Tunnels In Your Yard: Do You Have A Groundhog, Mole, Vole, Or Gopher?
Something is making tunnels in your yard, and you would like it to stop. Before you go buying traps or flooding your yard, it helps to isolate what animal is causing them.
There are four likely culprits digging tunnels: groundhogs, moles, voles, or gophers. (It’s possible you have an armadillo, but armadillo will dig holes or scratch in the dirt looking for grubs and worms, not burrow tunnels, so we’ll exclude them here.)
To help isolate what animal you have, look for specific signs around the tunnels, mounds, and damage patterns.
Identification
Here are patterns to look for, by animal, to help match evidence to behavior:
Groundhogs (also called woodchucks). Groundhogs make large, obvious burrows with big dirt mounds at the entrance, appearing as piles of loose soil, often 10-12 inches high. Their tunnels are wide, about 6-12 inches in diameter, and usually have multiple entrances (up to 5 or more). They’re herbivores, so look for chewed plants or crops near the burrow. The entrances are often near wooded areas or under structures like sheds. If you see a chunky, brownish animal about 16-25 inches long waddling around, you probably have a groundhog.
Groundhog Hole (image credit: The Spruce
Moles. Moles create shallow, raised ridges in the soil from their subsurface tunnels, which are usually 1-2 inches wide. Moles make volcano-shaped mounds of finely sifted dirt, about 4-8 inches high. These mounds don’t have an obvious entrance hole on top. Moles eat insects and grubs, so you won’t see plant damage, but your lawn might feel spongy from their tunneling. If you step on the disrupted soil, it will sink back into place. They’re small (4-7 inches), with tiny eyes and big digging claws, and you rarely see them above ground.
Voles make narrow, surface-level runways (about 1-2 inches wide) through grass or under mulch, often with small, hidden burrow entrances (1-2 inches across). You won’t see big dirt mounds like with groundhogs or moles. They’re herbivores, so look for gnawed bark at the base of trees or shrubs, or clipped grass. Voles are mouse-like, about 3-7 inches long, with short tails. Their damage is more about plants than soil disruption.
Image Credit: Missouri Botanical
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Gophers dig crescent-shaped mounds with a plugged hole off to one side, usually 6-12 inches wide and a few inches high. Their tunnels are deeper underground (6-12 inches), so you won’t see surface ridges like moles. They’re also plant-eaters, so look for damage to roots, bulbs, or entire plants pulled underground. Gophers are 5-14 inches long, with small ears and big front teeth, and they’re rarely seen above ground.
Quick Guide Summary
Check the mound shape and tunnel size first.
Big, open burrows with piles? Groundhog.
Raised ridges or volcano mounds? Mole.
Tiny runways with plant damage? Vole.
Plugged, crescent-shaped mounds with root issues? Gopher.
The time of day matters too. Groundhogs are active daytime, while the others are sneakier and less visible. If you’re still unsure, set up a trail camera near the activity to see whether you have a groundhog or not.
How to Get Rid of Groundhogs, Moles, Voles, and Gophers
Groundhogs (Woodchucks)
Repellents: Use strong-smelling deterrents like garlic, pepper, or predator urine around their burrows.
Trapping: Set a live trap near burrow entrances with bait like apples or carrots, then relocate per local regulations. You can get an easy-to-use trap at most home improvement or hardware stores.
Fencing: If repellents aren’t working, or you would rather not trap it, try installing a sturdy fence at least 3 feet high, buried 1 foot underground, with an outward-angled top to prevent climbing.
Moles
Castor Oil: Mix castor oil with water and spray it on affected areas to repel moles naturally.
Traps: Use scissor or harpoon traps placed in active tunnels (check for fresh dirt mounds). You can also pick up fake rubber worms that you can insert into active tunnels to poison the mole.
Voles
Habitat Reduction: Keep grass trimmed and remove debris piles where voles hide.
Snap Traps: Place mouse-sized snap traps baited with peanut butter near runways or nests.
Barriers: Protect plants with wire mesh or gravel trenches around roots.
Gophers
Box Traps: Set lethal or live traps in main tunnels, baited with fresh vegetation like carrots or lettuce.
Fumigation: Use gas cartridges (follow safety guidelines) in active tunnels, sealing entrances afterward.
Flooding: Flush burrows with water to drive them out, though this may not work long-term.
Always check local wildlife laws before trapping or relocating animals.
How much effort you put into ridding yourself of a critter is up to you. It’s possible to do nothing and deal with the disruption until the animal leaves or dies. But if you do pursue a solution, specifically traps or poison, consider the safety of your pets, or neighbors pets, in your strategy.