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stees--RE: rats
Okay, so illegal or not I just took a broom with me to inspect the burrow/hole. I am now almost convinced it isn't a rodent burrow, but I need your biology expertise.
-No droppings/grass/leaves around the hole
-hole is about a foot deep (straight down, slight slope),and by maneuvering the broom handle in the hole, have found that that is the extent of the hole. There are no connecting tunnels (or they have collapsed?).
-it almost looks as if there used to be a pole there (there wasn't and our neighbors aren't digging; it's on our property) and the pole disintegrated (not removed or else the hole wouldn't be as neat looking as it is).
-as stated in previous post, the diameter is about 4-5 inches.
So, do you think it may be/have been a rodent burrow? Or does some other animal have a hole like that? Or could my neighbor's cat just be tearing up my yard?
TIA! 
ETA: this isn't the one in my yard, but the closest I could find online (can't upload camera pix to the hub's computer)
There is less grass around the outside of the hole in my yard, but it's pretty much the same shape and size.
Re: stees--RE: rats
okay yea, lots of things could make a hole like that- snakes, groundhogs, skunks, rodents, turtles, etc.
im going to venture a guess and say its probably not a snake, the hole is too big. its also probably not a groundhog because the hole is kinda small for that. its too early for turtles.
its definitely not a mole or vole hole, like your dad said they actually "tunnel" close to the ground, not just burrow.
im also going to say its probably not an allegheny wood rat if you arent finding any fecal matter.
honestly, it might just be something that burrowed underground for winter, came out, and scurried off. he (or she) might not even be around anymore.
i would say your idea of filling it in is a good idea. groundhogs will re-burrow, but most other rodents wont. i wouldnt pack it with stone or cement or anything (even though im sure you would like to haha) just put dirt in, pack it tight and see what happens.
if it does re-burrow or if a new burrow pops up then a live trap is probably a good idea, assuming you and danny would be comfortable transporting a live animal (ie you have a truck with a bed and youre not going to put a wild creature in the back seat of your honda civic).
good luck
Stees, I am entertained by all of your wildlife expertise. I am going to be paging you this summer when I start finding all kinds of craziness in my backyard.
Do you know anything about arachnids too or is your knowledge limited to animals?
Because we have an effing grass spider problem every year and I'm going to go crazy if they come in the house again when I'm crawling around with a baby on the floor.
Thanks so much, Stees!
As far as I can tell I don't think anything is living in it anymore (the first rat post was when I just picked up the dead mole with my dog's pooper scooper and then went, What the hell hole is that??) After poking the broom handle in it a few times, I think it's more than likely unoccupied.
And with your info on the allegheny woodrat, I actually did some research on the rodents here in SW PA. Thanks for making my boring night last night go so much faster!
Andplusalso--if it does turn out to be an uninvited guest, we have no issue transplanting him/her somewhere else. Hell, I don't mind rats (I had a lab rat in college that I got to keep for a bit) or other little fuzzy things, but those norway rats kill me. They are the grossest, nastiest, meanest little boogers. That's what I was really worried about.