You can fence off the melon patch with chicken wire. Just be sure to bury it at least 6 inches deep around the edges to discourage them from digging underneath. Deterrants such as coyote urine or bobcat urine might scare them off. Blood meal can also be used to repel them. One industrious gardener builds hardware cloth cages that he places around each melon to protect it as it grows.
If the gnawing damage doesn't extend into the flesh, it might seal over naturally and continue to grow with no problem otherwise the hole will provide an entry place for all sorts of rot and disease.
You can fence off the melon patch with chicken wire. Just be sure to bury it at least 6 inches deep around the edges to discourage them from digging underneath. Deterrants such as coyote urine or bobcat urine might scare them off. Blood meal can also be used to repel them. One industrious gardener builds hardware cloth cages that he places around each melon to protect it as it grows.
If the gnawing damage doesn't extend into the flesh, it might seal over naturally and continue to grow with no problem otherwise the hole will provide an entry place for all sorts of rot and disease.