The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1892-04-29
WARNING ON WOODchucKS.

4 Boys Experience In Trying to Oct ria
Of the Tricky Little Pests.
had IN interesting experience with
woodchucks. writes a New Hampshire
boy. The mlschievous rodents nearly
destroyed a field of clover, and then be-
gan to forage in a bean patch in which
| had a particular interest, as the pro-
ceeds of It were expected to defray my
expenses a term OF two at the village
academy. | set traps in vain. The
woodchucks were too cunning to touch
my bait when they had a field of clover
In which to forage. tried to get a
shot at them, but they were too wary
for he. Tim, my dog. managed, with
my energetic assistance in delnolishing
the stone wall where they had taken
refuge, to catch two of the trespassers
and shake them to death. but that was
all.
When | saw my academy tuition
falling before the woodchucks' sharp
teeth and adding to the sickness Of
their fat sides I was fully aroused. I
stoned up half a dozen woodchuck
holes, but it availed nothing. The raj.
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. doubt Il I over
succeeded In penning a single wood
chuck.
Their time of feeding, l learned, was
vcry 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.
l 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 n day l came upon a
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 &c.
was on the point Of closing his ca
reer then and there In a summary FASH
iod. when | decided to wait a bit and
make an experiment. carried the
chattering, brown coated animal to the
house, where | sneared him all over
with tar and then attached an old
sleigh bell to his neck by a stout wire.
| took him in a 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 a vain endeavor to clean
himself. Soon he ran of 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 I was
proceeding toward the clover. following
along a little beaten track made by the
w~oodchucks in their travels between
their two feeding grounds, when lcame
upon the dead and mutilated body Of
the unlucky creature which I had tar
red the previous day.
From the signs | judged that his fol-
low woodchuckA enraged at his dis
graceful appearance, had attacked him
In a body and literally torn him to
pieces
That was the end of the woodchucks
depredations. ! never saw a sign OF
their work afterward. They deserted
the premises 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.
Youths Companion.