Groundhog hunting

Gil Martin · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 12:40 pm Post subject: Groundhog hunting

I live in a rural area surrounded in three side by farmland. Seems I am the only one around here shooting woodchucks. Some of the local farmers call me up or stop me when I am walking my dog. They want to know if I will thin out the 'chuck populations on their farms. They know I am careful and will hunt safely.

My favorite 'chuck rifles are .223 Win. 70, .243 Win 70 and a .270 Win. 70. Any other woodchuck hunters out there? All the best...
Gil

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 12:48 pm Post subject: Re: Groundhog hunting

Howdy Gil. I am fixin to start just about got the 223 ready to go. I have done a little chuck huntin and am looking forward to getting into it on a more serious level. I mostly used a 22 mag but i should be able to reach out there with the 223 Very Happy

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

We call'em Rockchucks out here but they are all Marmots. They are kinda hard to find anymore unless you ride horses into remote areas away from roads.

Prarie Dogs or ground squirrels are much more plentiful. Heck even normal squirrels are. I'd guess its been about 10 years since I killed my last Rockchuck.

-DallanC

coyotehunter_1 · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 2:57 pm Post subject: Re: Groundhog hunting

I'm not a full blown groundhog "Hunting Nut" but I do a little varmint shooting in the summer months. Mostly it's for the cattle ranchers and farms where I hunt coyotes. Very Happy

Chet

JohnnyG · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:16 pm Post subject: Re: Groundhog hunting

I used to hunt groundhog every Saturday when I lived near Pittsburgh. I have since moved to southern Ohio near Parkersburg WV. Groundhogs are rather scarce down here...too many other things got them for food! Dogs, coyotes, hawks, etc. seem to all have taken their toll on the Groundhog population. Shame too, the habitat and rolling hills of the river valley should be ideal for 'hogs. Western PA was excellent hog teritory, but I can't seem to get back to shoot with my buddy, plus I'm reluctant to buy an out-of-state license just to hunt groundhog. At any rate, I prefer the CF 22's for this work, namely a 220 Swift and a 22-250, both bolt guns. Tried a Ruger #1V in .223, but could not get it to shoot worth a darn. Anyway, I don't know where you live, but would be willing to give you a hand working on those chucks any day!

calsibley · Super Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 317

Woodchuck has been number one on my hunt list for many years. Each year seems a little more difficult to find good areas though, too many people poisoning them in my area. You're fortunate Gil to have someone who wants their resident population thinned out. Be sure to leave enough for breeding stock so you'll have somewhere to hunt in the future. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Blaine · Member Joined: Feb 24, 2005 Posts: 260 Location: Maine

We don't have a lot of groundhogs in northern Maine. When I lived in Virginia (seems like eons ago) I hunted them a LOT. I had a 700 Rem BDL in 22-250 fitted with a Timney trigger and a 12X Weaver scope. I was handloading back then and I found a load that my gun absolutely loved. Darned if I can remember it, but it was a 55 gr SX Hornady (I think) pushed by IMR4064. In a prone position with sandbags, it would punch a single ragged hole @ 100 yards. I have kicked myself in the rear every time I think about the day I sold that gun. I didn't grow up in a hunting family and ground hog hunting is where I cut my teeth and gotten bitten by the bug. I still miss it.

Good shooting....Blaine

A17Shooter · Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 7:51 am Post subject: Re: Groundhog hunting

Just for you easterners, here is a photo of the wiley yellow-bellied marmot, AKA rockchuck.

Getting the picture wasn't as hard as you might think. The photo was taken from the parking lot of a Nevada casino. Smile

A17Shooter

Gil Martin · Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 6:10 pm Post subject: Nice picture

So that's a marmot. All the best...
Gil

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Yup thats a "chuck"! I had a guy send me picts of the "wood chucks" they have in PA and they looked identical to the western rock chucks.

Dont let the picture fool ya, they are pretty big critters.

-DallanC

BillPa · Member Joined: Mar 17, 2005 Posts: 89

Howdy Gil,
I have a camp in Perry county with quite a few farms nearby. No problem finding a place to hunt pasture poodles there. At a local restaurant,a farmer overheard us talking about hog hunting and came over to invite us to hunt his place. I even found a note on my camp door from another farmer asking us to call him.
I make it a point sometime before Christmas to see all those that let me hunt and deliver a small thank you gift. It pays big dividends the next season.

Bill

BSSS · Member Joined: Feb 14, 2005 Posts: 25

I've been hunting "the wily whistle pig" for a few years Very Happy

! I hunt every chance I get. Surprised

We have had a lot of rain (hard) lately and I've not been out yet. Crying or Very sad

Someday the rain will quite and I'll be in hog heaven... Shocked

"Groundhogs, the Other White Meat"

BSSS

calsibley · Super Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 317

This is a great time of the year for hunting woodchuck. After being underground for the long winter the little rascals are half starved and wander much farther from their burows that they will later on. Plus the little ones of the year aren't too bright to begin with. Sometime there will be several up at once, and the sound of the shot really sends them scurrying in all directions. It's quite comical watching them racing about to find their holes, sometimes finding the hole they've chosen is too small, and they won't easily fit into it. It's so pleasant to be out in the fields again. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

BSSS · Member Joined: Feb 14, 2005 Posts: 25

I made it out last Saturday, it was a good day to hunt. Very Happy

I missed 3 Embarassed

and got 8, ave. for the day was 320 yds Shocked

.. Saw a few that I did not get shooting at, next time...

BSSS

Knifeboy · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 9:55 am Post subject: Re: Groundhog hunting

Hey BSSS,
Are you using a rangefinder to help with those long shots. I cant imagin even being able to see a dog at that distance, much less hit one. Im not saying you didnt do it. Im actually saying congrats. Thats amazing. Who elese shoots these kinds of distances with a lot of success.

Knifeboy