How to Get Rid of Chipmunks Before They Dig In for Winter
Chipmunks are hard to dislike when you see one sitting on a stone wall with its cheeks stuffed full.
They are a lot easier to dislike when you find a hole beside the patio, tulip bulbs dug out of the garden, or a sunken section of walkway where a tunnel used to be.
October is when chipmunks are busiest. They spend the fall gathering and storing food for winter, and the burrows they dig now are where they will spend the next several months.
That makes fall a key time to act. If you want to know how to get rid of chipmunks before they settle in under your patio, steps, or foundation, here is what we recommend at Accurate Pest Management.
Why Are Chipmunks So Active in the Fall?
The eastern chipmunk is common throughout New Jersey. It lives in wooded edges, stone walls, gardens, and landscaped yards.
In fall, chipmunks focus on one thing: building a food supply for winter.
They collect seeds, nuts, acorns, berries and grains, carry them in their cheek pouches, and store them in underground chambers. A single chipmunk can stash a large amount of food before cold weather arrives.
That explains why you suddenly see them darting back and forth across the yard all day.
Do Chipmunks Hibernate?
Not exactly.
Chipmunks do not hibernate the way bears are often described. Instead, they spend much of the winter in their burrows in periods of deep sleep called torpor, waking up every so often to eat from their stored food.
On mild winter days, you may even see one pop out briefly.
What matters for homeowners is this: the burrow a chipmunk digs this fall is the one it plans to live in all winter. Once it is established and stocked with food, the chipmunk has every reason to stay.
Signs You Have Chipmunks in Your Yard
Chipmunks are good at hiding their work, but there are clues.
Small round holes about 2 inches wide in lawns, garden beds, or along walkways
No visible pile of dirt around the hole, because chipmunks carry soil away
Holes along patios, steps, retaining walls, foundations or stone walls
Dug-up bulbs, seedlings or flower beds
Seed shells and nut fragments near bird feeders
Chipmunks running along fences, walls and woodpiles
The lack of a dirt mound is a classic sign. A hole without loose soil around it is often a chipmunk burrow entrance.
Can Chipmunks Damage a House?
Usually, chipmunks are a nuisance rather than a serious structural threat.
But burrowing in the wrong place can cause real problems.
A chipmunk tunnel system can run 10 to 30 feet or more. When those tunnels run under patios, walkways, steps, retaining walls or slabs, the soil underneath can shift. Over time, that can contribute to:
Sinking or uneven pavers
Cracked concrete walkways
Loose patio stones
Gaps along retaining walls
Soil loss along the foundation
Occasionally, chipmunks also get inside garages, sheds, crawl spaces or even wall voids through gaps along the foundation.
How to Get Rid of Chipmunks
There is no single trick that makes chipmunks disappear. The most effective approach combines removing what attracts them, blocking the places they want to dig, and humane removal when needed.
1. Remove the Food Supply
Bird feeders are the number one chipmunk magnet in many yards.
Spilled seed under a feeder gives chipmunks a reliable buffet right when they are stocking up for winter.
Move bird feeders at least 15 to 30 feet away from the house
Use trays to catch falling seed
Clean up spilled seed regularly
Store bird seed and pet food in sealed containers
Pick up fallen nuts, acorns and fruit when practical
2. Remove Cover Near the House
Chipmunks like protected travel routes.
Trim dense shrubs and groundcover away from the foundation. Move woodpiles, rock piles, and debris away from the house. Avoid deep mulch beds directly against walls.
The less cover they have near the home, the less comfortable they feel digging there.
3. Protect Patios, Steps and Foundations
For areas where chipmunks keep burrowing, physical barriers work better than any spray.
A common approach is an L-shaped barrier of hardware cloth or wire mesh buried along the edge of a patio, step or foundation. The mesh goes down into the soil and then bends outward, so a chipmunk trying to dig hits the barrier.
A strip of gravel along the foundation instead of mulch can also make digging less appealing.
4. Protect Garden Bulbs
If chipmunks are digging up bulbs, plant them under a layer of hardware cloth, or use bulb cages. Some gardeners also choose bulbs chipmunks tend to avoid, such as daffodils.
5. Seal Openings Into Buildings
Check sheds, garages, decks and the foundation for gaps. Close openings with durable materials such as hardware cloth or concrete patching. Our wildlife exclusion service focuses on finding and sealing the entry points animals use to get under or into structures.
What About Chipmunk Repellents?
Many repellents claim to keep chipmunks away using smell or taste.
Results are inconsistent. Repellents may help a little in a small garden bed, but they wear off quickly with rain and rarely solve a burrowing problem near a patio or foundation.
We would not rely on repellents alone.
Should You Trap Chipmunks Yourself?
This is where we recommend caution.
New Jersey has rules on trapping, handling and relocating wildlife. Moving a trapped animal off your property and releasing it somewhere else may not be legal, and it is often not effective because other chipmunks simply move into the empty territory.
Trapping also needs to be done humanely and checked frequently.
If chipmunks are burrowing under your patio, steps or foundation, or getting into a garage or crawl space, it is usually best to have a licensed wildlife professional handle removal and exclusion.
Why Fall Is the Best Time to Act
Chipmunk removal searches drop off sharply after September and October for a reason. Once chipmunks are tucked into stocked burrows for winter, they are less visible, and many homeowners forget about them until spring.
Then the digging starts again.
Acting in fall lets you:
Address burrows before winter settles in
Remove food sources before they are stored underground
Install barriers before spring digging and breeding season
Protect patios and walkways from more tunneling
Humane Chipmunk Removal in North Jersey
At Accurate Pest Management, we use humane wildlife control methods. Our approach is to identify where chipmunks are active, remove them responsibly in line with New Jersey regulations, and help prevent new ones from moving in.
Learn more about our chipmunk removal service and our full range of humane wildlife control services. If other animals are also active around your yard, our post on top pests by season in Morris County covers what to watch for this time of year.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chipmunks
What is the fastest way to get rid of chipmunks?
Removing food sources such as bird seed, reducing cover near the house, and installing barriers in problem areas are the most effective steps. For active burrows near structures, professional humane removal is often fastest.
How do I know if a hole is from a chipmunk?
Chipmunk holes are usually about 2 inches wide and have no pile of dirt around them, because chipmunks carry the soil away.
Do chipmunks hibernate?
They spend much of winter in their burrows in deep sleep, waking periodically to eat stored food. They do not hibernate continuously all winter.
Can chipmunks damage my foundation?
Chipmunks rarely damage a foundation directly, but burrows along foundations, patios, steps and retaining walls can cause soil to shift and lead to settling or cracking over time.
Will mothballs or repellents keep chipmunks away?
Mothballs are not labeled or recommended for wildlife control and can be hazardous. Commercial repellents have mixed results and are not a reliable long-term solution.
Is it legal to relocate chipmunks in NJ?
New Jersey regulates how wildlife is trapped and released. Releasing a trapped animal elsewhere may not be permitted, so it is best to work with a licensed wildlife professional.
Do Not Let Chipmunks Dig In for the Winter
A chipmunk stocking up for winter is just doing what comes naturally.
But if that winter home is under your patio, steps, walkway or foundation, now is the time to act.
If chipmunks are taking over your yard, contact Accurate Pest Management or call 973-398-8798 to schedule a wildlife inspection.
