Annual Groundhog tally for 2013

Originally Posted By: ARCOREY

Got a 2013 F150 STX a little while back and have less than 3K miles on it still
grin.gif
.



Oh, do I remember when my 4D-4WD Montero had 3k miles on it - it still had that new smell...

... now it has 360,000 and smells like ol' bore cleaner
frown.gif
frown.gif
frown.gif


 
The days of open groundhog hunting have been gone from around here for a while, they might wonder out a few yards from a tree line into a field...but as far as actually setting up shop out in the open forget it, coyotes I believe have taken care of that.Originally Posted By: ARCOREYIt appears that I may be putting myself out of business for next year Tim. I've had to resort to hunting the barn yard and equipment sheds to get a few. The ones I do get in the fields have gone to deep cover. The days of open ground hogging are about done for my farm. It would figure that it would happen once I get my 243 dialed in and figured out
laugh.gif
. Next spring I'll be hunting for new ground instead of chucks
frown.gif
.
 
Originally Posted By: JLJ223The days of open groundhog hunting have been gone from around here for a while, they might wonder out a few yards from a tree line into a field...but as far as actually setting up shop out in the open forget it, coyotes I believe have taken care of that.

I believe it is the combination of coyotes, gassing, and the recent boom of bald eagles here. Might be some type of mange or colony type disease too though since the rabbit and skunk populations seems to be rising now. Maybe I'm impacting them more than I thought, but doubt it since I've watched groundhogs I didn't kill disappear like crazy too. Holes just go cold for no reason it seems.

Catshooter, it still has the new smell for now. After this November, it'll smell like pickled egg and pork rind farts and be a hunting truck
laugh.gif
. I went ahead and got the Husky rubber floor liners and some custom camo seat covers on the way to protect my investment. A day of pickled goodies, sodas, MRE's and 4 guys in a truck will taint it fast. Especially when you get to slinging doe estrous scents around
sick.gif
.
 
A friend of mine just told me his area has been wiped clean of 'chucks because a couple big farms has set killer traps at the opening of each den on their farms and those they rent.. they have killed 384 'chucks in the last 2 springs.. Needless to say there are no chucks in the immediate area..
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOREY
I believe it is the combination of coyotes, gassing, and the recent boom of bald eagles here.

Had a bald eagle fly just a few yards over my head yesterday he was eaten the groundhogs we shot the day before
 
Went out after dinner yesterday and set up a few trail cameras for deer season and on my way home I stopped by the farm to see if I could get a shot off at a chuck.. Laying on a side hill and after about 15 minutes saw my first chuck, a young guy, came out of an old hole 53 yards in front of me.. I put the crosshairs on his chin as he looked at me and he was done for.. I sat there for another 15 minutes and another bigger hog comes out of the woods working its way across the field at 100 yards.. I put a 17gr pill thru his lungs and he hunched up flipped over then did the famous tail shake.. It was a pretty good day even though I only saw 2 woodchucks.

 
Yep any time I can whack a groundhog is a pretty good day two makes it twice as good.
I did the same thing after work was out setting up trail cams and since I didn't really plan on chuck hunting I left the rifle at home but I did take along my MKIII hunter which was a good thing because on the way back I was headed around a old barn and I seen this good sized hog run under a stack of blocks so not being in any hurry I went and took a seat on another stack of block and figured to wait him out.
Well it wasn't much of a wait it was only a couple of minutes and I saw his head poke out from under the stack of block about 15 yards away, one pop with a Velocitor was all it took

IMG_20130813_175905_120_zpsf1fdd2d5.jpg
 
You haven't missed much. The change in the weather really slowed things down for the past few days up here. They seemed to be more active tonight although I tried to be fancy and poke a couple past 750 yards and didn't help my count any. I came sooo close with my first shot at 780 yards but it went down hill from there.
 
Went out today to one of my honey holes. This is the field I tried to hunt last week but the hay was not cut.

