Disappointing Rock Chuck hunt in South Central Idaho

G

GoneBallistic

New member
I just returned from a "hunt"? in south central Idaho for Rock chucks. I was pointed in that direction by an old friend of mine that used to kill hundreds there in the Arco, Craters of the Moon, and Mud Lake areas. I saw a total of TWO the entire three days I hunted for them in those three spots. Talking to the "locals" they say that they've been pretty well shot-out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Anyone with some other general areas to find these? I REALLY miss hunting woodchucks from when I lived back East. I do my homework and find my own places to hunt by asking ranchers and others in a general area but I need help finding a general area that has them hopefully within several hundred miles of north Idaho. Anybody ever hunt rock chucks in B.C., Canada and what would a non-resident license be? Thanks D.H.
 
GB,

You should probably count your blessings. To see three chucks at this time of the year is good, as most have gone back underground till next spring. Once the temp starts hovering around the nineties chuck season is pretty much over in that area and farther south near my location. Usually around April or May is good time to start seeing good numbers out.

BoomSplat
 
Try hunting North of Weiser next spring. I used to kill a bunch there every year. Folks are right about the chucks becoming scarce in the hot weather. Our squirrels and chuck hunting up North of you usually ends about June.
 
Gone Ballistic: It wasn't me that shot them out!
And yes you CAN shoot out Rock Chuck Colonies.
The main way to do it is to Hunt them to early in the year - thus killing the pregnant females and/or the youngsters before they are weaned or can accumulate enough "intelligence" (age) to protect themselves.
I hunted the areas you mentioned from the 1960's through the 1980's! I had quite a few 300+ Chuck days! And many dozen 200+ Chuck days. I quit Hunting there for good in the early 1990's!
Now pay attention here - I (we - my close Varminting friends and I) never Hunted the Chucks until the young of the year were weaned and thus could survive on their own!
We had sensational and consistent shooting year after year after year!
BUT, then some folks got greedy and began travelling there earlier and earlier in the year (to get at them FIRST!) and shooting the Chucks before the young of the year could live independent of their mothers and even some were shooting while the mothers were still pregnant!
The Chuck Hunting virtually "died away" in the areas you mentioned to the point it is no longer "worth it" to travel to that area anymore!
Shame, that!
At the time I lived in Washington State and they had the good sense to have a "season" on these type Varmints there!
A season in the areas you mentioned MIGHT bring back the Rock Chuck populations in 10 years or so?
Good luck finding an area to have a productive Hunt in!
I have even resorted to taking jet boats to remote areas to satisfy my craving for "GOOD" Chuck Hunting!
If you find a good area keep it quiet (to yourself!) and DO NOT Hunt it to early in the year!
This will protect and perpetuate your sport.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
 
I think that everyone is right about it being too hot. I went up to southeastern Idaho a few weeks ago. I got out just as it was light enough to shoot and the temp was about 50 degrees and I shot a dozen or so but at about 9:30-10:00 it got too warm and I only saw about 1 or 2 more.
 
Thanks BoomSplat, Wyote, IDBob, V.G. and cjg Beef. I appreciate the info ! Hope everyone takes note so we can keep a good thing going ! It's getting too expensive to travel to the east coast to shoot groundhogs.

D.H.
 
VarmintGuy, good for you getting 2-300+ a day. This shows you know what you're doing and self controlled enough to keep the population going. My friend must have been hunting those areas about the same time you were because he was getting about the same numbers too. Wish other people had the self control to "regulate" our own hunting. I much prefer to see that than to have "Big Brother" step in and regulate it for us. Let's everyone take note and not get too anxious in the Spring. There are more hunters now than ever and using much better equipment than was available 20 or 30 years ago; we need to police ourselves.

G.B.
 
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