How to spot a groundhog in interesting terrain?

[Damon555]

I've got a field to hunt that has the possibility of holding a few groundhogs.....the problem is is that I don't really know how to go about finding them. The large field is on the top of a hill with long grass along the edges of the trees. The field winds and curves at all different angles. This makes it very difficult to see from any distance at all.

Is it possible to just stalk along the edge of the woods slowly, like still hunting for deer? Or is it better to try to spot them from out in the field?....Or maybe stalk from within the woods?

There have been horses grazing on that land too.....keeping the grass short.....but they are gone now so I suppose it will grow up pretty quick.....but I can get in there before it gets to bad if I can come up with a plan......Maybe I just need to spend some time walking the edges taking note of any obvious (or not so) signs, then come back the next day and stalk those spots.....?

How do you seasoned g-hoggers approach a situation like this?

Here's something new......a picture......this should help a lot.....By the way, the long, skinny field in the middle is my buddies 500 yard range that he is so kind to let me use!!!

The field I'm hunting is the large one on the left.

 

[Rdlningcltchdmpr]

Get a female ground hog decoy with pink panties , on the decoy of course not on you. Then be vewy vewy quiet. Sorry i couldn't help myself.

 

[Rdlningcltchdmpr]

Seriously , ground hog's are very keen. They can tell better than most animals when to stay low. Stalking is not good. They like to stay close to a hole which is on the edge of the woods. Just scope along the edges until you spot them.

 

[msinc]

They do like to not venture too far from their den. I like to use this fact to my advantage. If the landowner will allow it, and most of them do if they think it will help get rid of woodchucks, see if you can place a small stake with a red streamer on it at the den holes. You will have to walk the field to find the holes. You don't want to nail it in the ground right at the hole...stay back several feet.
This allows you to get set up in a good central location and not waste time glassing where there probably are no chucks. One thing to keep in mind when you are looking for the holes...I don't know how they do this, and maybe it is just around here, but they will often have a hole devoid of any dirt on the outside. Nothing but grass and the hole opening so you will have to scout carefully. Most of the time it looks like somebody dumped a pickup bed full of dirt on top the ground though. I don't know why they sometimes have no dirt and other times a lot of it so keep a sharp eye out for those "dirt free" holes.
Good luck and good shooting.

Edit: The only problem with doing this is that other selfish hunters will see the flags and shoot your woodchucks when you aren't hunting. Also, the first few days they are a little antsy about coming right out of the den. They start out and see that flag waving in the breeze and kind of set and stare at it. After a few days they pay it no mind and it's back to the usual.

 

[Bangs OH]

Aerial photos like this, when taken while grass is short, will sometimes show groundhog holes if the magnification and resolution is right. For example: I’d hazard a guess those spots just off the tip of that wooded peninsula in the center/right could be holes. (Those faint lines making a rectangular shape in the upper left are interesting - an old building foundation, trench silo, etc. maybe?).
Woodchucks are stalk-able; you just have to move very slowly. They’ll feed next to a freeway, but once a vehicle slows or an engine shuts off, they’re gone. They do seem to be hugging the tree lines these days to avoid coyotes, and those open-field “condos” of multiple holes seem to be a rarity now.
Also, a good-quality set of binoculars of at least 8X - preferably 10 - is worth the investment.
In your case, I’d hide in or stalk from those woods (if ticks aren’t too bad!). That little bump-out would be perfect, with visibility plus safe-looking shooting lanes in most directions (except towards those buildings, of course). I’d find a way to get elevated some.

 

[Damon555]

Thanks for the great advice guys! I've got exclusive access to the land so there's no need to worry about others......on the other hand if the land owner wanted to pop them I'd have no problem either since he owns the joint!.....I'll look the photos over closely. I've driven around the field but didn't see much because it was so bumpy....had to pay attention....(coming off double hernia surgery)......My 10x Leupold binoculars will work well for this task too.......oh yeah, the ticks are out but I've got something for them this year.......and yes, I'll be very, very careful around any structure.

 

[MrMajestic]

Typically they will winter in burrows along the wood line and move to the fields in the summer. You really need to find the burrows to hatch a successful plan.

 

[284winner]

Any chance you could set a tall ladder stand up on that point of woods in the middle lower right side of that field. A higher vantage point could help. You'd be able to cover 3/4 of the upper field

 

[varmintshooter]

You are getting some good information here. You can stalk them but shooting them at longer distance is more fun to me. When stalking move slow stopping often to glass. When the dens are on a hill you may not have a backstop so those will become seed for next year, or as mentioned get up in a elevated stand. I like to walk a field and pick a couple spots that will give good view of an area where the dens are and then move from spot to spot. In the morning try to face west and east in the afternoon. If the ground is rolling hills a tripod will come in handy as you will be able to shoot standing up. I have shot them through out the day but prefer late afternoon. Good luck

 

[Bojo]

If the terrain is hilly use it to your advantage. A free standing tripod deal about 8 feet off the ground makes one awsome shooting platform if u can set it up and leave it there for a few days.Chucks seem to not care so much about quads and lawn chairs when set up 250 yards or more away from their favorite clover patch. Generally the holes I find without any dirt around them are straight vertical chimney holes, the ones with all the dirt around them are normally the main den. If there is any gravel areas by that field that will a good spot to watch extra good. Flagging the holes helps as others have mentioned which also gives you a wind flag at target.

