The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => General Board => Topic started by: Dave Shepard on July 30, 2014, 06:52:33 PM

Title: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: Dave Shepard on July 30, 2014, 06:52:33 PM
I jumped into the skidder last night to fire it up and a big fat 'chuck jumped from behind the seat. I don't know what he was doing up there, or who was more surprised.  :D I was sitting on the mill this evening contemplating a minor expansion when he poked his head out from under a lumber pile and peered around. I kept still and he came out to graze. He had a little routine going. Nibble, chew, chew, stand up look around,  nibble, chew... :D I haven't found his hole, but as long as it isn't under the mill, the barn, or a lumber stack, I'll leave him alone.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: yukon cornelius on July 30, 2014, 06:55:34 PM
that's hilarious! :D
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: ET on July 30, 2014, 07:04:50 PM
I agree, what a scare that would be. Ive already had 2 chucks sniffing around my new barn. Sorry to say but the buzzards are happy!  Ive twice climbed a tree-stand and was face to face with coons in the dark, also pretty scary.   
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: curdog on July 30, 2014, 07:30:08 PM
I was looking out the window at my barn the other day and saw a groundhog sitting outside of it. I went to get my rifle and noticed a cat stalking up on the groundhog, so I stopped and watched. That little ol cat got more than it bargained for when it went to pounce. That cat took off limping. Hadn't seen the cat around anymore and finally caught the barn burrower in the open a few days later.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: beenthere on July 30, 2014, 08:31:56 PM
Had a woodchuck show up in the wife's flower garden this morning. Went out with the .410 double, and thought I'd see it running for the woods. Nope.. nothing. I stood for awhile and was puzzled how that chuck could have snuck on outta there. 
I looked up and he was right above me about 12' up in a maple. Kerplunk..
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: Chuck White on July 30, 2014, 09:27:02 PM
Quote from: beenthere on July 30, 2014, 08:31:56 PM
Had a woodchuck show up in the wife's flower garden this morning. Went out with the .410 double, and thought I'd see it running for the woods. Nope.. nothing. I stood for awhile and was puzzled how that chuck could have snuck on outta there. 
I looked up and he was right above me about 12' up in a maple. Kerplunk..


True, lots of people don't realize that woodchucks CAN climb trees.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: Southside on July 30, 2014, 10:37:23 PM
He was probably trying to find out just how much wood he could chuck, but since you turned up suddenly he could not chuck wood!!!  :D  Maybe its the year or something but about a month ago I saw a young one crawl into the rear drive sprocket on my tracked processor as I was driving up to it.  I checked the oil, fueled it up, banged the door, etc to scare it off, even lifted that track off the ground with the head and bounced it a bit then gently rolled it just a tiny bit, never saw him run off so I figured he was gone and all was safe, the machine had a nasty stink to it a day or so later... guess he decided to stay after all.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: uplander on July 31, 2014, 08:26:23 AM
 I hate those darn things. Last one I had took up residence underneath my stickered lumber pile in my barn.
I waited for it to come out one afternoon with my 12 gauge keeping my eyes on the spot where it liked to graze. took my eyes off the spot for only a moment and when I looked back up, there it was.

Raised the shotgun up ever so slowly and nailed it with a 3" turkey load. Gosh they have a lot of parasites on them.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: sandhills on July 31, 2014, 10:19:22 AM
Dad went out one morning just before daylight to feed cattle, climbed into the tractor and sat down on a raccoon, not sure who was more startled  :D.  The coon must have been some ones pet at one time, he hung around for a while and would stand on the cellar door to watch us through the window at night.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: WmFritz on July 31, 2014, 11:59:54 PM
Quote from: Chuck White on July 30, 2014, 09:27:02 PM
True, lots of people don't realize that woodchucks CAN climb trees.

I fall into that catagory , Chuck.
I thought all they could do was dig,

Wouldn't of even thought about looking up.   :D
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: luvmexfood on August 02, 2014, 02:21:06 PM
Had one eating my garden early summer about 5 years ago. Maybe 30 ft from the back of the house. I was home on day and saw him. Got the 22 and easied the back sliding door open. Dirt all around him. Popped him 3 times with 22 and went to put the gun up. Came back to door to get it and darned if it didn't get up and slowly walk off into a couple acres thicket. Know I hit it all three times.

Smelled him a couple of days later so he was toast. Course the 22 shells were old cheap one's. Still had the price tag on the box that said 79 cents if that tells you anything.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: beenthere on August 02, 2014, 02:34:43 PM
QuoteCourse the 22 shells were old cheap one's. Still had the price tag on the box that said 79 cents if that tells you anything.

