Marmot Trivia Question

[Brians356]

In which US state(s) might a hunter encounter both Marmota flaviventris ("yellow-bellied marmot", "rock chuck") and Marmota monax ("woodchuck", "groundhog") in the same locale (i.e. their ranges overlap in the same state)?

Bonus: A third species, Marmota caligata ("hoary marmot") might be encountered in the same locale as the other two in which state(s)?

 

[XBBR Shooter]

South Dakota...

 

[Brians356]

South Dakota...

Not quite. Both rockchucks and woodchucks are resident in S. Dakota, but their ranges do not overlap in that state. (And no hoary marmot in S.D.)
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[joshb]

Montana!

 

[Brians356]

Montana!

Yep. And two other states: Idaho and Washington. The area with all three of these marmot species' ranges overlapping centers on the northern tip of the Idaho panhandle, and spills over slightly into WA and MT on either side.
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[Bangs OH]

Okay.....I have one:
Where in the US is the only place the giant Olympic groundhog lives? (not making this up; they're half-again the size of the Eastern woodchuck.)
Has anybody here ever seen one? How about catching a few breeders and sending them east? Just kidding!!! You'd be in heap big trouble with the law - and the farmers around here. Doesn't hurt to dream, though.

 

[dedogs]

I'm going to take a wild guess and say the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. dedogs

 

[Brians356]

Okay.....I have one:
Where in the US is the only place the giant Olympic groundhog lives?

The Olympic Marmot is the same size as the Hoary Marmot (8-20 lbs, vs 5-10 lbs for the rock chuck and woodchuck), and also lives in mountains above the tree line, in particular the Olympic Mountains of NW WA.

I've seen rock chucks which I swear were much heavier than 10 lbs, though, on golf courses and pastures near homes, where they are protected from hunting.
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[ab_bentley]

The Olympic Marmot is the same size as the Hoary Marmot (8-20 lbs, vs 5-10 lbs for the rock chuck and woodchuck), and also lives in mountains above the tree line, in particular the Olympic Mountains of NW WA.

I've seen rock chucks which I swear were much heavier than 10 lbs, though, on golf courses and pastures near homes, where they are protected from hunting.
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Those Olympic marmonts would be much easier to hit at longer ranges, I vote we bring them to coshocton.

Adam

 

[Lenard]

Adam, I have about about 25 years shooting chucks and still do not know anything about the species. I have shot two areas and find that the so called Rock Chucks can get very large, if I am correct on my species. The areas are in Central Oregon. I have a picture of a female chuck I shot some years ago, that was 28" from the nose to the base of the tail. I also shot another one early on in my chuck hunting that was very close to the same size. Without exagerating, I think the 28" would go a pound per inch, relating to salmon of the same length which would weigh about the same.

There appeared to be two different species on this one ranch. One species had a very pronounced mask around the eyes, which was black. The remainder of the ranch had the other species.

I have watched the large ones at extended distances with a spotter. At the least sound of a car, the big ones go down and stay down. I did see a huge one on a trip in April, but could not get on it for a shot. Mind you these large ones are inhabitants of farms with lots of alfalfa, so they grow very fast and large.

 

[Shaggy357]

My guess was WA. I grew up in OR and lived in WA for a long time. I have seen chucks that would have gone over 20lbs. Did not walk, they waddled. They lived on the edge of alfalfa fields on a cattle ranch in northern CA. When hit with a 7mm mag, they would actually POP!

Stinky little bass terdz.

Steve