Hi, Brandon: Well, this is certainly a narrow topic. NOT. Please see the response to DebB below for some ideas. We are partial to hot red pepper flakes in abundance in such cases, but perhaps one thing you should really consider (besides a dog) is a blanket approach -- trying so many things at once that it just becomes not worth it to be there. We have a similar crawl space. Have you thought about blocking off the crawl space from the basement except for one opening, putting a live trap in the opening, luring it into the crawlspace with corn, and then blocking the outside hole? Otherwise, try lots of things at once: Put nasty stuff in the hole and seal it. Seal off under the deck and around it put sticks that you've smeared with mentholated petroleum jelly. Sprinkle bleach around. Sometimes you can snake black plastic drainage hose through the crawl space to the nest or home and then use it to blow or inject balls of cotton infused with menthol or something else nasty. "Thread" the hose onto long sections of the handle to a snow rake, for example, and then withdraw the pole to leave the hose where you want it. Bear in mind that this is not about preventing the woodchuck from getting into your basement, which you cannot do. It is about getting it to not want to be there in the first place. Good luck!
Hi, Brandon: Well, this is certainly a narrow topic. NOT. Please see the response to DebB below for some ideas. We are partial to hot red pepper flakes in abundance in such cases, but perhaps one thing you should really consider (besides a dog) is a blanket approach -- trying so many things at once that it just becomes not worth it to be there. We have a similar crawl space. Have you thought about blocking off the crawl space from the basement except for one opening, putting a live trap in the opening, luring it into the crawlspace with corn, and then blocking the outside hole? Otherwise, try lots of things at once: Put nasty stuff in the hole and seal it. Seal off under the deck and around it put sticks that you've smeared with mentholated petroleum jelly. Sprinkle bleach around. Sometimes you can snake black plastic drainage hose through the crawl space to the nest or home and then use it to blow or inject balls of cotton infused with menthol or something else nasty. "Thread" the hose onto long sections of the handle to a snow rake, for example, and then withdraw the pole to leave the hose where you want it. Bear in mind that this is not about preventing the woodchuck from getting into your basement, which you cannot do. It is about getting it to not want to be there in the first place. Good luck!