Big chuck

[44man]

Thing dug a pile of gravel out from under my barn concrete. Seldom seen her so I set the trail cam out and timed her. She poked her head out right on time and took a .22 mag to the head. I sat to see if Any more came out and when I picked her up, she was loaded with flies already.
Now to get gravel back in the hole. Not easy, a wall is right there.

[Djones]

Nice job. Fleas or flies?

ive never heard of timing them with a trail cam. Thanks for the tip

[44man]

Nice job. Fleas or flies?

ive never heard of timing them with a trail cam. Thanks for the tip
Flies, a dead chuck is a magnet for them. I wanted to cook her but after the flies I gave up, need to work faster. 15 minutes and it was covered.
She was right on time from the camera. I sat and waited a few times for nothing. First picture was 5:29 PM and a few until 6:34. I went out a little after 5 and soon she came out.
The camera really worked.

[4rdwhln]

Last spring I noticed a strange semi circular mowing in the lawn at the back side of our trailer house. I found a spot where something had dug underneath. Then for a few days every now and then the very distinct whistle of a rockchuck could be heard around the house. Living in a semi rural area with neighbors way to close I got out the trusty pellet rifle however every time I rounded the corner the dang varmint was gone before a bead could be drawn. I ended up removing skirting till I could get a shot at it under the house. They can take a lot of lead from a pellet gun..If it ever happens again the .22 will be used. Glad you were able to get the destructive varmint.

[44man]

They are tough critters so I chose the .22 mag to keep from other damage at the barn. I have a neighbor close but can shoot anything in my yard. I did not want to take out my old mower in the back overhang!

[Pb2au]

Flies, a dead chuck is a magnet for them. I wanted to cook her but after the flies I gave up, need to work faster. 15 minutes and it was covered.

Come to think of it, every groundhog I have dispatched attracted flies really quickly.... I often noticed it, but never thought of it. Strange.
Glad you were able to get rid of the critter. Those characters a destructive little beasts.

[pmer]

My first shot with my S&W 625 was on a wood chuck. Just came from the LGS with it and the chuck came out from under the pig house. I had enough gun lol.

[44man]

It is still laying where I tossed it, nothing came to eat it except maggots, not even buzzards.
It is darn good meat if you work fast so I don't understand it. I think they do draw flies too fast.
They draw blow flies from miles away.

[jhalcott]

I had a perfect shot on a little hog and it fell into the hole. I could NOT see it, but there were a lot of flies in and around the hole. I've always figured this to mean a NASTY wound or a dead groundhog down there! I just don't count them If I can't at least SEE the body.

[gwpercle]

Next time don't wait so long, if you want to eat em, get em quick.
Not only got a wood chuck problem but the flies seem pretty bad too.
I posted a recipe for you in the recipe section, try it !

[44man]

Next time don't wait so long, if you want to eat em, get em quick.
Not only got a wood chuck problem but the flies seem pretty bad too.
I posted a recipe for you in the recipe section, try it !
Yeah need to clean and get on ice fast.
Thanks, I will go see the recipe.

[silverbackotter]

I have heard of eating wood chuck but never tried it, not many around here and I have only every shot a couple.

Hmmm...

[country gent]

Yesterday coming home from carry out there were a female and several young hit by side of road 100yds farther down was a deer that had been hit. Buzzards were all over the woodchucks nothing around the deers carcass yet. We have ate woodchucks in the past you need a small young one otherwise tough and strong tasting. A pain to clean at tmes as hide is very tough. But Tanned might make some good strong leather also.

[blueeyephil]

I've read years ago, they make great boot laces as the hide is so tough.

[1bluehorse]

We have Rock Chucks in this country also. I used to shoot them quite often trying to keep them out of the garden, I learned quickly that a 22lr just wasn't enough gun but a 22mag was. I admire you fella's that eat what you kill but there's no way I'd eat anything that lives in the ground...ewwwww. True or not, I was told as a youngster to not eat any wild "rodent" (including rabbits) during the summer months. Rock Chucks, not a chance...:mrgreen: The real nasty little critter we have around here is a ground squirrel we call a Gray Digger. If you happen to get them around your property they can be very destructive with their digging under everything. They breed like, well, rats, and if a population starts they are difficult to eradicate. However, a 22lr works just fine for them. They will eat just about anything including any dead ones you leave laying about....nasty, nasty little varmints.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Down in Tennessee we would get them cleaned out and into plastic and iced. Then the pressure cooker for two hours to de-grease. Finally to the barbeque. Eat hot. Young ones were the prime targets.
32-20 with a 115 grain cast bullet has been my favorite "hog" caliber for many years. Grew up in SW Michigan and all the old farmers / hunters told us "young-uns" to leave the .22's home unless "ya gonna head shoot them through the head below the ears". That sure was good advice.
Mike in Peru

[Charlie U.]

Come to think of it, every groundhog I have dispatched attracted flies really quickly.... I often noticed it, but never thought of it. Strange.


They draw flies like a pig pen because they are such filthy little beasts.
I agree with 1bluehorse, they are tough and the 22lr is marginal.
and yeah, eeeeeew, no way I would eat one either.

This blighter was digging up the foundations of my shed.....A head shot with a CCI Stinger ended that.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3/gekkocha/woodchuck%20headshot%20aug.2015.jpg

[44man]

The meat of young ones is very, very good. Old ones just get tough. Taste is still good, like a young squirrel compared to one you break your back to skin.
Seems a herbivore spoils faster, not that they are dirty. Something to do with bacteria in the guts.

[nekshot]

when I was a kid at 16 I took up varmit hunting since I bought my first deer rifle. My uncle said he would take the young ones I could get. Well there never was alot left over to eat when the dust settled so he never got one and I started rethinking ground hog hunting with my lever 444 and that neat medal coin in the stock. This was around 1973, I believe.