The Woodchuck 17 
The trap is set at the entrance of the burrow, being 
made fast to a stake which is driven into the ground. 
Woodchucks are more easily trapped in May or 
June than later in the season, for during the former 
months they are much oftener out in the open. The 
old ones frequently become very shy, especially those 
living in meadows remote from the house, and having 
their burrows in the edge of the woods. Sometimes 
one of these woodchucks will spring a trap day after 
day without being caught, or even dig around the 
trap, much to the disgust of the farmer boy, who is 
usually paid a bounty of ten cents for each ‘‘chuck” 
caught. 
After the grass has been mown the woodchucks 
become much wilder, and it is at this time that the 
“village sportsmen” betake themselves into the 
country on leisure afternoons to indulge in the pastime 
of shooting them. 
The farm dog occasionally develops great ability 
in the capture of woodchucks. A certain old dog 
by the name of “Shep,” which belonged to a New 
York State farmer, was a famous woodchuck hunter. 
After locating a woodchuck, Shep would watch his 
movements for a little time, then, while the woodchuck 
was feeding, she would move directly toward him. 
Keeping her body close to the ground she would 
