When do woodchucks in your area hibernate? I'm doinig a job here--fresh, big, deep hole under a house foundation. Woodchuck has not come out. Had two traps set for a week, nothing.

I have seen them every month of the year here. Not much help to you though?

Try filling the hole entry . See if it excavates it again . Refill again and re-set traps.

The Groundhogs are still out and about here in Pa. I just shot one about 15 minutes ago.

Woodchucks in Wisconsin probably follow the bat hibernation schedule. When it gets below 52 degrees these guys are getting ready for a long winters sleep. If a warm-up occurs, they're back out again. If it stays cold and they don't come out, we tell the customer we'll be back in spring, no extra charge.

What woodchucks?? Very few left in my neck of the woods...I miss them...neat animal.

Woodchuck has moved then! They often have seveal borrows.
They are NOT TRUE hibernators!

LT GREY , please explain. From what I was taught groundhogs are one of the few species that are TRUE hibernators. Unlike bears who will wake up quite readily if disturbed while sleeping during winter months.

Look up ' groundhog ' on Wiki and it says that they are true hibernators.

Please enlighten us ........

If a woodchuck ain't a true hibernator, what is? Even bats don't sleep as sound as 'chucks. I know chipmunks get up to take a pee and have a snack but not woodchucks. Of course up here in Wisconsin, even I would like to hibernate!

If conditions permit woodchucks will come out to feed in mid winter in Pa.I have seen them in Dec, Jan, and Feb. during warming trends. Be as it may they will awaken at times if thermal conditions reach down into the burrow to awaken them if ever so briefly.

Now in parts of the country that do not have mid winter warming trends, no doubt they will not be apt to awaken and stir about briefly and then return to sleep once again.I have seen it too many times since I am out trapping most all winter in different parts of the country. I know I have witnessed this in Pa.,Maryland and southern Ohio over the years.

Bob, thanks for that infomation. It's stuff like that, that makes this business so darn interesting. I will certainly keep an eye out for mid-winter woodchucks should global warming ever reach Wisconsin!

Maybe it got hit by a car or eaten by a coyote. I've had a soft-block in the hole for nearly two weeks now. No movement.

I agree with Bob.... I have seen them here in south-central Illinois during December, January, and February if we have a warm-up for a couple days. There is a rental storage business about 1/4 mile from me, and they have a bunch of old train cars (box cars) on the property. It is a groundhog nirvana.... nice grassy ditches, well-maintained lawn around all the storage containers. I drive by this place several times a day, and watched one eating in the lawn last January during a short warm-up in the weather pattern. Didn't surprise me, as I've noticed this behavior for years. Most of the info in "textbooks" regarding wildlife biology is seriously flawed, or doesn't allow for variations by region. It is very interesting to constantly "discover" behavior and trends that do NOT follow the textbook teachings.

And Paul.... before you ask.... it is raining hard today, so that is why I'm actually home instead of doing bat work. Still have many structures to do.... hoping we have warm enough temps to keep the bats active for at least 3 more weeks!

You know you spend too much time online when people start reading your mind. I keep hoping global warming will set in so we have 3 more months of activity.

Yep !

No woodchucks/groundhogs anywhere near here.

I haven't seen a woodchuck in my area in 3 years. Coyotes have caught all of them.