First 2017 Groundhog sighting

[Spike A]

Makes me jealous , here in Michigan got a ways to go before I will even see one let alone hunting time

 

[284winner]

Where are headed? With Murphy?

We talked earlier Adam. I hunt the Corning area of Perry county for deer. Never see ground hogs in that area. All the driving and scouting I've done I think I've seen one ground hog. North Central Ohio seems to be loaded with ground hogs. Many more farm lands and fields with rolling hills available.

 

[WyleWD]

All the driving and scouting I've done I think I've seen one ground hog. North Central Ohio seems to be loaded with ground hogs. Many more farm lands and fields with rolling hills available.

Your observations of that area that you want to hunt groundhogs in are pretty accurate relative to some of the surrounding counties such as Perry, Morrow, etc. Hopefully you have some good relations with farmers and land owners in those counties you wish to hunt.

We have found that over the last 5 years that the numbers are WAY down in some areas that used to hold very good numbers, and that permission to hunt (even 'chucks) is becoming increasingly difficult.

There are some beautiful farms and scenery in that area. So good luck and good shooting. WD

 

[284winner]

Your observations of that area that you want to hunt groundhogs in are pretty accurate relative to some of the surrounding counties such as Perry, Morrow, etc. Hopefully you have some good relations with farmers and land owners in those counties you wish to hunt.

We have found that over the last 5 years that the numbers are WAY down in some areas that used to hold very good numbers, and that permission to hunt (even 'chucks) is becoming increasingly difficult.

There are some beautiful farms and scenery in that area. So good luck and good shooting. WD

I've had alot of negative results but many that want ground hogs removed. Most are return farmers and not new farms. You are correct. Just as it's difficult these days acquiring permission to deer hunt due to leases becoming popular, shooting ground hogs is almost as tough. The only thing keeping it a little easier is, wood chucks do the damage that's trouble for farms. If people start offering farmers money to lease there land to shoot ground hogs, those shooting opportunities definitely will be history. Let's hope that's not the next trend.

 

[Webster]

Is it true that coyotes catch ground hogs outside there hole and kill them. I heard that is why there is a decline on the ground hog population in western NC and other places? Samuel Hall

I read somewhere that dogs and coyotes don't have to kill many adults to reduce the population. They just have to kill a lot of the pups every Spring.

 

[Webster]

Is it true that coyotes catch ground hogs outside there hole and kill them. I heard that is why there is a decline on the ground hog population in western NC and other places? Samuel Hall

I posted a video a year ago of a dog killing a GH. It's on this website somewhere. I think my title was "Dog Kill GH". The dog circles the GH for several minutes making fake attacks until it sees an opening for the neck. It was unbelievable how fast, quick and agile a dog can be when doing what they would naturally do in the wild. The dog avoided all attacks by the GH at inches between them.

I found it.

 

[snert]

Dang, one less for me to shoot. Tie up fido

 

[lpreddick]

We had record high temps for weeks this past summer and ghog hunting suffered seriously. Ghogs cannot sweat so they heat up quickly. In years past I could watch the temp drop slowly and see the critters just sticking their nose out, probably sampling the temp. Below 80° they came out more but returned to their holes till temp hit 75° or less, then out to graze...and get shot by me. On many days the temp did not get below 80° this year till 10:00-11:00 pm. Many dens that always had inhabitants were covered with spider webs and some areas of multiple dens...nothing. A friend put a trail cam near an active den just to see when these came out to feed...MIDNIGHT! Coyotes and foxes are very smart when it comes to getting a meal. They just plopped down near a den and waited...ghogs probably don't have good night vision. The only good thing about this situation is that coyotes will move on after they reduce ghog populations and this allows the pigs to repopulate, but it takes a few years.