As an outdoor cat she of course loved to hunt and she showed how much she loved us by bringing her prize catches home to us, sometimes in a live state. Every day there was something new. A mouse. A mole. A chipmunk. We didn't realize how much we depended on her to control the wildlife population until after she died.
It didn't take too long before we noticed that the chipmunk population was exploding. I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't for the fact that we were constantly reminded of their presence by all the little tunnels they would create around our property. In the lawn, next to the house, under the brick walkways. When the bricks started sagging into the ground where their tunnels were it became time to take action.
But how?
There are lots of recommendations for treatments to put down around the house that smell like coyotes or otherwise scare them away. But they are somewhat expensive and you have to keep it up or they will be right back.
No. The only real way to do it is to lead them to that big chipmunk hole in the sky. You may not get them all, and a new colony may settle in eventually. But once a chipmunk is gone it won't bother you any more. I needed a way that was semi humane and I could monitor for effectiveness. I don't have a gun (yet!) but I found a way that works remarkably well and is easy to set up.
The first thing you need is a lot of chipmunks that have driven you to the point of considering chipmunkacide.
Next you need a big bucket. I use one of those buckets that Ice Melt comes in, the 50 pound variety. I don't think the color matters but mine is black.
You need to fill the bucket about 1/3rd with water. (I havent tried anything other than water but it might be interesting to experiment.) You want it deep enough so that they don't thrash around too much but not so deep that the squirrels can get in easily.
Cover the surface with a solid layer of sunflower seeds. It doesn't seem to matter what kind. I used regular and striped with equal effectiveness. You want to cover the surface so that the little guys can't see the water underneath.
I place the bucket next to the porch or beside some stairs with a little ramp for easy access, like a diving board. Then it's just time to wait and see if they find it. I didn't have to wait long. They plop right in and, as long as it's deep enough, don't last too long. I had as many as three at a time floating on the surface. After about a month I had elliminated about 20 of them. The effectiveness will be proved or not come Spring.
How you dispose of the things is kind of up to you. We have some woods behind our house and I just toss them along with their watery grave into the bushes. The next day or two I can't find them so there must be something out there that likes them!
Fill 'er up with water and seeds again and you're all set!
As for the squirrels, they do manage to get access which is kind of frustrating. They dangle on the edge of the bucket by their hind feet and pick out seeds and shell and eat them nearby. But it doesn't seem to deminish the effectiveness of the system. It may even attract the chipmunks to the feast! And since the squirrels don't burrow holes around my house and live in the trees I can tolerate them a little more.
So if you are looking for a relatively cheap and effective method of controlling your chipmunk community try the bucket method. I was fairly surprised how well it works!
Now, ask me if I feel bad!
