Heavy rock formations like these are great places for rockchucks to dig their dens. As long as an adequate food source and water are close at hand, marmots might not be too far away. Tom has shot several out of these same rocks.
other hand, are driven from the den after reaching their second birthday and go off to form colonies of their own. This somewhat complex relationship, coupled with the dominant male ruling only for three years, goes a long way to prevent the problems associated with colony inbreeding. HABITAT AND RANGE
The yellow-bellied marmot is a
dweller of rocky, mountainous terrain. It is most frequently found in the rocky areas in parts of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains from central California north to Oregon. In addition, parts of the White Mountains, which cross the state line between California and Nevada, will harbor some ’chucks, as does the Rocky Mountains. I find it a little surprising that there is a consider- able belief among the so-called experts that the species can be found only at elevations above 6,000 feet. My own experience certainly would differ with those claims. While clearly the marmot prefers the abodes of higher elevation living to that of the low lands, I have frequently encountered rockchucks, sometimes in fairly large numbers, at around a mile high and even in a few cases a couple of thousand feet
lower. But having said that, as long as the other conditions are conducive to their lifestyle, 6,000 feet to even above 14,000 feet certainly is the rockchuck’s primary preference. There seems to be three factors absolutely necessary in a rockchuck’s life – those being food, water and substantial rock formations. The diet of the ’chuck is diverse and can consist of leaves, blossoms from many different plants and grasses, fruits, le- gumes, grains, seeds and even insects. I’m not exactly sure why the species pre- fers to be around the water. Maybe the moist ground makes it a little easier for them to dig their dens, but in most cases the area selected for their burrows and dens are in the better-drained locations of their habitat. Or, maybe they prefer the wetter areas because those are the locations that provide the most plentiful food sources. But even though a moist environment seems to be a major factor in the establishment of the colonies, the type of water source doesn’t appear to matter a great deal. It can take the form of a pond, lake, swamp, irrigation ditch, creek, or river and as long as it lies in close proximity of large rock formations and has an adequate supply of food close at hand, a colony of rockchucks likely will thrive and prosper in the area. A rockchuck spends better than
half the year hibernating in its den and may even become torpid and retreat below ground at times of excessively hot weather. The burrows are dug in excess of three feet deep and hibernation dens
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sometimes are excavated to more than 20 feet and possess tunnels more than 200 feet long. Frequently the dens will be equipped with several entrances, which can provide a choice of escape routes if a burrowing predator, such as a badger, should try to invade or dig them out. WHERE AND WHEN TO FIND THEM I have frequently encountered
rockchuck colonies in and around open grasslands, wet meadows, agri- cultural fields and around irrigation areas, but keeping in mind the three factors necessary for rockchucks to prosper (food, water and large rocks) will help a prospective ’chuck shooter to locate a good shooting area. Because of the long hibernation period no one should expect to find rockchucks above ground before at least the first of April. And in times of heavy snow pack, or unseasonably cold weather, that date frequently can be stretched out into the month of May. Then again, depending upon the weather, by late September or early October, the hibernation will begin all over again. Most any time during the non-hibernation period can provide good shooting opportunities for a rifleman, but it probably is best to try to avoid extremely hot weather in the event that the colony may seek the cooler temperatures below ground. By nature, rockchucks are com-
pletely diurnal. This translates into the ’chucks heading below ground as the sun drops out of sight and they will remain there until the sun comes up the
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