Author Topic: Lets keep a count on Groundhogs killed here in Pa this year.#16 of the season. (Read 3433 times)

DalesCarpentry · « **on:** March 20, 2010, 05:29:58 PM »

Ok guys. Lets keep a count on Groundhogs killed here in Pa this year. Every time you kill one in Pa post about it here and by the end of the summer the member that has the most kills has the braging rights. You could also list what type of rifle you used and the distance. I will start. I made my first kill of the year today with my Marlin 917-V 17HMR. I shot him at about 50 yards off hand (no rest) while he was walking and I still managed a head shot. This is also the first kill for this rifle. Here are a couple pictures. Dale

jlchucker · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2010, 06:40:24 AM »

I hope you Pennsylvania guys don't shoot the one who comes out in February and predicts the weather. Some of us who live in other places kind of count on him to predict springtime coming.

Ethan · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2010, 03:33:45 PM »

I have got the 243. win. and 17 H.M.R. ready to go kill a few

j.k280 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 21, 2010, 06:25:27 PM »

jlchucker, we didn`t have to; the weather critter heard that many of us had an uneventful deer season and he worried hisself plum to death !!! j.k280

jlchucker · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2010, 02:43:11 AM »

Quote from: j.k280 on March 21, 2010, 06:25:27 PM

jlchucker, we didn`t have to; the weather critter heard that many of us had an uneventful deer season and he worried hisself plum to death !!! j.k280

Too bad. We counted on him. You guys will just have to raise another one. Next year get a deer so he won't suffer the same fate.

Ethan · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2010, 05:08:02 PM »

I had him in my crosshairs for a couple seconds but too many people got in the way so no shot

........BUMMER

ricktile66 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2010, 06:52:31 AM »

Went down to the camp to check some loads for my chuck guns yesterday. Saw quite a few on my way home. Very spooky though, ran for their holes just from seeing my car over 100 yards away. Looking forward to getting out and shooing a few on the next nice day.... Got 19 last year just in the yard around the camp. Didn't bother counting all the others.

pennsyltuckymoose · « **Reply #7 on:** March 29, 2010, 01:24:41 AM »

I used to hunt em here in Pa the first time I moved here, then moved back to Indiana. I missed shooting the critters(the coyotes in IN have pretty much wiped them out.)... well I've been back in Pa for six years and not killed the first chuck...my skin Dr. said I can't.....I have to stay out of the sun....against the law here in PA to shoot Groundhogs in the sun..... seems like too many innocent PENDOT workers have been shot that way!

TheMoose

j.k280 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2010, 06:00:41 PM »

hey moose i finally saw my first 'chuck today on the way to work- i think all the rain pushed him out of his hole. up here, it would't suprise me if penn dot don't shoot them first, 'cause they sure dont do nothing else. i hope your sun problem isnt something bad some of my friends have to wear long sleeves or a wide hat to go out nice to meet you sir john

ricktile66 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 01, 2010, 03:25:36 AM »

Got three yesterday. :-)

Graybeard · « **Reply #10 on:** April 01, 2010, 03:46:14 AM »

My friend Barry who lives in PA got one yesterday with his Kel-Tec P32 he keeps in his pocket in his travels around the farm. He was cutting up some black locust for fence posts and he kept hearing a dog barking when the saw wasn't running. He went to investigate and his father-in-law's dog had one treed. He shot it with what he had in hand.

bobg · « **Reply #11 on:** April 01, 2010, 04:00:06 AM »

I don't hunt them till after they have had their young ones.
bobg

pennsyltuckymoose · « **Reply #12 on:** April 01, 2010, 10:20:43 AM »

I really don't have a skin problem, it just made the joke flow a little better... As a kid in Indiana, we used to hunt groundhogs for bounty... the state paid 50 cents(you had to cut off their ears to turn in). I had a tolerant mother who let me keep them in the freezer in a bag until I had enough and when we went to the county seat, I would take the bag to the court house and turn in the ears... the ladies working in the office never once counted the ears, they just took my word for the number... The money was what bought me my first centerfire rifle and reloading gear... been a great journey ever since.

