best time of day for groundhogs

Depends on the time of year. Early spring they seem to me out mid-day when it's the warmest. Summer they seem to be out mid morning and early evening. They are alot like people,some get up early ,some sleep in and some like the boiling heat of the summer day.
 
The socond one I killed this year as around 5 in the afternoon. The first one I killed this year was mid morning. I generally see them out more in mid day when the early spring comes. Like Tim said though. I like to hit them about an hour after sunrise in the morning, and the late afternoon when summer hits.
 
In the summer,6;00 p.m. is magic time for chucks.And right after a summer rain,oh man they are like night crawlers!!
 
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Originally Posted By: BAYSTATE YOTEIn the summer,6;00 p.m. is magic time for chucks.And right after a summer rain,oh man they are like night crawlers!!

I'll second that. I generally hunt from around 3:00 PM to just before dark. I find that after 7:00 PM the pigs get scarce. Around the 6:00 PM time frame or slightly before is where I generally see more groundhogs, and when the sun comes out after a summer rain.
 
Mid morning or early evening. Now, with overcast sky's just after a rain storm on a fresh cut hay field...perfect!

I killed a ton of em in the above mentioned conditions in Crawford County, PA.
 
I have some I see every day on the way to work. Always out there when I go by about 7:45 AM, only sometimes out when I go back by around 5:30.
 
The best time for me is when I have a rifle and the time. I've killed them from sunrise to sundown. Some I've shot when my Kestrel was reading near 120°. Like Tim said, they are like people. They run different schedules. I will agree about after a rain though. That's how they get thier drink on.
 
When I hunted Eire and Crawford PA Counties... We saw chucks all day. after 530 was great but some of my best hunts were in the afternoon. We just drove around and spotted fields. The key for us was to go just after the farmers cut the hay and be up high on a trailer.
 
6mm06 said:
Originally Posted By: BAYSTATE YOTEIn the summer,6;00 p.m. is magic time for chucks.And right after a summer rain,oh man they are like night crawlers!!

I'll second that. I generally hunt from around 3:00 PM to just before dark. I find that after 7:00 PM the pigs get scarce. Around the 6:00 PM time frame or slightly before is where I generally see more groundhogs, and when the sun comes out after a summer rain.
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What is your procedure for killing the . They are absolutely destroying our garden. We have killed three in the last two weeks
 
Mr Benelli said:
When I hunted Eire and Crawford PA Counties... We saw chucks all day. after 530 was great but some of my best hunts were in the afternoon. We just drove around and spotted fields. The key for us was to go just after the farmers cut the hay and be up high on a trailer.
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Spotting fields for woodchucks THEN hunting them once spotted is technically illegal in PA. You need to INTEND to hunt that field before spotting game. A relative of mine was ticketed for the exact scenario you mention (and in Crawford county). Just trying to save you a PITE scenario...or at least give you some verbiage to assist if encountered by PGC.
 
Boomstick said:
Spotting fields for woodchucks THEN hunting them once spotted is technically illegal in PA. You need to INTEND to hunt that field before spotting game. A relative of mine was ticketed for the exact scenario you mention (and in Crawford county). Just trying to save you a PITE scenario...or at least give you some verbiage to assist if encountered by PGC.
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How could they prove that you didn't intend to hunt the field?
 
ask the PGC and judge.....Definite gray area, but he still paid the fine. Relative said they were chuck hunting, saw one, got far enough off the road, yadda yadda. His issue was he SAID he spotted it first. Going forward, gotta say you intended to hunt that spot and you didn't see game while still in vehicle :)
 
What a crazy law, PA. Here in Ohio, although the state is otherwise going to hell, groundhogs and coyotes are considered varmints - not small game, lol. Hunt ‘em almost any time, with any type of weapon, no limit.
 
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