Woodchucks

Overview:

The name given to the Woodchuck was originally an Algonquian name taken from the word “wuchak” which was used to describe different animals of similar size and color.  They are largest member of the squirrel family and part of the Order Rodentia, which includes rats, mice, squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, beavers and porcupines.  Out of these animals, only the beaver and porcupine is larger than the woodchuck.  Also known as the groundhog or whistle-pig, its closest relative is the yellow bellied marmot and the hoary marmot

Facts:

• The female woodchuck has one litter of usually three to five young per year.
• Woodchucks live from 6 to 10 years.
• The "Gopher" in the Caddyshack movies is not actually a gopher - it is a woodchuck.
• The woodchuck will climb trees in search of food.
• The woodchuck has been observed swimming.
• The woodchuck has earned its nickname "whistle-pig" due to its tendency to produce a high-pitched whistle when frightened which it will often times mix with both barking and chattering noises.
• All woodchucks hibernate through the winter: systematically waking from their sleep in the spring by means of some sort of internal alarm clock that is not generally understood.
• The woodchuck does not "chuck wood" of any kind.
• A burrow and den system will be used for many seasons. The woodchuck will keep the nesting area of the den clean and change bedding material regularly.

Punxsutawney Phil: The most famous woodchuck or ground hog is Punxsutawney Phil who emerges from his burrow in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2 to predict whether the country will have six more weeks of winter.  Phil eats dog food and ice cream and lives in at the Punxsutawney Library.  On February 2, he is taken to Gobbler’s Knob and put in a heated burrow under a fake tree stump.  From here he is pulled out at 7:25 am where he predicts the weather speaking in ‘Groundhogese’ to the Groundhog Pope. 
Punxsutawney Phil has been predicting the weather for 120 years now.

Identification:

• Suited to their habitat, woodchucks are covered with two coats of course fur: a dense grey undercoat and a longer coat of banded guard hairs that gives the Woodchuck its distinctive "frosted" appearance.
• They have bushy tails; short legs and can get up to 10 -- 14 pounds in size. They vary in coloration from grayish to blackish. They are basically a burrowing animal, but can also climb trees.  

Biology 

Woodchucks mate in the spring; they have a gestation period from 28 -- 32 days. There is one litter of 4 -- 5 per year, usually from March to May. Maturity is reached at one year. They will hibernate and become active in the spring.

Habits:

• They are primarily diurnal (active in daylight).  They usually follow the same routes.
• They frequently raid gardens.  They girdle trees, have fights with dogs, transport ticks and fleas, and dig large burrows.
• They dig burrows 25 to 30 feet in length, with openings at each end, and several compartments within the burrow.
• They clean the burrows as a daily routine, so it always has that fresh made look.  The burrows reach depths of four to five feet.
• Woodchucks consume 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of vegetation per day. 
  Hibernation period is for four to five months in the colder weather.

Treatment:

It is against the law to use poison baits for woodchuck control. It is also  not recommended to shoot them as most communities don't allow the discharge of firearms in their city. Live trapping is the preferred method of control.  Trap size should be at least 36”x 11”x11”. 

Woodchucks will eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruit Clover, alfalfa, vegetables, peas, string beans, sweet corn various grains, grasses and succulent greens.  Sweet potatoes, vegetable shoots and sprouts and corn make good baits.