Groundhogs & the Wind

[dovehunter]

I have just about concluded that trying to hunt groundhogs on a windy day is a waste of time. Yesterday, though pleasant with mild temperatures, was very windy. Results: we didn't even see one. So far this season when it was either no wind or just a little breeze, we saw them. When it was windy we just sat out there and worked on our tans. I've never really understood that as I have always understood that groundhogs rely on their eyes more so than their noses. Maybe it is that, when it is windy, the grass and bushes wave so that can't see potential threats as well. What do you think?

[Purebred Redneck]

I'm not sure a groundhog can smell all that good. It has never appeared to me that raccoons, opossum, squirrel, etc use their nose as a defense mechanism.

But yes, I don't think they can see very well in the wind with all the grass blowing.

[Jack]

I think woodchucks rely on eyesight first. They hear pretty well, too.
Maybe everything moving in the wind does bother them. I know a high wind can spook deer for that reason.
Look for fields on the lee side of a woodlot or low areas sheltered from the wind.
Another factor is, most woodchucks live away from water- they get their water from the foods they eat and dew. In times of drought, you will rarely see a woodchuck out unless it happens to live near a creek, where it can get water from the creek.

[dovehunter]

Our favorite field (at the lower end) is no more than 100 yds. from the James River. The field is bordered by a fair size creek, into which flow two fair size ditches (that usually have water in them). Most of the groundhogs we have shot have been either near or on the banks of either the creek or one of the two ditches. Rarely do we see them out in the middle of the field. There are no holes out in the field either. I shot one last year that was soaking wet from having been in one of the ditches. Most of their holes are on the banks of the either the creek or one of the two ditches. I have often wondered, particularly when the river gets up (which backs into the creek and the ditches), if many of them actually get drowned in their holes. I agree with you (Jack) that they get most of their liquids from the foods they eat, but these around here don't seem to mind the water all that much. On this whole farm, most of the groundhogs seem to stay on or around the low ground near the river. Our biggest problem is getting the cattle that stay in this field to cooperate and not gather where need to shoot. Obviously the groundhogs won't come out in the middle of a herd of 20 or so cattle. Also, obviously, we need to consider the backdrop into which we shoot.

[Jack]

Dovehunter, I used to hunt a field that was on a sidehill. I'd set up a table facing so that the top of the hill was on my left and the length of the field was to my front - there was high ground at the end of the field to act as a good backstop. At the right rear corner of that field was a small stream.
The longest shot I could get on that field was about 650 yards. That field was littered with woodchuck holes.
During times with adequate rain, it wasn't unusual for me to get 10 or more woodchucks in an evening.
During a drought, I'd be lucky to get 1, and he'd always be one of the ones along that creek.

[Jack]

BTW, that field was situated so that it was in the lee of the prevailing wind. Most times you'd see woodchucks out even in on a windy day.

[jmarriott]

Wind does effect them some.

I like the breeding phase when the big males go hole to hole looking for mates. Wind rain snow shooters dogs and hawks be darned they are getting out to find a female. Easy hunting just most people do not hunt late February thru March.

Back in the day we would just drive and watch the fields. Find one pull out the gun and shoot it. I don't think that would be as easy to do today as it was when I was a kid. Every farmer and woodchuck hunter I knew did this. At least I got out of the car before shooting. Many did not.

They just cut hay for a third time across the street yesterday. Might be a good time to walk over to the fence and sit for a while.

[Jack]

I road hunted as a kid, too. My Dad and I would cruise the back roads after dinner, using 22 rf's. Killed a lot of woodchucks that way, back in the day when fields weren't posted and there weren't houses everywhere. Of course, gas was about .20$ a gallon back then, too.
We didn't usually hunt in the early spring when the boars were roaming - and they'd roam a long way from a hole. We figured we didn't want to kill the seed crop.
BTW, we were gentlemen we always got out of the car and off the road to shoot.
As the years passed and land got posted, houses got built, you couldn't find places to hunt right close by - no more evening back road hunts.
Then we had to go farther to find fields to hunt, and we began using center fires. More noise with the CF's, so you needed bigger areas.

[dovehunter]

I too have tried riding the back roads for them, but have never had a lot of luck doing so. Either you couldn't see them at all or, if you did, they usually spooked when I got out of the truck. The window sill or the hood of the truck usually made a fairly good rest. I've just always seemed to do better by finding a good (meaning shady) place and sitting and waiting.