Hunting Forum

Hello, This is actually my first post, but I figure I might as well ask a question that I have been wondering about for a while. How should I go about preparing and cooking wood chucks? Most everyone has told me that it is awfully greasy and smelly. But they must be some way to go about it. So how do you guys do it? Or am I just totally crazy? (most people have told me that too) Thanks Hogan

Welcome to the Forum. If you'll click on the Game Cooking Forum and go about half way down the page there are several recipes for Wood Duck. Good cooking.
Papaw Jim

i think he is talking about wood CHUCKS but ummm i think it would be like cooking a squirrel im not too sure never had wood chucks

Check out the Missouri Department of Convservation web site.  I few years back they published a receipt for ground hogs.  I have a copy but have yet to see a ground hog when I had a weapon.

I par-boil them for about 45 minutes, changing the water two or three times. Than BBQ with your favorite BBQ sauce. Be sure to remove as much fat as you can before cooking. Young spring chucks are the best. Just wondering if they fall off the grill does it mean only six more weeks of shooting.

Thanks for the info! I will have to try when they start coming out in a few weeks. My dad already said he wouldn't eat them and my mom said I would have to cook them out side and with my own pot/pan. I post again and let you know what happens

I have been told that the real small young one are really good and don't require anything other than gutting and skinning and cook like chicken with no oder. Now the bigger older ones have glands somewhere and I have yet to have anyone show me where they are so I haven't cooked one. The older guys at work talk about years before I came ther that a guy brought a old one in and I guess he didn't remove the glands and they say it stunk to high heaven. I would't think twice about a young'in, but want someone who knows what they are doing to show me on a old one.

been killin', cleaning and eating them for most of my life and don't remember any unpleasent smell, the ol' grizzlies need to cook a tad longer but other than that no problems...the older ones if ya don't want to use a pressure cooker...cut up (or leave whole) and inject it with olive oil or clearified butter and slow roast it for 4-6 hours in a Dutch Oven at 250*F with carrots potatoes onions and garlic...

1 woodchuck
2 slices bacon
Potatoes, carrots, onions
2 onions or 1 onion and 1 apple
Salt and pepper to taste
4 c. water

Soak woodchuck in salt water for 24 hours before cooking. Rinse well and place in roasted. Put onion and apple in cavity. Lay bacon over breast. Salt and pepper to taste. Place vegetables around woodchuck. Add water. Place in 350°F oven and roast for 3 to 4 hours.

Get one when it is young and the meat is the color of a young gray squirrel, fry that sucker just the same way you'd fry a young squirrel, ummm good.

I've never eaten ground hog, but my pop echos what many have said here.... get 'em young and they're the best.

never even thoghut botu eating 1.... if i ever get 1 maybe i will have to try it!

I have eaten a great number of chucks, of all ages and sizes, the main part is to remove as much fat as you can and there are glands, under the front legs(armpits) that you need to get out, this is easy as the glands are brownish and nearly impossible to miss. Then i put them in a crockpot and cook long and slow with veggies and favorite seasonings....tastes just like potroast but a little sweeter!!! Enjoy!!