range. The alternative is bitter, and I would hate to have to come to that point.

thepitclub · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2007, 04:31:53 AM »

Yikes.
I hope he moves on. I'm a firm believer in relocating pests, not killing them (I'm not so arrogant as to believe this world was created solely for my species). Except of course aphids...

But it's kinda hard to relocate a skunk without creating a terrible, lingering odor.

barb · « **Reply #18 on:** July 22, 2007, 06:39:01 AM »

I can't imagine a groundhog/woodchuck (which is what they call them up here) growling, but I've heard they are fierce with long teeth. We used to have one living in our woods, but he met his demise on the road. He never bothered us at all, I loved watching him munching away on whatever it is that they munch on. (thankfully he never did any noticeable damage to our house or gardens) I do hear animals fight during the night sometimes here, our cat, raccoons, and other unidentifiable screeches. Whatever your critter is, I hope he doesn't disturb you.