Author Topic: Groundhogs or woodchucks.. (Read 1896 times)

ironglow · « **on:** February 02, 2008, 03:12:06 AM »

Ahhh Groundhog day....!!!
Here is a critter that goes by many names ..groundhog, whistle pig, woodchuck etc..
The most popular terms seem to be either Groundhog or woodchuck..and the seem to be used in certain areas.

Here in rural, western NY State, at least 9 times out of 10 we call them woodchucks..

Tell us roughly where you live and what they are most often called in your area (if you have them).

BTW: I understand that the term "woodchuck" came originally from the Algonquin Indian word for them which sounded like " weejack "..

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2008, 03:22:37 AM »

Yeah but what I wanna know is: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? I never have been able to find the answer to this age old question.

Moss88hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2008, 04:17:02 AM »

I live in middle Tn and we call them a pain in the butt! All joking aside we call them groundhogs and they are really bad here especially for people that have horses and anyone who raises almost any crops. Nothing a good .308 can't take care of though!!!

Evan

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2008, 04:23:19 AM »

Moss88hunter,

If you have more than you can handle, perhaps you could put together a "woodchuck safari" and some of us could come out and thin them out.

rbergum95 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2008, 04:48:35 AM »

answer to graybeards question - a woodchuck would chuck all the wood he could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

here in SE PA we call em grounhogs, i call them coyote bait.

ironglow · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2008, 06:58:52 AM »

Far as I know, woodchucks don't chuck wood, and after a .17 HMR Hornady V-max to the head at 125 yards..he doesn't chuck anything..

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2008, 07:40:15 AM »

Gray beard,
What is chucking wood. I know what cracking corn is but never found out what woodchucking is.
SO to answer the question, they would chuck as much wood as time would allow for chucking before Ironglow noticed the chucking and showed up with his 17 to stop it.
I grew up in central NJ near the ocean and we called them ground hogs. My stepmonster is from Richmond VA and her brothers call them ground pigs. So I guess ground hogs would work there too.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2008, 07:43:57 AM »

I live in Southern California just north of San Diego and we don't have them here.

Kurt L · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2008, 08:57:42 AM »

in my area of Michigan we have woodchucks and it is normal to find very large ones the size of raccoons.

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2008, 04:55:15 PM »

Central IL would call them groundhogs although a woodchuck or marmot are acceptable.
Some years back some people developed a reloading press that they called the "rockchucker" all on account of those hoary yellow-bellied marmots!

The answer to Graybeards question would be that a woodchuck could chuck all the wood he could if his dentures were any good.

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2008, 05:32:40 PM »

I live in SW Virginia, and around here we call'em groundhogs. Once in a great while an old timer might call one a whistle pig.

manofthe45 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2008, 01:38:29 AM »

Quote from: rbergum95 on February 02, 2008, 04:48:35 AM

here in SE PA we call em grounhogs, i call them coyote bait.

No we call them fun target practice and good eating. Course if our GC gets their way my section of the SE will be RF only

Moss88hunter · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2008, 02:14:44 AM »

What do they taste like? I remember my grandpa saying that there were some people that lived down the road from him, when he was a kid, that ate them. They told him that they were good but pretty greasy. I just never have had the urge to see what they taste like!

gooser · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2008, 03:54:54 AM »

Where I'm at in Michigan,we call them several different names,......some which can't be mentioned here.
But, here are a few....woodchuck,groundhog,whistle pig,dike devil, and bean bandit, to name a few.Last year I got a lot of them with my .223.
I can't wait for this season.....

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2008, 05:12:25 PM »

Quote from: Jerry Lester on February 02, 2008, 05:32:40 PM

I live in SW Virginia, and around here we call'em groundhogs. Once in a great while an old timer might call one a whistle pig.

Jerry,
I forgot all about the whistle pig!
I have heard young to med size ones that would seem to whistle like a canary!

rex6666 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2008, 10:29:22 AM »

well we don't have woodchucks here in north central Tx. and i can't answer GB's question
but i think it would take about as much pondering as this one.
If it took a hen and a half a day and a half to lay an egg and a half, how long would it
take a rooster setting on a brass door knob to hatch out a hardware store?

nodlenor · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2008, 12:08:09 PM »

In Missouri we call 'em groundhogs. Last fall I was setting up my ground blind for deer and one came to see what I was doing so Mr. Ruger Redhawk .41 Mag greeted him and he don't chuck no mo.

navylawdog · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2008, 01:05:20 PM »

In Kansas I have heard of them referred to as groundhogs but I have never seen one there. I would love to hunt them though it sounds like fun. Any one from Maine hunt them?

