Posted: 12/30/2007 5:19:13 PM EDT
| Anyone hunt groundhogs? Just about my favorite kind of hunting. Got over 10 this year. I've noticed they've died down, hard to find them here in central WV. Anyone else have this problem? |
| I like to shoot them over a frsh cut field or a thick clover plot from a distance. My best is 535 yards confirmed by a rangefinder. Took one shot, watched the impact in the scope, adjusted and drilled it. I shoot a 22-250 M700 VSSF under a Vari-X III 6.5-20 scope. Havent done any shooting since a couple years now. Summer evenings usually reserved for scouting deer while they feed.. |
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That's funny you shoul mention that. I usually kill 10+ here at home every summer. 2 this year. Didn't see them anywhere else around either. Maybe the drought? We had NO rain for almost 3 months. Couple years ago, the farm next to us sold. Pastures all grew up TALL. Ground hogs must not like that. They all came over our place. I had FUN! 
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yes. here in Ohio that's my favorite critter. I was up close to 100 this year. I was layed-off ( voluntary ) since mid july though late Nov. I think I averaged 3-4 hunts a week through September. Also got 5 yote's while groundhog hunt'n. Seen some very nice Buck's in velvet also, never did connect with any of the big fella's in bow season though . Took many pic's with the cheapo dispoable cameras.I've came to enjoy very light rifles after this summer. I could'nt say how many miles I walked, 4-6 per hunt. Very good exercise though Actually I just talked to John at WOA and He will be trimming down one of his 20" SS sevice match barrels to A1 profile for my new light weight walking rig for this spring. I also see a 17FB in my near future. Of course I did'nt make much $$ this year but, it was well worth it at my age. 
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N.E. in lorain county. I hunt alot in Medina co. and some in Huron co.also Maybe 14 small farms all together. Usually I'll get 30-50 groundhogs a year. Best times for me is usually first couple weeks of june. Beans are usually 3-6 inches tall then and pups are out and off the teet. I'll take a weeks vacation to hunt everyday I belong to Black River game club. also West Branch rifle pistol, and may join Lagrange hunt club as they have over 200 farms listed for members. Coyotes have taken a toll on the groundhogs the last few years up here, Turkey also and I ran across a few carnaged fawns in late summer. The Yotes I got in the summer were while groundhog hunt'en by chance. Usually they'd be skirting Turkey's coming off there roost early morning. I did personally see a 52lb. Yote a fella got in Medina Co.. IT FELT every bit of 52lbs. too when I picked'em up, a big yote for sure. I went calling this morning as a matter afact. No luck in 2 stands. I did see 3 average Bucks together and quite a few Does. I still got my Buck tag and 1 urban tag left. Groundhogs are about the best way I know of to practice you long range shooting in field conditions. edited for my spelling 
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| Ground Hog hunting is one of my favorite summertime activities. Between myself, CMS81586, and my youngest brother we killed alot of hogs last summer. We estimated at around 100 if not a few more. We hunted 3-4 nights a week on multiple farms. Fresh cut alfalfa fields are the best. CMS and I shot 7 in one field in about an hour without a miss with our .308 precision rigs. He has pics someplace but I'll ask him to post them here. |
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yep. Pa. is about the best state. I here Va. is getting a good number now also. I know Ohio's numbers have declined over the 30+ years I've hunted them. I attribute the lower hog numbers to Coyotes here as I see more and more each year. I swat ALL coyotes regardless what time of year it is. |
When you find a few of them take your fishing pole and line and hook and put a piece of bacon on it and cast it out there for the little guys to chase. You will be realing in whistle pigs left and right won't have to fire a shot. 
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Sounds like that could git dangerous, but fun!
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My favorite kind of hunting...except I didn't even get out last year. No excuses and it is a first for me. Got to do better this year. I do need to find more huntable properties though. dvo |
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I only got out a few times this year and Killed 4 of them, but I used my .17 HMR with 20 Grn XTP Shells for the Longer distance, the Farthest that I killed a Ground hog was 183 Yards LASERED, I had to put 2 Rounds in him, so I will limit my 17 HMR to 125-150 Yards I loaded some "Tight" Loads this year for my Bushmaster Predator using 55 Grn V-Max but I never took it out Ground Hog hunting, BUT for the last 5 weeks I have taken the Bushy out and used it for my Calling Rifle, for Coyotes, I have NOT got a shot with it yet, about 3 Weeks ago me and a Buddy Howled instead of using Distress Sounds, well within 5 Minutes we had about 5-6 Coyotes running through little thicket 20-25 yards away, they were Howling, Growling, Barking and Popping their jaws at us,, it was about 9 PM and we COULDN'T see them, well the wind Shifted and they were GONE within 2 Seconds The Buddy I took with me had NEVER Been Coyote Calling, well he is HOOKED Now !!! Good Luck Bob |
| 30 plus years ago I shot a lot of them in NY with a 222 out to about 200 yards, I killed about 50 or so a year,i worked on farm machinery then and coyotes had not gotten plentiful,back then, I knew most of the farmers in the area and had no problem finding places to hunt. Now most of the farms are idle, the last chuck I shot was the one that was raiding my mother's garden, shot him with a .22 out the back door. I live in Texas now but I miss the old days. |