There's been a lot of excitement in my backyard lately. On 5/29/23, I discovered what I believed to…read morebe an unnaturally large wasp nest. I also found a strange pile of dirt close to the foundation of my home. I sprayed the wasp nest and planned to remove it a few days later.
A couple of months prior, I noticed a hole in the back corner of my yard that appeared to be an animal of some kind, digging from my neighbors side of the yard into mine. My neighbor has a dog, so I thought it must be her dog, though it didn't make sense why he would suddenly begin digging a hole in that spot after having lived there for so many years. I filled the whole up with dirt and rock mulch several times, to no avail. I come out a few days later, and that hole would be there again. In addition, about a month ago, my other neighbor wasn't able to start his vehicle and discovered that some kind of animal had chewed the wiring in his car engine.
A couple of days before I discovered the strange dirt pile, I began seeing what appeared to be a very large and strangely shaped squirrel, who seemed very skittish.
On 5/30/23, I did some research. I was alarmed to discover that I might have a Yellow Bellied Marmot a.k.a. Rock Chuck!
On 5/31/23, I called Todd at Idaho Wildlife Removal, who came out the same day. He told me I had a hornet's nest, and how aggressive they could be. I asked Todd to remove it. He found a few hornet still alive inside. Todd said the animal that was digging the hole was likely a gopher, skunk, or marmot. He set up two traps, and asked me to check them a couple of times daily. He also put up wire along the fence where the critter had been digging, to discourage future digging.
On 6/2/23, I came home late that evening, to discover an animal in one of the two traps. Chirping up a storm, he sounded just like a squirrel. At first glance, he looked like one too. Then I took some pictures and compared them to pictures of marmots. His frosty tipped fur told me all I needed to know. I moved the marmot in his trap, beneath the shelter of a large tree. I wrapped the trap with a big, fluffy, pink towel, so he would be warm overnight. I called and messaged Todd, who picked up the marmot promptly the next morning, and relocated him to a river about 30 miles west of my house. Todd left the remaining trap. Marmots don't always travel solo. It's not uncommon to catch anywhere from 1 to 5 at a time. So far, there haven't been any signs of more marmot activity, but we're going to give it some time
I intentionally contacted Idaho Wildlife Removal because I didn't know exactly what I was dealing with, and I wanted someone who had the ability to handle the widest variety of animals possible. I also liked the idea of rescuing and relocating, if appropriate. The reason why Todd offers all these services, but almost nobody else does, is because he has a trapping license. He also has 40+ years of experience. Responsible trappers know when, where, and how to catch animals humanely and without harming non-target animals or being disruptive to the non-trapping public. Todd also has relationships with several local wildlife sanctuaries. Todd also does pest control. His pricing is reasonable.
I highly recommend Todd at Idaho Wildlife Rescue for animal control/wildlife rescue, and pest control services. He was prompt, friendly, professional, highly skilled, and excellent to work with.
Highly Recommended!!!
