# woodchuck trapping



## trapper_carl123 (Mar 20, 2001)

can woodchucks be trapped? if so whats the season?


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## Mtnman198 (Jan 5, 2001)

you may hunt woodchuck with a valid small game license year round. I believe this includes trapping but not positive, maybe boehr can help.


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2001)

Yes trapping is legal same as hunting year around but its more fun hunting as it helps the shooting eye.


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## trapper_carl123 (Mar 20, 2001)

good. I like to trap woodchucks for farmers and I didn't want to catch any flack from the dnr over it.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

Interesting question. Without thinking I would say yes but...I can not find any exception to trapping of woodchucks year around. The hunting exception is there, the trapping exception is there for opossum, weasel, red squirrel and skunk but it does not mention trapping for woodchuck.

Therefore, it is my opinion that with hunting year round for woodchuck being legal, and trapping year round for the others listed, I will say yes, you can trap year around for woodchuck. I will follow this up with Lansing and post next week if Lansing says I'm wrong.


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## trapper_carl123 (Mar 20, 2001)

can red squirrels be trapped year round?


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

The only provision that I am aware of for trapping squirrels would be under a damage and nuisance control permit. Otherwise you can not trap red squirrels.


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## Flash (Jan 17, 2006)

I have a woodchuck problem. Live near a swamp with a few acres of woods/rolling terrain/large boulder piles. They have been in the boulder wall (adjacent to the driveway) for a few years but never came near the house. This summer I have one that keeps digging under the dining room bay window and is attempting to hole up near the foundation/garage/driveway. Last weekend I dug up the entire area (10'x5'x2' deep) and placed 1/2" wire mesh under the dirt. It keeps returning but can't dig past the wire mesh. Purchased a live trap yesterday and baited with lettuce, green beans and peaches. Placed it where it was digging.

Any advice on how to actually catch this thing. 

Thanks,

Flash


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

get a hava heart trap. throw a cut up apple in it. set it in the morning. take mr. chuck someplace to release in the evening. sugjestions would be brother-in-laws back yard.... or a vacant field.


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

oh yeah.... when roasted or cooked slow on the grill with a couple strips of bacon and some of your favorite bar-b-que sauce, they make a fine meal. add some corn on the cob, and baked potatoes and you'll wonder why you haven't tried this before.


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## notmuchtime (Aug 6, 2002)

> Yes trapping is legal same as hunting year around but its more fun hunting as it helps the shooting eye.


Is it just me or did a ghost :yikes: just post. HA! I made a rhyme!


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

notmuchtime said:


> Is it just me or did a ghost :yikes: just post. HA! I made a rhyme!


In case you didn't notice - that was in 2001 - 

ferg....
he's been dead for a long time -


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## Backwoods-Savage (Aug 28, 2005)

john warren said:


> get a hava heart trap. throw a cut up apple in it. set it in the morning. take mr. chuck someplace to release in the evening. sugjestions would be brother-in-laws back yard.... or a vacant field.


One of my pet peeves. Live trap nusiance animals and turn them loose to they become somebody else's problem. Don't do it. Take care of your own problem and don't dump them onto somebody else. :rant: 

A couple years ago we really had a problem with *****. Seems the people in town were having lots of **** problems, so they started live trapping them. I wondered why our **** population had grown so bad but then learned that one fellow alone had dumped 18 ***** nearby. Well, we're out in the country and that's where the ***** belong. Ask any farmer how he just loves to feed all those *****. They can do a terrific amount of damage in a corn field. As for the ground hogs, the farmers love them also because they dig holes for farm equipment to fall into. Then it only takes a few hours and dollars to fix said equipment. Enough said.


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## Flash (Jan 17, 2006)

Fully appreciate the feelings on releasing "pests" on someone else's property. Personally have no objection to "dispatching" the nuisance animal upon catching. Wasn't sure of the "feelings" here of terminating a caged animal. Not quite "sporting" and all. In my particular case, as long as they stay out back, I don't care what they do. But when they come around the house and don't take the hints to stay away, then they just have to be eliminated. Trapping it was the only way I could catch it. Dispatching with it was a rather simple matter. .22 to the head. Quick-clean-final.


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

ive trapped 8 this year and have grilled or roasted them all. if i release an animal its generaly in an area well away from homes or farms,,,,,cept fpr my brother in laws house.


Backwoods-Savage said:


> One of my pet peeves. Live trap nusiance animals and turn them loose to they become somebody else's problem. Don't do it. Take care of your own problem and don't dump them onto somebody else. :rant:
> 
> A couple years ago we really had a problem with *****. Seems the people in town were having lots of **** problems, so they started live trapping them. I wondered why our **** population had grown so bad but then learned that one fellow alone had dumped 18 ***** nearby. Well, we're out in the country and that's where the ***** belong. Ask any farmer how he just loves to feed all those *****. They can do a terrific amount of damage in a corn field. As for the ground hogs, the farmers love them also because they dig holes for farm equipment to fall into. Then it only takes a few hours and dollars to fix said equipment. Enough said.


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

as for farmers and the troubles they have,,,, you can make good friends with them and maybe get some extra hunting land if you offer to hunt chucks on their land for them. i use my bow and they don't mind me around their buildings that way. once they see your hunting ethics , and maybe a meal or two prepared for them, its not uncommon for them to invite you to deer hunt too.


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