Yellow-bellied marmot

Scientific name: Marmota flaviventris

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Stocky, robust ground squirrels with grizzled brown fur on the back and distinctive yellow-orange underside. Adults have short ears, small eyes, and a bushy tail; males are notably larger and heavier than females.

Size and weight

Males: 2.0–2.7 kg, 42–50 cm body length; females: 1.6–2.2 kg, 38–46 cm body length.

Habitat

Yellow-bellied marmots inhabit alpine and subalpine meadows, grasslands, and rocky slopes in mountainous terrain, typically between 2,400–4,000 m elevation. They prefer areas with scattered boulders, talus fields, and herbaceous vegetation near burrow systems.

Distribution

Found in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho) and extending into the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges; they occupy high-elevation mountain valleys with suitable meadow and talus habitat.

Diet

Yellow-bellied marmots are herbivorous, feeding primarily on forbs, grasses, clover, and developing plant shoots during their active season; they also consume seeds and roots when available.

Behaviour

Diurnal and social, living in loose colonies with overlapping home ranges; highly vocal with distinctive alarm calls. They are active primarily in morning and late afternoon, basking and foraging between bouts, and enter deep hibernation for 7–8 months annually.

Hunting tips

Look for well-worn trails in grass leading to and from burrow entrances, fresh mounds of excavated soil near holes, and scat (cylindrical droppings) near feeding areas. Approach from upwind in early morning when marmots emerge to feed; use terrain folds and rocks for cover while stalking. Move slowly and pause frequently, as they are alert and will sound alarm calls if disturbed, allowing others to retreat underground.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 2 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.