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Not to start a debate about dealing with woodchucks and other vermin, but that poison is really a nasty thing to do to any critter, enough said on that and no I ain't no tree-huggin greenie either ! They can make holes that horses break their legs in and some other mischief, we used to carefully shoot them, more humane way to kill em if you have to and you can get a shot. They keep coming back, and after studying them a bit, I stopped shooting them for the most part, horses were gone anyway and when one was in the garden, crosshairs would be upon them, but after watching one year, saw he was doing the weeding ! Usually I'd just shoot, and still would if necessary. Sometimes they do have to go, but one year the strangest thing happened, you know how timid they are, well this guy decided to make a burrow under the porch, and I have caught them with gloves on, just have to get between them and the hole, I got between him and the porch, he went up a pine tree in the yard, about face level, I could have grabbed him, he was a young one, but I just stared him down a bit and left him alone, soon after, he became a very friendly little neighbor, he seemed to like the fresh dinner rolls from the bakery, so I made friends with him, and for 8 years, in the morning or evening he'd come out for a visit, eat out of your hand, climb half way up onto your lap. In that time, the stories I could tell you, yes he used to grab tomatoes from the garden til I fenced it off, tried to take a broom down into the hole, like he was going to clean up or something and even would stand on the porch looking at the door with his arms crossed, like where's the food buddy. You could set your clock by him. He even brought the wife and kids over once, they were curious, but not like him. He also used to make his rounds to all the other holes. I'm up on a hill that was a pasture, hay field etc, so you can see the various holes, could always recognize him, was missing a finger, probably from the brawl under the porch, another one tried to move in on his turf one evening ! Growling and dirt flyin etc. He was a cool little guy and he started coming around right after I had to put my best dog down, myself, on a sunday afternoon, no choice, was working out of town during the week, and as corny as it sounds that little guy took up some of the empty space, when Biggie left. I got some great photos and not so good video, but if I had shot him like so many before him, I'd have no story to tell, and no memories like these and for a few tomatoes and a lot of rolls. "Woody" was always a neat little guy that would think nothing of hangin out on the porch with ya. This is the first year I have not seen him, I don't think he'll be back, as he'd be about 8-9 years now, they don't live much longer than that. Here's Woody: 
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