 

[hogpatrol]

Lot of proven methods already posted. I'll give you mine. New field, it's time to go on patrol. Set up in your vehicle at a good vantage point where you can glass as much as possible. Do it a couple evenings and spot your hogs. Do not shoot anything, recon missions only. Don't worry about not getting any action. They're not going anywhere.
Come back a couple days later, same general time that you've seen them, try to set up with the sun at your back and downwind. Where legal, wear full camo. I sit in a predator chair and shoot a rifle off a high bipod or pistol on top of bags. Always go for head shots. Been out a few times this year, fourteen so far.

Couple other tips, if you're checking holes up close and personal and you see flies buzzing around the opening, it's a live hole. Also if you see a fox near a hole, it may be his or have groundhog pups in it and he's just waiting for dinner.

Looks like it may be a good spot. Good Luck!

Edit: Ticks and other bugs? Spray or soak your clothes in Permethrin. Don't spray it on bare skin.

 

[hogpatrol]

I have one hardcore hog hunting buddy that uses cameras. Sets the camera near a good hole, gets their dining schedule and goes back around the same time and whacks them. He works there so that's part of his job. He killed around 40 on a 600 acre horse farm last year.

 

[msinc]

I agree they are definitely "stalkable".....but, while they don't have fantastic eyesight, they are able to pick up movement so on the ground it's going to be tough. This is just an observation of mine, but where there is water near a place you can hunt them, for some strange reason they seem to not pay you any attention. What I mean is if you can get into a boat or canoe and float by they don't even run. I noticed this while bass fishing in our ponds and have shot quite a few with my pistol and recurve. I could be wrong, but I believe they see the water and the boat both moving and it confuses them.
One other little trick that they get wise to pretty quick is to blow a whistle. Especially if the grass is tall. They will stand up and have a look to see what made that noise. Use a big loud whistle, the kind that has that stupid little ball inside to make the noise twice as aggravating. I have an old U.S. Army "Regulation" drill whistle, it is ideal. You gotta hit 'em when they stand up though...they get wise to being called up for a shot.
Once you have killed several, I would suggest you vacate the field for a while. They are like dope dealers in Baltimore or Washington, D.C., when one gets killed his cousins all try to move in his house within a few weeks. You cant get rid of them. Good hunting!!!!

 

[Damon555]

Thank you very much for the insight guys! I appreciate the experienced opinions.

 

[VaRandy]

Get a female ground hog decoy with pink panties , on the decoy of course not on you. Then be vewy vewy quiet. Sorry i couldn't help myself.

You beat me to it. Glad to see there are other sick shooters on here.

I've got a field to hunt that has the possibility of holding a few groundhogs.....the problem is is that I don't really know how to go about finding them. The large field is on the top of a hill with long grass along the edges of the trees. The field winds and curves at all different angles. This makes it very difficult to see from any distance at all.

Is it possible to just stalk along the edge of the woods slowly, like still hunting for deer? Or is it better to try to spot them from out in the field?....Or maybe stalk from within the woods?

There have been horses grazing on that land too.....keeping the grass short.....but they are gone now so I suppose it will grow up pretty quick.....but I can get in there before it gets to bad if I can come up with a plan......Maybe I just need to spend some time walking the edges taking note of any obvious (or not so) signs, then come back the next day and stalk those spots.....?

How do you seasoned g-hoggers approach a situation like this?

Here's something new......a picture......this should help a lot.....By the way, the long, skinny field in the middle is my buddies 500 yard range that he is so kind to let me use!!!

The field I'm hunting is the large one on the left.

I've got a field to hunt that has the possibility of holding a few groundhogs.....the problem is is that I don't really know how to go about finding them. The large field is on the top of a hill with long grass along the edges of the trees. The field winds and curves at all different angles. This makes it very difficult to see from any distance at all.

Is it possible to just stalk along the edge of the woods slowly, like still hunting for deer? Or is it better to try to spot them from out in the field?....Or maybe stalk from within the woods?

There have been horses grazing on that land too.....keeping the grass short.....but they are gone now so I suppose it will grow up pretty quick.....but I can get in there before it gets to bad if I can come up with a plan......Maybe I just need to spend some time walking the edges taking note of any obvious (or not so) signs, then come back the next day and stalk those spots.....?

How do you seasoned g-hoggers approach a situation like this?

Here's something new......a picture......this should help a lot.....By the way, the long, skinny field in the middle is my buddies 500 yard range that he is so kind to let me use!!!

The field I'm hunting is the large one on the left.

It is hard to measure distances on your overhead but setting up on the point coming in from the right gives you virtually visual access to the entire thing (absent height and other viewing problems.

Don't miss the fun by walking and shooting and plan on continuously looking for the furtherest you can hit them. Have the land owner call you after cuts are made.

 

[hogpatrol]

May be me but I've noticed they're not real enthused to wander around when it's windy. You can kill them on these days but it's a little tougher. I like the cool, calm evenings.

 

[Delfuego]

Get a female ground hog decoy with pink panties , on the decoy of course not on you. Then be vewy vewy quiet.

That's an old trick but it works

 

[Woodchk]

I do a lot of groundhog hunting , I spend most of my time behind binoculars or my big eyes .

 

[okie]

Play Kenny Loggins music at loud volume---will come out to dance.

 

[msinc]

I did some scouting this afternoon and thought I would post some photos of what I mean about the dirt.....center photo is of a well used trail to the den in the last photo. I don't know why they will sometimes have zero dirt and other times have a truck full. It amazes me, I know they don't haul it away, so where does it go??? Whatever the reasons, this is why it is a good idea to mark where they are with a little stick or flag. It is impossible to see the hole in the first picture, even from 50 yards.