whistle pig

Things might get interesting in the garden this year. We've been here for almost four years now. I have a relatively large garden and have never had a fence around it. We have rabbits but they've never posed a serious problem as there is so much for them to eat besides whats in the garden. Half the damn lawn is clover. And for the last two years, there has been a groundhog (otherwise known as a whistle pig) that has appeared in the spring but has been frustrated by the dogs, packed up and moved to parts unknown. This year he doesn't seem to be getting frustrated. In fact he seems downright confident. He hibernated under the shed all winter and has apparently done some remodeling down there the last few months.

Northern entrance. He also apparently enjoys the view from atop the brick terrace as I have personally witnessed him several times climbing up and climbing down this stack of bricks.










Southern entrance with freshly pushed out dirt. What is he doing under there?













Eastern entrance complete with overhang to keep out rain.












Western entrance.













There is he, right out in the open. Kind of hard to see, but that brown spot in the center of the picture is him.











Here he is again....peering over the top of the Rudbekia, just to the left of the edge of the shed. The garden is right past him....that brown area.





My precious asparagus, with no way to protect themselves, is just feet away. So do I wait and see if he wreaks havoc? Or trap him and relocate him right away?

BTW, do you know why they are referred to as whistle pigs? Because if you startle them, they will let out this ear-piercing whistle to alert other groundhogs. I have been startled many many times by this behavior while tromping around woods or fields.