Annual Groundhog tally for 2012
- Thread starter Flyrod1
- Start date
wayneghhunter
New member
Where are you guys getting the Winchester 45gr white box ammo can't find any at my local store. I would like to try some in my 22-250.
ARCOREY
New member
Lost power Friday night after having everything loaded up to hunt. Still no power Saturday, so figured might as well hunt instead of twiddling my thumbs waiting. Worked my butt off to only see two. The harsh winds had a lot of trees down on the farm. I cleared all the fence I could between my strength and the winch on the ATV. It still left a lot of work for the farmer and his chainsaw. The only two I saw in the near 100° heat were far between. One came to me after about a 3/4 mile walk with the 243. He popped up at 30yds in the driveway and I've been after this hole for a while. I popped him at the close distance with the 6x-24x scope. Those are usually the easy ones to miss. It hulled him out pretty good with the 87gr. V-max.
Went another mile or so and caught this big one easing back into the shade. I whistled it to a stop and put the AR on top of the shooting sticks as high as they would go and made the hurried shot at 50yds.
I think it was too hot for even the chucks. Here is a picture of my pack mule that saved me a little walking between fields. She even carried my cooler full of Powerade and helped to winch a bunch of trees off of the electric fence that came down from the 80mph+ winds Friday night.
Went another mile or so and caught this big one easing back into the shade. I whistled it to a stop and put the AR on top of the shooting sticks as high as they would go and made the hurried shot at 50yds.
I think it was too hot for even the chucks. Here is a picture of my pack mule that saved me a little walking between fields. She even carried my cooler full of Powerade and helped to winch a bunch of trees off of the electric fence that came down from the 80mph+ winds Friday night.
ARCOREY
New member
Wahoowad, these little Honda 350's are pretty quiet. I've crept up on countless deer with it. The electrics are quieter, but this is pretty easy and goes just about anywhere, just gas and go. I've had it in places so steep that I had to load the deer on the front and walk it out with myself and a buddy on each side holding onto the handlebars to keep it from flipping. No need for that now as I let all my lease land go, so it is strictly for fun and varminting now. I feel your pain on the electricity. I just threw away about $100 worth of food and that is only the first of 3 freezers I've checked so far. The 4 bags of fresh yellowfin tuna steaks and the $16 rack of ribs really hurt my feelings
. Hopefully I can get out a punish a few chucks for it Saturday
.
6mm06
Well-known member
Wahoowad and Corey,
That's bad you guys are without power. You must have got the storm much worse up your way than we did here. I'm not aware of any real damage here, but we had high winds, lightening, and finally got some much needed rain.
Corey, you really have that 4-wheeler decked out right. That's a nice looking machine.
That one road in the first photo looks familiar, is it the one where you are walking up the road carrying the groundhog in the video?
jim wallace
New member
What power company are you guys on ? We lost power 3 times since Friday night had 4 trees down in the driveway and 2 in the yard they missed the house ^5. Be patient them boys are worn out unless times have changed some of the power company boys are putting in extremely long hours out in the field . Back in the day it wasnt uncommon to work 24 -30 hours straight no rest up to 36 hours. Then back in 8.
ARCOREY
New member
Thanks guys. My ATV doesn't get used much for chuckin' since I prefer the stealthy walking approach, but it is great for covering large areas of pasture and woods that don't typically hold chucks. You really can't tell, but my 243 is under the backpack and camera on the rear rack. The uprights on the back are a homemade treestand holder bracket my buddy fabricated. It is great for hanging a cooler on and sometimes lashing my pack to it. The 243 won't fit the gun racks due to the odd shape and bulk, so it sits on the padded seat behind me. The AR barely fits on the front. I like using this on the hot days when I can stage it in the woods nearby in the cooler shade and have iced down Powerade and water to retreat to as well as a few snacks or an MRE. It also lets me have the 2 gun option to change as the terrain changes.
David, that is indeed the same driveway. This time he stuck his head out on my side of the fence. I've been after this particular hole for a while now. I always approach from the road and he busts me. This time I came over half mile away on foot from the field direction and gave him a surprise.
David, that is indeed the same driveway. This time he stuck his head out on my side of the fence. I've been after this particular hole for a while now. I always approach from the road and he busts me. This time I came over half mile away on foot from the field direction and gave him a surprise.
wahoowad
Member
I scored a new spot yesterday and went back to try it out in the evening. Lots of wide open fields, all had been fresh cut. I saw 7 groundhogs right off, but darn they were skittish. I doubt someone has been hunting them given the numbers I saw but they sure act like they been ducking lead. Some wind started up initially but then died down to nothing - great shooting weather if you like stalking groundhogs in 95 degree weather with no wind.