Navylawdog

ironglow · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2008, 01:33:59 PM »

Navy;
They are probably my main (not Maine) hunting quarry.

Here's one that died from "suicide by 10/22"..

BTW; that 10/22 is a "first year of mfg" 10/22 serial #66XX with a Butler Creek stock that I painted.
Shooting stick is one of many I make with forged steel heads.

B2crawler · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2008, 02:37:29 PM »

Here in Colorado their called marmont or rock chucks and I don't see how anyone could eat one. The dead ones I've been up close to stink awful bad. Bag limit is 2 per day here (ya sucks to drive for three hours to shoot two) and possession limit is also two. I've never taken possession of one either.
Also all the ones I've seen here were probably over 9,000 feet and they just lay out on the rocks in the sun.

manofthe45 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 04, 2008, 03:10:05 PM »

Around here you will find them mainly around farm country. If you take the smaller ones soon after the first green they are alright to eat. Don't get me wrong I don't eat everyone but one or two a year make it into a stew. I only take the head shot ones. If you shot anything in the guts with a fast moving round it is gonna stink. Ever been near or butchered a gut shot deer.

ironglow · « **Reply #21 on:** February 04, 2008, 11:54:16 PM »

B2;
The Rocky mountain marmot is actually a smaller cousin of the eastern version. The yellow bellied marmot is supposed to go 5-11 lbs, while the full grown woodchucks
I have shot, average about twice that.
I don't know if the slight specie difference makes any palatability difference though. With the western version somewhat smaller, that naturally makes them at any
given yardage, an even more challenging target.

Man45;
Though I don't eat them regularly, but have tasted them, I know they, particularly the young ones, would be a good food source...should the need ever arise.

I understand that there are small nodules or "kernels" located under the front legs that should be removed before cooking in order to get the best flavor..
Don't know for sure..just been told..

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2008, 07:31:35 AM »

Here in SW Pa we call them Groundhogs. Last summer I tried my best to commit genocide on the race of them. I killed at 60 this past summer with my Handi 204 and the Remington 700 SPS Varmint 243. I cant' wait till spring again so I can start all over. Dale

navylawdog · « **Reply #23 on:** February 05, 2008, 02:29:05 PM »

Quote from: ironglow on February 04, 2008, 01:33:59 PM

Here's one that died from "suicide by 10/22"..

You have got to love the little fellas that decide life is just not worth living anymore. It is probably a bit like PD's.

Navylawdog

HEAD0001 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 05, 2008, 10:13:29 PM »

Quote from: Graybeard on February 02, 2008, 03:22:37 AM

Yeah but what I wanna know is: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? I never have been able to find the answer to this age old question.

The answer is: A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck.

Here in WV we call them Hoggs. That is why they call me HoggHead. Tom.

ironglow · « **Reply #25 on:** February 06, 2008, 12:57:55 AM »

Tom;
That's a new one on me !..I like it though....

dcewolf · « **Reply #26 on:** February 06, 2008, 03:36:37 AM »

Central VA we call 'em groundhogs.....
I've never personally eaten any, but I've been told they are greasy and very earthy tasting -- like eating grass.

ironglow · « **Reply #27 on:** February 06, 2008, 03:04:30 PM »

They are somewhat greasy..and I believe the removal of the nodules I spoke of in an earlier post, removes much of the "earthy" taste.

One little known fact..Wildlife biologists tell us that woodchucks never go for a drink of water, they say they get all their moisture from the vegetation they eat.
Of course it was they who tried for years to tell hunters & farmers that they never climb trees; hunters & farmers knew better..now the "scientists" know better.

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #28 on:** February 06, 2008, 03:16:12 PM »

Yea if you read what PA has to say about Groundhogs. They also say they never drink water. Dale

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #29 on:** February 06, 2008, 03:17:41 PM »

They say they get their water from the things they eat. Dale