the Rockchuck
Understanding and Hunting
Thomas C. Tabor
Tom frequently has found good populations of rockchucks around old ranch dumpsites.
Marmots can be a bit shy and cautious when exiting their den, and as such targets can be on the small side.
epending upon the locale you find the yellow-bellied marmot in you might hear the species referred to as a whistle-pig, rockchuck, or even just plain chuck. You might even hear some folks call them woodchucks or groundhogs, but in this case, those individuals would be sorely mistaken. Even though the weather-forecasting groundhog and the yellow-bellied mar- mot share very similar outward appear- ances, these two species are as different as a prairie dog and a ground squirrel. Separated by thousands of miles, the woodchuck finds itself at home in the New England States and in some parts of southern Canada, while the rock- chuck prefers the high country, in and around the Rocky Mountain states. But aside from these geographical dispari- ties and a noticeable difference in their preferred habitat, they are worlds apart in their social behaviors as well. While
D
the rockchuck by nature is a social and gregarious animal, the wood- chuck essentially is a loner and aso- cial in its behavior. While the former lives out its life in colonies, consisting of well-established family groups, the woodchuck prefers a solitary existence except during times of breeding activi- ties and rearing of its offspring. I personally enjoy the shooting of rockchucks more than any other varmint-shooting activity, particularly when I am able to locate good popula- tions. While this sport may not always pose the same level of shooting diffi- culty as attempting to hit a tiny ground squirrel while it darts from hole to hole on some distance hillside, ’chucks come with their own set of challenges that are unique to the species and fun to overcome. For ex- ample, these might come in the form of trying to sneak a bullet over the top of the rocks
in order to strike the only portion of a rockchuck that is visible, or attempting to hit a ’chuck as he makes its mad dash to the safety of its den. And, because the rockchucks aren’t as widely distributed, or as prolific in their reproductive abili- ties as some other species, just finding a good shootable population can on occa- sion provide a challenge in itself. But a major factor in locating good shooting populations of rockchucks lies in having a thorough knowledge and understand- ing of the species’ habitat and traits. Combine this with a dedication to do- ing the necessary scouting and most devoted ’chuck hunters can without too much difficulty find themselves facing some great shooting opportunities. ROCKCHUCK
CHARACTERISTICS AND TRAITS Individual rockchuck territories can range in size from about one-half acre up to five acres, but these indi-
Steve Gash, a good friend and fellow outdoor writer, accompanied Tom on a northern Nevada marmot shoot where they found plenty of rockchuck targets to shoot at. Notice the large boulders and the huge irrigation pipe. These are two obvious signs of good whistle pig country.
Page 86 Winter 2013
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196