Groundhogs
- Thread starter Buck_Up
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Chuckbuster
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Simcoe County is bone dry in comparison.
Used to get a lot of them at my dads horse farm. Over the last 10 years or so they are few and far between. I used to see 4+ sunning themselves on summer afternoons, shoot one, and have the rest sand and look around. Or whistle and see a few more pop up to shoot at 2 or 3 times in a row. The size of huge cats or small dogs as the farm hadn't been run for a few decades.
Now it's like above, embankments, HWY ramps, expressways, etc. I see more in my moms back yard, apparently the NON water side of the house is always the "back yard", than I see at my dads farm most days. And no, I can't shoot them safely with neighbors on all sides.
I have shot hundreds of them, but none for over 25 years. On one stand, on my uncle's horse farm in Richmond, south of Ottawa, I shot 22 hogs with an old Mossberg 151K, from one location in a mid-field rock pile... that was a fun afternoon...
But as I said above, I don't think I would shoot them anymore, unless they were causing specific damage... just don't see many anymore, and I miss seeing them when driving country roads.
But as I said above, I don't think I would shoot them anymore, unless they were causing specific damage... just don't see many anymore, and I miss seeing them when driving country roads.
A farmer told me that a lot of farmers used some pesticide back 20+ years ago that killed a bunch off and coyotes definitely take their fair share now. The only ones left around here are in town or around ditches near the road.
I remember the joys of groundhog hunting back in the day, but, like hoyt, I just wouldn't enjoy chasing them today. Simply not enough around compared to the old days. I always assumed that the burgeoning coyote population was the cause of their decline.
One of the last good populations I remember seeing lived in the wide section of mowed grass that separated the northbound and southbound lanes of the 404 in the north end of Toronto. I would frequently see 4 or 5 simultaneously in this very limited little "ecosystem".
I wonder if the lower population density we see today is actually closer to their ancestral numbers in Ontario, before agriculture cleared 90% of the southern half of the province. I suspect that this change in the landscape may have created artificially enhanced habitat for them, which resulted in artificially high numbers. No data to back this up, just speculating.
Whatever, I miss seeing them in my new haunts in Manitoba. I did have to shoot one last summer that had seriously undermined an outbuilding on my property, but I felt badly about it; would have loved to shoo it out to find another suitable site but had no success.
One of the last good populations I remember seeing lived in the wide section of mowed grass that separated the northbound and southbound lanes of the 404 in the north end of Toronto. I would frequently see 4 or 5 simultaneously in this very limited little "ecosystem".
I wonder if the lower population density we see today is actually closer to their ancestral numbers in Ontario, before agriculture cleared 90% of the southern half of the province. I suspect that this change in the landscape may have created artificially enhanced habitat for them, which resulted in artificially high numbers. No data to back this up, just speculating.
Whatever, I miss seeing them in my new haunts in Manitoba. I did have to shoot one last summer that had seriously undermined an outbuilding on my property, but I felt badly about it; would have loved to shoo it out to find another suitable site but had no success.
Yeah.... that's an interesting perspective..... how many species have we we witnessed and enjoyed a bounty of that may have been an artificial 'boom' and we are pining for 'good old days'.. when it was just a temporary population spike. I hadn't considered that before.
Got to admit.... a pile of any species... ground hogs, pheasants, deer etc isn't natural or sustainable.
Got to admit.... a pile of any species... ground hogs, pheasants, deer etc isn't natural or sustainable.
I hunt groundhogs more than anything else to be honest, just a great way to spend a day in the spring/summer. In fact, I've shot so many over the last 8 years or so that most of my own inspiration to go now has to do with giving friends/family the opportunity. I've even threatened to not even bring a rifle of my own..just binoculars! 
That said..and to put it into perspective...we're lucky to shoot 2-3 a day if this past summer is any indication. There were even a few 1 or 2 groundhog days. Best day ever (about 6 years ago) was 16 in one day between my nephew and I, and we even left some for next time.
Thinking of Hoyt's comments about not hunting them~I sort of got into AFTER their population started to decline...so my perspective was never an "I have to conserve"...it was more "this is the reality". It's only in threads like these, and in talking to old timers that I realized how big a problem they once were. They are a pain in the a** on working farms, make no mistake...so I have zero hesitation letting the air out of them. One farmer friend I know was cutting hay a couple of years ago on the side of a hill on his property, and one of the back wheels on his tractor hit a mound of rocks left by a groundhog. Nearly rolled the tractor. I actually got a call from him, some friendly ribbing that I wasn't visiting his farm nearly enough. lol
As for my opinions on their population decline~again, my perspective is what it is...but the reduced numbers I see TODAY on farms compared to when I even started would have to point towards crop rotation. I mean, their preferred type of ground consists of sand/rocks mostly, key ingredients for water drainage. If you don't have those, you probably don't have groundhogs either. Considering I've seen one farm have these ideal conditions when surrounding farms don't...I can see how it's easy to have the impression that "they're gone". Given the choice, groundhogs prefer hay fields from what I've seen, second in line would be soybeans. Grains~if planted after hay, they may still stick around...but be found on field edges mostly. It seems to be the presence of corn that ends the party. Fast. I've met plenty of dogs out where I hunt that also take exception to groundhogs and make killing them a priority. I've heard that from the farmers, and I've seen the evidence. lol Most farmers have at least a 22 that they'll take a run at them with too. I've fixed/cleaned-up/zeroed scopes on some of these old beaters.
