Groundhog movement?

[suzie_shooter]

are they just like most other animals move more at dusk and dawn or are they a mid day creature. i just got word on a spot that has an over abundance of them and was gonna do some stalking to try to get me one. thanks Aaron

[Brian Krebs]

Aaron-
 Ground hogs are out at dawn and stay in and out of the den most of the day and until dark. I had anti-hunters that begged me to hunt them; as I could do it unseen and unheard; and a woodchuck will walk down a row of bean sprouts and eat every one of them. They make enemies of the strangest people.
 They are habitually close to a den; if you find a den; figure out a quiet way in; or take a chair and sit and wait them out.
 They are really a challenge; and worth the effort. I think they are one of the greatest animals to hunt with a bow. You will learn so much from them- check out that spot !!!
 I suggest the same arrows as when your hunting deer. I used broadheads.      

[buckeye_hunter]

I shot one with my recurve last Saturday. Managed to get within 8-10yds because they were around the other side of my shed busy fighting. I had never seen that before, maybe it was the groundhog rut......

Anyway... To answer your question, It was mid-day around 2pm I think when I shot him.

If they feel safe, I have seen them run around all day. If not, you won't see much of them at all, even morning and dusk. If they are uncomfortable they stay closer to or are in better cover.

Find some high grass, climb a tree or sit tight to some hedges and you wil get a shot on one. You have to be real patient though.

-Charlie

[Red Beastmaster]

3:00PM has been my "Magic Hour". The may be more visible in cut fields in the evening but they are active around their woodlot holes in the mid afternoon. I rarely hunt them in open fields and do my sneaking inside the edge. Nice and shady in there too.  

[Dave Bulla]

Groundhogs are like squirrels.  If it's a nice day when you feel like being out, they'll probably be feeling like being out too.

I've shot a lot of them back in PA and mid day is good if not too hot but evening seemed best.  Again, it seemed to fall back on that "nice time of day to be out" situation.

[suzie_shooter]

they are in my grandpas pasture which used to be a hog lot so there are alot of hog sheds still there but he has seeded everything back to grass and has a few brush piles and fire wood ranks around the edges. he told me there is at least five of them denning in the hog sheds and several others in the brush piles. he says he sees them alot while hes mowing in the afternoon so i think i might give it a shot this evening. thanks for all the info.

[buckeye_hunter]

Good Luck!

Use a sharp broadhead and hope for a pass through. Otherwise, you may lose an arrow or two. Those are the breaks though. They can be hard to kill, learned that lesson the hard way.

Have fun,
Charlie

[suzie_shooter]

UPDATE
 one whistle pig down.  will add pics if i can figure out how to do it. may have to wait til the wife gets home to show me how.

[bushytail]

They tast good to if you prepare them right.Make sure you get ALL of the sent glans off.I know there`s at least 6 glans.Put the grounhog in your slow cooker with your faverite spice`s and veggies.

[Bill Carlsen]

Here's a little trick if you miss one an it goes down it's hole. Quickly run around (180 dgrees) to the other side of the hole with an arrow ready on your bow. The chuck will reappear shortly (most of the time) and will be looking where he last saw you. You will have a good chance at a head shot with him looking the other way.

[Austin]

I've never eaten them, but I met a guy who puts them in pot pie. He also said to take out the glands in the pits emmediately, and field dress them.  He said if you soak them in salt water over night, it will draw out the remaining strong flavors.
  Has anyone ever shot them out of trees? I haven't figured out why, but I've caught them napping a couple of times. Makes for an easy kill.  They'll do this a lot in orchards and hedgerows between fields.  once you spot them they're stuck, and the only way they can escape is by dropping out of the trees.  If they're above 15 feet, I don't think they'll try this. They'll usually just stay really still, and hope you don't notice them

[wollelybugger]

They are tough to kill and usually break or bend your arrow trying to get back in their hole. If you can get the sun behind you sometimes you can sneak up on them. You have to wear a blaze orange hat in Pa. while hunting groundhogs so it is a little harder.

[vermonster13]

When I saw the thread title I was worried that they were getting organized!    :p

[buckeye_hunter]

LOL!  

[foxfire]

Oh , they are Vermonster, they are......
Gopher Cong you know.......ask Bill Murray

[Cherokee Scout]

I have shot several out of trees. I have seen them eating mulberries while sitting on the limbs.
I never saw them climb very high, highest maybe 6 feet on a leaning tree trunk of limb.

[Austin]

I've seen them up to 20 feet or so in wild pear and maple trees.  Usually when I see them they're either in the crotch of a branch, or laid out on a nice thick branch.

[suzie_shooter]

They have over ran that little pasture and this is the first time i have seen them out there. it is littered with mulberry trees and hog sheds and little brush piles perfect habitat for them. I was out there almost everyday when i was younger and pretty much kept it critter free but now that im grown and on my own they jumped at the chance to move in. Wrong now that i know they are there. gonna go back out today and try to keep them from infiltrating the perimeter. these things are a blast to hunt especially with nothing else in season here.

[frank bullitt]

Need pics, Suzie! Still looking for some around here. Seems more farmers in this area are planting alot of alfafa. Maybe someday soon they will comeback. Good shootin, Steve.

[bushytail]

I heard they have a good nose.So when i`m sitting by a hole,i`ll try and stay down wind and have the sun to my back.If you can`t play both at least play the wind.And remember"aim small hit small".