Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Southern Idaho...whistle pigs vs Rockchucks

Recently took a weekend to the Boise area. Coming from the dense Inland Empire it was nice to get back to some open country. I like to be able to see. Kinda got into a pissing match w a gal. Whistle Pigs vs Rock Chuck. We saw a mounted yellow bellied Marmot. To me this is a Rock Chuck by local dialect but actually a Marmot. I assumed it was called a Whistle Pig to the locals. Not the case. Can anyone tell me what the Idahoans are calling whistle pigs?


And for that matter, Boise was way more populated than I expected. With Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle, etc....can one drive 1 hour in any direction and get into some shooting of some kind??? A predator board made it sound like there were plenty of opportunities in Boise and Gem county for rabbits. Whistle Pigs and badgers. Maybe not so much on Rock Chucks?

I don't know what a whistle pig is, but I do know what a rock chuck is...which is sometimes mistakenly called a Marmot as I understand it.

Yellowed belly marmot

The marmots and woodchucks do on occasion whistle.. Hence the name.. The yellowed belley marmot and hoary marmot are western animals.. The woodchuck an eastern cousin.. I am sure they all have local names.. In my part of the west, marmots are called whistle pigs by some.. They are also called rockchucks.. That is their most common name here..

In the Boise area to the natives whistlepigs is the local name for the small variety of desert ground squirrels, they are also locally called gophers and/or picket pins.
Rockchucks are called - SURPRISE! - rockchucks.

drover

Never heard 'em called whistle pigs locally. Always rock chucks or occasionally, sage rats...

And even in the few replies there are vast discrepancies. I grew up on the east coast. And have shot woodchucks, also called ground hogs. And rock chucks out West are actually, and correctly Marmots. Both are from the Genus Marmota....not gonna argue the rock Chuck vs marmot local dialect. But I still don't think a whistle pig and rock Chuck are the same critters to the southern Idaho people.

Safe Rats, Picket Pins, Grey Diggers are all ground squirrels I believe. Max weight of approx 1 pound. Rock Chucks/yellow bellied marmots are pretty big from 5-20 pounds.


So what are the elusive Whistle Pigs???

Yes, the marmots, regardless of east coast vs west coast all scream or whistle....hence my argument with the gal.

Whistle pigs are referred to as groundhogs back in PA.

Having lived all over Idaho I have always heard Rock chuck, marmot and whistle pig used interchangeably in reference to the Yellow-bellied Marmot.

Rock chucks are Marmots and "whistle pigs" are ground squirrels. I also call them squeaks.

I live is SW Idaho, and this is correct.

I have never heard "whistlepigs" on the east side of the state....maybe it's due to all the transplants on the west side?

^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^

Whistle pigs are a desert variety of ground squirrel. Rock Chucks are 10 times bigger and much different looking.

But they are all fun to shoot......

I've shot some furry fatties in the dark that kinda whistled and grunted now and then.......
but I'm usually trespassing, so I'm gone long before daylight.
These days I'm normally packin' a single shot.



P.S. It's a big bore.

Em brought this cool old "animal" book home from the thrift shop last night, she thought the kids would like it..... she was right, I do. Was flipping through it, and ran across this....

From "Natures Ways: How Nature takes Care of its Own"; 7th Printing, 1969.....

I lived in Boise in the 80's and rock chucks were known as "whistle pigs". Left for a few years, moved back to south west Idaho in 2004 and everybody was calling ground squirrels "whistle pigs". Looked at me like I was some kind of weirdo when I called a rock chuck a "whistle pig".

Yes, for some reason people in the Treasure Valley seem to call ground squirrels whistle pigs, but telling them otherwise will surely get you into an argument.

When I become president all of the cutsey names like Whistle Pig, Sage Rat, Yote, Song Dog, Yodel Dog, Speed Goat (especially Speed Goat) will all be banned......no exceptions.....

But Field Grade, those nicknames are all so cool, especially when you turn your ball cap backwards and say them while holding your hand up to the sun so it doesn't hurt your eyes! Lol. You crabby old fart!

Happy Friday Charlie!