Whistle;pigs?

4

44shooter

New member
Hey Guys

I overheard some folks talking about shooting a critter called a "whistlepig" or something like that. I gathered that it was some sort of varmint but did not wish to appear dumb so I didnt ask. So I ask you guys- what is it, and what are they hunted with? Where are they and is "whistlepig" the real name or are they really something else?

Thanks
 
Groundhog in Ohio I've used from 22lr on up to 300WM we call em whistlepigs because they whistle sometimes when startled.
 
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I could be wrong but here they can be called whistle pigs or Marmots

At least thats what others around here call them, I call'em fun to shoot! and no I dont eat them!
 
We call it a woodchuck here in Maine and I have killed them with everything from my bow on up to my 30/06. I might also add that they are quite tasty also.
 
Here in southwestern Idaho that what they call the ground squirrels. There are small, with a large one running about the size a little juice can. They're much fun to shoot, with a 22lr being the usual weapon of choice, but I like to scatter them with my 221 Fireball or a 17 Remington. I have shot them with my 220 Swift but holy crap what overkill that is. You be lucky to find fur within 10 feet of where it was when you shot it.
 
We also have marmot's that whistle like the Eastern woodchucks here in Idaho. We call them Rockchucks out here and they get pretty good sized up to 14-15 inches tall. They like big rock piles and rip rocked river banks. They did so much damage digging up the levee at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater River at Lewiston that they had to spend thousands to repair them. It's right in town so no one could shoot them.
 
In Indiana we call them Groundhogs like everyone else I have used about everything to shot them. They like to borough into the hills around train tracks here. In the spring when the soy beans are a couple of inches high just look for bare spots along the tracks or a fence and get comfortable in a shady spot and watch. I mainly use a 22 hornet and a 25-06
 
Ok, Here's what I know.

Ground hogs are "woodchucks" or "whistlepigs". Mostly, but not always found back east and down south.

Out west, a similar (but not the same) critter is the "rockchuck" or properly called the "Golden Mantled Marmot"

In the high country (Cascade Mtns and elsewhere), at or above 9,000ft is another similar (but not the same) "Hoary Marmot". I think we sometimes used to call these "whistlepigs" because they made a sound like the whistle you'd get by blowing into a 3006 shell.

I've eaten all three, and I can tell you that they're all at least as good as any porcupine or raccoon I've eaten!


But then, I'm from Washington and now Utah so I may not be reliable. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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Here in southwestern Idaho that what they call the ground squirrels. There are small, with a large one running about the size a little juice can. They're much fun to shoot, with a 22lr being the usual weapon of choice, but I like to scatter them with my 221 Fireball or a 17 Remington. I have shot them with my 220 Swift but holy crap what overkill that is. You be lucky to find fur within 10 feet of where it was when you shot it.



Them're "PotGuts" son, don't be callin' them anythin else!
 
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Here in southwestern Idaho that what they call the ground squirrels. There are small, with a large one running about the size a little juice can. They're much fun to shoot, with a 22lr being the usual weapon of choice, but I like to scatter them with my 221 Fireball or a 17 Remington. I have shot them with my 220 Swift but holy crap what overkill that is. You be lucky to find fur within 10 feet of where it was when you shot it.



Ground squirrels ain't called "Whistle pigs"... a critter has to be part of the marmota family to be a Whistle pig.


.
 
Groundhog, woodchuck, whistlepig, all the same thing. I think the western rockchuck is a little different genetically, but I'm not sure.

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piggy.jpg
 
Well here in kentucky, we moslty call them groundhogs. Although we hear them called whisltepigs or woodchuck on occasion.
Around here the reason we callem whistlepigs is because when they are in the tall grass when you cant get a shot just "whistle" really loud and they stand right up and look around and it gives you a clear shot.
 
I had always heard that groundhogs were good eating if you got a young one. So, when I lived in Maryland I skinned one I had shot and took it home to the wife to cook. She was not impressed. Her exact word were; "Eeugh! It looks like a dead baby." I didn't try that again.

Jack
 
I remember Grampa used to say "how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?". My answer was usually "uhhhhhhhh.....". I was only like 6 or 7, that was the best I could come up with at the time. Now if I had the chance, I'd say something more intelligent like "uhhhhhhhhh....ummmmmm....I dunno, alot?". There's nothing like progressing with age. I usually call 'em woodchucks....that's what the State O' Maine calls 'em in the law book /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
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I had always heard that groundhogs were good eating if you got a young one. So, when I lived in Maryland I skinned one I had shot and took it home to the wife to cook. She was not impressed. Her exact word were; "Eeugh! It looks like a dead baby." I didn't try that again.

Jack



Jack, you gotta cut 'em in pieces and volunteer to do the cookin'./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

I've wrapped woodchucks (eastern groundhogs) in Al foil and roasted them in the coals of a fire. The parts that aren't burnt taste pretty good!/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

I've fried rockchucks, but they don't taste exactly like chicken.

My dad boiled the whistling marmot/hoary marmot for 2-3 days over an open fire at 9,000ft. Anything you boil that long doesn't have much taste left./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

Jed Wilson, an old friend that's no longer with us, said the Shoshoni indians would just throw the rockchucks in the fire. Unskinned, with its innards, and eat whatever was left when the fire burnt out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I'm thinking if you want some good eating out of them, filet them out and dice them up good. Then put together an oriental style stir-fry with some good, hot sechuan spices. How about Kung Pao Rockchuck? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Maybe one of those southwest Idaho boys has a good dutch oven receipe? Or maybe the good ole boys down south will put together a hunt/barbeque this spring? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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I remember Grampa used to say "how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?". My answer was usually "uhhhhhhhh.....". I was only like 6 or 7, that was the best I could come up with at the time. Now if I had the chance, I'd say something more intelligent like "uhhhhhhhhh....ummmmmm....I dunno, alot?". There's nothing like progressing with age. I usually call 'em woodchucks....that's what the State O' Maine calls 'em in the law book /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif



The answer Grampa was looking for is:

"a woodchuck would chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood!"

Man, I've been bored all day, stuck at home helping clean the house, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 


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