Identify This Animal ---> It's a Groundhog

[LarryInMichigan]

When I opened a window shade this morning, I saw this unusual animal outside.  I cannot recall seeing anything like this here in southeast Michigan before.  Can someone tell me what it is?

Thank You


Larry

[.....]

Groundhog.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog

[twocvbloke]

If you see it again, and again, and again, you've probably gotten stuck in a movie...

[LarryInMichigan]

So it definitely appears to be a groundhog.  In all the years I have lived around here, I don't recall ever seeing one of these in my yard, though they are probably not uncommon.

Thank You


Larry

[.....]

They're rodents, it will make a mess of your yard.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Yup, definitely a groundhog! Cute rodents, but they do make a mess of things if they have no where else to go!

We have/had one under our deck. I'm not sure if it's still there, but whenever the dogs are let outside, our Cocker Spaniel runs over to the part of the deck where we have seen that groundhog hiding and stares under the deck. Cockers are hunting dogs, so she would be the expert authority on that subject...

[LarryInMichigan]

They're rodents, it will make a mess of your yard.

The neighbors next door are already doing a good job of that.

Larry

[AL_as_needed]

In my neck of the woods, they are refereed to as woodchucks. And yes they are considered pests. Worked for a produce farm for several years and there was a 10$ bounty on them.

[jsowers]

I live out in the country with woods behind my house and my mom lives two houses up the road. We seem to have several groundhogs in the yard this year (they've been spotted chowing down) and my mom has a greenhouse and lots of potted plants behind my house. Those rodents have eaten lots of plants down to the roots. We've been trying to trap them and only managed to get the odd possum or raccoon or squirrel, but no groundhogs. Twice we got skunks. We never knew there was so much wildlife roaming around. My brother-in-law has been kept busy checking the traps and releasing/disposing of the catch. So if anyone knows what bait catches groundhogs, we'd be interested. I think we need to put some of mom's plants in the cage.  So far apples, cantaloupe, watermelon and corn on the cob haven't worked.

Now I know why my neighbor's dog barks at night. It's like Grand Central Critter Station around here. Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies could fix a feast with what we've caught. Possum Shanks, Squirrel Soup and maybe someday Gopher Gravy. It's too bad my Granny Sowers isn't still alive. She would have gotten a kick out of it.

[LarryInMichigan]

Here in the built-up suburbs, I have more than plenty of squirrels, rabbits, and skunks, with occasional possums and deer.  A couple of neighbors invited rats to the neighborhood as well.  There are reportedly coyotes around at night here, but I haven't spotted any yet.

Larry

[jsowers]

I can hear coyotes howling in the woods when the neighbor dog is howling at night. He's a German Shepherd and lower-pitched than the coyotes. I've seen them walking across roads nearby too, though not right at my house. They're very skinny, like Wile E. Coyote of cartoon fame. I guess they were on their way to Acme for some dynamite.  They tend to stay in the woods and that high-pitched howling is all I've heard of them. It's pretty spooky to hear that group howling at night from my bedroom and doesn't make me wander in the yard alone at night or have any outdoor pets.

We have had deer too. And when critters get run over in the road, turkey vultures appear to feast on the roadkill. I had several swoop down near my car as I drove in my driveway and on the road, one sideswiped the luggage rack of my Buick station wagon once. I thought sure it was going to hit the windshield. They're huge birds and swoop very low and aren't afraid of cars at all.

Where I live has built up since I was born. It was very rural once, but now it's a busy road and feeds one of the local elementary schools. So you could call it the built-up suburbs now. But when I was a teenager in high school, it was no big deal for me to drive a tractor across the road. Now I wouldn't think of doing such a thing, but we do have many tractors on the road still.

[paul-f]

We have had one hanging around for a few weeks, munching away in the lawn. It seems they like clover, and we have lots of it in our "lawn," while most of our neighbors have chemically over-treated grass. We're in suburbia, abutting a large woods.

He's getting way too comfortable, so we're trying to discourage him. They seem to be quite stubborn and persistent.

[19and41]

I used to Live In Galesburg, near Battle Creek and one lived by the tracks near a railroad crossing and would cross the road I was on to get home when I was coming home from work.  It would stop and watch for traffic and cross when it was clear with cars running both ways all the time.  Always wondered what it must've been like for it when a train went through.

[LarryInMichigan]

I occasionally stop at the antiques malls in Galesburg on my way to or from Chicago.  I never found much worth buying there though.

Larry

[19and41]

I'd have the best luck at the flea markets in the area.  there was a very good one in Paw Paw, though it was 20 years ago.