interesting sight groundhog hunting yesterday

[Bmarshall91]

So my father in law and I went out yesterday afternoon around 6 and found a New field to hunt. Lucky for us, the land owner had it posted no trespassing, but was REALLY cool about letting us go since we asked him. This field was HUGE like four or five acres wide open. It was a weird like "dog leg left" with a hill apex in the far right corner. So we could see both ways of the field left and right.

K enough about the field, we saw two hogs both standing about a foot apart from each other about 300 yards away. My father in law took the first shot, and dropped one of them. I waited about forty five seconds, (for the other to stand back up) and dropped his partner. We killed three more after those two, one about 320 yards away, and two others within fifty yards. It was getting late by then, so we decided to pack it in. We walked up to all of our shots to see where we hit them (because they were on our way out) and we came up to the brothers we shot first. All of the hogs we shot yesterday were some of the nicest condition I've ever seen, except one. The one brother, had a bald head, and bald patches on his back.

Now my question. Would anyone know what would cause these bald patches on an adult male groundhog? We were thinking maybe it was sick? But not sure. Just wondering if anyone has ever seen anything like that before, and maybe could shine some light on what it might've been? I was thinking maybe dry skin/allergies? But the bald patches on his back have me puzzled.

[SevenMilePete]

So my father in law and I went out yesterday afternoon around 6 and found a New field to hunt. Lucky for us, the land owner had it posted no trespassing, but was REALLY cool about letting us go since we asked him. This field was HUGE like four or five acres wide open. It was a weird like "dog leg left" with a hill apex in the far right corner. So we could see both ways of the field left and right.

K enough about the field, we saw two hogs both standing about a foot apart from each other about 300 yards away. My father in law took the first shot, and dropped one of them. I waited about forty five seconds, (for the other to stand back up) and dropped his partner. We killed three more after those two, one about 320 yards away, and two others within fifty yards. It was getting late by then, so we decided to pack it in. We walked up to all of our shots to see where we hit them (because they were on our way out) and we came up to the brothers we shot first. All of the hogs we shot yesterday were some of the nicest condition I've ever seen, except one. The one brother, had a bald head, and bald patches on his back.

Now my question. Would anyone know what would cause these bald patches on an adult male groundhog? We were thinking maybe it was sick? But not sure. Just wondering if anyone has ever seen anything like that before, and maybe could shine some light on what it might've been? I was thinking maybe dry skin/allergies? But the bald patches on his back have me puzzled.

Nervous condition from being shot at?

[Bmarshall91]

Nervous condition from being shot at?

Hahaha. It only took us two shots to kill two hogs. So that can't be it. LOL

[A-5]

Age? Was he the dad? A older fellow going out with the grand kids to play while the parents collected food for the summer? You broke up a family, how does it feel?

[imashooter2]

Mange?


78910

[God's Country]

Mange?


78910

That would be my guess.

[tripleS]

Mange?

That would be my guess as well. I just heard a few guys talking about groundhogs with mange. It was said that they can get to the point that they will scratch themselves to death.

[Bmarshall91]

Age? Was he the dad? A older fellow going out with the grand kids to play while the parents collected food for the summer? You broke up a family, how does it feel?

It felt GREAT! He was a 300 +/- yard shot! Thanks for asking.

[Bmarshall91]

That would be my guess.

Thanks guys. I was just wondering what some of the common diseases that would cause this condition were. It probably was mange now that I look it up.