Anyhow, unlike gophers out west (maybe my favorite thing to do, ever)...you could take 10 rounds with you groundhog hunting and likely never go through them. If we hunt long/hard, 5-6 groundhog days are very possible, and those are ones I shoot. It's rare that I don't see 2-3 others that I could easily take, but something about their location doesn't allow for a 100% safe shot. Crest of hills, farm house in the distance/same direction, people plowing a field over where the shot might startle them....that sort of thing. Common sense stuff.
It's allot of fun, but every year it seems...there is less hay=less groundhogs. Aging farmers are often keeping their land to live on, but letting other cash croppers (right term?) come in and farm their land. It's rare that the hay stays. The impression I get is that they're often only growing enough for their own needs, not to sell.
That said..and to put it into perspective...we're lucky to shoot 2-3 a day if this past summer is any indication. There were even a few 1 or 2 groundhog days. Best day ever (about 6 years ago) was 16 in one day between my nephew and I, and we even left some for next time.
Thinking of Hoyt's comments about not hunting them~I sort of got into AFTER their population started to decline...so my perspective was never an "I have to conserve"...it was more "this is the reality". It's only in threads like these, and in talking to old timers that I realized how big a problem they once were. They are a pain in the a** on working farms, make no mistake...so I have zero hesitation letting the air out of them. One farmer friend I know was cutting hay a couple of years ago on the side of a hill on his property, and one of the back wheels on his tractor hit a mound of rocks left by a groundhog. Nearly rolled the tractor. I actually got a call from him, some friendly ribbing that I wasn't visiting his farm nearly enough. lol
As for my opinions on their population decline~again, my perspective is what it is...but the reduced numbers I see TODAY on farms compared to when I even started would have to point towards crop rotation. I mean, their preferred type of ground consists of sand/rocks mostly, key ingredients for water drainage. If you don't have those, you probably don't have groundhogs either. Considering I've seen one farm have these ideal conditions when surrounding farms don't...I can see how it's easy to have the impression that "they're gone". Given the choice, groundhogs prefer hay fields from what I've seen, second in line would be soybeans. Grains~if planted after hay, they may still stick around...but be found on field edges mostly. It seems to be the presence of corn that ends the party. Fast. I've met plenty of dogs out where I hunt that also take exception to groundhogs and make killing them a priority. I've heard that from the farmers, and I've seen the evidence. lol Most farmers have at least a 22 that they'll take a run at them with too. I've fixed/cleaned-up/zeroed scopes on some of these old beaters.
Anyhow, unlike gophers out west (maybe my favorite thing to do, ever)...you could take 10 rounds with you groundhog hunting and likely never go through them. If we hunt long/hard, 5-6 groundhog days are very possible, and those are ones I shoot. It's rare that I don't see 2-3 others that I could easily take, but something about their location doesn't allow for a 100% safe shot. Crest of hills, farm house in the distance/same direction, people plowing a field over where the shot might startle them....that sort of thing. Common sense stuff.
It's allot of fun, but every year it seems...there is less hay=less groundhogs. Aging farmers are often keeping their land to live on, but letting other cash croppers (right term?) come in and farm their land. It's rare that the hay stays. The impression I get is that they're often only growing enough for their own needs, not to sell.
Reading this thread is making me ill. As others here, I enjoyed hunting groundhogs (woodchucks to you 'Mercuns) for a couple decades before moving to a hog-free zone in the Great White North. You haven't lived until you've dispatched one with a .22 long rifle at 175 yards! Listening to what has happened to one of the greatest ever sports - whacking groundhogs - is devastating news. Every year, I couldn't wait for the snow to melt, just to git at 'em!
Vermin. Used to go to cattle farm north of here and shoot 70 in a day. Rem 700 22-250 Redfield 6-18, my spotter ( landowner), and just move from field to field, set up in a corner and clear the field.
Seen one on this farm since I bought it, saw one in a railway allowance, didn't shoot it but never saw it again so coyotes likely.
Seen one on this farm since I bought it, saw one in a railway allowance, didn't shoot it but never saw it again so coyotes likely.
We definitely came through the glory years of ground hog hunting, and it is disheartening to see the demise. I am sure over hunting was not the cause. I remember the fields littered with dirt mounds, and shooting a doz. in a evening was normal and you would not get a shot at, or hit everyone you saw. I mostly used a 22 mag. and when on chosen ground the 30-06 with 110gr. Serria copper jacketed hollow points. If a hog was half out of the hole and you hit him in the chest with the 06 it would pick up out of the hole as he split in three pieces. Gross over kill. Those days are gone. Glad to have had the privilege of the experience. I have a few on the property here in the north and let them be just to have them around, I figure I owe the spices that much.
Between the groundhogs undermining my outbuildings and beavers in the creek flooding my fields I have been waging war against these critters for years now. No shortage in my parts. Every spring and summer I literally feel like a frustrated Elmer Fudd. That been said I would probably miss them if they disappeared. Nothing like sitting on the deck on a late summer's day enjoying a whiskey, cigar and keeping your favorite rifle handy waiting for one of the little buggers to pop up their heads. Good clean fun
