Identification

Weight: 6-10lbs depending on sex and how much fat they have accumulated or lost.
Diet: A variety of vegetation and grasses and will occasionally eat meat.
Habitat: Typically along the edges of fields or in open fields. It is less common to find a woodchuck living in the middle of woods. They will never dig in swampy soil. Typically their dens are dug in sandy and well drained soil. Often on the sides of hills and under logs.
Activity: Diurnalfrrue hibernators between November to February.
Procreation: Breeding occurs in early March to late April and 2-9 young are born 32 days later. Females raise young alone.
Symptoms: None; all will be sign. But don't forget that they can climb trees. That is right, woodchucks can climb trees.

Damage and Damage Identification

Damage to house: Typically, there will be none except for possible undermining of foundations and concrete prefab stairs. Have been known to chew through underground wires.

Damage to Lawn/Garden: They will however, mow a garden like a lawn mower. The green beans in one garden were so thoroughly ravaged that all the plants were evenly cut within 1 inch of the ground. Plants in the photo were merely trimmed.

Plants known to be eaten by Woodchucks
This plant information is by no means complete. It has been compiled by Wildlife Damage Control through contact with visitors to our web site. Basil,Campanula persicifolia, Cilantro, Cosmos, Dahlias, Daisies (two reports), Echinacea, Egg Plant and Fruit, Hot Pepper plants but not fruit, Marigolds, Mums, Nasturtiums (one report said avoided one year ate the next) , Pansies, Parsley, Petunias (two reports), Pumpkin Vines, Queen Anne's Lace, Rosemary (laid on), Rudbekia fulgida, Strawberries, Violets, Zinnias,

Plants with Possible Resistance to Chucks
This plant information is by no means complete. It has been compiled by Wildlife Damage Control through contact with visitors to our web site. We also want to warn readers that in times of desperation animals will eat food that they would otherwise wish to avoid. Bronze Fennel, Daffodils, Daylillies (have two reports that this plant is avoided), Dianthus (have two reports that this plant is avoided), Heather, Horehound, Lamb's Ear, Lemon Balm, Pumpkins, Squash, Sedum, Thymes

Feces: You may find some outside the den. Otherwise you will rarely find this item. A better clue for discovering if a den hole is active is the presence of flies at the entrance.