Hope I didn't hurt any Penndot worker's feelings... but it is funny
TheMoose

bubba15301 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 01, 2010, 04:42:52 PM »

i dont hunt them til june - lets the babies grow some
and then can live on their own

Savage_99 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 01, 2010, 05:34:49 PM »

For me woodchuck hunting was the greatest rifle hunting. I have chuck rifles and chuck rifle books by Estey and Landis. I have been rifle hunting since 1953 for deer etc and other varmints however the woodchuck was the best real longer range shooting.

The chucks are Gone where I hunt. I hunt in CT and VT and used to hunt in NY. The chucks are gone in those states! The coyotes have come. We never had any coyotes in my lifetime but we do now.

Its a disaster as far as I am concerned.

bobg · « **Reply #15 on:** April 02, 2010, 03:32:01 AM »

Still a lot of chucks in WNY where i live. Don't see many yotes but there sure are a lot of fox. Most of the places i use to hunt chucks are now posted or planted to corn.
bobg

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #16 on:** April 02, 2010, 05:00:14 AM »

99 & bobg, what are your favorite chuck calibers...when I hunted a lot I used my Hornet for stalking, and a heavy custom .22-250 for longer shots...I had one pal that shot in Potter County Pa. he got one at about 900 yards with a bull barreled model 70 in 300 Wea. his pal got one at 1200 yards...I always wanted to try that but never did....

bobg · « **Reply #17 on:** April 02, 2010, 06:17:34 AM »

I usually use my heavy barreled Ruger in 22-250. Just bought a Savage 204 Ruger. It is really a shooter. Going to try that this summer. I also have an H an R in 17HMR. Not to sure about that on chucks though. $:-\$
bobg

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #18 on:** April 02, 2010, 02:36:23 PM »

bobg, let us know how the .204 works...if I were to be doing a lot of chuck hunting in Pa. or W.Va. again, I think I would look at one....but have a rack of .22 cal. varmit rifles so for now it is pretty far down the list...

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2010, 02:58:59 PM »

Well guys I just put $300.00 down on a used Remington 700 SPS Varmint 22-250. The rifle still looks new and does not even look like it has been shot. The price for it was $459.99.

I will be able to pick it up next Friday. Them Groundhogs better look out now.

I had the same rifle in the 243 a couple years ago and it sure was a shooter. I took a couple Groundhogs at about 500 yards with it and I expect to be able to do the same with this rifle. Dale

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2010, 03:09:28 PM »

Great!!!!!!!!!!What will the scope be?

??I have a couple 6.5 to 20 Leup. with dots for chuck shooting....

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #21 on:** April 02, 2010, 03:44:05 PM »

Quote from: Wyo. Coyote Hunter on April 02, 2010, 03:09:28 PM

Great!!!!!!!!!!What will the scope be???I have a couple 6.5 to 20 Leup. with dots for chuck shooting....

This is what it will be wearing.

I like this scope a lot and have found it much cheaper than their price. Dale
http://theconsumerlink.com/Millett/detail/TCL+BK30737/0

bobg · « **Reply #22 on:** April 03, 2010, 01:31:59 AM »

I have owned a few chuck guns. 5 in 222. Two in 223. 2 22 Hornets. A 225. A 221 Fireball. A weatherby in 22-250 and a weatherby in 240 mag. Both Weatherbys were junk. Never own another one. Traded them both for Rugers. Almost forgot. I had a Ruger in 250-3000 that was a chuck killing machine. OOPS. Had a couple 243s too. Can't remember anything in my old age. Had a 257 Roberts too. The only 3 i have left are the ones i mentioned earlier.
bobg

Ethan · « **Reply #23 on:** April 03, 2010, 03:01:48 PM »

Got 1 with the Browning 17. H.M.R. steped off at 197 First shot between the eyes and the second one under the ear killed him stiff as a board with the second shot

Savage_99 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 04, 2010, 04:38:34 PM »

Wyo. Coyote Hunter,

When I started in 53 I had a M722 in .222. I loaded various Sierra bullets and others. In 1957 I got a new 243 Varmint Model in 243. I shot the 75 gr Sierra most. Some long shots were made but the goal was to just get a chuck. In those years I used to drive to NY from central CT around R22. There were many great farms and I could hunt on Sundays in NY. On average I recall getting about 9 chucks per trip.

