In this episode, we're working through the full lineup of backyard garden critters, starting with the animals most home gardeners deal with every season: squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, deer, and raccoons. Then we're digging into two animals that caused real trouble this year: groundhogs, which mowed down entire rows in my own garden, and armadillos, a first-time visitor here on the farm.
For each one, we'll cover how to identify their particular style of damage, what university research shows works to deter them, and where fencing, repellents, and scare tactics fall short. Whether you're dealing with a woodchuck built like a small, determined bulldozer, or an armadillo rototilling your flower bed at two in the morning, you'll walk away with a real plan instead of another myth to try. Let's dig in!
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References and Resources
Squirrels
University of Missouri Extension — Tree Squirrels: Managing Habitat and Controlling Damage (G9455): extension.missouri.edu/publications/g9455
Chipmunks
Penn State Extension — Chipmunks: extension.psu.edu/chipmunks
University of Georgia Extension — Chipmunks Publication: extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?pk_id=7652
Rabbits
University of Missouri Extension — Preventing and Controlling Damage Caused by Cottontail Rabbits (G9441): extension.missouri.edu/publications/g9441
Iowa State University Extension, Yard and Garden — How to Protect Gardens From Rabbits: yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-protect-gardens-rabbits
Deer
University of Missouri Extension — Controlling Deer Damage in Missouri (MP685): extension.missouri.edu/publications/mp685
Colorado State University Extension — Preventing Deer Damage: extension.colostate.edu/resource/preventing-deer-damage
University of Minnesota Extension — Winterizing Plants: Animal Damage: extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/winterizing-plants-animal-damage
Raccoons
University of Missouri Extension — Managing Raccoon Problems in Missouri (G9453): extension.missouri.edu/publications/g9453
Kansas State University Extension — Protecting Sweet Corn From Raccoons: extension.k-state.edu/news-and-publications/news/stories/2025/07/horticulture-raccoons-sweet-corn.html
Iowa State University Extension, Yard and Garden — How Can I Keep Raccoons Out of My Sweet Corn?: yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/faq/how-can-i-keep-raccoons-out-my-sweet-corn
Iowa State University Extension, Natural Resources — Raccoons: Damage Management: naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/raccoons-damage-management
Groundhogs
University of Missouri Extension — Managing Woodchuck Problems in Missouri (G9452): extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/Pub/pdf/agguides/wildlife/g09452.pdf
UNH Extension — Dealing with Woodchuck Damage (fact sheet, includes capsaicin repellent trial results): extension.unh.edu/sites/default/files/migrated_unmanaged_files/resource000562_rep584.pdf
Missouri Department of Conservation — Groundhog Control: mdc.mo.gov/wildlife/nuisance-problem-species/groundhog-control
Armadillos
University of Missouri Extension — Armadillos in Missouri: Techniques to Prevent and Control Damage (G9456): extension.missouri.edu/publications/g9456
Oklahoma State University Extension — Managing Nuisance Armadillo Damage: extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/managing-nuisance-armadillo-damage
Oklahoma State University Extension — Tips for Managing Nuisance Armadillo: extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/tips-for-managing-nuisance-armadillo
General / Multiple Species
University of Missouri Extension — Garden Critters: 'Frenemies' in Grow Places: extension.missouri.edu/news/garden-critters-frenemies-in-grow-places
University of Missouri Extension — Solving Wildlife Damage Problems in Missouri (G9425): extension.missouri.edu/publications/g9425
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