Find the ground hogs borrow holes get some nice string that won't break and make a loop like for a lasso then position the loop over the hole and attach other end to something that won't move like a tree or a cinder block make sure it's not to long the shirt her the better. Place the bait near the entrance so when he comes out it latches onto him. Then you have to very quickly and carefully pull on the rope and pull him out make sure you keep the line straight or he's going to run away or worst attack you. When you pull him out make sure you have an option to dispatch of it if you can't safely get it into the trap. Becare full the teeth on those things can do serious damage.

Unfortunately, this is impossible - it lives in my neighbor' yard, and openings are inside a very unsafe shed build in ~1800 and also inside a poison ivy patch. It comes to my yard for dinner. But I think I found a solution. I will place the bait inside a small cage I use to feed birds in winter with suet. And place this cage inside the trap.

Nesting dolls. I wouldn't put one inside the other, but you may have good luck with getting a smaller cage and catching the chipmunk/rat first. My stepdad has one for squirrels that worked great.

It depends on the trap you're using. I use a Havahart for squirrels, and you can set it more delicately to make it more sensitive. I usually attach my bait to the trap with a clip (piece of wire), so the squirrel can't just gently lift the bait off and escape with it. It has to pull, and that helps to trigger the trap. The Havaharts are triggered by movement of the bait pan. If your trap is triggered by weight, why not just put a bit of ballast on, so all it takes is a bit of extra weight to trigger it. That is, if you're trying to capture a 3lb beast, and your trap triggers at 4lbs, then just put a 2lb weight on it.

The thing is, I don't want to catch small creatures - chipmunks are in numbers here, I can catch them all day long, and they still will be around. They do not do much of a damage for me so far, and rats(and I know now that it was a rat) - i didn't even know they are around, so they do not do any harm at all, I think they actually can do good - they may control population of chipmunks and groundhogs by steeling new borns. I guess I will stick with protected bait inside big trap expecting that one huge groundhog)

But thank you, everybody!

Oh, I get it, the smaller weight ones were stealing your bait, and you don't want to catch them. To the extent that groundhogs are diurnal, and chipmunks are not, you might just uncover your trap at night.

Havaheart but I got SO fed up with chucks I started using Conibear traps this year. Got 6 chucks so far. When used properly they are VERY effective and instant.

I just read that one way to catch ground hogs using a string as a noose, I'm sure it would work but . :) LOL I could see that now pulling that mean ass groundhog out by the neck, he'd chomp the sh#t out of you :) . I set a jaw style trap in a hole when I was a kid, I tied it of to a tree, I forgot bout it for close to a week , I took my bow with me to check it out, that guy came flying out of his hole at me, lucky I had it tied off, he was pissed and all teeth coming at me. I dispatched him after that. I like the harvart traps and my 22 for coons , possums and groundhogs

I can't shoot) I have an large water barrel - works perfect)

Hate to have to bring this up, but you might want to check on your local regulations about ground hogs. In many states, they are classified as game animals and, as such, can be taken only in prescribed seasons. I trap squirrels, which are protected up the kazoo here. Can't kill 'em, and can only relocate them into "approved" areas.

That wouldn't surprise me Dan, I was looking for an old game cookbook I have it's got recipes for woodchuck - groundhog, possum and everything else. No I have never tried that . I have tried squirrels when I was a kid but never since then, we have a season on those here , I have shot son and cleaned and put in my freezer but my wife and son hid them from me :) , I cook to much round here and they know I will use the squirrel without them knowing :) , no season on groundhogs here but yes on coons , honestly didn't think about that ( as far as coons) I have dispatched quite a few around here .

In MA we allowed "humanly" kill them on our own property, but not to release anywhere but your property. Yeah, right) I will catch it to feed with the bait and let it go).

I think that's right, that in MA one is allowed to kill them "humanely". Relocation is not permitted. BTW, Conibear traps sure aren't "humane". They infrequently kill quickly. I think a bullet through the head would be more "humane".

This might not work in your situation, but I've had great success catching ground hogs by putting my traps inside the garden in the spot where they're digging under the fence. The ground hog enters the garden as usual through the little hole he's dug and walks right into the trap that positioned just on the inside of the fence.

That's a good idea, if I only have a fence) My yard is 6-level slop yard of a duplex, and it is just 6000sq feet, including house, 2 sheds, and small orchard(front lawn)). So I garden in every possible spot - where I can feet at least smallest raised bed. The passes between beds are just enough to get through. I even use few feet of my unused neighbors' land on both sides(bribed them with veggies!). Only area I can fence will be less then half of my current space, and I am not ready to downsize yet).