Ground Hogs

[Robert lehman]

Shot three today makes six for the year no pics cell phone camera broken. A little windy today making long shots tough. Using a .243 in Handi rifle with 20" bull barrel and a 6-24x50 Hawke scope shooting 62gr Barnes varmint grenades. Hope everybody else was able to get out and enjoy the day.

[stimpylu32]

The wind was a PITA today so I just played with handguns instead  and loaded ammo , been seeing a ton of the fat little GH but never have a gun with me , about time to toss one of the 223's back in the truck . 

stimpy

[john-78]

i been watchin for them down here, but haven't seen any yet.  mabey the know i got a new rifle

[DennyRoark]

I think they got cell phones and spyware and other high tech stuff now.  Usually get 3 or 4 out of my green patch each spring.  So far 3 trips, six hours, NADA!  I know they're there, fresh diggin's and some chicory ate to the ground.  Time to change my tactics...just sneak in, not tell anyone where I'm going, total stealth!  If the deer ever get their hooves on this high tech stuff, we're all screwed!

[bikerbeans]

Got one on a windy day last week at the back of my wife's horse pasture.    Only had a 17 HMR last year so the wind would have kept me from shooting.  This year, 223 H&R w/60 grain Varmiters, wind no problem.  Big fat ground pig, the coyotes left me a thank you card for buying them dinner.

BB

[marine]

Ive killed 2 so far this year.  right place at the right time i guess.  i alway pack my h&r 223 in the jeep when headed to the farm.  the corn is too high to see them in the fields so fall should be a better time for me.

[Catfish]

What`s a matter with all the Buckeyes? I`ve only killed 13 groundhogs this year myself, and all of the had holes under barns. I have yet to shoot at one that dens in a field.

[Hairtrigger]

In my area the hogs came out late or at least did not spend much time out of thier hole. When they did come out they are very nervous. Usually early in the spring they do not watch so carefully for hunters like this year. Once the soybeans came up I started seeing and shooting reasonably often

[Grumulkin]

Forget the rifles; I pack a snub nosed S&W 357 Magnum.  I got this one while out mowing.  The gun and load are really pretty accurate but 35 to 50 yard shots with a fixed open sighted handgun on a baby groundhog are still a challenge.  I used up all 5 rounds tagging it with the last Hornady 158 gr. XTP HP.

Groundhogs blend amazingly well with dirt.  I took the first shot off the mower and, when I missed, got off and walked into the field and couldn't see it.  It was kind of like it used Voodoo or Ninja tricks to become invisible.  There were no holes and I knew it had to be there.  Finally I got close enough that it moved and I saw it again.

I know there is another one living in a hole along an old fence line but it has only shown itself a few seconds and, not being a Bob Munden, I had no time to shoot.

[marine]

Nice work with the snubbie! 

[LHS]

Many years ago (mid-1980's) I worked midnight shift so I got off work, went hunting, slept, then hunting in the early evening. I got around 150 that year on 3 local dairy farms. I used either my 12gauge or my 22 rifle.
I learned a lot on stealth by seeing one 400 yards away in a flat mowed field and taking 45 minutes to get within range of the 12 ga (3" mag buffered 2 shot).

Now I live in the city but still have 2 when I visit my parents place. I left Mom have my scoped Marlin 60 .22 to shoot them out of her window. She has 6 I think. Before I showed her how to shoot 6 yers ago she had never shot a gun in her life. The first year she got 12 or 15, then around 10 a year. She sits at the upstairs window and knits while waiting for them to appear. I taught her to note the time she sees them as they are creatures of habit. After she sees them a few times (they run if they see movement in the first floor windows) the next day she goes up 20 minutes before and waits. Seemed to work well, but now they are coming out a various times, but she put curtains on the big window so they can't see her walk to the kitchen window and shoot.

[Grumulkin]

I was at a local airport a few weeks ago where groundhogs are a real problem.  I ran across a groundhog out in a field well away from its hole, ran it down and ended its life with a side kick to its neck.  I'm not that fast but in a foot race am faster than they are.

Just out of curiosity; have you ever seen a groundhog out at night?  I never have though I hunt at night at times and drive quite a bit at night.

[bikerbeans]

Grumulkin,

I have hunted a state forest in SE Ohio for over 20 years.  This forest is mostly hardwood trees about 75+ years old and therefore not a lot of ground cover.  Over the years walking out after dark with some moonlight I have kicked up or seen moving a number of rabbits and a few ground hogs.  I think the reason these guys are out at night is the lack of cover and the very healthy hawk population.  I am also sure the owls like the nighttime activity.

BB