BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 14, 2024
Using my backpack as a rest while I lay prone on the ground, I took careful aim with my .44-caliber black powder handgun. Boom! As the smoke cleared, I could see that the chuck was gone. Approaching the hole slowly, the answer was clear. It was a clean miss. There are typically three “seasons” to hunt woodchucks: early spring, after the first hay cutting around June, and after the second cutting in August or September. Traditionally, woodchuckers have used long guns that reach out hundreds of yards, but there’s much more of a challenge to a handgun since getting close to them is essential. Although woodchucks are quite edible (they are almost pure vegan), I have never eaten one, but those who have say the meat is somewhat similar to lamb. ~ Leighton Wass