Spring has sprung. Get out and shoot your Henry
Woodchucks
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- Cowhand
- Posts: 151
- Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 11:34 am
- Location: Central Massachusetts
Woodchucks
3 Months ago I posted my problem about cottontail rabbits ravaging my vegetable garden, I received several ideas on how to control them. Thanks to all who sent me ideas. Now, the problem is woodchucks. Although I got rid of 2 of them during the summer, I knew that others were lurking around in the New England stone fence line that parallels the back side of the garden. Over the last 3 weeks, I have seen 3 small woodchucks "scoping out" the garden as their food source for the 2018 growing season. How do I get rid these varmints? Hav-a-Heart traps don't work for me, and I take a big risk when I shoot them because of my state's gun laws regarding did-charging a firearm in a semi-populated area. Any success stories will be greatly appreciated.
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- JEBar
- Town Marshal / Deputy Admin
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Re: Woodchucks
years ago we had a garden that covered a bit over an acre .... deer, rabbits and various other small critters made it a point to enjoy the veggies before we could get to them .... we totally resolved the problem by stringing an electric fence around the garden .... as I remember, the lowest wire was about 2" off the ground, a second 6" or so higher, the third about 20" off the ground, and the last a little over 3' high .... I bought a serious fence controller that was capable of serious voltage .... that fence stopped all critter intrusions except for moles and voles
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- daytime dave
- Administrator / Owner
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- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Woodchucks
I'll second Mr. Bar's advice about electric fencing. I too had a woodchuck issue in my suburban garden. A firearm was too much noise and the neighbors too close. I used a pellet gun in .22 caliber and that did the trick. You have to hit them in the head, preferably an ear shot. It has to be a good pellet gun and one with an internal baffle system cuts the noise pretty well.
The pellet gun requires you to monitor for the problem. The electric fence is always on guard unless there is a power outage. If I had it to do again and didn't have both options, I'd go with the fence.
The pellet gun requires you to monitor for the problem. The electric fence is always on guard unless there is a power outage. If I had it to do again and didn't have both options, I'd go with the fence.
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Some days I'm Andy, most days I'm Barney........
Eaglescout, NRA Life Endowment member, BCCI Life Member
Eaglescout, NRA Life Endowment member, BCCI Life Member
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- Cowhand
- Posts: 151
- Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 11:34 am
- Location: Central Massachusetts
- daytime dave
- Administrator / Owner
- Posts: 4815
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 10:27 pm
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Woodchucks
I dunno about the size of the chucks in FLa, but up here, you'd need a BIG cat.
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Some days I'm Andy, most days I'm Barney........
Eaglescout, NRA Life Endowment member, BCCI Life Member
Eaglescout, NRA Life Endowment member, BCCI Life Member
Re: Woodchucks
Yeah , LOL we don't have them here, but the name doesn't exactly conjure images of a cape buffalo, or other formidable creature.
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- Cattle Driver
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Re: Woodchucks
Henry88 they can be formidable! BIG teeth and claws.
You pretty much have to kill them to get rid of them. It's very hard to fence them out of anywhere because they dig well indeed.
Some years my Golden Boy gets called into use.
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=801
You pretty much have to kill them to get rid of them. It's very hard to fence them out of anywhere because they dig well indeed.
Some years my Golden Boy gets called into use.
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=801
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Any load data discussed by me is for entertainment purposes only. I can not condone or be responsible for it's use by others.
Re: Woodchucks
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
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Don't worry about getting older and still doing stupid stuff. You'll do the stupid stuff as always, only much slower. Hold my beer and watch this.......
H001T .22LR
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BBS .41 MAG
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H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55