Do groundhogs use their nose as a defense like a deer or is scent/wind direction not a big deal? I would assume scent might play a role when getting close for a bow shot, but I'm more thinking about them becoming alarmed at longer distances like 200 yards or so. I've always hunted GHs with a rifle, but would like to go at them with a bow. I never really gave the wind direction much thought when GH hunting with a rifle. Thank you!

That is how practiced for WTs growing up. If I could get a GH deer were easy. my experince was sight. then run to there hole.

sure they can smell bout not sure they register it like a Dog or Deer Sight and sound seem to be their main defense

I used to be a groundhog nut all summer. Shot a bunch w bow, never once even considered wind direction. Never seen one respond to it

Has anybody ever eaten gh.there not bad

I hunt them alot and they have very very good eye sight we have to wear a orange hat when hunting them and they can see you a couple of hundred yards out

I don't believe I could ever get one hunting specifically for them. They see you from a half mile and are gone. Sneaking up is futile. I cant speak for other states, but the road hunters have harassed them so bad for the last 30 years that they are impossible to get close to. The one I did shoot was inside a barn digging holes. I happen to walk by on my way to hunt and could see him around the wagon wheels. I got lucky and that was 25 years ago.

Other than soybeans, what are some other preferred foods? I always just spotted them on bean fields and set up on them and shot them. Even if they see me and run, they'll be back in a little while. At least that's the way it works around here. Doesn't seem to be as many anymore since the coyotes got thick.

If your within bow range they do wind you. Seems within Fifty yards they start looking. My 9 yr old has been on them hard. He got winded twice two weeks ago. He behind a mound with blackberry and honeysuckles when the pig raised up and then ran. The next day he let it see him from about 100 yds. When it ducked in the hole he ran down and set up cross wind and got a shot. He took hair off the back.

Typical for all squirrel species, ground hogs have a nose like blood hound, but it is only used for finding food. I did not think that we had very many around here, but when they did a weed control burn on a hill near state land, it was found that the hill was perforated with wood chuck holes. They planted native grasses on it, but while it was still short I was glassing it just to how many were living on the hill. I was told by a state person to not handle them if I were to shoot one. They fear they may carry black plague in some form, just like prairie dogs. When I asked, "how do I get my arrow back?" I was told use a spray cleaning disinfectant, deposit paper towels in a plastic bag and wear rubber gloves, and until they get a better sampling, to err on the side of caution.

My Dad and Grandfather's use to hand me the bow and a few arrows and say, "Go get'm.....sneak when their heads down, freeze when its up." "Pasture Grizzlies", taught me alot about stalking game. Still get out and chase them a few times each Spring and Summer.

I ask this question quite a few years ago. And was informed they a have rather acute olfactory(sense of smell) although it's normally not use against humans until they get educated. For those of you sneak hunting them a llBean boot or sneakers will make quite a difference on your stalk. I was a addicted whistle pig hunter for about 15 years.

I've got to question their olfactory sense. Have hunted them a lot and can't recall one alerted by my scent. I would have to say their main defense is their eye sight. They can be stalked but will beat a hasty retreat at the slightest movement. Setting up behind the hole after they've gone to ground will almost always produce a shot opportunity as they will most likely reappear in a few minutes to assess the situation.

I shot this one today, 5 or 6 yards, missed him then he stuck his head up again. Curiosity killed the whistlepig :)

Grizbow's Groundhog.

Lol i figured out how to post it right after Nemophilist helped me, thank you sir !!

I've been upwind, well within bow range, unnoticed, many times. If they smelled me they didn't react to it.

I had a farm I hunted for 20 years before I moved to another area of the state that I gained permission to hunt by killing a ground hog with a Recurve. That farmer was so impressed that he gave me exclusive permission to hunt his property and no one could hunt unless I agreed to it. They are a challenge but if you are persistent and willing to do some dirty work it’s do able.

I never had one wind me that I knew of. They have excellent eyes and can see you when you can’t see them. I wear a guille vest with a hood and paint my face to blend in. Be sure to spray down your clothes with premithrin including underwear and socks a couple days before for ticks and chiggers. A head net for skeeters is also handy.

I remember shooting a groundhog out of a tree one summer. It was up in a mulberry tree looking down at me. I shot him right in the chest. He fell hard smacked the ground then went down in his hole with my arrow. I lost a lot of arrows that summer. But I also learned a lot about walking slow and stepping strategically. I believe there eye sight is very keen. But like others said they are very curious animals. I also use to stick a feather in my bright orange hat on the right side. I believe this confused them... But who knows...

Thank you all for the informative replies. Looks like I may have been missing out on some good education and fun. I guess I'll have to remedy some of that, but not all. I still love my rifles. I'm off today. Maybe I'll go give them a try this evening. Again, thank you all.

Do not underestimate the smelling of a old survivor woodchuck. Bob

Most farms with a groundhog population will have a bunch near the farmhouse, under barns, outbuildings, old vehicles and junk piles. If possible, I would focus on these for bowhunting. As a kid, I used to just walk quietly around the farm. If I spooked one as I came around a corner, they would run back to their holes and I would try to get above the hole entrance or nearby with some cover. They would normally come back out in 5-15 minutes and offer a shot. The farmers know exactly where to look for these and generally want them gone. Also, I found the most productive time to hunt them was late afternoon or early evening. Good luck! - John

I've killed a few whistle pigs in my time and two were up in a tree. I ate both of them and all of the young ones I shot. The old ones aren't bad when killed in the fall. My grandpa used to scold them and pick them like a hog. They came out nice and white. I just skin'em. If there's an old abandoned house spot nearby, the ground hog will be there.

Scald, not scold. :)

can understand that Blackstick

farmer down the way from me has an australian shepard that kills more than the guys hunting his place with varmit rifles- Dog leaves them on the back porch for him

at first we thoughe he was collecting the ones they killed , but inspecting them, they were his kills

Yeah, I've known that finding their holes and setting up on them is one of the best tactics for GH hunting and used it for a long time. Which brings me to another question. Do GHs travel far to eat or do they just den up close to a food source and stay there? I've always just gotten them near their holes around or not far from buildings. Around electric towers in fields also seems to be productive.

Most holes are not in the fields but just inside the woods edge. I created paths in the trees within 10yd of the edge. I have these paths all around my neighbors farm. I slowly and quietly still hunt along, looking and glassing ahead to each den.

All shots are reasonably short without lost arrows in a hay field. I sure don't want to buy a tractor tire or a dairy cow!

I have watched groundhogs go up to 100yds from their holes. I had one out by my barn I could get 15 yds from on a riding lawn mower. It was hard to get close to with a bow.

Andy, My grandfather had an Australian sheep dog on the farm when I was a kid. That dog was a real killing machine and groundhogs were his specialty. He would drop them in front of the shed where my grandfather parked his truck. Invariably, they would get flattened. Great memories!

Nomo, Most of the time they stick close to their dens. Once in a while (probably mating season or when they need to find their own territory) they will travel a good distance from their dens and are quite vulnerable. - John

Yes , site, sound and hear. They even climb trees to look around. I never seen a hog just launch out of his hole without smelling and looking. I shot one right in his nose once from my tree stand. You should have herd him. I felt bad he grabbed arrow and ripped his nose out and then I felt worse at least he retreated down hole I guess and bleed out.

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