Groundhog young

[Star1pup]

Does anyone know when groundhogs have their young in Ohio?  Since I like to hunt them and eat them, I'd rather not shoot mama when she has young to feed.

[Hairtrigger]

If you are leaving some for the future stay away from the flatlands of the NW corner! I would think that by mid July the young could fend for themselves

[Star1pup]

I'm in NE Ohio so no problem.  I kinda thought that July would be about right.  Since I own the property I don't have to worry about groundhogs messing up someone else's pasture unless they migrate.

[Hairtrigger]

The young are quite fun to watch.
I have a dirt backstop that I shoot into. This is about 50 yards from the building that houses my office and another room where I do my reloading. Last summer a woodchuck made a den in my backstop and had her young. I shoot into the backstop usually 3 to 5 days a week  about 150 rounds weekly using from 22lr to 308.
Anyway
The litter would come out to play mid morning and entertained me for several weeks. I took several pics of them thru the scope on my rifles with the crosshairs centered. Eventually they found their way into the neighboring beanfield and the owner asked me to solve the problem. The litter died of lead poisoning!

[bobg]

              My father always said not to hunt them till after the first hay cutting. Dad is long gone now but i still stick to his rule.
                     bobg

[mookster79]

If I see them they go down. That is pretty much the rule on my property, and seems to be shared by most of the farmers around me. The good thing about amish neighbors is that they really keep to them selves. I plow their snow in the winter and if they are having a hog or any other type of varmint problem I usually have permission to help deal with it.  It is a great relationship to have with the neighbors.