ground hogs

[warningshot]

when is the best time to see , shoot some ... what times are they most active ...thanks have some pests to get rid of

[sumner4991]

I've found they are most active between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. I usually hunt from 4:30-6:30.

Go get'em!

[Normous]

I find evening hunts with sunny weather and little wind are best. I planted over a 1000 in the last 15 years.

[N8tr Boy]

Field Grizzlies, they love warm sunny days, fresh grain strouts, alfalfa, bean sprouts,etc. . They can been seen on side roads anytime quiet field areas. I have been toying with using the blind to catch them off guard. Railroad beds are another good area.
Mark

[Farmer]

In the morning when things start to warm up you will find those bean pickers out stripping the field .

[bbbwb]

It may not interest everybody but the sprintime season produces the best tablefare meat dish of this animal. Vegetarian product of fresh green sprouts. Give it a try.
.
bbbwb

[sumner4991]

I've never tried groundhog for dinner. However, I knew a guy once everyone called "Preacher Crow". He actually was a preacher, but, I have no idea if that was his real last name. He sure was a great shot. Anyway, he always kept one or two groundhogs for eating. He also enjoyed a good mess of crow.

What does it taste like, chicken?

I've seen groundhogs out at all times of the day. However, the most activity seems to be from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

There isn't as many groundhogs around the farm. I was wondering if maybe the coyotes would eat them. Anyone know? I'm lost to why the population has went down and no one is hunting them much anymore(on the farm).

Scott

[bbbwb]

Summer4991
It is a darker meat than chicken but is tender and moist. I would liken it to rabbit, chicken, squirrel.

bbbwb

[Doe Master]

Scott I don`t know about down your way but up around here there seems to be less and less hay fields .And more of the cash crop fields ,where they are being constantly turned into whatever crop will make the most money each year.

[Wayne B]

I think they are declining for one reason. Predators. Rabies have been just about eliminated in Ontario, and the coyotes can be heard everyday. The fox populations have never been higher. At one time every field in the country had groundhog dens in it. When I was younger we would cruise the backroads all day and shoot them. I could walk from my house with my bow and practice on them for hours. Best practice for getting ready for deer hunting. I found you could never approach them from upwind because they could scent you, much like a whitetail. But swing downwind on them and sit quiet till they came up again and you'd get a shot. I don't think I've seen any in this area for at least 10 years and maybe longer.

[sumner4991]

Wayne B . . .I tend to agree with you. We didn't have a coyote until about 10 years ago. In the fields where hog holes abound, there are few to no hogs. I would easily shoot 45 or more during Summer break from school and not make a dent. No one on the farm regularly hunts them like I use to hunt. Yet, there are fewer groundhogs. Are the coyotes able to go into their den and get the young ones at night? I rarely see the coyotes out during the day . . .maybe they are more active on the groundhogs when the young are out. Anyone seen coyotes after groundhogs?

[wabi]

Haven't shot one for many years now, but they used to provide a lot of summertime hunting opportunities. They have declined in population to the point where I may see 5 or 6 a summer now! (less than I have shot in one hunt in the 1960s & 70s)
A young one is good eating if you like squirrel. (Very similar in taste & texture - tough & stringy. ) An old one is a bit difficult to skin, but the hide is very durable if you need a durable hide. In horse & buggy days the used the hide to tip a whip for a "popper" that would last. I've never tried to cook an old one, but I'd say the meat would probably be durable if you tried to chew it.

[R.J.]

Been lucky late mroning and early afternoon ...

Here are some of my favorite field grizzly shots !

( from previous posted threads )

Had 9 field grizzlies in the cross hairs of my .223 Remington 700 BDL today , and scored on 8 of them .... here are some clean " walk up pic's " .... the rest were too messy for pictures .... ( 55 grains of Federal Soft Point plays some wicked chin music , inside of 200 yards ) ...

Shots ranged from 40 yards to 175 yards ...

This guy was distracted by the dogs and popped up in front of me ..



Sally and Spike do the " walk up " on another ...



A real long shot .... couldn't find him at the hole .. but Spike caught his scent in the clover ...



Another long shot .... felt good at the trigger pull ... found him slumped down the hole ...