Got to the field about 11:30 and set out towards a small hill that gives me a good vantage point. As I was walking,I noticed one feeding near it's hole about 350 yards away. I did not like the angle of the shot so I decided to try and get a better line on it. On my way I noticed one about 150 yards in front of me. As soon as I raised my binos,it spotted me and started heading for it's hole. I had to do the hurry up and shoot but it worked out ok. Anchored him about 3ft. from the hole.

Got to my spot and noticed the first one I spotted was playing peekaboo with me.He would only show the top part of his head. Grabbed the Leica and pinged him at 104 yards. We played the game for a while so I decided to take a little cat nap. Woke up about 20 min. later and he was sitting on top of his mound. Got on him and planted a 50gr. Nosler into his head.

Got three more later in the day.Ranges were 40yds.-125yds.

Nothing real exciting but it sure beats being at work.

Here's a couple pics for you guys.

[img:center][/img]

[img:center][/img]

[img:center][/img]

[img:center][/img]





 
Last edited:
Got eleven more with the 20 Practical tonight between 4:30 and 7:00pm. There’s nothing terribly exciting to report otherwise. I missed one at 475 yards (prone) and one at 370 yards (standing using the Bog Pod) so the longest kill for the night was just a touch over 300 yards. This was the last night out this year for that rifle because I missed the memo that Berger was stopping production of the 50 grain Match Varmint BT bullets last fall, so I’m trying to make my current supply last a couple years.

Three that died within 100 yards of each other in short order.


The last one of the year for the 20P.


One I shot earlier in the week with the wife’s 7mm08.
 
11 in one night is awesome good shooting, I had the Vartarg out again today had to work so I didn't make it out until late afternoon, I hit two fields and nothing so went back to the field we had hunted last weekend sat for about 20 min and nothing so decided to move down the field about 500yrds and as soon as I stopped the truck one went running for his hole to bad for him he stopped to see what was going on and I got him at the edge of his hole about 200yrds, no sooner did the first one hit the ground another one popped up about the same distance 2 down in as many minute's.
Went to check out a different field and saw one out about 450 yrds but had a big flock of stupid geese right in the way tried waiting them out but more were landing and finally the groundhog went back down his hole, did pick up three more from 125 to 360 yrds all five where head shots did I mention how much I like this gun

IMG_20130817_193425_197_zps370fc49a.jpg
 
What's most impressive to me Rich, is that most of the ones you shoot with the 20VT are head shots. After about 150yds, I usually quit trying those and shoot the chest.

Good shooting guys.

I went out Friday after work. Carried the AR and only saw one. Missed him off the sticks at 110yds and again at 45yds. Going to try and shoot it today between the rains and see if it was the gun or me. I did get to see half a dozen bucks with one being a very nice 7 pt. Also had a few coyotes howling back at me with the diaphragm calls. Think I know the whereabouts of the den now
wink.gif
.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOREYWhat's most impressive to me Rich, is that most of the ones you shoot with the 20VT are head shots. After about 150yds, I usually quit trying those and shoot the chest.

Acorey

Chest shots are most definitely the higher percentage shot past 200 yards and when shooting my 22/250AI with the 75 Amax they are also more acrobatic when hit.
This gun is shooting so good right now plus all they are showing is there head the alfalfa is growing so fast that is the only target they are giving us.

Here's two more from this morning the little nibbler was 227yrds and the big one 250 again both head shots with the 20VT
IMG_20130818_120150_612_zps92fe798f.jpg
 
Nice job Rich, if all they'll give you is heads, then that's what you take. I shot the AR at 100yds today. It was 1" high and 1" left. Not terrible, but not on either. I'm still going to take the blame for missing twice with it Friday
blush.gif
.
 
Rich44 is making me wish I had built a walking varminter in 20VT.

And no Sunday hunting in PA sucks [place beep here!].

But...I did get a bunch of reloading done though.

And mowed the lawn today [place sarcastic 'yea' here].

ARCOREY,
I like to think of them as warning shots, not misses. Rich44 might shoot all his in the head with the first shot but where's the sport in that. Now a running woodchuck at hundreds of yards...that's giving them a chance.
thumbup.gif
 
Back
Top