28 



COMMON' MAMMALS OK WKSTKHN MONTANA. 



HIBERNATION, BREEDING, AND FOOD. 



Like llif Columbian ground squirrel, woodchucks ''bole up" in 

 August and hibernate until the following March. The young, usually 

 five in a litter, are born during the latter part of April and are out 

 in Full force and shifting for themselves by early June. 



W(Wfdchucks live almost entirely on green vegetation. Timothy, 

 clover, alfalfa, dandelion-, and numerous native plaids are favorite 

 foods. 



INJURY TO CROPS. 



Woodchucks are a serious nuisance wherever they occur near cul- 

 tivated land. In havfields they consume a very considerable amount 

 of feed; and beans, carrots, potato vines, cabbage, and other garden 



truck are almost sure to suf- 

 fer whenever woodchucks 

 have access to them. 



WOODCHUCKS AS TICK 

 HOSTS. 



The woodchuck is of 

 especial importance as a 

 tick host, for it is one of the 

 few native rodents on which 

 the adult wood ticks feed 

 until full of blood and 

 ready to develop eggs. 

 (Fig. 19.) It is also a 

 favorite host of the seed 

 and nymphal t icks, over 200 having been taken from one woodchuck. 

 .Moreover, this animal, when in captivity, is known to be susceptible 

 to spotted fever, and there seems little reason to doubt that it is one 

 of the species which helps to keep the disease alive. It is evident, 

 therefore, that any campaign to eradicate ticks and control spotted 

 fever should include an effort to lessen the number of woodchucks 

 near cultivated land and pastures. 



POISONING WOODCHUCKS. 



A very inexpensive and effective woodchuck poison may be made 

 by simply coating dandelion beads, clover, or alfalfa with thin starch 

 or flour paste poisoned with powdered white arsenic, 2 gallons of 

 the fresh given food being coated with a pint of cold Hour paste 

 containing 3 ounces of arsenic. As such a preparation both sours 

 and wilts quickly, it should be mixed in the afternoon and in the 

 evening placed at the entrances to woodchuck burrows, so as to be 

 available when the animals first come out next morning. By one 



484 



10. — Partly engorged adult wood ticks on 

 woodchuck. 



