For a large percentage of Aroostook outdoorsmen, May means spring trolling on regional lakes and rivers for trout and salmon and wandering the wetland flats in search of fiddleheads.
Shooting sportsmen, many of whom have not hunted since deer season six months ago, are itchy to do a bit of hunting. Unfortunately, open seasons on small game, big game, and birds are few and far between during May.
Coyotes and squirrels are fair game year-round, but spring is certainly not the best season for predators, and few County hunters have much interest in squirrels. Turkeys are fair game but that can be a one-and-done short season and many folks are not into gobbler gunning yet.
Groundhogs do present a challenging, plentiful quarry, however, and since they come out of their winter dens as soon as the snow and frost disappear, May is always prime time.
Also known as woodchucks, these small, quick-moving animals are sharp-eyed and very wary, providing area shooters challenging targets.
Groundhogs are distant relatives to prairie dogs, which are found in large groups and form “towns” in the Western states. The many holes they create present a danger on cattle ranches to cows and horses, so these smaller cousins are hunted heavily.
Our local variety devour vegetable gardens, burrow in lawns and prove a nuisance around rural houses and yards, so hunters have little trouble obtaining hunting permission from landowners.
The most common long gun for woodchucks is the common .22 found in every hunter’s gun case or farmer’s closet. The .22 Magnum and the .17 calibers are fast gaining popularity throughout Maine, however. All three of these weapons prove optimal with open sights out to 50 yards, but extend to 75 or even 100 yards when properly scoped.
Shooters seeking a greater challenge can opt for long-range rifles with high magnification optics and seek targets to at least 200 yards.
Adult chucks measure roughly 12 to 15 inches tall and 6 inches wide. They are small targets and their chestnut brown coloration blends into most backgrounds, presenting difficult sight acquisition. High-power, flat-shooting rifles topped with at least a 9X scope and loaded with 30- to 50- grain bullets continue to be the favored firearms. Dependable calibers include .22-250, .223 Remington, .204 Ruger, 220 Swift and 6mm Remington, all in bolt-action guns.
A handful of truly adventuresome hunters seek out groundhogs and attempt to stalk them close enough for a shot with a bow, crossbow or handgun. A short-range weapon provides the epitome of fine accuracy and answering the challenge proves truly satisfying.
Groundhogs always have at least two escape routes, their main entrance hole and at least one backdoor. These critters have excellent eyesight and seldom venture far from one of the holes leading to their underground bunker and connector tunnels.
One of the simplest methods of sighting woodchucks is to drive gravel back roads or farm roads slowly along grain fields, pastures or second-growth fields. Long-range shooters can just keep driving once a chuck is sighted and stop a good way off, disembark, load up and use a nearby tree or portable bipod to steady the rifle for a shot. Long-gun shooters need to be very aware of the backdrop behind their target, regardless of the fact that most shots angle toward the ground since the target is so small.
Hunters using bows, shotguns or handguns must depend on spot-and-stalk tactics to set up a shot. Slowly walking field perimeters or sitting along a field edge with binoculars continues to offer the highest percentage of sightings. Then it’s just a matter of sneak and peek until you’re within acceptable shooting distance.
I tried groundhog meat in stew, lasagna and meatballs. It’s not bad, but it’s certainly not moose meat.
Many fly tiers use groundhog fur for wings, tails and spinning bodies on a variety of wet and dry fly patterns.
While May is considered a prime fishing month for many Crown of Maine sportsmen, there’s some challenging small game gunning to be experienced as well. Groundhogs offer an interesting spring outdoor alternative throughout Aroostook farm country, and stalking them keeps the shooting eye sharp and makes good practice for fall big-game outings.
