Tree climbing and insect eating woodchucks [Marmottes américaines grimpeuses d'arbres et mangeuses d'insectes].

Résumé

In the May number of the Journal, Mr. C. Lee Shilliday once more brings up the ever recuring question of the tree climbing habit of the Woodchuck. For years the sporting magazines have printed arguments on this subject it ranks with another often debated one as to whether the mountain lion, puma or cougar screams. On and off for forty years I have studied and hunted the little "Red Monk" and the past few years I have averaged fifty kills, so I figure I am qualified to testify in this matter. Yes, the woodchuck can climb a tree, but to drive him any distance up a tree he must be caught away from his burrow and hard pushed by man or dog. Even at that I have never seen one more than ten to fifteen feet from the ground. I occasionalIy find one sunning itself anywhere from four to eight feet from the ground on a leaning tree or fence post. While on the subject of the woodchuck I would state that only recently have I discovered this animal to be an insect eater. This spring (1925) we have had an unusually large visitation of the large brown beetle known as the June bug, and I had noticed about the entrance of various burrows excrement containing undigested parts of these beetles. At first I was suspicious that this represented the droppings of skunks but later I punctured a woodchuck with a 30-30 bullet and scattered about, with blood and other matter, a quantity of parts of these same insects. The woodchuck is classed as a strict vegetarian and if the June bug was a smaIl insect it would be possible for the animal to take it in with clover and its other food but this beetle is a large bulky one and furthermore I found too much in the droppings for this occurrence. My observations may be exceptional but certainly were not caused by a lack of food for the spring rains fostered a bountiful food supply.