Mr. E. W. Ehmann 
of California with 
25 ducks shot 
withan Ithaca 
20-gauge. 
Ithaca, 
Gun Co., 
Ithaca 
INBLY. 
Box 25 
Mr. E. W. Ehmann of California 
with 25 male Sprig ducks shot in 45 
minutes with an Ithaca 20-gauge. 
Mr. Ehmann and all his duck shoot- 
ing friends who use Ithacas have 
learned that Ithaca Lockspeed im- 
proves their shooting. Ithaca Lock- 
speed will improve your shooting.” 
Double guns for game 
$37.50 to $700. 
Single barrel trap guns 
$100. to $700. 






NEW METHOD 
GUN BLUER Enough to Finish 
ae AR Pe 
5 Guns $1.00 
No heating is necessary. 
New Method Gun Bluing 
Company 
Dept. F. Bradford, Pa. 
Makes Old Guns Like New 
KEW 60. 
Sera co eu 



Send for FREE GOOK 
“ FISHING - WHAT BAITS 
AND WHEN " 






Every fisherman should have it. Inter- 
esting angling hints. Tells what baits 
to use for every kind of fishing. 
Postal gets it! 
SOUTH BEND BAIT CO. 
10260 High St, South Bend, ind / 
ese a 

Olive Drab : 
Wool Breeches | 
$ 42° 
Like cut—new in sizes from 32 § 
waist to 40 waist. Strong, light- 
weight wool for summer wear. 
Made for the Home Guards. 
Catalog Free. 
W. STOKES KIRK | 
th 10th St., Phila., Pa. 






GENUINE COLTS |. mai 
REVOLVER, cal.33 = 
ARMY SPECIAL 
doubleaction,swingout “=~ . 
cylinder, blued finish, rubber grips, 
almost NEW. Superior to foreign 
madeimitations. Price $18.45. Web 
holster to fit 60 cents; web belt with cartridge 
loops 45 cents. Ball cartridges $1.50 per 100. 
RUSSIAN SPRINGFIELD SPORTING RIFLE, using 
the U.S. Army caliber 30, Mod. 1906 cartridges. 
Weight, 8 pounds. Length, 42! inches; barrel, 22 
inches, Turned down bolt handle. Special price, 
$10.45. Ball cartridges, hard nose, $3.50 per 100. Web 
cart. Belt, 40 cents, Reference catalog, 872 pages, 50 
cents. 1924 circular for 2centstamp. Established 1865. 
Francis Bannerman Sons, 501 Broadway, New York City 
In writing to Advertisers mention Forest and Stream. 
Makes old guns like new. 








A Little About Woodchucks 
By GEORGE P. DERNIER 
T is surprising how very few people 
know anything about the woodchuck, 
sometimes called whistle-pig or ground 
hog. I have met people who really 
thought that a ground hog was nothing 
more than a fable or fairy story; judg- 
ing, I suppose from “ground hog day.” 
You may purchase books of the habits, 
life and haunts of the woodchuck; but 
I really believe that the authors of 
most of these books know very little of 
their subject. 
If a person should like to know some- 
thing of these creatures he must go 
about it in the proper way. You may 
run through the woods, fields or gulches 
and you might scare up a rabbit or 
two, or perhaps put a squirrel to flight; 
but you seldom hear of them telling of 
having seen a woodchuck. 
We will take a nice sunny afternoon 
in any: of the summer or early fall 
months, and go into the woods. The 
fact that you can find them anywhere 
is true; but to be most successful you 
must go to their haunts or favorite 
lurking places. Usually they will be in 
uninhabited places, near or in a woods, 
a good watering place, say a river 
pond, creek, under banks, roots of trees, 
hillsides, and any place that they are 
best adapted to. If you will wear 
dark, or unflashy clothing you will not 
be seen as easily as in any attractive 
color. 
If there happens to be a breeze or 
wind, keep the animal in the direction 
of the approach of the wind, as a wood- 
chuck can easily detect the nearness of 
a person through smell. 
The woodchuck is often called a timid 
animal, yet he proves a vicious foe for 
any dog that happens to corner him. 
He will fight until exhausted, then lie 
quiet; and I often believe that this is 
part of his game, as one will notice 
that he keeps a constant watch on the 
dog who is waiting for another move 
from his victim, and when he renews 
the fight he seems to have more vigor 
and courage than ever; the dog is not 
always the victor. 
Hunting woodchucks is my favorite 
summer sport, always allowing oppor- 
tunities to learn more and more of his 
tricks and cunningness.- I have killed 
many of these creatures but they don’t 
seem to thin out in any of the localities 
I have hunted. 
The animals have very tender meat, 
which is palatable when cooked. They 
also have a tough hide that can be used 
to many advantages, but for real sport 
especially through the summer months 
when other game is protected, “chuck” 
hunting makes a good pastime for 
It will identify you. 
sportsmen. They are hard fellows to 
trap, although some people deny the 
fact. Their legs are short, tough and 
tapering, which allows them to pull 
from the trap quits easily without in- 
jury to themselves. 
Hunters use either a rifle or shotgun 
for this creature; the only disadvan- 
tage of a shotgun is: You must be 
quite close or it will be a useless shot, 
as his tough hide, and constitution, 
seem to serve him well. I prefer a rifle, 
any caliber from a °.22 up has plenty 
of killing power; but killing them at 
any distance is not altogether an easy 
job. 
I have found that by _ shooting 
straight for the neck, or between the 
shoulders is the safest way of cutting 
off their retreat to a hole or nearby 
log or stone pile. The hunter can best 
accomplish this in the evening with 
most any rifle, because while feeding, 
the “chuck” usually stands on his hind 
legs and remains motionless, sometimes 
as long as a minute. 
Some prefer watching their holes. 
This is the easiest method of killing: 
Before leaving the hole the “chuck” 
always whistles; the same whistle being 
mistaken many times for a bird. 
He always utters a short, sharp 
whistle, following with a chuckling sort 
of warble; although this warble cannot 
be heard unless the hunter is quite close 
to the hole. 
You may sit or lie directly in front 
of the hole, and as long as you are 
silent and motionless he doesn’t seem 
to mind your presence; but at the first 
move or sound he seems to disappear, 
sometimes for the remainder of the day. 
To enjoy a good hunt we must spend 
a day at it. The most thrilling part of 
a hunt is to spot one of these fellows 
sunning himself outside the hole; and 
then creep up within shooting distance. 
You'll find that this is easier said than 
done especially in the fall when leaves 
and twigs are dry, and there is little 
or no foliage in which to conceal your- 
self. 
Sportsmen are quickly taking to this 
summer sport and it is growing more 
and more popular each year; and can 
be appreciated only by those who in- 
dulge in it. 

Page 360 