Miss my first one at 250 yards. Thought for sure I got it, but found no body or sign when I searched. Unfortunately that shot kept everybodys head down so things got real slow after that.
Late in the evening while looking for the body for #1 I saw another sneaking about. He was at 250 too so I thought this would be a good test (I always get paranoid my zero is screwed up when I miss). I had to switch to my tall bipod and shoot from a sitting position - which I hate as I get a lot more movement of the crosshairs. Finally got my rhythm down and let it fly at the big head sticking up out the grass. Saw the flag go up immediately (and a couple legs sticking up too
). Connected right on the head and the 75 grain V-Max worked as advertised this time. Looks like it exploded with lots of shrapnel exit wounds. Sorry no pics, I was sweating so much I didn't want to handle the camera.
At least I know there are plenty left for next trip. Probably tomorrow
Miss my first one at 250 yards. Thought for sure I got it, but found no body or sign when I searched. Unfortunately that shot kept everybodys head down so things got real slow after that.
Late in the evening while looking for the body for #1 I saw another sneaking about. He was at 250 too so I thought this would be a good test (I always get paranoid my zero is screwed up when I miss). I had to switch to my tall bipod and shoot from a sitting position - which I hate as I get a lot more movement of the crosshairs. Finally got my rhythm down and let it fly at the big head sticking up out the grass. Saw the flag go up immediately (and a couple legs sticking up too
At least I know there are plenty left for next trip. Probably tomorrow
ARCOREY
New member
Bammo, riding a rifle in ATV racks will show you a low quality set of rings, bases, scope, or mounting job in a heartbeat. My AR has been riding that rack for about 5-6 years now and it is my rock. That gun will lay them where they need to be day in and day out. I even knocked the gun off the sticks last Saturday and managed to snuff out a hog later that day and smack a bolt head on a steel target at 140yds today after dialing to 570yds and back. I've had lesser setups shake off zero riding the racks. My advise is if you want to use the ATV to cart your rifle, invest in good solid bases and rings, and pay attention to your rifle and try to avoid unnecessary abuse while in the rack. I'm hard on my stuff and hit my quite expensive 243 upside a tree last weekend while riding and actually cracked the fender on my ATV and occasionally drop my rifles or knock them over. Good setups aren't affected. You can put a cheap scope in good rings and have success, cheap rings and bases will let you down with the best scope and rifle.
I tried hunting today, but only managed to get exercise. I saw two no shots in half a day of hunting. I did see 5 on a neighbor's property at an easy 225yds, but didn't have permission. They seemed to taunt me as if they knew I wouldn't break the rules and snipe them over the fence. One of the ones I saw busted me coming out of the woods and was on high alert. The other was at 557yds and didn't give me time to even setup before leaving the area. The heat was brutal and most of the hay is still up on my prime spots. I'll probably try again in about 2 weeks.
I tried hunting today, but only managed to get exercise. I saw two no shots in half a day of hunting. I did see 5 on a neighbor's property at an easy 225yds, but didn't have permission. They seemed to taunt me as if they knew I wouldn't break the rules and snipe them over the fence. One of the ones I saw busted me coming out of the woods and was on high alert. The other was at 557yds and didn't give me time to even setup before leaving the area. The heat was brutal and most of the hay is still up on my prime spots. I'll probably try again in about 2 weeks.
wahoowad
Member
I knew it was going to be a hot one today so headed out around 8:00 AM. Had to go to plan B when the first farm was too busy. Turns out it was just as well as I had a good day where I went.
I set up in a bean field overlooking a creek bed and another distant bean field. Lots of little nooks and crannies where groundhogs might have holes.
I had the Savage 243 with me and popped these at various distances from 130 to 281. It was blazing hot but I saw plenty of action. All of them were shot in or next to their hole as they seemed to stick close due to the heat.
I wore out the place above and the action slowed down after shooting those 5. I went back to the original place and the field crew had left. I shot another one at 275, then finished with this one at 325. I thought I missed this one as my shot looked high from the big poof of dirt that kicked up. Looks like it was a pass-thru on this pup.
When I left it was 103 and the cold Gatoraid from the cooler sure was good!
I set up in a bean field overlooking a creek bed and another distant bean field. Lots of little nooks and crannies where groundhogs might have holes.
I had the Savage 243 with me and popped these at various distances from 130 to 281. It was blazing hot but I saw plenty of action. All of them were shot in or next to their hole as they seemed to stick close due to the heat.
