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tz trffllffija3rii3wl990ff2s outdoors woodchucks a sure sign of spring artbriggsjude correspondent apart from the arrival of the crows and the cheerup song of the friendly robin a sure sign of spring is the appearance in the fields of the woodchuck this chunky near catsized shorttailed mammal can now be seen scurrying across the last patches of melting snow of forag ing on the sunny slopes of last years pasture and forage they must do at this season for the grass and plant shoots on which they thrive do not always appear as early as these impatient groundhogs looking for a meal actually its the male wood- chucks that come out first and they immediately begin looking for a mate and a good meal however at this season with the lack of tall grass cover and leaf less shrubs and trees they are especially vulnerable while many chucks now end up in the jaws of the fox and coyote in a few months this will not be the case if for instance the fox den is close the the woodchucks hole the predator will leave this family of groundhogs entirely alone later when the young fox kits are learning to hunt they will have young woodchucks nearby to practice on i have seen a male fox bring woodchucks from several fields away and leave those from the nearby hole run free a woodchuck burrow is a long underground passage extending anywhere from 20 to 40 feet in total length it has the usual pile of loose dirt around the main entrance but no visible earth about the second opening a wellconcealed emer gency exit at five weeks young woodchucks romp around the entrance a sharp warning whistte sends them scurrying the site of a woodchuck burrow is chosen wisely with high ground and sunny slopes the pri ority often a deserted wood chuck hole later becomes a bur row for a fox a den for a cotton tail rabbit or a haven for a skunk crop fields adjacent to wooded areas are favorite den sites during the long winter hiberna tion period woodchucks live off the layers of fat they build up in late summer so while a male woodchuck may weigh 10 pounds when he goes into hibernation the same animal at this season weights a little over six pounds a month from now when the dandelions are showing their yel low heads four or more young will be born in the depths of the earths cavity in order to keep them confined to the natal chamber before wean ing nature keeps their eyes closed for the first four weeks mothers warning whistle at five weeks of age the young woodchucks can be seen romping around the entrance where a sharp warning whistle from mother sends them scurrying below like many other animals and birds the father is seldom seen nearby after the young are born the youngsters stay with their mother until about midsum mer when they must learn to fend for themselves and find a new territory in the lush greenery of the summer landscape food is not the problem that predators are where woodchucks are very numerous especially in closely cultivated farmland they do cre ate problems their extensive burrows present a potential danger to the legs of horses and cattle while their stripping of corn and other sprouting grain causes local crop loss in some places a fine chicken wire fence is needed to save the beans and lettuce plants in the garden but controlling and reducing its numbers does not mean its total elimination for kow less interesting would our landscape be without the brown form of a squat wood chuck sitting sentrylike beside its mounded foxhole power 9854771 tec scugog industrial park north port rcl 2nd building unit 3 sales service parts reg rd 8 n l opening special lawn mower tune up plus parts includes install new plug points condenser sharpen balance blade change engine oil 4 cycle clean carburator clean fuel system clean deck clean or replace air filter decarbonize exhaust pressure wash check adjust controls install fresh fuel xx xx xx xx xx xx specializing in briggs stratton tecumseth kohler lawn boy we service most other brands with repairs to lawn tractorschain saws trimmers tillers7gas powered generators pumps etc we carry a full line of new garden equipment we put the power back into your power equipment most good siains protect wood repel water and hold their colour against the elements but which stain does all that the longest the answer is cabots- you see cabots stains penetrate deeper and deeper penetration means longer protection on your next purchase of stain try cabots doors sashes mouldings hardware etc spring saleabration semi transparent 4l solid ptw 4l m in wax stain 1l minwax stain 4l minwax polyurethane4l plus 3995 95 eo 1630th bring out the best in wood watch for details of upcoming home improvement seminars 4 l turpentine 2 stain brushes or 4 l turpentine 1 trim roller set in effect april post beam new location 1 9th between kennedy warden 887 thectore doors ssmes mouloincs marowafe jc