Calling groundhogs is it possible?

YoteSackbuster

YoteSackbuster

New member
I have a FX3 on lay away and i'm wondering if it could be used to call a groundhog I have tons of sod pooples around here but once the grass gets so high its almost impossible to see'em.I noticed they have a ground hog distress call listed on the foxpro website i'm wondering if this would panic a groundhog, or if it would cause him to stand up for a shot? anyone ever try it?
 
Yes, I have.

We blew some distress call's while woodchuck hunting a couple times........just to see.

They did stand quickly, then about 3 seconds later shoot down the hole for good.........not to be seen again all morning or evening if that was the case.

Don't use it......unless you just want to shoot one and are ready for a quick shot.

I think the coyote have been chomping them in the summer because they sure new the sound of a critter being mauled and down the hole they go.
 
You probably already know this but whistling seems to be the only way to kind of 'call' a groundhog I have seen. Well it isn't really calling them but it will get them to stand up because whistling is thier means of communication to eachother. A short snappy whistle will most of the time put a chuck on its two hind legs long enough to get the shot.

A loud dog whistle or the like would be good unless you can give out a good hoot yourself... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Over the years I have finally 'perfected', so to speak, my whistling skills and am able to almost deafen anybody near by when I let er rip.

After all...alotta folks call them 'whistlepigs' for a good reason I suppose /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Maybe if you get the fresh lettuce distress or the lonesome plantain call, you would have some luck getting a groundhog to respond...but I am betting that the best one is the "fresh rain grass in distress" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
I sometimes give a short loud high pitched whistle. If the goundhogs are already out, they either run fast to the hole, or stand up at attention to see what the excitement is about. And then they find out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I used to hunt ground squirls in a similiar situation where the grass would get high and it was hard to see them sometimes. I would walk along and when I spotted one running down a hole i would set up with a clear shot of the hole and do a short whistle imitating their chirps. About 75% of the time within a few minutes i would see them sneaking back out to see what the commotion is. The chirp will sometimes stop them when they are moving and get them to stand up long enough to get a shot.
 
Thats the one thing neat about groundhogs and such. I have always said they are smart but stupid. What I mean is, if they see you looking at them, they quickly run in a hole. I have walkd through a field and only watched them with my periphial vision, and they stay out (most times). When I turn my head to look at them, they quickly run to the hole. But they only wait a few minutes to come back out to see if you are gone. And if your patient enough to wait quietly for a few minutes...
 
a lot of people think any whistle will stand them up... not so... remember a hawks cry is a whistle like sound also... people try to whistle a chuck up and do nothing but spook them with a long drawn out whistle... short sharp blasts are what'll stand them up, no longer then a second in duration...
 
you can get another call for your fx3, its called the all clear ground hog call i believe. i have it on mine & am going to use it in the spring. it makes a solo chirp and then waits about 15 to 20 seconds & then makes a solo chirp again. i guess this means all is clear, who knows though? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
While were discussing wood chucks does it seem that their numbers are down. And I mean WAY DOWN the last couple of years. My best day here is TWO and I'm not missing them, I just not seeing them anymore.

I have taken trips in Sept and Oct to NJ going thru Scranton PA and the best we have seen on road trips is three in a 350 mile trip in some very good chuck country. So it seems to me it's not just around my neck of the woods that there are hardly any wood chucks.

What about you guys ? ? ?
 
I don't know about the calls, but a short whistle does work well in most cases. I live in SW Michigan where there are lots of soybean and hay fields. I personally lost count after about 80 went bang-flop. We didn't shoot them all either so we'd have some for this coming spring and we'll leave certain fields till late summer after the young are weened and digging their own holes.
 
I have always whistled or just made a quick squeak noise to get them to stand up. I have only taken 2 groundhogs ever, both with the bow.
I see plenty of groundhogs around here. It just might be because I suburban hunt and with everyone's shrubs and gardens etc, they probably thrive in an environment like that. I do my best to keep their pop down. Not alot of predators here in suburbia so I guess it's up to me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
As far as the numbers being down: If there are coyotes in the area that's one reason. One area I hunt we could shoot about 12 -15 hogs each outting, last summer we saw a coyote loping off the hill to the field, he systematically checked each hole in the field at a slow lope.The numbers in that field last summer were WAY DOWN! Another reason may be the food supply.
As far as a call< a friend of mine suggested using a mouse squeaker to get them to stand up, I'm a whistle kinda guy and the short whistle works. The short quick squeak of the mouse squeaker works as well(about 80% of the time) to make them stand up, I can't say for sure that a call can make them come out of a hole though.
Chucks and groundhogs are very social/curious creatures and their nose gets them in trouble /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif...BANG/FLOP.
 
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I live in SE Ky and use the baby groundhog distress sound on my WT and I can get them out of their hole...they will rarely stand up though here.
 
Quote:
Billy,
I agree. Numbers sure don't seem to be what they were years ago. Not sure what the reason is.



They all move into my barn! I have taken over half dozen in a summer just out of the barn.
 
WT means Wildlife Technologies caller. I'm not good at all with computers, etc; and don't know how to duplicate the sound..sorry! I've tried lots of different calls and sounds over the years but this electronic caller with the groundhog distress call is the best I've ever used to get them out in the open. I don't even shoot them anymore as the coyotes have cut down on their populations....I just play with them sometimes (as long as their not in my garden)..Larry
 
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