How To Stop Animals From Digging Holes In Yard

If you’re finding your lawn looking like a mini excavation site, you’re likely searching for how to stop animals from digging holes in yard. This common frustration can be tackled effectively and humanely, without harming your local wildlife. Let’s look at why animals are drawn to your space and the practical steps you can take to reclaim your green turf.

The key to a lasting solution is understanding the “why” behind the digging. Animals aren’t trying to ruin your landscaping; they are driven by basic instincts like seeking food, shelter, or creating a safe place for their young. By identifying the culprit and addressing their specific motivation, your efforts become much more successful.

First Step: Identify the Animal Digging in Your Yard

Before you choose a deterrent, you need to know what you’re dealing with. Different animals leave different clues. Take a close look at the holes, the time of day they appear, and any tracks.

Skunks: Dig small, cone-shaped holes about 2-4 inches wide while searching for grubs and insects. You might notice a distinct, musky odor.
Raccoons: Create larger, more torn-up areas as they roll back sections of sod looking for worms and grubs. Their dexterous paws leave messy, uneven edges.
Squirrels & Chipmunks: Bury or retrieve nuts, creating small, shallow holes. You’ll often see them active during the day.
Moles & Voles: Moles create raised surface tunnels and volcano-shaped mounds; they eat soil-dwelling insects. Voles make small, clean holes about 1-2 inches wide and create narrow surface runways, eating plant roots and bulbs.
Groundhogs (Woodchucks): Excavate large, extensive burrow systems with a big, main entrance hole (10-12 inches wide), often near structures or tree lines.
Dogs & Cats: Neighborhood pets dig for fun, to bury items, or to chase a scent. The holes are usually random and vary in size.

Humane Deterrent Strategies That Actually Work

Once you’ve identified the likely visitor, you can implement targeted strategies. The goal is to make your yard less attractive or accessible, convincing the animal to go elsewhere.

Remove the Food Source

This is the most effective long-term method. If animals are finding a buffet in your yard, they will keep coming back.

Treat for Grubs: Use a natural, beneficial nematode treatment or a pet-safe grub killer on your lawn. Eliminating this primary food source will discourage skunks, raccoons, and armadillos.
Secure Trash & Compost: Use locking lids on trash cans. Never put meat, dairy, or oily foods in an open compost bin; use a fully enclosed compost tumbler instead.
Manage Bird Feeders: Spilled seed attracts rodents, which then attract larger predators. Use no-waste seed mixes, install baffles, and sweep up fallen seed daily.
Pick Up Fallen Fruit & Nuts: Regularly clean under fruit trees and nut-bearing bushes to remove this easy meal.

Use Physical Barriers

Blocking access is a straightforward and reliable approach. It requires some initial effort but provides lasting protection.

Install Underground Fencing: For digging animals like groundhogs or burrowing canines, bury hardware cloth (a sturdy wire mesh) at least 12 inches deep and bend it outward in an “L” shape. This prevents them from digging underneath.
Protect Garden Beds: Use chicken wire or hardware cloth laid just under the soil surface around new plantings to protect bulbs and roots from voles and squirrels.
Fence Specific Areas: A sturdy, tall fence (at least 4 feet high) can deter many animals. For climbers like raccoons, add an outward-facing overhang at the top.

Apply Repellents & Sensory Deterrents

Animals rely heavily on their senses. By creating unpleasant or frightening sensations, you can encourage them to leave.

Commercial Repellents: Look for products containing castor oil for digging animals; it makes the soil taste bad. Pepper-based sprays can deter plant nibblers. Always reapply after heavy rain.
Homemade Sprays: A mixture of water, cayenne pepper, and a drop of dish soap can be sprayed around borders. Predator urine (like coyote or fox) granules are available and can create a fear response.
Motion-Activated Devices: Sprinklers, lights, or ultrasonic sound emitters that trigger with movement can startle animals and condition them to avoid the area. Move them periodically so animals don’t get used to them.

Modify the Habitat

Make your yard less inviting for nesting and hiding. Open, well-maintained spaces are less desirable to most wildlife.

Clear Debris: Remove wood piles, rock piles, and thick brush where animals might hide or nest.
Fill Existing Holes: After ensuring no animal is inside, promptly fill holes with soil and tamp down firmly. For persistent diggers, place gravel or wire mesh in the hole before covering with dirt.
Keep Lawn Trimmed: Tall grass provides cover for small animals like voles and mice. Regular mowing reduces their sense of security.

