The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-10-22
WARRING ON WooDcHUcKs.
4 Boys Experience in Trying to Get Rid
of the Tricky Little Pests.

boys ExpeTlence In frying to Get Rid
of the Tricky Little Pests.
had an interesting experience with
woodchucks, writes a New Hampshire
boy. The mischievous rodents nearly
destroyed q field of clover, and then be-
gan to forage in bean patch in which
had q particular interest, as the pro-
ceeds of it were expected to defray my
expenses a term or two at the village
academy. | set traps in vain. The
woodchucks were too cunning to touch
my bait when they had field of clover
in which to forage. / tried to get a
shot at them, but they were too wary
for me. Tim, my dog, managed, with
my energetic. assistance in demolishing
the stone wall where they had taken
refuge, to catch two of the trespassers
and shake them to death, but that was
all.
When l saw my academy tuition
falling before the woodchucks' sharp
teeth and adding to the sickness of
their fat sides I was fully aroused.
stoned up half dozen woodchuck
holes, but it awaited nothing. The rag
Gals seemed just as numerous and de-
voured clover and beans just as per-
sistently as before. They had reached
an age and size when holes were of
small account. In several instances the
stones were removed. l doubt if ever
succeeded in penning single wood
chuck.
Their time of feeding, I learned, was
very early in the morning, and l re-
solved to be in season for them. For
four mornings was in the field watch
ing for them between 3 and 4 o'clock.
succeeded in shooting one. The willy
fellows then began feeding in the even
ing. 1t seemed as if they kept spies on
the lookout constantly.
Just at dusk one day came upon q
solitary woodchuck helping himself to
my beans | seized a stone and threw
it, and the woodchuck fell / ran for
ward to secure my game. The next
moment the little beast, which had
been merely stunned, rallied and set
his sharp teeth in my finger choked
him until he was glad to let CO.
I was on the point of closing his ca
reer then and there in a summary fash
iod, when decided to wait bit and
make an experiment. I carried the
chattering, brown coated animal to the
house, where smeared him all over
with tar and then attached an old
sleigh bell to his neck by stout wire.
I took him in wire cage, an angry,
disguised woodchuck, to the bean patch
and gave his freedom. The instant he
was at liberty he began scratching at
the bell wire, rolling over and paving
the dirt in vain endeavor to clean
himself. Soon he ran off into the bean
patch.
went out to the field next morning
to see if my experiment had resulted in
anything. There were no fresh signs OF
devastation in the beans, and | was
proceeding toward the clover, following
along little beaten track made by the
woodchucks in their travels between
their two feeding grounds, when came
upon the dead and mutilated body OF
the unlucky creature which I had tar
red the previous day.
From the signs judged that his fell
low woodchucks, enraged at his dis
graceful appearance, had attacked him
in body and literally torn him to
pieces.
That was the end of the woodchucks'
depredations. never saw sign of
their work afterward. They deserted
the premises l learned, however, that
a farmer living a few miles away was
much annoyed by woodchucks about
that time, and think it probable that
they were the same which had given
me trouble earlier in the season. -