4 The Woodchuck 



that he has become a special object of persecution by 

 the farmers, and from early spring until fall a con- 

 tinual warfare is waged against him; some are trapped, 

 many are shot, and not a few are destroyed by the 

 farm dogs. 



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 



