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Author Topic: Wood chucks  (Read 887 times)

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Offline hornady

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Wood chucks
« on: April 02, 2011, 03:24:23 AM »
The other day I was talking to a guy that I know hunts Woodchucks. And ask him if he had been out yet, his response was kind of odd, he said he did not start till after the first hay cut. He said there still might be pups nursing.
I would have thought the young would be pretty much on there own by now.
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Offline hornady

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Re: Wood chucks
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2011, 04:04:28 AM »
I did a quick check. They are still no more than a big rat. But they bread in late February - March have a 28 day gestation period, have litters in early April – May, and the young leave the hole in Mid June early July. So I guess it would be true if you wanted to help the young.
You should wait till July to hunt them.
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Offline bobg

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Re: Wood chucks
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2011, 04:08:13 AM »
 I don't start hunting them till after the first hay cut either. As of Wednesday there was still snow on the ground in my part of WNY. Haven't seen any chucks yet.
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Offline TRIGGERTIME

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Re: Wood chucks
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2011, 07:00:20 PM »
Many places I hunt, it is for the sake of the farmer. They don't want them breeding. I have never driven them to extinction in any field.
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Offline hornady

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Re: Wood chucks
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2011, 03:21:12 AM »
They do a lot of damage to farmers. Shooters and farmers do look at them differently.
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Offline manofthe45

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Re: Wood chucks
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2011, 08:41:41 AM »
I have some fields that I shoot from the minute they come above ground in march and some i leave go till later in the year.  I do not own enough land to be be picky.  If the landowner wants them gone  I will start early and shoot as many as I can til I see no more, but if it is just a field the landowner said sure if your bored shoot them up I will let them go till later.  Public land I rarely do a full setup hunt early in the season but will often throw a orange hat and weapon in the truck to carry with me if hiking or scouting/shed hunting
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