Idaho rock chucks

Rustydust

Rustydust

Active member
Went out yesterday with another member of this forum (Matlock) to see if we could find some rock chucks north of town a bit. He had his .223 loaded with 50 grain bullets and I had my .243 AI loaded full throttle with 70 grain Varmageddons. After over an hour of seeing not a one we headed off in a different direction and hit the mother load. Suddenly we had several in our binoculars at the same time. We were standing on the tailgate of his truck shooting off my giant 'dog-gone-good' poly bag that was resting on his camper shell. I have shot chucks with my .204, my .223 AI and my .220 Swift but wow- none of those will put a chuck in orbit like that .243 AI will. Matthew's .223 sure did kill them but my .243 AI just blew them up. The longest shots of the day were 360 (mine) and 361 (his) yards both with the .243 AI. There was NO doubt about it when they were hit. Bang flop with guts flying. Very decisive.

We both very much enjoy shooting grounds squirrels where sometimes you can get hundreds in one day. But half a dozen chucks in just a couple hours shooting? That's pretty hard to beat right there. A good day.
 
Originally Posted By: Rustydust half a dozen chucks in just a couple hours shooting?

Bang flop with guts flying.

A good day.

A good day indeed Sir!!!
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You know Russ, once in awhile you can get a couple hundred 'chucks in a day too
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- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: DAAYou know Russ, once in awhile you can get a couple hundred 'chucks in a day too
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- DAA

Oh, I've watched a few of your videos Dave and I know that you have hit some of those places in your years of chuck hunting. But this place is literally a half hour drive from my house and no need to even pack a lunch. Just ride out, shoot a few and come back home. The place is not crawling with chucks so I only go out 2-3 times a year. Leave plenty for seed that way.
 
Originally Posted By: DAALeaving some for seed is how I like to go too.

- DAA

I think what he meant to say was the ones we missed we'll just call it leaving them for seed
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Originally Posted By: MatlockOriginally Posted By: DAALeaving some for seed is how I like to go too.

- DAA

I think what he meant to say was the ones we missed we'll just call it leaving them for seed
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"We" missed? Hardy har har, Bucko! If (IF!) I missed any it was because I felt sorry for you for all your missed shots and wanted you not to feel so bad!

See? This is what I get for being a kind soul. See if it happens again!
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Originally Posted By: crittr gittrRuss, it sounds like theirs a little more to the story here, could you please splain?

Oh, no- not really, Kent. We were on a narrow dirt road trying to shoot off of Matthew's truck at an awkward upper angle. Until we tried placing that big bag on the roof of the camper shell it was hard to got a steady hold just bracing against the truck. We had better luck where the angle was not so extreme and we could place the bag on the hood of his truck and shoot that way. Still a bit of being a contortionist was required but doable.

Hey- anything for an excuse as to why I missed something is fine with me!
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Originally Posted By: RustydustWent out yesterday with another member of this forum (Matlock) to see if we could find some rock chucks north of town a bit. He had his .223 loaded with 50 grain bullets and I had my .243 AI loaded full throttle with 70 grain Varmageddons. After over an hour of seeing not a one we headed off in a different direction and hit the mother load. Suddenly we had several in our binoculars at the same time. We were standing on the tailgate of his truck shooting off my giant 'dog-gone-good' poly bag that was resting on his camper shell. I have shot chucks with my .204, my .223 AI and my .220 Swift but wow- none of those will put a chuck in orbit like that .243 AI will. Matthew's .223 sure did kill them but my .243 AI just blew them up. The longest shots of the day were 360 (mine) and 361 (his) yards both with the .243 AI. There was NO doubt about it when they were hit. Bang flop with guts flying. Very decisive.

We both very much enjoy shooting grounds squirrels where sometimes you can get hundreds in one day. But half a dozen chucks in just a couple hours shooting? That's pretty hard to beat right there. A good day.



Great stuff...Keep us posted.
 
In years past we shot 100 s of chucks towards eastern part of state before varmiting got so popular. Typically 223 or 22-250.

Fast forward and father in law wore out the 22-250 and picked up a Rem 788 in 243... man, was I impressed what a 75 gr 6mm bullet at 3300-3400 fps would do. I was hook d and had my own 243 within 6-8 maths.

Still hard to beat the 6mm s for aerial flying points!!
 
I lived in Colorado in the mid-eighties and just after I moved there I had all my long guns stolen.

One of the guys I worked with felt sorry for me and sold me his Ruger UltraLite in 308 and until I recovered from my move and was able to go gun shopping with my insurance money that 308 was all I had for game from prairie dogs up to elk and although it served me well I was thrilled when I got a good deal on a 22-250.

I wasn't a very accomplished chuck hunter but I made up for it with enthusiasm and took great delight in trying to put them airborne when I was able to find some.

After I moved back to Florida I found a couple friends in Virginia that would host me to some groundhog hunting and that was a lot of fun too but I've always wished I could go back to the Rockies and give a few rock chucks flying lessons again. I have a Model 7 (20" barrel) and a Model 700 (24" barrel) in 243 that would be ideal for rockchucks.

Now all I need is to find a guide that specializes in them if there's any such thing....
 
LDhunter: Don't come to Co. for rockchuck hunting. The bunny huggers got a season on them,2 per day and you are suppose to take them home for consumption.
 
Dang!!! It's a shame that Kalifornians came to Colorado and converted it to Eastern Kalifornia. That's the main reason I left. Oh well....

Anyone know what's the best state for chuck hunting now?
 
There are many rock chucks in southern Oregon. On my bucket list and headed to the Oregon / Nevada border late this month for a few days of chuck, rat, rabbit, yotes 204R should do the trick.
 
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Originally Posted By: DAAYou know Russ, once in awhile you can get a couple hundred 'chucks in a day too
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.

- DAA

Good idea. But those taliban, don't leave any of them for seed.
 
Originally Posted By: BearLDhunter: Don't come to Co. for rockchuck hunting. The bunny huggers got a season on them,2 per day and you are suppose to take them home for consumption.

That's crazy. They want you to climb up in the rocks and then fish around between them (if you can even find the thing) for a messy gutpile? Typical liberal-think, people with no clue.
 
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