Do you have to have a license to hunt woodchucks (groundhogs) in Pennsylvania? What about on private land?

Answer 1

YES.....You can in fact hunt Groundhogs in Pennsylvania, and YES you do need a hunting license, even on private land. The season runs year round.You will need the property owners written permission and even though you may be on private property you must abide by all state and local regulations and restrictions ie: No firearms can be discharged within city/metropolitan limits.
NO hunting of any kind within 500 feet of any paved road or highway.
If you are lucky, you can find farmer's that will pay a bounty for each one you kill ( I've seen 2-3 dollars each.) Groundhogs dig holes that are deep, in farm pastures and fields. These holes will break livestock legs (Horses, Cow's etc), if they are stumbled and stepped into. They can also destroy farm equipment used in harvesting. Last but not least they are capable of severe damage to young crops of all kinds. A Groundhog eats a minimum of 1/3-1/2 it's body weight in vegetation every day. There is no posted "season" nor is there a limit on the daily number you can harvest..FYI.Woodchucks and Groundhogs are one and the same..THEY ARE NOT CHIPMONKS..But do in fact belong to the SQUIRREL family

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Do you have to have a license to hunt woodchucks (groundhogs) in Pennsylvania? What about on private land?

Answer 3

In most states you can shoot groundhogs anytime, there's not a season or anything. However, not sure about hunting woodchucks. And a woodchuck is not a groundhog! It's not a chipmunk either as some commentators would have you believe. But you should check with your local wildlife agency first. Better safe than sorry.

Answer 4

Yes! The only exception in PA for hunting without a license is a farm owner who farms for a living and they may kill destructive animals. But there are some hoops to jump through with the PA Game Commission to get that authority.
For the 99.9999999% of the rest of us, a license is needed to shoot anything.
Book Writer,,,woodchucks and groundhogs ARE the same thing in PA...what you call a woodchuck we call a chipmunk.

Answer 5

I live here in Pa,And my father has been hunting groundhogs as far back as I can rember.He allways has a license and he hunts on a lot of private property.If the property is yours or belongs to your family I wouldnt get a license.But you have to watch out for gamewardens their not very nice If you dont have a license you will get a fine,but if you run into one on your property you can tell him he is trespassing and to get lost.Just to be on the safe side you should just buy a license.

Answer 6

Yes you do have to have a license. There is no closed season for ground hogs, except during deer rifle season and until noon during spring turkey season and on Sunday. Groundhog hunters must wear a flouresent orange hat or cap at all times while afield.

And yes ground hogs and wood chucks are the same animal. They are also referred to as whistle pigs in some parts of the country.

Answer 7

woodchucks and groundhogs are two different animals. First woodchucks only weight only about 4 to 6 ounces,the are tan in color with a little white strip on the belly they are harmless and are cute to watch run on the dead logs where they like to run and play. Groundhogs are big they weight 5 to 45 pounds they dig big holes in the middle of farmers fields and their barns they cause alot of trouble for farmers. I'm sorry that I don't know what hunting laws are in Pennsylvania but I though you might need to know the difference in the two animals.

Answer 8

I know in Ohio its legal to shoot them when ever. They are considered a nusence sp?. And btw groundhog and woodchuck are the same thing. Also known as whistle pigs xD

Answer 9

never heard of a woodchuck hunts - unless they consider them "small game" (sis saw one 6 ft tall of course it was by a crack house)

you cannot hunt on posted land - check with your township, bureau, etc police dept- some places you are not allowed to fire off guns ie city of erie,

Answer 10

kill them on a larhe acrage private land because they are a neucense