2017 Ground hog kills. How many so far???

THEPLUMBER

New member
Thought I'd start a new post to see how you guys are tallying them up. Got out today in western Pa. Nice day, temps in the 60's. Shot 4, no growth yet, they have no place to hide . Easy to spot them. All males. How many you got?? I shot 49 last season, hoping to do better this year. 4's a good start for me.
 
Make that three, another head shot, 150 yards and about 20 mph crosswinds
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Got out yesterday. One at 169yds, 269 and 225. Season total 7. Hope to get out today. Weather looks great. Starting to get my Contender 204 dialed in. This is my second season with it.
 
Groundhog sightings are getting rarer and rarer. I've resorted to doing mostly airgun hunts for them, focusing closer around farm buildings or smaller farms. It's sad. I keep saying I'm going to switch to coyote hunting to get some hunting action but haven't done so yet.

Anyway....popped 4 'hogs so far this year, probably been out twice that many times. I call those trips where I don't shoot anything "scouting trips"
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Pathetic really...

Yesterday was my first centerfire harvest, actually getting 2 of them. The longest was 165 yards and he was next to one of those bunches of trees up the hillside. I was shooting the Browning Abolt Micro Hunter in 22 Hornet - as sweet a carry rifle as any made - and hadn't confirmed the zero in several years so was a little worried. But after firing I heard that satisfying thwuump! that signaled a solid hit.

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No entry or exit wound was visible - the 35 grain Vmax shed all it's energy inside - sounded like the 'hog was filled with water when I picked it up. Finally little blood leaked out and confirmed the neck shot I was aiming for...

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A little later an ATV rolled up with the farmer's little 8 year old daughter checking up on me. She told me where some others have been sighted, and no less than 30 seconds after relocating to another field did I pop another at 140 yards! She came with me to inspect the 'hog and asked me several times if it was actually a rabbit!!! She had never seen a groundhog up close but had fallen in a hole before and told me to keep shooting them!

Here is one of my earlier groundhogs shot with my .25 cal airgun. He was playing peek-aboo and finally presented a frontal skull shot which I took and dropped him like a rock.

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Good luck this season guys!
 
Got my 1st one of 2017 on Easter Sunday. Luckily I had the Marlin 17HMR at the ready when I saw this guy up on the wooden bridge that goes over the creek that runs through our family property. Only about a 50-60 yard shot.

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I usually wait till after turkey season here in Pa. I like to wait till the pups are on grass, ya can shoot 1 chuck right now n kill 6.......pregnant mammas.
 
Western Pa fields are getting pretty high. Talked to a farmer yesterday, he said they would cut now but it is so wet, there is know telling when they will be able to get them Deer JOHN's cutting!
 
Yeah my groundhog hunting will be limited until the first of June, hay fields won't be baled until then. There's always the corn and bean fields though.
 
Yellow Bellied Marmots/Rock Chucks=50 in a 1.5 days.
We really got into them. Truly blessed and the farmers are happy.
 
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