I wore out the place above and the action slowed down after shooting those 5. I went back to the original place and the field crew had left. I shot another one at 275, then finished with this one at 325. I thought I missed this one as my shot looked high from the big poof of dirt that kicked up. Looks like it was a pass-thru on this pup.
When I left it was 103 and the cold Gatoraid from the cooler sure was good!
wahoo
looks like a good day despite the heat.
We have been working 7 days a week but I finally got a weekend off although it was blistering hot out, and my hunting partner/brother had to go out of town to work for the weekend so I went out with just me and my fireball.
I really wanted to try out the hog wagon but by next weekend it should cool down and the are starting to cut some of the fields.
Sat was just to hot I think I saw a couple but they were just to far and I wasn't about to give up my spot in the shade so Saturday was a bust. Went out this morning it was a little cooler but they were still cutting are favorite field so I went back to the spot I was in on Sat, what a difference a few degrees makes I saw 7 and got 4 of them
took this one at about 125 yrds
this was the longest shot of the morning 225 yards
I shot this one pup at about 100 yrds I could have gotten a few more but I'll wait untill they get bigger the fireball sent this one airborne off the mound
this was the last one about 150 yards 25gr Vmax dropped him without a twitch
Went back out tonight after it cooled down, I saw a hog sitting by it den and a couple of small ones were out of the den also, so I tried to put the sneak on them.
I walked around the tree line and saw another hog who ran about 25 yards and stopped at the edge of his den to look back so I dropped him with the 17M2 at about 50 yards with a headshot.
This is probably the biggest hog I have taken this year actually the two biggest hogs I have taken this year were with the 17M2 the smallest varmint cartridge I have.
looks like a good day despite the heat.
We have been working 7 days a week but I finally got a weekend off although it was blistering hot out, and my hunting partner/brother had to go out of town to work for the weekend so I went out with just me and my fireball.
I really wanted to try out the hog wagon but by next weekend it should cool down and the are starting to cut some of the fields.
Sat was just to hot I think I saw a couple but they were just to far and I wasn't about to give up my spot in the shade so Saturday was a bust. Went out this morning it was a little cooler but they were still cutting are favorite field so I went back to the spot I was in on Sat, what a difference a few degrees makes I saw 7 and got 4 of them
took this one at about 125 yrds
this was the longest shot of the morning 225 yards
I shot this one pup at about 100 yrds I could have gotten a few more but I'll wait untill they get bigger the fireball sent this one airborne off the mound
this was the last one about 150 yards 25gr Vmax dropped him without a twitch
Went back out tonight after it cooled down, I saw a hog sitting by it den and a couple of small ones were out of the den also, so I tried to put the sneak on them.
I walked around the tree line and saw another hog who ran about 25 yards and stopped at the edge of his den to look back so I dropped him with the 17M2 at about 50 yards with a headshot.
This is probably the biggest hog I have taken this year actually the two biggest hogs I have taken this year were with the 17M2 the smallest varmint cartridge I have.
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wahoowad
Member
I'm with ya, Rich! Few things as fun as bustin' groundhogs with a 17 Fireball! That's why I took mine on a recent first trip to a new farm. There are a lot of barns and the farm manager said the groundhogs were all over them. I backed off about 200 yards and took 3 of them right away that did not seem bashful exposing themselves. The 17 Fireball puts them down quick.
The farm manager told me the buildings had a lot of 'hogs around them, so I knew something would show itself at this foundation crack. It did not take long.
Towards late afternoon I took up a position on a hillside affording a tremendous view of several fields, fencelines, creeks and woodlines. Around 5 PM the action started and groundhogs were popping up everywhere. I shot them off boulders, off stumps, and just all over. I ran out of ammo and had to go get more out of the truck. By dark I had shot 11 more. The 17FB got most of the work, taking it out to 375 yards. I also used the Savage 243 for a couple at 275 and 435. Here's a few. Odd that 13 out of 14 appeared to be pups. Sorry, I couldn't get them all together for one tailgate shot.
I was as surprised as this guy
The farm manager told me the buildings had a lot of 'hogs around them, so I knew something would show itself at this foundation crack. It did not take long.
Towards late afternoon I took up a position on a hillside affording a tremendous view of several fields, fencelines, creeks and woodlines. Around 5 PM the action started and groundhogs were popping up everywhere. I shot them off boulders, off stumps, and just all over. I ran out of ammo and had to go get more out of the truck. By dark I had shot 11 more. The 17FB got most of the work, taking it out to 375 yards. I also used the Savage 243 for a couple at 275 and 435. Here's a few. Odd that 13 out of 14 appeared to be pups. Sorry, I couldn't get them all together for one tailgate shot.
I was as surprised as this guy