First Woodchuck of the Year....with a pistol.....up a tree!

[dmitch]

I normally don't get too excited about shooting chucks 'til mid summer when the little ones can fend for themselves, but I simply could not resist cracking this one. I was on my 4 wheeler checking trail cams this afternoon and I was putt-putting along the edge of one of my clover fields where it meets the hardwoods, brush and briars. As I went past a little 10" ash tree (perfectly vertical), I heard claws on bark thinking it was a squirrel. Nope, 11-12' up that little tree at the first V (no lower branches) was a boar ground grizzly, oh, sorry, woodchuck peering down at me. A 5 yard shot at his exposed head and neck with my Colt Trooper Mk III, 357 Mag., Lyman 358156 GC made quick work of the little clover muncher. My 10 year old grandson is already skinning it to add to his hide collection, so no picture. I have taken woodchucks with rifles, shotguns, pistols and air rifles..... jacketed, cast, jacketed and cast in sabots, but this woodchuck today will be one of the more unique harvests of my 55 year woodchuck career.
dmitch

[CastingFool]

It's quite unusual, but I have shot them out of trees before. I have two mulberry trees in the back yard, and when the berries are ripe, they will climb to get the best berries. First one I got I was using my 22 rifle, woodchuck was up the mulberry tree about 6ft up. I was able to recover the bullet when it got imbedded in the tree. My most unusual kill came with a 22 pistol, after one of our outside cats cornered a woodchuck against the inside corner between the house and the breezeway.

[Grampo]

I love watching the videos on youtube of people shooting woodchucks. They must be the feral pigs of the north!

[missionary5155]

Greetings Woodchucks / groundhogs in east ILLinois can get to 50 pounds with little trouble. Eating soy and corn they grow right up.
Last one I eliminated was while in my tree stand waiting on a corn cruncher. Young dirt borer came ambling down the dry creek bed sniffing about. I use recurves deer hunting. 1st arrow (head on) went through the lower open mouth into the chest. Second through left chest and out in front of the far shoulder. Used the second to stop the commotion he was causing.
Mike in Peru

[robinsroost]

I have only killed one ground hog out of a tree, about a 10 pound pup. If they have been feeding on clover they taste similar to rabbit..........robin