They're called ground squirrels

Oathkeeper1775 · Feb 20, 2018

William Godwin was a well known (infamous) Encyclopedist and Anarchist of his day; he championed the concept of changing definitions of things to suit the Left's likes or (mostly) dislikes. If he were alive today, he would undoubtedly be very proud of how the Left uses memes, mantra, ad hominem, and other fallacies to achieve their goals; particularly the attacks on Individual Liberty.

In that light and in my benevolent support of Individual Liberty; I say, call them critters whatever you want; as will I, but don't waste your time telling me what I should be calling them because memes and mantra have too much in common with public transportation.

:s0121:

Angler · Feb 20, 2018

LuckySG said:
Do we have marmots in Oregon? It is fun to say whistle pig, I would opt for that field cleansing over sage rats.

Yes lots of them......

bbbass · Feb 20, 2018

Dolly Varden is now Bull Trout.

Herb g · Feb 20, 2018

Oathkeeper1775 said:
William Godwin was a well known (infamous) Encyclopedist and Anarchist of his day; he championed the concept of changing definitions of things to suit the Left's likes or (mostly) dislikes. If he were alive today, he would undoubtedly be very proud of how the Left uses memes, mantra, ad hominem, and other fallacies to achieve their goals; particularly the attacks on Individual Liberty.

In that light and in my benevolent support of Individual Liberty; I say, call them critters whatever you want; as will I, but don't waste your time telling me what I should be calling them because memes and mantra have too much in common with public transportation.

It was a mistake for ODFW to put in their game regs book for successful hunters in transit NOT to display their heads, so as not to disturb the tender sensibilities of the non-hunters. When I saw that was the time I STARTED displaying to make sure they see them. Our future depends on them getting used to US! Couple weeks ago, two of us were shooting "squeaks" about 100' off an interstate highway. After about an hour, an OSP trooper pulled up and said, "you boys are causing quite the commotion". His dispatch had at least a half-dozen calls from motorists about "active-shooters on the highway". He knew what we were doing before he got there, and saw we were completely safe, and legal...even said was going to bring his boy to shoot some on the weekend. They need to get used to US. We need to expand our profile, not diminish it.

Sgt Nambu · Feb 20, 2018

AndyinEverson said:
Is there a push or call to change their name?
I understand that they are indeed called "ground squirrels" ...but many folks around where I live just call 'em "Whistle Pigs" 'cause of the noise they can make...Not to appease anyone or a certain group...

I do however dislike the trend or desire to change the name of something , just 'cause a person or group feel they need to be hurt , offended , outraged etc...at the actual name of the item , animal , activity or action...

Not to say that if the original name or term was indeed made to be , from the start to be hurtful , it shouldn't be changed*...but this pushing of a set of values that are not the norm for the vast majority of folks or just 'cause its trendy and of no real worth , is wrong.
*Change in current usage...but not edited out of , say period texts , or historic works or documents...those people wrote what they did...it is unfair to place a 21st century judgment or mindset on someone from say the 19th century...
But that is a topic best left to a different thread...
Andy

I grew up calling them grey diggers and have done so all my life.
We also call them ground squirrels. I believe that, "Whistle Pigs" refers more to wood chucks and more especially rock chucks than squirrels.

Medic! · Feb 20, 2018

I think they probably have a bigger problem with the bullets I through in there direction.

thorborg · Feb 20, 2018

Oregonhunter5 said:
we don't need to change the name to whistle pigs or sage rats to think we are appeasing the anti hunters. There called ground squirrels. Lol

I whole heartedly and hopefully good naturedly disagree, and definitely don't do anything to appease anyone except my wife.

I, my family, and at one time the entire community I grew up in called them gray diggers. The only thing making your statement correct is "there (Actually they're) called ground squirrels"
Why yes, they are. (among other things acceptable and recognizable)
The reality of it is they're actually Marmotini. (scientifically speaking) albeit next to no one would readily visualize the name correctly.

One must first specify the ethnic and geophysical, or scientific parameters, not to mention the chorological time frame, to make a statement like that.
Columbian, California, Artic ground squirrel are among many scientific variants of the ground squirrels but are also unscientifically called by as many names as there Indian tribes and other regional settlements for the tasty little critters (try them baked tender in a creamed cabbage casserole, Yum

) where they are / were indigenous, as you can find. Most of which came well before the scientific community existed, all of which I would postulate as correct.
In the era Andy has much appreciation for, it is likely the name Ground Squirrel was not known or used by anyone since most had little formal education. Typically, names originated from any native inhabitants then were tweaked from there as the difficulty of pronunciation increased or memories failed.
Other than that, I don't see "what's the beef"!