Anybody eat woodchucks?

[wooly]

Couple eaters from May 19'th last spring!

I couldn't sink my teeth into one of these cute little furballs,lol.

[Uncle Nicky]

We ate them quite often when I was growing up. They taste like rabbit or squirrel. The biggest turn off for me is that you generally have to gut & skin them in the middle of the summer when it's 90 degrees out.

[Pygmy]

I went out yesterday and filled in all the holes in our fields I could find, all 23 of them! I figure this way I will be able to tell when they start to get active without actually seeing them. I think I will wait till summer to attempt eating one though, as it seems like most people recommend the youngins which won't be available till then. It seems like I should have a pretty good herd of them this year too (with all the holes), so if anyone is nearby and wants to try some, stop in! I also found this website that has a bunch of wild game recipes. <br /><br />http://www.wildliferecipes.net/Game_recipes/Small_game_recipes/Woodchuck_recipes/index.asp<br /><br />The woodchuck patties sounds pretty good! That might be what I try.

 

     Geeeze, Chief....Are there no coyotes on your property.?

 

    In my area, woodchucks are nearly extinct in hayfields...The yotes have figured out how to hunt them there.. Still lots of chucks in road ditches and peoples' back yards, where it is more difficult for the coyotes to hunt them.

 

My buddy who lives in Ontario  told me that before the coyotes became numerous, he had LOTS of woodchucks..He used to hunt them very successfully with his bow...

 

I have hunted spring gobblers with him up there for about 13 years...I have YET to see my first woodchuck, OR a woodchuck den in an open field...

 

[Lawdwaz]

I have a couple places that I hunt 'chucks down in Wyoming County and there sure aren't the numbers there were 20 years ago, sadly.

 

Fill in holes?  Hell, I dig the at night when the farmer is sleeping to invite more in..................<grin>

[chiefbkt]

I went out yesterday and filled in all the holes in our fields I could find, all 23 of them! I figure this way I will be able to tell when they start to get active without actually seeing them. I think I will wait till summer to attempt eating one though, as it seems like most people recommend the youngins which won't be available till then. It seems like I should have a pretty good herd of them this year too (with all the holes), so if anyone is nearby and wants to try some, stop in! I also found this website that has a bunch of wild game recipes.

http://www.wildliferecipes.net/Game_recipes/Small_game_recipes/Woodchuck_recipes/index.asp

The woodchuck patties sounds pretty good! That might be what I try.

Geeeze, Chief....Are there no coyotes on your property.?

In my area, woodchucks are nearly extinct in hayfields...The yotes have figured out how to hunt them there.. Still lots of chucks in road ditches and peoples' back yards, where it is more difficult for the coyotes to hunt them.

My buddy who lives in Ontario told me that before the coyotes became numerous, he had LOTS of woodchucks..He used to hunt them very successfully with his bow...

I have hunted spring gobblers with him up there for about 13 years...I have YET to see my first woodchuck, OR a woodchuck den in an open field...

Oddly we have quite a few coyotes around. They just can't get to where the chuck holes are because of our fencing. We have 6 strands of high tensile fencing for our sheep that go around half of our property. The fields where the coyotes can get to only had a few holes in them.

[Larry]

I use a 22-250 so I don't have to eat them. nothing but fur and guts left  

[Pygmy]

Oddly we have quite a few coyotes around. They just can't get to where the chuck holes are because of our fencing. We have 6 strands of high tensile fencing for our sheep that go around half of our property. The fields where the coyotes can get to only had a few holes in them.

         Well, that explains it...I have hunted woodchucks here in Steuben County since around 1960, and there have been lots of habitat changes, but I also know many places that have been hayfields for many, many years and used to have LOTS of woodchucks in them...There are very few there now.

 

The woodchucks have adapted and will survive, but they need to live in places where they are less vulnerable to coyotes than they are in open hayfields..

 

BTW...Do you sell lamb to individuals ?  I and several of my friends love lamb, but you need to take out a bank loan to buy it at the supermarket.

 

Edited March 22, 2013 by Pygmy

[chiefbkt]

We do sell lamb to individuals.

[Elmo]

In south america Guinea pigs are very common as restaurant fare and pretty tasty as well, though my nephew gets upset when i ask him if his is big enough to eat yet.....

 

Had cuy (Guinea Pigs) twice while in Peru.  Great when deep fried (chicharron style).  Didn't like as them as much when stewed whole.  The skin is a bit sticky and slimy.

Edited March 23, 2013 by Elmo

[Guns&ReligionCop]

I'll pass on eatting but I'll happy donate to anyone who wants the ones I shoot.

[Cabin Fever]

Considering what they eat, they should be good eating, but I've just never been able to get up the nerve to try one! I guess if times got hard or I was hungry enough....