Are Woodchucks destructive animals?

[Doggiedog]

I just bought a house and saw a woodchuck in my backyard. I was wondering if these critters like to rip up flower beds and lawns.

 

[Dingleberries]

Woodchucks are always trying to ruin people's credit reports.

 

[MrBond]

Yes, they are destructive.

They dig huge holes for their dens, big enough to get a tractor tire stuck in (and break an axel). They'll build their dens in the side of a drainage ditch, causing it to erode faster. My dad farms as a hobby, they'll dig their dens in his soybean fields, then proceed to eat the soybean plants as they're growing.

We get rid of them two ways. If we can find both ends of their den (they dig an entry and an exit hole), we'll go out around dusk when they're in their dens and cover one hole. We then light a special smoke bomb (sold for this purpose), toss it in, and cover the other end.

Alternativly, if we're feeling bored, we'll take a lawnchair up to the field and sit with a rifle and a spotting scope. If you do it just right, as they're poking their heads out of the hole, you shoot them and they fall right back in, saving you the trouble of picking them up.

They are classified as a pest here and there's no season for them.

 

[Bootprint]

I don't know, but if you find the hole where they live, you could do this.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: MrBond
Yes, they are destructive.

They dig huge holes for their dens, big enough to get a tractor tire stuck in (and break an axel). They'll build their dens in the side of a drainage ditch, causing it to erode faster. My dad farms as a hobby, they'll dig their dens in his soybean fields, then proceed to eat the soybean plants as they're growing.

We get rid of them two ways. If we can find both ends of their den (they dig an entry and an exit hole), we'll go out around dusk when they're in their dens and cover one hole. We then light a special smoke bomb (sold for this purpose), toss it in, and cover the other end.

Alternativly, if we're feeling bored, we'll take a lawnchair up to the field and sit with a rifle and a spotting scope. If you do it just right, as they're poking their heads out of the hole, you shoot them and they fall right back in, saving you the trouble of picking them up.

They are classified as a pest here and there's no season for them.

Boy, am I glad more people don't think like you.

Our world would be a sad place indeed if we got rid of everything that wasn't cute and cuddly.

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: Eli

Boy, am I glad more people don't think like you.

Our world would be a sad place indeed if we got rid of everything that wasn't cute and cuddly.

They are kind of cute. They're basicly a type of prairie dog, I know people who keep those as pets. However, regardless of how cute, they're destructive and dangerous (you drop a tractor wheel into one of their holes, you very easily could get thrown from the tractor and have it end up on top of you). I'd rather shoot 100 woodchucks every year and smoke bomb an equal number than have my father end up in a coma or dead because he didn't notice one of their dens as it was getting dark out.

 

[Cycad]

They make good friends with beagles, ask Snoopy.


Oh wait that's a woodstock.

 

[Bootprint]

Originally posted by: Cycad
They make good friends with beagles, ask Snoopy.


Oh wait that's a woodstock.

Woodstock? Isn't that the place where if you remembered it, you probably weren't their.

 

[tweakmm]

It depends on how much wood a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood.

 

[Sukhoi]

My dad killed seven in our backyard last summer. None yet this year, though I just saw one today.

My friend hunts them with a Mauser.

 

[Colt45]

woodchucks are big SOB's. you sure you don't mean a gopher?

full-grown woodchucks are about 6lbs, IIRC..

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: MrBond
Yes, they are destructive.

They dig huge holes for their dens, big enough to get a tractor tire stuck in (and break an axel). They'll build their dens in the side of a drainage ditch, causing it to erode faster. My dad farms as a hobby, they'll dig their dens in his soybean fields, then proceed to eat the soybean plants as they're growing.

We get rid of them two ways. If we can find both ends of their den (they dig an entry and an exit hole), we'll go out around dusk when they're in their dens and cover one hole. We then light a special smoke bomb (sold for this purpose), toss it in, and cover the other end.

Alternativly, if we're feeling bored, we'll take a lawnchair up to the field and sit with a rifle and a spotting scope. If you do it just right, as they're poking their heads out of the hole, you shoot them and they fall right back in, saving you the trouble of picking them up.

They are classified as a pest here and there's no season for them.

Boy, am I glad more people don't think like you.

Our world would be a sad place indeed if we got rid of everything that wasn't cute and cuddly.

Are you that one person who catches the mice and rats in the house and lets them go back outside? You open the windows and shoo the fly back outside rather than smacking it with a flyswatter? Woodchucks are cute in many areas... and, in many areas, there's no reason to harm them. But, if they're in a farming area, they present a large danger. Know what happens if someone's riding a horse and his leg goes into a woodchuck hole? Broken leg. Bang. Shoot the horse. Now, which would you rather shoot, the horse, or the woodchuck? (plus, they're soooo cute when rigor mortis sets in... they stick their feet straight up in the air!)