Step-by-Step Plan for a Persistent Problem

If you have a major issue, follow this systematic plan over a couple of weeks.

Investigate Thoroughly: Identify the animal and its reason for digging. Look for tracks, scat, and patterns.
Eliminate Attractants: Start grub control, secure all food sources, and clean up yard debris immediately.
Apply Immediate Deterrents: Fill existing holes. Apply a repellent like castor oil around the perimeter and problem areas. Install a motion-activated sprinkler.
Install Physical Barriers: For vegetable gardens or flower beds, add underground wire mesh. Consider fencing for the most vulnerable areas.
Be Consistent & Patient: Animals are creatures of habit. It may take several days or weeks of combined efforts to break their routine. Reapply repellents regularly and maintain your barriers.

What Not to Do: Inhumane and Ineffective Methods

Some old-fashioned methods are cruel, illegal, or simply don’t work. Avoid these at all costs.

Do Not Use Poison: Poisons cause a slow, painful death and can inadvertently kill pets, beneficial wildlife, or even children. They are not a selective or humane solution.
Avoid Mothballs: Mothballs are pesticides (naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) and are toxic to soil, water, pets, and children. Their use outdoors is often illegal.
Don’t Trap & Relocate Randomly: Live-trapping without a plan often leads to a slow death for the relocated animal, who is dumped in unfamiliar territory. It also often just opens up space for a new animal to move in. In many areas, relocating wildlife is illegal without a permit.
Skip the Ultrasonic Plug-Ins Alone: While they can be part of a plan, many animals quickly habituate to these constant sounds, and their effectiveness is widely debated.

When to Call a Professional

Sometimes, a problem is too big or dangerous to handle on your own. It’s wise to call for help in these situations:

You suspect a large, extensive burrow system under a shed, deck, or your home’s foundation.
The animal appears sick or is behaving aggressively (this is rare, but avoid contact).
You have repeatedly tried humane methods without success.
You are dealing with a protected species.

Always choose a licensed, insured wildlife control professional who uses humane exclusion and deterrent methods. They can often provide guarantees on their work, which is a big plus.

Long-Term Maintenance for a Dig-Free Yard

Prevention is easier than cure. Incorporate these habits into your regular yard care routine.

Annual Grub Treatment: Apply beneficial nematodes in late summer/early fall as a preventative measure.
Seasonal Perimeter Check: Each spring and fall, inspect fence lines, shed bases, and garden borders for signs of digging or new burrows. Repair promptly.
Maintain Cleanliness: Consistently manage trash, compost, and pet food. Never leave these items accessible overnight.
Encourage Natural Predators: Installing a birdhouse for owls can help control rodent populations naturally. A well-balanced ecosystem is your best defense.

FAQ: Common Questions About Yard Digging

What is digging up my lawn at night?

Nocturnal diggers are typically skunks, raccoons, opossums, or armadillos. Look for the hole size and shape clues mentioned earlier. Setting up a wildlife camera can provide a definitive answer.

Will vinegar stop animals from digging?

Vinegar’s strong smell can act as a temporary repellent for some animals, like cats or rabbits. However, it washes away quickly with rain or watering and is not a strong or lasting solution for determined diggers like groundhogs.

Does Irish Spring soap keep animals away?

Anecdotal evidence suggests the strong scent may deter some animals like deer or rodents. You can try shaving bars and placing them around the garden, but its effectiveness is inconsistent and it needs frequent replacement.

How do I keep my neighbors dog from digging under my fence?

This requires a physical barrier. The most reliable method is to bury an “L”-shaped footer of hardware cloth along the fence line, as described in the barriers section. A friendly conversation with your neighbor is also a good first step.

What can I put down to stop digging?

A layered approach works best. Start with an underground wire barrier for persistent burrowers. On the surface, use a granular repellent like castor oil and maintain it with regular applications, especially after wet weather.

Dealing with unwanted excavation in your garden can be frustrating, but it’s a solvable problem. By combining identification, removal of attractants, and the strategic use of humane deterrents and barriers, you can encourage your wild visitors to find a more suitable home elsewhere. Remember, consistency is crucial—animals are persistent, so your efforts need to be too. With patience and the right tactics, you can enjoy a beautiful, hole-free yard once again.