Annual Groundhog tally for 2013
- Thread starter CatShooter
- Start date
wdchuckhuntr
New member
Most of the chucks I'm getting this year are pretty big. One of the things I've noticed this year is a lack of mange. I haven't shot any that have hair or skin issues. The overall health of the local population is excellent.
CatShooter
New member
Originally Posted By: RustydustOriginally Posted By: DogboneThe longer they live the more they eat. The more they eat the bigger they get.
Well I'll be dogged! I just found out that I must be a groundhog!
Well I'll be dogged! I just found out that I must be a groundhog!
ARCOREY
New member
Originally Posted By: RustydustOriginally Posted By: DogboneThe longer they live the more they eat. The more they eat the bigger they get.
Well I'll be dogged! I just found out that I must be a groundhog!
Thinkin' I should change my name because of this. How's Woo D. Chuck sound guys
Well I'll be dogged! I just found out that I must be a groundhog!
Thinkin' I should change my name because of this. How's Woo D. Chuck sound guys
wdchuckhuntr
New member
Went out for an hour tonight with the 243AI. I shot six, missed one twice and came home and cleaned the rifle. No pics since the Ackley makes a mess of them.
wahoowad
Member
I have been going easy on the 'hogs this year given how hard I hit them the prior 2 years. But I still have tried to get out a few times, usually with very poor results. Today was no exception - high hopes since I haven't been going often, but not much to show for it.
Only saw one today. It was in a berm behind a turkey barn, I brought the 22 Magnum to keep the noise down since the farmer didn't want the turkeys startled too much. They didn't seem to care when the shot went off and the 'hog dropped.
Only saw one today. It was in a berm behind a turkey barn, I brought the 22 Magnum to keep the noise down since the farmer didn't want the turkeys startled too much. They didn't seem to care when the shot went off and the 'hog dropped.
PredatorJunkie
New member
Finally got back out yesterday for a little while.. Brought along my 17 hmr and my .223.. I had to try out some new 40gr coyote loads and my new scope... Well while walking out to the fields I spotted a chuck sticking his head out of a hole at 154 yards looking right at me.. So I walked up on the hill and get set up waiting for him to come out.. Well after 15 minutes of him just sticking his head out and not moving I had enough and decided to see how good the new loads were.. I put the crosshairs on his forehead let him have it, the bullet hit his skull and exploded, he didn't twitch.. Shortly after on my way up to look at him another larger hog popped 50 yards from me in the tall grass.. Shot her off hand with my 17 and she fell over doing the tail shake.
I shot 4 hogs this eve. The farthest were at 304 and 290. 2 young ones, I was impressed had about 12 mph tailwind and had a dead on hold. Hit both about 2 inches behind ribs. That ll work for me. Shot 2 big ones, 1 at 165 and the other at 265. I keep saying it but man I am impressed with the 204. what a shooter with my hand loads. Sorry no picts today.
Matt Antle
New member
Ive shot 3 from my back deck this year. Pretty much cleared them out I think. Haven't seen one since. I'm always looking out the back window checking for them..
Shot two with the Savage .17 at about 75 yards. Man as soon as them things see you they take off running to the hole. Made a bad shot on one, it rolled up on his back for a minute and by the time I got down to it it already made it into his hole. My dog finally dug it up about a week later and left it on the front porch as a present. Needless to say the smell about knocked me down when I walked out the door.
Got that one at about 50 yards in the same spot with the 10/22.
Where do you guys find spots to hunt them? And how do you do it? You bait them?
Shot two with the Savage .17 at about 75 yards. Man as soon as them things see you they take off running to the hole. Made a bad shot on one, it rolled up on his back for a minute and by the time I got down to it it already made it into his hole. My dog finally dug it up about a week later and left it on the front porch as a present. Needless to say the smell about knocked me down when I walked out the door.
Got that one at about 50 yards in the same spot with the 10/22.
Where do you guys find spots to hunt them? And how do you do it? You bait them?
1up5down
New member
Originally Posted By: Matt AntleIve shot 3 from my back deck this year. Pretty much cleared them out I think. Haven't seen one since. I'm always looking out the back window checking for them..
Shot two with the Savage .17 at about 75 yards. Man as soon as them things see you they take off running to the hole. Made a bad shot on one, it rolled up on his back for a minute and by the time I got down to it it already made it into his hole. My dog finally dug it up about a week later and left it on the front porch as a present. Needless to say the smell about knocked me down when I walked out the door.
Got that one at about 50 yards in the same spot with the 10/22.
Where do you guys find spots to hunt them? And how do you do it? You bait them?
Welcome to the forum Matt.
As far as finding new land to hunt,I do a lot of cold calling. I find a farm that looks like it would be a good place to hunt and stop and ask the landowner. I have had very good success that way. It also helps that I have a pretty good reputation with the farmers in my area for reducing the ghog population so when I tell a potentially new landowner the other farms that I hunt,it makes them more at ease.
When I hunt the piggies,I usually set up on top of a small knoll over looking the field I am hunting. I spend a lot of time glassing the fields with the binos.I do all my shooting from a bipod. I only take what I need with me. Sometimes I will walk 800 yards just to get to the spot I want to set up on.
