Excuse my ignorance please........

As I sat infront of my computer, 2 furry animals ran across my neighbors yard. At first I thought it was their cat. but he has white on him. So, I checked it out with my zoom on my camera. By this time, this animal was lounging on the concrete blocks comfortably. You'll have to excuse the picture, It was taken out of the 2nd story window (nosey neighbor), pressed against the screen and not very focused. I have all kinds of wildlife around here eating my beauties and this is the first time I've seen him. Who is he????

I also finally caught a picture of my white deer (same circumstances with the window)! These was also a larger one and a baby one that I couldn't get a picture of. Soooooo pretty.

Woodchuck?

Those deer are wonderful!! We have one in our area that is part-white. The backend is white, but there are brown patches over her shoulders and head. The first time I got a glimple of her, I thought for a second that there was a cow in our back yard. Great picture.

k.

There's a bunch of them around here. The only other report that I've seen is in NY somewhere around a military base. We have a military base here also. We also have the regular white tailed deer but they don't hang around each other. I guess it's instinct. I'd hate to be a white deer during hunting season. Everyone here keeps them protected and fed, so they stay. I did see a doe with some brown patches on her. It's funny how genes work.
I was wondering if it was a woodchuck too. But, there are all kinds of different things running around and I don't know the differences yet.

Ok - I know we were talking about woodchucks and then deer - but I saw an albino squirrel. I had to pull over to the side of the road to watch it as it chased with a brown squirrel - I was that surprised.

Wow, I've seem black, brown, grey...... but, never a white squirrel. I would've pulled over too. You never have the camera when you want it! I just happened to get lucky the last week. Wood, I mean would you second that on a woodchuck too? Andrea

I'm pretty secure in saying that is a woodchuck. Cute picture! My wife, who has rehabilitated injured woodchucks,agrees.

I'll agree, definitely a woodchuck. There's one in my yard I see almost everyday in summertime.

Thankyou all for your inputs. Now I'm a little more educated about the wildlife around here. I love to watch them all. Now if I can keep them out of my garden...... What a love hate relationship. I look at my tomatoe plants and curse and then see the deer that ate them and say "Awe, how cute". I guess I'll just have to learn how to compromise. Thanks Again, Andrea

As far as I can tell, the only thing "my" woodchuck has ever eaten out of the garden is the leaves off the sweet potato vine. It's so big, he's wecome to it as far as I'm concerned!

We have woodchuck living in an old empty barn. The mama is huge. Several years ago I planted black-eyed susan and cone flowers - they were gone within 2 days. I have no idea if the woodchucks cut them down or if the rabbits and deer took care of them. I figured it was pretty silly of me to plant right in front of their home and I was just asking for trouble. Otherwise, I haven't noticed that they bothered anything. K

Oh, definately a woodchuck/groundhog. Mine are multiplying like crazy and I am seriously considering getting professional help to remove them (at least 9). I have given up on the veggie garden for now. They just mow it down. I thought I had to worry about them burrowing under the fence, which is dug down 2 feet and back filled with dirt and large rocks. What I didn't consider is that they climb over the fence. A friend recently recommended stapling loose fencing around the top to make it more difficult for them to climb. One actually chased me out of my veggie garden. Quite a site -- plump woman carrying a pitchfork being chased by a little (by comparison) groundhog. My mother laughed so hard she fell off the lawn chair :-) They also eat my shasta daisies, rudebeckia, scabiosa, daylilies, roses, etc. I have also seen them nibble on the hosta (though the deer do the most damage) and tear at the clematis. Good luck!

Every time a groundhog has entered our garden it has done extensive damage. I mean extensive. They will walk down a row of vegetables literally mowing them down. And in broad daylight!

It became apparent to me that if we were going to have any kind of garden at all that the groundhogs would have to go, so I bought a a powerful air rifle to keep handy near the back door to shoot any that appeared in the garden. A Havahart wire cage trap stood guard when we weren't around.

Apparently I temporarily wiped out our local groundhog population, because this year, to my surprise, none appeared, even though I had baited traps ready for them. We had a bountiful garden as a result. I imagine more will migrate in for next year and the war for our garden will resume. I now patrol the area out away from our garden looking for active groundhog dens.

If I could afford adequate fencing, I would prefer to go that route. But if groundhogs can climb fences, that adds to the difficulty of that approach. They are incredible diggers, so some buried barrier would also be required.

I think if I could afford to put up some sort of totally fenced enclosure, covered over the top like an aviary, I could keep all the varmints -- groundhogs, squirrels, racoons, crows and such -- out of my garden and actually raise some corn for a change.

I am thinking about what I might do in the way of fencing a safe zone for corn. Chipmunks are probably a bigger threat than groundhogs, because chipmunks can dig, climb, and squeeze through tight places that would stop a groundhog or squirrel. I have my doubts that chicken wire would stop chipmunks.

MM

I have lived in the pinebarrens for over 48 yrs, I have never,,,,,,never seen a white deer. How kewl!! As a teen we use to go to browns mills to drink. Drinking age was 18 when I was (that age) and If I had seen a white deer,,,,,,,,,,,,I'd have stopped drinkin and left!! Ya sure it is now one of the Piney Ghosts?
A woman in my garden club, when she catches squirrels in her have a heart trap. Spray paints them purple and takes them to Atsion lake,, That is enough to make ya stop and think too!!
SO look out for white deer and purple squirrels

brassica,
Forty eight years and no mention of "The Jersey Devil" !!!! I lived a number of years in Absecon and observed as well as ate some pretty cool critters. kt

LOL...purple squirrels! That's Hillarious! Imagine seeing one and not knowing the story of how they got that way! Well, I'll be on the lookout for one of those. What a great picture that would be. I moved here in Feb and have seen alot of critters but not the purple squirrel or the Jersey Devil. Actually, I just saw an episode on TV about the Jersey Devel. "It" was supposed to be the 13th child of some women in the pinebarrons. She was "reported" to have been pregnant with him when her husband up and left her and she cursed her child in womb. There's a guy that claims to be a direct descendent. The Weird New Jersey guys had it on one of their shows. Verrry Interesting.... hmmm. Andrea

Andrea,
That is most definitely a woodchuck (groundhog) and you're not going to think it's so cute and interesting when it starts destroying almost everything you've planted. Not to mention the fact that they are vicious when cornered and they smell horrible. If you have children, make sure they know not to get near them, because they will charge and try to bite. My yard borders the woods and they are constantly getting into my gardens. I have watched them climb the five foot chicken-wire fences I put up and have seen the baby ones squeeze through openings you would think only a chipmunk could manage. These are NOT sweet little woodland critters to enjoy. About the only way to get rid of them short of a 22 rifle is to try to capture them in a Have-a-Heart trap baited with fruit and transport them as far away from your property as you can manage. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I've been battling these nasty little creatures for over 20 years and have yet to find anything endearing about them.
Terre

These are staying on the other side of my neighbors yard. I didn't know what it was. I actually saw her this past week and asked her if she knew about them. She did and said that her husband was going to get "rid of them (22 style)" but I believe he didn't because we were new neighbors. They are causing havoc all in and around their shed. Hopefully they'll take care of the problem and they won't venture over this way. If not, I'll have animal controll set a trap in my yard and try to get them that way. Thanks for the info. I have kids and critters that are very curious. Andrea

Woodchuck.
And those deer are beautiful! How unique to see white deer!
:)