Two fewer groundhogs on Nick's
Went out Sunday and had a good time with the dogs. A tropical storm was supposed to hit, and a hurricane right behind it, but instead we got a very little bit of rain on Saturday and cool weather on Sunday as the storm blew off on to the Eastern Shore -- a very unexpected windfall.
After coordinating at 7 am, Beth K. and I met near some farms I have permission on and we were soon digging on a groundhog up in a dry ridge. This was a very shallow and quick dig in the shale, and we ended up snaring a 10 pounder as it exited. We took a picture of it and released it -- we may see him in October when he's a bit bigger. This one was to Sailor's credit -- first dog in on this day.
.Pip on a big groundhog.
The next dig was a few hundred yards away in field sette with very large pipes. Beth's dog, Pip, went in and bayed up a storm but took a savage gash across the muzzle. The dog stayed working, however, and after digging down a bit I dazed the groundhog with the bar when it poked its head out (a head as tough as an iron skillet). It quickly retreated, but Pip continued to work it towards the hole. We opened up the pipe a bit and pulled Pip when we got the hole a bit wider. Mountain eventually drew the groundhog out dead. This groundhog was pretty big -- 13 pounds officially weighed, and with a 15 inch chest. Pip gets all the credit for staying on it -- Mountain did nothing but body recovery.
Pip was pretty ripped, so we went back to the truck, cleaned out his gash, dosed him with a double hit of cephelaxin, and kenneled him up with the other dogs we had out, swapping out the two larger dogs for two smaller terriers Beth had with her.
We took a tour of the woods near the creek and found nothing, but the dogs entered along a corn field on the bottom side of the farm. Mountain entered the pipe just as I came up to the sette, and a groundhog busted out of the other end, just inside the corn field, where the other three dogs were jungled up around the exit. The riot was intantaneous, and I scrambled into the corn and sorted things out pretty quickly before any of the dogs got injured. All four of the dogs were in on this one -- a nice team effort and a quarter point for each of them. This groundhog was about 11 pounds I would guess -- about average for this time of year.
Pip with his prize and Mountain wondering where it went.
We went to Tom's farm and all of the dogs found at once in a four or five-eyed sette that tunneled along underneath an old downed tree at the edge of the field. To make a long story short, this groundhog was very large, and Sailor bolted it three times (who knew there was a bolt hole on the other side of that stump?), but we got exhausted before Mr. Groundhog did and decided to fold our hand after the third bolt.
This was a very smart groundhog and a very big too. On the up side, we were halfway back to the truck when I realized both my dogs were still underground. They came out eventually -- Mountain last, and with Sailor pretty pooped for her efforts. Once again the humans quit before the dogs.
The weather was really excellent and Beth was great company and a solid digger. There was no drama on this dig, but we had some good laughs and I will remember that last groundhog for a while. The ones that get away seem to take on a life of their own.
When Pip heals up, I have a very specific groundhog already picked out for him. Any time you're ready Mr. Pip -- any time.
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