The Wood-chuck
Category:
STEEL TRAPS AND THE ART OF TRAPPING.
This animal also called the marmot, is so well-known to most of
our readers, that a detailed description will not be necessary,
suffice it to say that the general color is brownish grey above,
changing to reddish brown on the under parts. The head, tail and
feet partaking of a darker color. The length of the animal is about
a foot and a-half, exclusive of the tail, which is four inches
long.
The woodchuck is a clumsy looking animal, and anything but active
in its movements. It is very unintelligent, and is always too ready
to use its powerful teeth on the hand of any one who may attempt
to handle it. It is naturally a timid animal, but when cornered
or brought to bay, it fights most desperately.
The woodchuck is an expert excavator, and where the animals exist
in large numbers great damage is done by their united burrowing. They
generally remain in their burrows during the day, only venturing out
casually to see what is going on, and keeping near their entrance.
Towards evening they start out to feed, devouring certain grasses
and weeds, and also pumpkins and green corn with avidity, ever
and anon sitting upright on their haunches, to see if the coast
is clear. In case they are surprised in their meal, they hurry
home in a pell-mell sort of a way, giving as much the appearance
of rolling as running, but, nevertheless, getting over the ground
with fair speed for such an unwieldy animal. The skin is loose and
very tough, and possesses no commercial value, being principally
used for whiplashes. Their burrows are generally on the slope of
a hill, and often at the foot of a rock or tree. These tunnels
vary from ten to thirty feet in length, sloping downward from the
opening, afterward taking an upward turn and terminating in a roomy
chamber, in which the animal sleeps in
winter and where the young from three to eight in number are brought
forth. The woodchuck is found throughout nearly the whole of the
United States, and is especially abundant in New England, where
it is a decided nuisance. It is found as far south as Tennessee,
and westward to the Rocky Mountains. The flesh of the woodchuck
is by many much esteemed as food, particularly in the Fall. When
used for this purpose, the animal should be skinned and carefully
cleaned immediately after death, taking especial care to remove the
masses of fat which lie inside of the legs, as these, if allowed
to remain, are sure to taint the flesh in cooking.
The animals are easily caught by setting the traps at the entrance
of their burrows, and carefully covering them with loose earth,
no bait being required. They may also be captured by the aid of
a spring-pole, with noose attached, the pole being bent down and
caught under a notched stick, and the noose being arranged at the
opening of the burrow, see page 43, the Woodchuck in passing in
or out will become entangled in the noose, and in his efforts to
escape the pole will be loosened from the peg, thus lifting the
animal in mid-air. Woodchucks are also sometimes drowned out of
their holes, and the turtle is often put to good use for the purpose
of smoking the animals from their subterranean dwellings. A ball of
wicking saturated with kerosene is attached by a wire to the tail
of the reptile. When the ball is ignited the creature is introduced
into the entrance of the hole, and of course in fleeing from its
fiery pursuer it traverses the full length of the burrow, and as
another matter of course drives out its other occupants, which
are shot or captured as they emerge.
The woodchunk's skin is generally taken off as described for the
muskrat, and stretched accordingly.
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The Rabbit
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