R.I.P. Woody Woodchuck

[Clipper]

I just came in from burying Woody across the road in the woods. I tried for a couple of weeks to trap him in a live trap with no success.

This morning was the last straw. I opened the back door to go get my newspaper and Woody was in the raised bed eating one of my zucchinis. He has already sampled two others, and the fat little bugger was trampling the plants.

I hated to do it but if I wanted to have anything left of my garden I had to eliminate Woody. I was reluctant to shoot him with my .22 rifle but it had to be done. I feel badly that I had to kill him, but I took him across the road into the woods and dug hole and buried him with a couple of pieces of flagstone on top of him to prevent the coyotes from digging him up.

I am getting soft hearted in my old age. Years ago I would have shot him, tossed him in a trash bag and put him in the garbage can.

[BHU]

I baited mine with cantaloupe & covered the trap with brush. Only took a few hours to catch that bugger. He's or she is up in Marcy now. I saw another one a few days ago walking along the fence but I haven't seen him since. The trap is still out near the fence but not set. I wonder if it picked up the scent of his buddy & it scared him off. But I'm ready for him or her.

[Clipper]

I would have preferred to capture and relocate old Woody but it didn't work out. I never thought at the time, but he was eating my zucchini. IN hindsight I probably would have been better off baiting the trap with a fresh zucchini rather than with fresh alfalfa from my neighbor's hay lot and fresh romaine lettuce. I covered the trap with a large towel. The scent of fabric softener might have scared him away from the trap. I am just hoping the Woody didn't impregnate some fat and happy mama woodchuck before he died.

[Ralph]

Live by the zucchini............die by the zucchini.

[BHU]

Well, he's baaa aaaaack! Looked out the back window & there's my buddy chowing down on clover in the middle of our yard. Tomorrow, it's off to the store for a nice ripe canataloupe, set the trap & something is taking a nice long trip..........