Fencing to Protect Gardens from Woodchucks

Save your vegetables from hungry woodchucks with a secure fence.

Fencing is the most effective method although not necessarily the most attractive and practical. You’ll need a 6 feet high fence of hardware cloth or chicken wire. Bury the bottom 10” in the soil to discourage woodchucks from burrowing under the fence. Leave the top 12” of the fence unattached to the posts and bent outward to prevent them from climbing.

Or lay 3 feet wide strips of chicken wire on the ground around your garden. Then stand a 4 to 6 feet high vertical fence on top so 6” of the ground level fencing is on the inside and the other 30” is on the outside of the garden area. Leave the top 12” of the vertical fence unattached and bent away from the garden.

Always secure the gate area to prevent animals from gaining access to the garden.

A bit more information: For details on creating and installing this type of fence, read Woodchucks Situations and Solutions from MassAudubon.org.