In the later 60's till now I hunted in VT most with a Winchester High wall smithed by the late Floyd Butler of Raceville, NY. Its a .219 Improved Zipper and I shoot 50 gr Sierras. I got 22 chucks a fox and a crow one day in VT with it.

The 243 was shot out and rebarreled. Its now a Swift.

What do you shoot?

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #25 on:** April 05, 2010, 09:25:11 AM »

That Winchester Hi Wall is something...IMPRESSIVE!!!!!! that is a classic rifle....
I guess my chuck shooting started like most with the .22 LR. but soon got a Sav. in .222...Sold it later, but since then I have seldom been with out a .222 my current one is a custom one on a 700....Next had a .22-250, then a .25-06...For several years shot my old .30-06....I have shot them with all kinds of rifles...thru the .257 Wea., 7mm Wea. and my old .300 Win. but my std. chuck rifles for the present....are my Browning Abolt in .22 Hornet...some of the farms I hunt are so hilly that one can't shoot far so this little rifle is a dandy....when I go for chucks...I almost always put this one in the truck, for those farms, and shots around bldgs. and stock...it is surprising the amount of folks that once they know you, want you to shoot a chuck under the barn, behind the spring house, or in the garden....so it is acc. and poweful enough for clean kills...I still use my custom .222 some, but the Hornet takes on the close stuff, and my custom 700 in .22-250 takes the longer shots...so lately the .222 is not getting alot of use....I also have a Swift, I really like...and a .22-250 AI....right now I have a custom stock empty....so when I rebarrel next time, I will put one in it...I am considering another Swift or AI .22-250...I also have my .25-06 for really long stuff...Mostly wind is not a problem...Right now I am thinking over a possible move, in about 3 years...I would like to get to a spot that is warmer, has lots of deer, and woodchucks....Hope you have a great chuck season...hit one with that HI Wall for me....a beautiful rifle....

AtlLaw · « **Reply #26 on:** April 05, 2010, 09:43:19 AM »

Quote from: Wyo. Coyote Hunter on April 05, 2010, 09:25:11 AM

that HI ... a beautiful rifle....

Ain't that the truth! Sure would like to see a full length picture of it... wish I could ask Savage_99 if he could post one...

Now that my mother-in-law has passed, God love her, my wife owns a small wood lot outside of Hermatage. I was always gonna go deer hunting up there but haven't yet. Plenty of 'chucks around there also. How easy is it to get permission to hunt those farms up there?

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #27 on:** April 05, 2010, 02:51:24 PM »

Quote from: AtlLaw on April 05, 2010, 09:43:19 AM

Quote from: Wyo. Coyote Hunter on April 05, 2010, 09:25:11 AM
that HI ... a beautiful rifle....

Ain't that the truth! Sure would like to see a full length picture of it... wish I could ask Savage_99 if he could post one...

Now that my mother-in-law has passed, God love her, my wife owns a small wood lot outside of Hermatage. I was always gonna go deer hunting up there but haven't yet. Plenty of 'chucks around there also. How easy is it to get permission to hunt those farms up there?

I would say 95% of the time if you catch the farmer out and about and ask him he will tell you to shoot all of them you want. Just don't go shooting on his property without asking first. Of course that goes with out saying. Dale

Graybeard · « **Reply #28 on:** April 05, 2010, 07:10:56 PM »

Today my friend Barry up there in PA went back to the hole where he failed to connect the other day. He took the same rifle his Ruger One SS with laminated stock in .204. Last time he had just run a swap thru after it sat all winter with oily barrel. Now with one shot down the tube to help foul it he got that same ground hog he failed to get last time. He's now at two for the season.

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #29 on:** April 06, 2010, 01:35:10 PM »

Quote from: Graybeard on April 05, 2010, 07:10:56 PM

Today my friend Barry up there in PA went back to the hole where he failed to connect the other day. He took the same rifle his Ruger One SS with laminated stock in .204. Last time he had just run a swap thru after it sat all winter with oily barrel. Now with one shot down the tube to help foul it he got that same ground hog he failed to get last time. He's now at two for the season.

Well he is one up on me at this time. I have not had to much of a chance to get and hunt them as of late. I have been working my butt off and that has taken up most of my time. I am sure I will catch a break and get a few. I do know of 2 or 3 active holes and just have to catch them at the right time or wait them out.

Dale