Our Own CaddyShack

I've never actually seen Caddyshack, but as I was relaying our trials and tribulations with woodchucks to a friend this weekend, he quickly pointed out that it is the exact plot of Caddyshack. Our life has literally gotten as ridiculous as a movie.

Here's the breakdown:

We have a woodchuck. We tried to set a live trap to catch the woodchuck.

Live trap attempt one: Caught a woodchuck. Woodchuck escaped out the back of the trap.

Live trap attempt two: Martin "beefed up" the trap with plastic chicken wire. We caught a woodchuck but were out of town for a wedding. The woodchuck has an entire weekend to eat through the "beefed up" trap. We returned from the wedding to find a perfect circle eaten out of the back of the trap.

Live trap attempt three through five: The trap gets "beefed up" with actual chicken wire. There will be no escaping. After two escapes this woodchuck has gotten smart. She has figured out how to eat the bait without stepping on the pad and setting the trap off.

Live trap attempt six: We caught a woodchuck! Unfortunately, Martin decides all his guns are too big to shoot the woodchuck with and instead attempts to hit the woodchuck with a shovel. He sprays the woodchuck in the face with ether and then lets her out of the trap to hit a (hopefully disoriented) woodchuck over the head with a shovel. Turns out she isn't that disoriented and quickly takes off running out of sight as soon as the trap is open.

Live trap attempt seven through fourteen: This woodchuck has gotten very smart and cautious. She's eating the bait but definitely is not going to take her chances setting off the trap.

Martin warns me to keep a close eye on the girls and sets a trap to kill the woodchuck.

Attempt fifteen: The woodchuck still manages to get the food from the trap without setting it off.

The next day:

Martin: I'm going to burn the barn down. This woodchuck is making a mockery of me!
Me: Why? Did it get the food again without getting caught in the trap.
Martin: No, she got caught in the trap. But apparently it wasn't a fatal catch and she must have dragged the trap into her hole with her because now the trap is missing too!

If you're keeping score the current record is Woodchuck- 16, Brunings - 0.