I saw my first groundhog this century on my farm!

[Adam Helmer]

I bought my northcentral PA farm in 1988 and it had lots of chucks, back then. I retired in 1996 and saw chucks here and there. About the year 2000, the chucks grew scarce and the coyotes increased in number. Many folks say the coyotes have killed off the chucks.

Last Sunday, as I worked in the garden, I saw a chuck cross the road near the mailbox. He/she has sanctuary here and I asked a farmer in the county west of here to live trap me some chucks for release on this old farm. It just is not the same without prolific woodchucks hereabouts.

Adam

[Swift]

Kinda funny you want chucks and the farmers down my way don't.

Works for me! I have permission to hunt many farms for the whistlepigs!

[Adam Helmer]

Swift,

I had two custom rifles built on nice Mauser actions; one is .243 and the other .264WM. It took a year to get the rifles back from the gunsmith, both shoot well and NO chucks are hereabouts! I will release any chucks the guy in Potter County catches so they can give me sport.

Adam

[Mike Moss]

Woodchuck hunting was the greatest rifle sport for us. I live in CT and also have a place in VT.

Back in the late 50's we used to drive to the NY border and hunt the farms there. I could get maybe an average of nine chucks a trip. It was fabulous hunting on the dairy farms there.

The only predators where the fox and maybe a rare mountain lion. There were no coyotes.

Now the coyote seems to have ruined my hunting. While I don't want the chuck 'protected' I would not shoot one right now as they are so scarce.

The old 'chuck country' with no woodchucks.

[Adam Helmer]

Mike Moss,

I, also, regret the lack of chucks. I have contracted to have farmers live trap me all then can get so I can release them here on the farm. I NEVER thought I would ever see a Summer WITHOUT Chucks!

Adam