# Whistle Pigs???



## Poo Pie

Is that really another name for rock chucks?


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## Loke

Yes.


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## Poo Pie

what a timely response- thanks loke. Sounds kinda funny don't you think? But I chased one today and it did whistle at me, so I guess it makes sense


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## sawsman

I shot one this past weekend with my 223WSSM, he's not whistling anymore.

sawsman


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## Poo Pie

sawsman said:


> I shot one this past weekend with my 223WSSM, he's not whistling anymore.
> 
> sawsman


 :rotfl: 
any carnage pics?


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## sawsman

No pictures. There wasn't much left.... It was a gruesome site.


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## rugerdogdog

I've always thought whistle pig was a descriptive term for any of the little rodents that whistle/chirp at you and fly into pieces when you hit them with the 204 also!!!


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## Loke

Actually, the first time that I read the term "whistle pig" was in _Hunting_ magazine in the early '70s. It was in reference to woodchucks and was written by Jon Sundra. I would imagine that it has been used for rock chucks as well.


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## Al Hansen

Dang , you can remember a article from the 70's. :shock: And who wrote it. :shock: :shock:


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## JAT83

:lol: I have never heard the term Whistle Pigs before! :lol:


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## Loke

Al Hansen said:


> Dang , you can remember a article from the 70's. :shock: And who wrote it. :shock: :shock:


Don't ask me about the '80s though. Or five minutes ago........


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## .45

Poo Pie said:


> what a timely response- thanks loke. Sounds kinda funny don't you think? But I chased one today and it did whistle at me, so I guess it makes sense


Maybe he thought you were _cute_...


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## campfire

Loke said:


> Actually, the first time that I read the term "whistle pig" was in _Hunting_ magazine in the early '70s. It was in reference to woodchucks and was written by Jon Sundra. I would imagine that it has been used for rock chucks as well.


OK guys, here is a deep philosophical question for you. What is the difference between a rock chuck and a wood chuck?

And when you figure that one out try this one:

How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood? :mrgreen:


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## Al Hansen

campfire said:


> Loke said:
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, the first time that I read the term "whistle pig" was in _Hunting_ magazine in the early '70s. It was in reference to woodchucks and was written by Jon Sundra. I would imagine that it has been used for rock chucks as well.
> 
> 
> 
> OK guys, here is a deep philosophical question for you. What is the difference between a rock chuck and a wood chuck?
> 
> And when you figure that one out try this one:
> 
> How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood? :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Let me think. Uh , one lives in rocks and the other lives in wood . :mrgreen:

And the answer to the other one is 8. :lol:


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## proutdoors

rugerdogdog said:


> I've always thought whistle pig was a descriptive term for any of the little rodents that whistle/chirp at you and fly into pieces when you hit them with the 204 also!!!


The little ground squirrels you describe is what I have always called whistle pigs as well. That or pot guts. I always called marmots rock chucks, not whistle pigs. BTW, I am looking at a colony of pot guts(whistle pigs) as I type, there must be a couple hundred of the little annoying bastages.


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## InvaderZim

Boys, boys, boys...you're all right! ...and yer all wrong!

A "rockchuck" is what us westerners call a Yellow Bellied Marmot (_Marmota flaviventris_) and you can read up more about them by clicking Yellow Bellied Marmot

A Wood Chuck is an eastern mormot (_Marmota monax_) and you can read up more about them by clicking Wood Chuck

We also have a variety of ground squirrels that most folks call "pot guts" If you're finding them in the mountainous areas of Park City, Manti-Lasal, Wasatch, etc. you are most likely seeing either the Uinta or Wyoming Ground Squirrel and you can read up more about them by clicking Uinta Ground Squirrel or Wyoming Ground Squirrel.

Anyway you slice it though they are great fun to hunt.


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## rugerdogdog

*Pro,* I'm right there with ya. I can see them from my front room also. In fact I could probably look at 200 per day in places that vary from moderately unsafe to shoot to illegal as HELL. Finding them in good numbers where it is suitable to let fly is harder. I think it is because everybody around here is toting some kind of gun and they are exploded on sight!!! :lol: 
I need to invest in a good high velocity pellet gun!


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## Al Hansen

I just returned from a shoot in Idaho. They called them whistle pigs up there. They look like tiny little ground squirrels to me. See below. To me a whistle pig is a Yellow Bellied Marmot. Also known as Rock Chuck.


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## proutdoors

Al Hansen said:


> I just returned from a shoot in Idaho. They called them whistle pigs up there. They look like tiny little ground squirrels to me. See below. To me a whistle pig is a Yellow Bellied Marmot. Also known as Rock Chuck.


That looks like a whistle pig to me. Al, I can get you and *.45* on a ton of these, but I do charge a finders fee. :mrgreen:


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## Al Hansen

proutdoors said:


> Al Hansen said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just returned from a shoot in Idaho. They called them whistle pigs up there. They look like tiny little ground squirrels to me. See below. To me a whistle pig is a Yellow Bellied Marmot. Also known as Rock Chuck.
> 
> 
> 
> That looks like a whistle pig to me. Al, I can get you and *.45* on a ton of these, but I do charge a finders fee. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

You can charge me the finders fee and I'll charge the shooters fee. They should pay people to shoot those tiny little mega destroyers. I couldn't believe the damage they do.


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## .45

Spend the money Al !! ( if you've got any left ) Lets go BIG GAME POT-GUT hunting...you pay *Pro* his guide fee's and buy us all lunch !! Nobody lose's that way !!


