Tag Archives: woodchuck

Taking Time To Stop and…

Officially moved into the new house, we are not yet officially moved out of the old.

But in the midst of moving the firewood, and setting up garbage service and figuring out phone lines and trying to find the box with the leather gloves, and moving the ducks in we’ve managed to have some visitors…

Uncle Jim came over from Michigan to see Granny's tiny toad (and the rest of us as well).

Uncle Jim came over from Michigan to see Granny’s tiny toad (and the rest of us as well).

…and to be visitors…

The Barry/Stevens family gathered from everywhere to visit and reminisce about growing up in Racine.

The Barry/Stevens family gathered for a visit and to reminisce about growing up in Racine. (Photo by Al Barry)

… and to start puppy sitting!

Meet Digby! We are puppy sitting during the day, more on that later!

Meet Digby! We are going to be puppy sitting during the day. Isn’t he a cutie!?

Amidst all the fun my list of things to do can feel overwhelming.

So, I try to remember to slow down and breathe.

To enjoy the new place.

I stop.

I listen to the sound of the barking dogs.

And take some time to look at the woodchuck in the tree.woodchuck in tree

That’s right.

A woodchuck.

In a tree.

I’ve seen it.

I believe it.

It’s weird.

(Check out How Much Wood… and Woodchuck In A Tree if you’d like to read about last years woodchuck adventures.)

Woodchuck in a Tree

I read that woodchuck can climb trees.

I said I had to see it to believe it.

I said I was going to go try and chase one up a tree… I didn’t.

But my dogs did!

There it is – woodchuck in a tree.

I’m a believer.

To read more about woodchuck and my plans to chase them up trees read: How Much Wood…

How Much Wood…

I have seen more woodchucks this spring that I have ever seen before.  I feel fairly confident in my statement since I was trained from a very young age to keep close watch out the window ready to yell if I spotted any turkey or deer. In fact just tonight I won the who-can-find-the-most-turkeys-while-we-drive-to-our-friends-house contest. So, I speak with the confidence of one who spends more time watching fields and ditches than perhaps one should while driving when I say, I have seen more woodchucks this spring than I have ever seen before.

Where did they all come from?

Do they have population booms and cycles?

Am I being followed around by a small group of rouge woodchucks messing with my mind?

What is the plural of woodchuck? Woodchucks? Groundhogs? Marmots?

When in doubt ask Google.

Tonight Google has taught me that…

…there is no use trying to eliminate woodchuck from an area, they will reproduce and migrate back in at a rate so high that there will be close to zero population change in your elimination area. No use unless of course you want to eat them, then you’ll have a steady supply of woodchuck meat but you should remove the scent glands first.

… they are fairly aggressive, they look cute but they aren’t cuddly.

… they are very useful for studying medical things like hepatitis.

… they only live three to six years in the wild.

… and, get this, that they can climb trees. Trees! Woodchuck!

So I have three questions tonight.

1) Have you ever seen a woodchuck in a tree?

2) Have you seen more woodchuck than usual this spring?

3) Do you know if woodchuck have population cycles?

Now excuse me I have to go try and chase a woodchuck up a tree, I’m a see it to believe it kinda girl on this one!