Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Groundhogs

Iam from West Virginia ,we love to eat groundhog their .As a kid my dog hated groundhogs ,we would walk the pasture fence line , woods on other side. If he jumped a groundhog ,he would chase it away from its holes ,and into the woods where it would climb a tree ,i would then head shoot it with a .22 rifle.once it fell down ,dog would grab it and we would have to have a tug of war ,before i got it lol.Mom would boil them then bake them with kechup and Ramps sprinkled on top

Man oh man, I already had lunch and you're making me hungry!
Maybe our West Virginia groundhogs just taste better than the other states because they eat the best greens.... I don't know. One thing I noticed is that out of 50 states represented, only ones bragging about how good they are for food are from here! I've known guys that spend thousands to hunt mules and elk out west. They tell me that our local whitetail taste best by far. They've asked me if I wanted to go?
It's like, why do I want to go half way across the country for chuck and McDonald's burger when there's choice fille' mignon to grill in the back yard? 😄

I did not know they climb trees like that! You just taught me a new way to hunt them.
Thanks rem shooter!

I have two that took up residence under a neighbor’s shed, I’m in town so have to be sneaky killing them when they wander in my yard.

I never saw one this far south until maybe 20 years ago, now they’re everywhere. I haven’t seen a fox in several years, but you can hear the coyotes almost every night.

What part of SC are you located? We were in the upstate last week (mountains) and saw plenty of groundhogs, and now....the occasional armadillo. Our family farm is up that way, currently ~150 feet under water.

I grew up shooting groundhogs, and they were plentiful here. The coyotes have really worked on those that inhabited the open country, and now I see them mostly in the woods, and around farm buildings. I've seen more the past couple of years, so maybe they're recovering somewhat from the coyotes. However, it's not good when they use a building, as they'll soon undermine it big time.

If that tree farm is the one I think it is I saw one of the biggest bucks i have ever seen crossing the road near the old shack.

Annoying isn't it?

Upstate near the Ga/SC line.

Good deal. Gods front porch up there...

I'm having problems with groundhogs right now under an old milk barn.They've dug under the concrete apron and I'm concerned it's going to come apart. I've already taken 6 groundhogs from that area this Spring. Last year, I took 5. I need to find a better way to get them to move on.

Start covering the holes with 220's.

Might be good for a couple more.

Be sure your dogs don't poke their heads in there though. LOL

^^^This but if worried about a dog sticking its head in block access somehow....i usually lean a sheet of plywood angled against the wall with the base out from the wall and block the open ends with something to stop the dogs from getting in. If you dont want to use a conibear trap, box traps work also. Set near burrows and I have found best bait for hogs is fresh cut cantaloupe chunks. Trip them at night if your worried about skunks etc. As for a fix, try filling the holes and if practical lining the perimeter of the barn at least a foot out with stone. Not gravel size as they will dig that, but larger. Set traps immediately at first sign of new burrowing.

What are 220's?

A conibear trap.

My wife grow's kale for him every year

Blasted a few out of trees. Couple mulberries and one kinda high in a hardwood.
Have shot em w rimfire, close to the barns/farmers houses and if medium or a little smaller, the old guys wanted em to cook.
Personally never eaten one.
I like 70gr 6mm bullets pretty zippy. Little bomb going off inside em. Reckon frags go all over in the meat.
Aint blasted any off of beans or alfalfa for a long while.
Shoot down an area, yotes keep it down.
Aint like it used to be

I think all the hours/days I spent chasing ground hogs is what got me loving hunting and rifles .

Use to leave the house walking and hunt all day long walking farm to farm - some state park hunting too .

Best days maybe 5 kills .

Everybody around warren county , ohio near fort ancient state park area said the chuck numbers plummeted when the coyotes moved in . As did the fox . Never considered the hawks but they certainly would grab a young GH .

Lol

It’s hard to convince some people that groundhogs are able to climb.

Had a couple different people thought I was telling them some BS. 😐

Yep have killed a few outta the apple trees with bow and rifle. Didnt believe it myself till I saw the suckers in the trees l.

Been in this part of the state since ‘92, great place. Low taxes, I’d like a place further northwest but I’m getting a little too old to make another move.