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## Al Hansen

.45 said:


> Spend the money Al !! ( if you've got any left ) Lets go BIG GAME POT-GUT hunting...you pay *Pro* his guide fee's and buy us all lunch !! Nobody lose's that way !!


You buy the gas and the bullets. Then we all share in the fun. :lol:


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## Poo Pie

Al Hansen said:


> I just returned from a shoot in Idaho. They called them whistle pigs up there. They look like tiny little ground squirrels to me. See below. To me a whistle pig is a Yellow Bellied Marmot. Also known as Rock Chuck.


That's what I would call a pot gut as well. The animal I heard called a whistle pig was a rock chuck. Just thought it was funny because I had never heard the nick name before.


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## quakeycrazy

proutdoors said:


> rugerdogdog said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've always thought whistle pig was a descriptive term for any of the little rodents that whistle/chirp at you and fly into pieces when you hit them with the 204 also!!!
> 
> 
> 
> The little ground squirrels you describe is what I have always called whistle pigs as well. That or pot guts. I always called marmots rock chucks, not whistle pigs. BTW, I am looking at a colony of pot guts(whistle pigs) as I type, there must be a couple hundred of the little annoying bastages.
Click to expand...

Then why aren't you shooting? Make them stop chucking wood and whistling!!


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## proutdoors

quakeycrazy said:


> proutdoors said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rugerdogdog said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've always thought whistle pig was a descriptive term for any of the little rodents that whistle/chirp at you and fly into pieces when you hit them with the 204 also!!!
> 
> 
> 
> The little ground squirrels you describe is what I have always called whistle pigs as well. That or pot guts. I always called marmots rock chucks, not whistle pigs. BTW, I am looking at a colony of pot guts(whistle pigs) as I type, there must be a couple hundred of the little annoying bastages.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Then why aren't you shooting? Make them stop chucking wood and whistling!!
Click to expand...

Not allowed to have a firearm in the company truck. :idea: 8)


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## Huge29

These are the ones that I frequent quimp not be confused with the Utah Pdog or Cynomys parvidens, which are protected 


> R657-19-4. Nongame Mammal Species - Certificate of Registration Required.
> (1) A certificate of registration is required to take any of the following species of nongame mammals:
> (3) A certificate of registration is required to take a Utah prairie dog, Cynomys parvidens,


quote from http://wildlife.utah.gov/rules/R657-19.php
I think What Al is hunting is a officially a pdog and not a chuck isn't it? The pdogs are the ones that I am familiar with that whistle. 
Maybe we could contact this place to find out some good spots http://www.prairiedoglover.com/relocation.htm. I would be careful in sharing in any of these spots with anyone, except me, my buddy and I shared our spot with another classmate and that loser returned to wipe out the whole colony, so keep it on the DL.


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## Al Hansen

These "things" in Idaho are not P-dogs. They are much smaller and look like a very small squirrel. P-dogs in Wyoming ??? I don't know what you are talking about. I heard they were killed off 20 years ago when the rangers went into the poisoning mode. 

Back to the squirrels in Idaho (also called whislepigs by the locals up there), I don't think you can wipe them out. I couldn't believe the numbers of them and how distructive they are. The land scape looked like the moon up there. They had really torn it up. Idaho should pay you to shoot these 1.5-2 inch mouse. A monster was about 3 inches tall.


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## Loke

It is legal to hunt prairie dogs in Utah. The white tailed prairie dog is the most common. You cannot hunt prairie dogs in the Coyote Basin. They are protected there to provide a food species for the black footed ferret, and to prevent accidental shootings of the ferrets. The Utah prairie dog is protected, and is found in south western Utah. The hunting season is currently closed on public land. We need to let them make more targets until June 15th.
Here is a link to the prairie dog hunting rules.
http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code ... 19.htm#E10


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## Loke

This is what I found concerning Idaho ground squirrels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_ground_squirrel

This is what you were shooting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_Ground_Squirrel


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## proutdoors

The critters Al posted pictures of are NOT prairie dogs, but a ground squirrel, also called pot guts or whistle pigs by the 'locals'. I am watching a colony out here north of Grantsville, irritating little bastages. There are several future little breeders the size of a field mouse less than 10 feet from where I am typing. I am going to contact the landowner and see if he wants the 'herd' thinned out a bit. I'll let Al and *.45 * know, as long as they pony up a retainer fee upfront. Last time, they just left me sitting at home and went with hillbilly, WTH?


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## Loke

Hey PRO, have you tried hunting them with your bow? It's more fun than a man should have standing up.


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## proutdoors

Loke said:


> Hey PRO, have you tried hunting them with your bow? It's more fun than a man should have standing up.


I have, and I agree. I use judo points and have a blast. That is how 'real men' hunt whistle pigs. :twisted:


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## .45

proutdoors said:


> The critters Al posted pictures of are NOT prairie dogs, but a ground squirrel, also called pot guts or whistle pigs by the 'locals'. I am watching a colony out here north of Grantsville, irritating little bastages. There are several future little breeders the size of a field mouse less than 10 feet from where I am typing. I am going to contact the landowner and see if he wants the 'herd' thinned out a bit. I'll let Al and *.45 * know, as long as they pony up a retainer fee upfront.* Last time, they just left me sitting at home and went with hillbilly, WTH*?


Yeah, I know..

It's was that fixed blade guy that invited us and I wasn't too sure I could _over ride_ his invitational powers...after all, it was _his_ secret spot !! *\-\* *\-\*

Now, lets go Big Game Pot-gut hunting...


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## Al Hansen

How much for the secret spot. Last time it cost me a $5.00 breakfast. Dang you guys are expensive. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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