In Idaho and eastern Oregon, whistle pigs are a small ground squirrel. I think rock chucks used to be called whistle pigs back in the day, but for whatever reason the phrase now refers to a particular type of ground squirrel.
As far as badgers, I have never heard of anyone actually hunting them. I've seen folks try to trap a particular problem badger, but generally they're targets of opportunity.
This is the correct answer for southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, they used also used to be referred to as picketpins and gophers in southern Idaho, not so much any more, I now hear many folks who refer to them as ground squirrels which technically is correct. It seems to me that the ones in the desert southwest of Idaho are smaller than the average sized ground squirrel also.
If you know what a picketpin is then it is easy to see how they acquired that name. I have used all three names for them but now I mostly refer to them as gophers which confuses folks who are not familiar with them being called that, but I have called them either picketpins or gophers for so many years that I am not going to change now.
Funny thing is that I have never heard anyone who was raised in southern Idaho call them whistlepigs, that seems to be an imported term with the influx of non-natives to the area.
drover