Dave
Shot two with the Savage .17 at about 75 yards. Man as soon as them things see you they take off running to the hole. Made a bad shot on one, it rolled up on his back for a minute and by the time I got down to it it already made it into his hole. My dog finally dug it up about a week later and left it on the front porch as a present. Needless to say the smell about knocked me down when I walked out the door.
Got that one at about 50 yards in the same spot with the 10/22.
Where do you guys find spots to hunt them? And how do you do it? You bait them?
Welcome to the forum Matt.
As far as finding new land to hunt,I do a lot of cold calling. I find a farm that looks like it would be a good place to hunt and stop and ask the landowner. I have had very good success that way. It also helps that I have a pretty good reputation with the farmers in my area for reducing the ghog population so when I tell a potentially new landowner the other farms that I hunt,it makes them more at ease.
When I hunt the piggies,I usually set up on top of a small knoll over looking the field I am hunting. I spend a lot of time glassing the fields with the binos.I do all my shooting from a bipod. I only take what I need with me. Sometimes I will walk 800 yards just to get to the spot I want to set up on.
Dave
1up5down
New member
Had some good hunts so far last week and this week. Went out the Friday before last and I got five and then on Saturday,I got four more. On Saturday, my buddy John brought a member from his church to hunt with us. It was his first time hunting the pasture poodles and though he did not connect on any,he had a blast. He is already talking about getting a varmint rifle so he can tag along with us.
Went out again this past Friday after the rain was gone and was able to go seven for seven. Longest shot was 219 yards. No spectacular shots but had a great day.
Went out yesterday with my buddy John and we were able to put five more down. John got three and I got the other two. My longest shot was 335 yards. Took me three shots to get him. I finally got the Savage 204 scoped up and had it zeroed in at 300 yards.Couldn't wait to get it out and stretch it's legs.
First shot I held right on him and shot high. Second shot I held a little lower and again went right over it's head. Now I was getting a little pi$$ed!! Finally held three inches low and nailed him. I guess the hot conditions changed the bullet drop. I sighted the rifle in while it was still pretty cool.
My other kill was at 185 yards.
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Had a few more pics but I accidentally deleted them.
Went out again this past Friday after the rain was gone and was able to go seven for seven. Longest shot was 219 yards. No spectacular shots but had a great day.
Went out yesterday with my buddy John and we were able to put five more down. John got three and I got the other two. My longest shot was 335 yards. Took me three shots to get him. I finally got the Savage 204 scoped up and had it zeroed in at 300 yards.Couldn't wait to get it out and stretch it's legs.
First shot I held right on him and shot high. Second shot I held a little lower and again went right over it's head. Now I was getting a little pi$$ed!! Finally held three inches low and nailed him. I guess the hot conditions changed the bullet drop. I sighted the rifle in while it was still pretty cool.
My other kill was at 185 yards.
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[/img] Had a few more pics but I accidentally deleted them.
1up5down
New member
Went out again yesterday afternoon but definitely not as much action as in the days past.
As I was walking to the knoll I like to shoot from, I spooked the local scavengers from the kill sites from the last couple days.
I have also seen a Bald Eagle working over the kill sites. I have not seen one in over thirty years around here so it's good to see they are making a come back. They are certainly beautiful birds.
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Got to where I planned on shooting from and settled in. Sat for almost 2 hours and did not see a thing so I decided to move to another part of the field.
As soon as I got set up I started glassing and spotted one at 463 yards out. Problem was he was right in front of a building so I had to wait to see if he would present me with a good shot. He was about 15ft. from where I would have taken a shot but he then turns around and starts feeding back towards the building.
I then turned my attention to another part of the field and spot one feeding about 235 yards out. Got set up and sent a 39gr. BK his way. As soon as I pulled the trigger I heard the "whack" and knew this one was DRT.
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We have taken close to 50 hogs from this field in the last month so I guess were going to have to give it a rest and shoot on some other farms.
As I was walking to the knoll I like to shoot from, I spooked the local scavengers from the kill sites from the last couple days.
I have also seen a Bald Eagle working over the kill sites. I have not seen one in over thirty years around here so it's good to see they are making a come back. They are certainly beautiful birds.
[img:center]
[/img] [img:center]
[/img] Got to where I planned on shooting from and settled in. Sat for almost 2 hours and did not see a thing so I decided to move to another part of the field.
As soon as I got set up I started glassing and spotted one at 463 yards out. Problem was he was right in front of a building so I had to wait to see if he would present me with a good shot. He was about 15ft. from where I would have taken a shot but he then turns around and starts feeding back towards the building.
I then turned my attention to another part of the field and spot one feeding about 235 yards out. Got set up and sent a 39gr. BK his way. As soon as I pulled the trigger I heard the "whack" and knew this one was DRT.
[img:center]
[/img] We have taken close to 50 hogs from this field in the last month so I guess were going to have to give it a rest and shoot on some other farms.
wdchuckhuntr
New member
I took a week off from the woodchuck hunting due in part to weather, a dual sport ride and just needing a bit of a breather. But it was time to get back at it as the summer is running shorter by the day. So tonight I bagged another six with the 223. Ranges varied from 30 to 275 yards. This currently puts me at 162 for the year.