Sage rats and rock chucks

[Dbax129]

Gringo31 THANK YOU!  You are right, that is the little pest that farmers hate and takes over the world for a few months/year.  Good to know.   

[Jingles]

"The 28 species and subspecies of the genus copose three distinct groups, the common, eastern woodchuck,Marmota momax, the Yellow Footed marmot= Marmota flaviventris and the hoary marmot or rock chuck Marmota caligata.
The woodchuck inhabits most of North America, ranging from the Atlantic west to Okalhoma and  orth from British Columbia to Alaska.
The Yellow footed marmot  inhabits the western United States, British Columbia  and Alaska. The Hoary marmot, or rockchuck ranges the mountains of Western North America and thrives in the Rocky Mountains"
referenced the New Hunters Encyclopedia

[BOWHUNTER45]

Crazy ...good thread though...when I go turkey hunting I see thousands of these sage rats .. but the funny thing about it is when I ask if I can shoot a few the answer is usually NO ...For some reason the farmers just have problems with people shooting in their pastures ...which I understand ...These same farmers will let me kill all the turkeys we can but they protect the sage rat because they have cattle out there ...Back East we had ground hogs which are much bigger ...look just like our rock chucks but another 8 lbs bigger ...Farmers back there hate them because when belling season comes the holes are bad news on machinery ...sometimes flipping a wagon full of Hay onto its side 

[Dbax129]

yeah, cattle farmers don't much care for shooting on their pasture when I've asked.  The apple orchards and vineyards and even corn row farmers like you to shoot them.  some hops farmers too.  Gosh those things thrive in the hops fields.

[actionshooter]

I'm totally confused about the differences and whats shootable and whats not.


 Could someone post up a map of locations of where the farmers will let you shoot. 

[Hyde]

We always called them sand rats, or go-downs.  When I was a teenager growing up in eastern Oregon, if we brought the rancher 10 tails, they would give us one box of 22LR.  Wildcats as I recall.  You could get a brick back then for $7.00. 

[CastleRocker]

I don't know for sure, but the farmers who let us shoot the "Sage Rats" in their fields every year call them the Beldings Ground Squirrel.   What I DO know for sure is, it a really, really good time!

Now if I can just find about 5000 more Winchester Power Point 22 shells, my wife will be able to go this year! 

[actionshooter]

I don't know for sure, but the farmers who let us shoot the "Sage Rats" in their fields every year call them the Beldings Ground Squirrel.   What I DO know for sure is, it a really, really good time!

Now if I can just find about 5000 more Winchester Power Point 22 shells, my wife will be able to go this year! 

I'm going to be waiting for that call also.