 

[Doggiedog]

I was definitely a woodchuck, not a gopher. I see them on golf courses all the time. This was a little one though. It was eating some grass in my lawn but took off after I saw it.

 

[Maverick]

how could they be destructive? According to the song they don't even chuck wood.

 

[datalink7]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: MrBond
Yes, they are destructive.

They dig huge holes for their dens, big enough to get a tractor tire stuck in (and break an axel). They'll build their dens in the side of a drainage ditch, causing it to erode faster. My dad farms as a hobby, they'll dig their dens in his soybean fields, then proceed to eat the soybean plants as they're growing.

We get rid of them two ways. If we can find both ends of their den (they dig an entry and an exit hole), we'll go out around dusk when they're in their dens and cover one hole. We then light a special smoke bomb (sold for this purpose), toss it in, and cover the other end.

Alternativly, if we're feeling bored, we'll take a lawnchair up to the field and sit with a rifle and a spotting scope. If you do it just right, as they're poking their heads out of the hole, you shoot them and they fall right back in, saving you the trouble of picking them up.

They are classified as a pest here and there's no season for them.

Boy, am I glad more people don't think like you.

Our world would be a sad place indeed if we got rid of everything that wasn't cute and cuddly.

Are you that one person who catches the mice and rats in the house and lets them go back outside? You open the windows and shoo the fly back outside rather than smacking it with a flyswatter? Woodchucks are cute in many areas... and, in many areas, there's no reason to harm them. But, if they're in a farming area, they present a large danger. Know what happens if someone's riding a horse and his leg goes into a woodchuck hole? Broken leg. Bang. Shoot the horse. Now, which would you rather shoot, the horse, or the woodchuck? (plus, they're soooo cute when rigor mortis sets in... they stick their feet straight up in the air!)

Good pont. In the wild, they do serve a purpose (many animals survive the winter by using their homes). Plus they are a good source of food for bears and such (I've even heard they are a good meal for humans).

But on a farm they are a danger.

 

Boy, am I glad more people don't think like you. Our world would be a sad place indeed if we got rid of everything that wasn't cute and cuddly.

Join PETA.
Another pointless "leftwing" st@b at the obvious downward spiral we call life.

 

[DrPizza]

Funniest thing I ever saw... I was out hunting and right at dusk, a woodchuck came at me, with his head stuck in a can. I couldn't figure out what it was as it weaved its way toward me. Badger, I thought? There aren't badgers around here?? Then I figured out what it was... tried to knock the can off its head. Stupid thing ran into a tree. (clunk). Shotgun in hand, I managed to set the poor little guy free.
But, if I run into him on a farm where I'm allowed to hunt.... different ending for him.

 

[Nyical]

Were I live ground squirrls are a big problem, I have shot over 20 of those damn things but it seems like for every 1 I shoot 3 takes it place!

 

[Erasmomma]

Join PETA.
Another pointless "leftwing" st@b at the obvious downward spiral we call life.

I know this is a really old post... But why is it that SOMEONE always has to throw political jabs into the mix?? This has absolutely nothing to do with politics... Sigh... The closed minded stupidity that flows out of the political mouths is probably way more destructive to our world than shooting or not shooting and pesky woodchuck! C'mon people... Get it together!

 

[feralkid]

Woodstock? Isn't that the place where if you remembered it, you probably weren't their.

I don't remember...does that mean I was there?

 

[Charmonium]

Ground hogs can be very aggressive. I had a tent in my backyard for a while and the groundhogs tore it to shreds. But on the plus side, they tend to only burrow in areas where there is no foliage. At least that's true for the ones in my yard. Although if every area had grass or plants, I imagine they would still dig their burrows.

 

[gorcorps]

I know this is a really old post... But why is it that SOMEONE always has to throw political jabs into the mix?? This has absolutely nothing to do with politics... Sigh... The closed minded stupidity that flows out of the political mouths is probably way more destructive to our world than shooting or not shooting and pesky woodchuck! C'mon people... Get it together!

Did you seriously necro this crap to make a preachy post about a preachy post?

Vote for immediate ban

 

[Ruptga]

Did you seriously necro this crap to make a preachy post about a preachy post?

Vote for immediate ban

 

[clamum]

Did you seriously necro this crap to make a preachy post about a preachy post?

Vote for immediate ban

And not just necro'd it, but signed up for an account to post that. Political jabs must really trigger that gentleman.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

I'll give him credit for acknowledging the necro.