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Post by 72camaro on Nov 22, 2012 10:05:38 GMT -7
I know Whistle Pigs are out in April but seem to dissappear in a month or so after that, what is the deal with Rock Chucks, when are they out more often than not? And I think they are more East of Mountain Home, since I've never seen one yet there?
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Post by broper on Nov 22, 2012 14:04:33 GMT -7
Rock chucks are pretty much down now until warmer weather. From what I've seen they stay out longer than whistle pigs. But by fall they are staying down pretty much. I think you can go out on BLM ground pretty much any direction from Mt. Home and find rockchucks. Just look for the rocky out croppings. Bob
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Post by 72camaro on Nov 24, 2012 7:31:45 GMT -7
At any rocky out croppings the only thing I've seen is a rattlesnake or a couple whistle pigs goofing around, no Rock Chucks. There are not that many rock out croppings where we were hunting but lots of sage brush, grass and long footage of prairie. By looking at your numbers, Rock Chucks are about as common as Badgers? Badgers are around but not super plentiful from what I've seen. Or is it because we are talking and not paying attention to wind and Rock Chucks know to stay underground?
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Post by Timber Butte Outdoors on Nov 24, 2012 10:16:50 GMT -7
At any rocky out croppings the only thing I've seen is a rattlesnake or a couple whistle pigs goofing around, no Rock Chucks. There are not that many rock out croppings where we were hunting but lots of sage brush, grass and long footage of prairie. By looking at your numbers, Rock Chucks are about as common as Badgers? Badgers are around but not super plentiful from what I've seen. Or is it because we are talking and not paying attention to wind and Rock Chucks know to stay underground? The rockchucks don't live out in the sandhills and grass lands. They live at higher altitudes than the grass lands, sandhills, or prairies. You will find them in rocky canyons and rockfields, within a short distance of a Ag field, or grass field, or meadow, where the chucks can go and feed on the grasses, or crops. I once watched a chuck travel more than a mile from it's denning area, to go to a feeding area. You will not find whistlepigs and rockchucks living in the same area - to big an elevation difference. Rockchucks don't stay above ground as long as the whistlepigs. Chucks will appear in the early spring when the weather is still cool, as soon as the ambient temperature get up to mid 40's to the low 50 degrees, the chucks begin to move around, and as the first succulent shoots of grass starts breaking through in the spring, you can bet that the chucks are out also. As soon as the daytime high temps begin to edge up into the upper 70's-lower 80's, the chuck are on their way back under ground to stay until spring. BADGERS? HE HAVE LOTS OF STICKIN BADGERS!!! We actually have a very high population of badger in SW Idaho. It is due to 2 factors - #1 - we have a very high population of ground squirrels, the badgers main source of food. #2 - We have desert, that is comprised largely of sand or dirt, and it is pretty much flat ground. Badger prefer flat ground over hilly ground - that is because their prey lives on flat ground. The drier the ground the better. You will not find badgers in ground that holds moisture. If you are out hunting, and you find a grass flat that has green grass, just keep on moving along, because the badger will not or doesn't like to dig in wet ground. Badger are also temperature sensitive. They have a preferred range of temps, during which time you can find them out and about. Gary
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Post by 72camaro on Nov 24, 2012 10:58:43 GMT -7
When hunting in Spring/April for Whistle Pigs the green areas are where most of the Whistle Pigs were and we did not see any Badgers. In June the grass was too high to see the Whistle Pigs and they were much fewer but that is when we walked on two badgers in two days about 200 yards from each other. I may take a few more days off in April and see if one of you guys could help point me and a couple of my son-in-laws in the right direction for the Rock Chucks. Typical distance is? I could let one have my .17hmr and I'd be shooting the .243 if there was any distance to talk about.
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Post by Timber Butte Outdoors on Nov 24, 2012 12:06:35 GMT -7
My hunting partner and I a couple years ago, killed 9 in one morning, would have been 10, but I missed the shot, it was the first of July. The badger kick the pups out of the dens around the first of june, give or take a couple weeks, at that time, the females are ready to breed again, so the big males are out patrolling for ready females. And they will be out running around until the temps reach the mid 80's. Then you can find them early in the morning, before it gets warm, and a couple hours before last light as it begins to cool down, they will be out feeding.
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Post by broper on Nov 24, 2012 17:35:23 GMT -7
I was out in the hills yesterday and saw fresh badger diggings, so I think they are out and about, just not as much as when the temp. is nicer. I've had guys tell me that they've seen badgers out in the snow. During the last contest, Blast From The Past, my partner and I saw two badgers but didn't shoot them as we didn't want t ruin our chances for a coyote. And I agree that rockchucks pretty much go under when it gets hot but I have seen them almost up until fall. Not many but I have seen a few.
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Post by 72camaro on Dec 10, 2012 20:02:07 GMT -7
Ok, not quite set in stone but pretty close, I and probably a couple son-in-laws will be in Mountain Home on April 3rd and will shoot whistle pigs for a couple days and would really appreciate it if someone could get us headed to the right direction or even go with us on Friday the 5th or Saturday the 6th and show us what to look for and maybe shoot a couple Rock Chucks.
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Post by broper on Dec 11, 2012 6:07:27 GMT -7
Ther's a rockchuck tournament called Outlaws and Angels that happens sometime in April. If it's not happening that weekend I'd probably be available. Let me know when you get there. Bob
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Post by 72camaro on Dec 11, 2012 8:03:14 GMT -7
^^^^Thanks.
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Post by broper on Dec 11, 2012 10:05:19 GMT -7
I just remembered that we have a whistle pig tournament in April but I just checked and it's a couple weeks after that so I'll be ok to meet you. Are you going to be able to work in a coyote hunt too? Bob
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Post by 72camaro on Dec 11, 2012 18:44:42 GMT -7
Up here I've evaluated my schedule and it will probably not happen right away as I was hoping and I thought April they were left alone in Idaho because of pups. I've about filled my dance card up until April with duck and goose hunting up here when I can, which is limited but done by the end of January and maybe February if it is extended for Snow Geese, and also taking care of standard business like bringing the wood up to the house, getting paperwork together to refinance a duplex my brother and I own and other normal things that have to be done, but I have almost finished sighting in my .243 so I will still see if I can get my stuff together and contact someone up here. I've asked questions on the Washington Varmint Forum but it is slowwww with responses and doesn't go much of anywhere. That's probably best for me so I can also somehow fitting my race car in this winter to change some things before the season starts. Always busy. Did I mention my wife also wants me to install a hardwood floor too?
I've been watching some of the coyote hunts on Youtube, get all psyched up and still want to see if somehow if I can try and fit one in. Where to go is the biggest question, as mentioned before so many people own plots of land it is hard to go anywhere without having to ask a bunch of people if it is ok to hunt. I've been to Idaho, easy to find places to go, that's why I do enjoy going down there.
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Post by 72camaro on Dec 11, 2012 20:56:34 GMT -7
Got a couple bites to some questions on the Predator Forum that pushed a coyote hunt contest, still in Eastern Washington which is closer, but actually linked on a more lively forum: hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php . Still asking for anything around my area, still not much showing. I'm more int he woods, not the plains and rolling hills where you can actually see them coming. Clear cuts is where it is mentioned to hunt but that is mostly private logging property.
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Post by broper on Mar 7, 2013 15:21:55 GMT -7
Got a big ol' 'chuck today. Shot him with a .17HMR at about 20 yds.
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Post by Eric on Mar 7, 2013 17:21:12 GMT -7
NICE!!
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