Monday, July 18, 2016

Den Repair





Normally more dirt seems to come out of a hole than will go back into it, but that's not the case with terrier work, as the den itself is already hollow and will take a tremendous amount of dirt if you just shovel it back in. A simple refill job will not only leave a divot on top, it will partially ruin a den that may be decades old, and which can house other wildlife in the future. 

Good practice is den repair, using sticks to put ceiling timbers over the hole, which is then "thatched" with grass, leaves, corn stalks, bark, or rock, with a final covering of dirt over the top. 

When the job is completed there will be a small clearing in the hedge, but it will not be obvious that anyone was ever digging there.

2 comments:

Rick said...

Will this repair be strong enough to support a person walking across it?

PBurns said...

Yep -- foot stamped by me. What takes it toll is rain, as loose soil can run below. That vegetable packing is to slow that down.