:D :D ;D

Nope, don't tell me anything 'cept you didn't get some good hits. $10 a box today wouldn't change that a bit.
;)
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: ET on August 02, 2014, 07:03:43 PM
Ive always used "Stingers" by CCI. They shoot close to 2000ft per sec. Definitely puts them to sleep.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: luvmexfood on August 02, 2014, 08:58:50 PM
Quote from: ET on August 02, 2014, 07:03:43 PM
Ive always used "Stingers" by CCI. They shoot close to 2000ft per sec. Definitely puts them to sleep.

Yep. They are good ammo. Hollow points instead of just cheap solid lead.

Have a 22/250 I used to do a lot of groundhogging with. Heavy barrel, 6-18 power scope and bipod, 53 grain hollow point bullets. Awesome.

Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: rooster 58 on August 03, 2014, 05:54:45 PM
Yup. I like to feed 'em "fast food" ;)
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: drobertson on August 04, 2014, 10:11:42 AM
I'm finally over my fear of squirrels, years ago while climbing a tree during deer season I got to the fork where I planned to rest the stand, and yep, big ole fat red, with walnut stained face, looked like a German Shepard squirrel!  dove over my arm across my neck, down my back and gone, this will rattle ya  20' in the air,
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: beenthere on August 04, 2014, 11:01:55 AM
Quoteand yep, big ole fat red, with walnut stained face, looked like a German Shepard squirrel!

Gotta ask... was it a red squirrel or a fox squirrel? 

Reds are not very big (smaller than a gray), and fox are big
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: sandhills on August 04, 2014, 03:15:24 PM
drobertson, I was driving our old '73 Freightliner down what everyone calls the ridge road, first load of grain I'd hauled in a while, really rough road and a mouse fell out of the headliner, landed on my leg than ran up my arm  :D.  Almost piled up a 900 bushel load of grain over that one  :D
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: drobertson on August 04, 2014, 07:41:14 PM
I reckon it must have been a fox? big, fat with an attitude, it has happened twice near the same area, might be the same one, don't know, but very lively for sure!  have another story I will save, but save to say, I had to pull an arrow from the quiver to protect myself, no kidding,  within 6' for sure coming down the tree!  Camo'd out so maybe he (she) did not know? either case a very aggressive squirrel .
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: ET on August 05, 2014, 09:07:28 AM
I have to also add that many years back, while up a tree in the wee hours before sunup, so dark you could not see your hand in front of your face, then all of a sudden, something grabbed my left hand at the wrist, then just as quick, my face got slapped with soft feathers!  Talk about shock, I hurried and grabbed my flashlight to look at my wrist because it was hurting, since it was really cold out I had gloves on, I peeled the glove off to reveal 4 nice small red marks where the talons of an owl, (I believe) sunk into my wrist as he must have thought my movement of my wrist must have been a mouse.  Once in a lifetime experience I hope.  I never heard it coming and it was dead quiet out.  I think I've heard that Owls are very silent when flying.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: drobertson on August 05, 2014, 07:13:52 PM
Mercy sakes! I'm pretty sure I would not want to meet an owl, hunting stories get real crazy for sure, but would not trade it for anything, 
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: luvmexfood on August 05, 2014, 07:46:09 PM
Back when I was a teenager a buddy and me were walking into a new area to bowhunt. Didn't do any preseason scouting. Just decided to load up and go before daylight.

Something screeched in a tree above us as we were walking in. Sounded as loud as a siren going off. Neither of us said anything but the race was on to get back to the truck. Drove about 2 miles away and parked and then waited to day light to venture in.
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: Al_Smith on August 05, 2014, 08:02:04 PM
I've got a nice fat chuck that waddles around in the back yard .The pot licker ate all the leaves off my cucumbers last year .This year he got a little surprise,electric fence 2" high around the raised bed .

Got a big fat coon too .I just left some melon rinds out for him .I think he might have been orphaned  because two years ago when he was just a wee kit I started leaving scraps out .I'd guess 10-12 pounds by now .
Title: Re: Almost sat on a woodchuck.
Post by: drobertson on August 06, 2014, 09:33:52 PM
I reckon the wood chucks are the same as ground hogs we have around here?  they are cute lil critters for sure, but at times very destructive to gardens,  we had one a few years back, after moving uncle Jesse's stock trailer I have not seen it.  It made a good burrow under the axles, but left the scene  pretty quickly after the move.