One just walked by my office window, along the top of my retaining wall. Five feet from me. 
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Don’t give up before you try.
Negative point…goundhogs can be touchy to trap unless you are a slave to the trap. (Keeping produce fresh.)
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Thanks for all the input! Clearly, groundhogs inspire some vendettas. Any thoughts on the above quote?
Sorry, but “groundhogs” climb. I’ve seen them 5-6’ up both mulberry and peach trees. And I’m sure that they broke my Gerardi mulberries by climbing them. Think of a groundhog as a really fat squirrel.
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If you would like it keep the tree, the groundhog must be relocated and the area where their burrow is must be changed. This is true for all animals. Wherever an animal chooses to make its home there are a set of conditions that are favorable to that animal. All members of that species will also see these favorable conditions and move in as soon as the vacancy is noticed.
If you choose not to relocate the groundhog to the great beyond, make sure to relocate it 10 to 20 miles away preferably on the far side of a geographic feature like a river. If not, it may find its way home.
A full enclosure is a nice idea but you are basically planting food on its doorstep. It may be deterred at first but it has every minute of every day to find a way.
Goodluck.
I was actually thinking of coming here to pose that very question. I’ve never found much info on the homing capabilities/range of groundhogs.
How did you arrive at that range?
I helped relocate a raccoon that found its way back from 7ish miles away.
I have relocated several animals over 10 miles away and havent had any find a way back.
I realize this is purely anecdotal but an accurate scientific derived distance would depend on a myriad of factors. 10 to 20m is probably a safe bet.
All good - thanks
Perhaps 10 miles is the threshold beyond which it won’t survive. Then it won’t make its way back.
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Woodchucks are very destructive and some of us can’t show any tolerance.
I personally invested in a Benjamin Marauder .22 and a few Havahart traps.
Are there any trunk guards that prevent critters from climbing?
Electric net fence is probably the way to go
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Very destructive
When I had a rare one I could tolerate the loss. Unfortunately they multiply and one became many and I have since found them less cute.
Careful about relocating. Some states like TN it’s illegal to move wild animals without permits. Disease etc.
Hey Crew, if I substituted the mulberry for a quince, do you think my chances of a healthy tree would improve? (See original post for context)
If rust and fire blight are problems in your area, quince are highly susceptible to it.