I think about like Glennster said, though I have on occasion seen really big mature ones that looked every bit of 20 lbs.
I know most take a hardline stance on any critter considered vermin, and agree with that, especially mice, rats and the like. Not so much these, and sometimes its a conflict for me, as I get sick of deciding what lives and dies, meaning I'm not a hateful ruthlesss kill everything kind of person, won't hesitate just the same, if overun or its me, my produce or them, but I've never had this many around here so intent on what I'm growing, has to be the dry weather.
I find these interesting, used to have a friendly one, he was just something and was never any trouble. I enjoyed having him around, now I had to protect a few things, fenced the garden with chain link, that and having a lawn with more things they like to eat than grass, these and rabbits never are a problem. I'll never stop them, the terrain is loaded with them, just have to make sure to deal with them near the house.
They're smart, they don't seem to panic when in a bind either, will hold their ground, thats when many people let dogs at em and get em by the neck, shake em til dead, is what happens. They actually are affectionate to a degree, one I had loved attention and would wait on the front porch, you could set your watch by his timing of this.
As long as I keep a fence, (just that set of steps is hard to block up holes, will have to stuff chicken wire, hardware cloth, til I rebuild them) they're not a problem at all. This year, they've arrived in numbers and dug up around the porch, built 3 dens on the edge of the yard, unreal.
With horses/livestock and pastures, zero tolerance, can't have both, as their holes will break legs, the place here used be a lot cleaner, just pastures, hedge rows and ag fields, but now there is so much cover, they chance coming across the lawn, nearby grass field and move in near the house, a dog would prevent that.
They live 8 years or so, just eat green forage, but like fruits, apples, pears, bananas, melons, they have a "bathroom" compartment in the den, territorial, but when they mate they visit other dens, also when they see each other, they wave their tail at one another. Hibernate from late september though you will see some til November, most by october are hibernating, then on warm late winter or early spring days, they come out.
They climb trees
They make friends with the unsuspecting homeowner, whom dislike being ruthless with critters unless they really have to, they beg for food, even take things like brooms, this guy tried to take one into a den under the porch.
Probably sounds odd, he was just a lot of fun to have around, wild but friendly, used to lay on the porch, put some chicken wire around the flower pots, no trouble or worry of it, of course we had no shortage of rain too, that is what really changes things.
I used just shoot every one I saw and I mean every single one, walk up on one and I could draw my heavy old Springfield M1A up and nail one at close range instantly or like we used to set up at the end of a 500 yd field, rest up, take them at 400 yards measured by a range finder.
I find that meadow mice or voles, behave very similar to these guys, I have a small cage with a few, kind of a novelty, but they do the same things, one of things with taking a closer look at all these critters is you learn all about them which does help when there are problems, I was over run and as of right now, 17 chipmunks killed, 6 woodchucks gone, and 25 mice killed, been cleaning up and eliminating habitat, this is what happens at home when you work too many hours and let things go, critters take right over, thankfully I've had ample time to deal with it and clear em out.
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