Who eats groundhogs?

L

ligonierbill

New member
Now, I owe a debt to the big rodents. They taught me to hunt. But only once did we eat one. The Pennsylvania Game News published an article touting the meat, complete with a recipe. So, a young one took up residence under the tractor shed, and one evening I made a good head shot on him with the old family .22. Mom was not thrilled, but she was a good sport about cooking game. We did finish our "Chuck Roast", it was OK I recall, but I got no requests to go get another one.

Now, many years later, Game News ran another article, and so did our local outdoor columnist. They got me thinking about dusting off the 22 Hornet. Recipes abound. So, who out there is eating their groundhogs?
 
in my families poor days in the early 50,s, my mother would cook young ones for use 5 kids. she would parboil them untill tender and then fry them like the millions of rabbits we also ate. add onion gravy with mashed potatos.
 
Maybe if you shoot another to eat you can take an angle photo shot like the bear hunters and fishermen and make your catch look huge.
 
It's all protein !!!

I have and would remind everyone, that it's just another source of "Protein". A number of weeks ago when there were reports of possible meat shortage, I reminded my spouse and daughters, that there were four squirrels in out back yard, that had crosshairs on them. They asked me what that meant and was not appreciated when I told them. Won't go into details but I have eaten a lot of differet sources protein. Some were mystery-meet. ……. :confused:

Be Safe !!!
 
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littlebikerider said:
Tried it once years ago, tough as nails. I would try it again with a pressure cooker and a lot of time.
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Domestic meat (chickens, ducks, geese, lamb, pork, etc.) are always young animals processed at a specific stage of development. The Turkey you had for Thanksgiving was born that spring. With something like goundhogs, he may be one, two, or eight years old. The people I have talked to who eat groundhogs, stress that it is best if you havest a young one.
 
When I was in my 20s living in NV, me and my hunting buddy would shoot anything that moved, and eat it if at all possible. One old-timer told us that young rockchucks were edible. Had to get the young ones, though, skin and gut them and remove as much fat as possible. We followed his instructions as well as we could and set a couple of them on the fire to roast. Let's just say they burned like candles. Don't know if they were edible or not, they were black and stinky by the time we saved them from the flames.
 
Probably'd eat one if I had to, just never had to. Out here they're called Rock Chucks (just like my loading press)... I played and sang this song around many a' campfire at rendezvous...years ago. The Dillards were the Darlings on the Andy Griffith show.

My favorite verse; "Yonder come Sally with a snicker and a grin, yonder come Sally with a snicker and a grin, ground hog grease all over her chin, ground hog, ground hog."

enjoy...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F8dOA5j5U4
 
never did

I never had the nerve, shot too many that were just nasty, covered with sores, etc. My great uncle ( a real character) liked them though, especially the young ones.

Good luck with your Hornet, that was uncle's 'chuck rifle too.
 
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