Groundhog Safari

[RandyinVa]

I leave NC for Pennsylvania in a week or so and will be there to seek out long range opps for groundhogs from my fixed bench. I will be in the North of the state up against NY mostly and I will be there until October or whenever I run out of money because I am retired without other responsibilities.

I am armed with wildcats from .17 Mach IV ( in case I am attacked) to a .260 Ackley. My immediate goal is to take a hog with the .260 (my newest stick) at 1500 yards. If I pull that off I will be looking hard for the 1 mile opportunity. I was hoping to take my .408 Wildcat in case it could be utilized but it is under reconstruction from a Bench gun to a tactical and will lose 30 lbs or so at the same time.

I have basically spent my life to get to this level and hope to go further. I carry two rangefinders, 1 an optical Barr & Stroud, and the other a Sig 2K,a Kestrel 5700 wind meter with Applied Ballistics, Swarovski Big Eyes, 10 by 10 canopy, camera, tent, etc. I will either be in the tent and in my large Van depending on weather. Hopefully. I can find a source of water to clean up.

I hope to document every shot taken over the stay and report to this thread occasionally.I have had others ask to join me but only a couple had equipment for the long ranges and I can't have shots taken at the close ones without hurting my chances long. I have been surprised to find almost no one shooting hogs long as those with appropriate equipment are tied up shooting metal in tournaments. That is ok by me though, MORE FOR ME.

 

[CatShooter]

[...] " I have been surprised to find almost no one shooting hogs long as those with appropriate equipment are tied up shooting metal in tournaments. That is ok by me though, MORE FOR ME."

I have just moved over to the north east corner of CT this past December, and it is new country for me - it is a very rural area, mostly farm land, and a lotta hay and bean fields, so I am "making friends" when and where ever I can.

I am a long range chuck shooter and for rangefinders, have a Wild 80 CM, a Swedish Periscope, a military laser range finder (AN/GVS-5) plus a few "small" lasers.... 25x100 bins, and a 60x80 Pentax ED Spotting scope... and eleven woodchuck rifles, many in the 15 pound class, the largest of which is a 6.5x64 Belted Nitro Express.

Woodchuck shooting is my life's passion.

I am very surprised at the lack of activity in this forum, and the varmint forum over on accurateshooter.com is completely dead also.

You and I may be the last of a dying breed

Good luck (and post pictures!!!)

 

[jgal72]

I love hunting them as well. Just need it to stop raining here in sw pa so the farmers can start cutting the fields. I did kill two back in March before grass started growing. I like to wait till June so the young ones are able to make it on there own, but I have a new .22/250 I was dying to christen.

 

[CatShooter]

I love hunting them as well. Just need it to stop raining here in sw pa so the farmers can start cutting the fields. I did kill two back in March before grass started growing. I like to wait till June so the young ones are able to make it on there own, but I have a new .22/250 I was dying to christen.

I also have a new 22-250 and the weather has been so wet that I haven't had a chance to work up loads at the range - it is under water )))

 

[lewwetzel]

I just bought a .22-250; also can't even get out to sight it in, let alone shoot any 'hogs, because of the rain.
This gun is just to tide me over until the .220 Swift I'm ordering from E.R. Shaw next week gets here. One year wait! Maybe the rain will stop by then.

 

[gj]

1500 yards COOL good luck i hope you make it !

Then you can come out west and raise your goal to beat the 3000 something yard ( cant remember) prairie dog record , 1/4 the size and twice as far ! Think the guy did it with a 338 lapua.....

 

[drags]

I have just moved over to the north east corner of CT this past December, and it is new country for me - it is a very rural area, mostly farm land, and a lotta hay and bean fields, so I am "making friends" when and where ever I can.

I am a long range chuck shooter and for rangefinders, have a Wild 80 CM, a Swedish Periscope, a military laser range finder (AN/GVS-5) plus a few "small" lasers.... 25x100 bins, and a 60x80 Pentax ED Spotting scope... and eleven woodchuck rifles, many in the 15 pound class, the largest of which is a 6.5x64 Belted Nitro Express.

Woodchuck shooting is my life's passion.

I am very surprised at the lack of activity in this forum, and the varmint forum over on accurateshooter.com is completely dead also.

You and I may be the last of a dying breed

Good luck (and post pictures!!!)

I am a groundhog hunter also I have hunted groundhogs in SW Pa. for 58 years. My first centerfire groundhog rifle was a pre 64 Win. in 220 swift (varmint barrel) since then I used rifles in 17 rem. 204 ruger 223 rem. 222 rem. 22x47 lapua 243 win. 6mm rem. 264 win. 7x300 wby 7mm tcu and I may have forgotten a few.
drags

 

[RandyinVa]

I love hunting them as well. Just need it to stop raining here in sw pa so the farmers can start cutting the fields. I did kill two back in March before grass started growing. I like to wait till June so the young ones are able to make it on there own, but I have a new .22/250 I was dying to christen.

Just returned from an expensive trip to northern Pa, just short of NY trying for early hogs. Rain had kept farmers from cutting hay so my 400 mile trip each way was for nothing. Gas in Pa in so expensive that it made me return home till I have proof that the cuts are pervasive. I looked into opps all the way to Washington and Greene County (out your way) and found the same, so I bailed and am licking my wounds and afraid to take count of what it cost me.

 

[jgal72]

They rain has been terrible here. I hunt Greene and Fayette counties. PA has the highest gas tax in the country. I'll do some reccon tomorrow to see if there mowing. Its been mostly dry the last couple of days.

 

[CatShooter]

They rain has been terrible here. I hunt Greene and Fayette counties. PA has the highest gas tax in the country. I'll do some reccon tomorrow to see if there mowing. Its been mostly dry the last couple of days.

I have a new 22-250, and a bunch of test loads - but it has been raining here 90% of the time, and the range is a swamp now.

 

[just country]

morning, graced, lucky u have access and plentiful hogs. I am building

a 22-250AI, Rem. 722 action, hart SS 28" varmit straight contour

1-8 twist barrel, timmey trigger, H&S varmit stock,

warne steel rings and mounts. THK. U lightbulbgun)

 

[jgal72]

Checked fields yesterday. Farmers are just starting to cut. They were in the fields bailing so couldn't really hunt. Managed to kill one while they took a break. PA being a NO SUNDAY HUNTING state and 80% chance of rain Monday. Looks like I will have to wait till Tuesday to have fun.

 

[gj]

Checked fields yesterday. Farmers are just starting to cut. They were in the fields bailing so couldn't really hunt. Managed to kill one while they took a break. PA being a NO SUNDAY HUNTING state and 80% chance of rain Monday. Looks like I will have to wait till Tuesday to have fun.

Sunday no hunting ! Thats totally ridiculous.......

 

[CatShooter]

Sunday no hunting ! That''s totally ridiculous.......

10 States have no Sunday hunting laws (my state of Connecticut is among them )

It is a religious thing from the 1700's and when ever a state is considering repealing the Sunday hunting ban, the church goers pour it on to their representatives.

The churches are afraid the basket donations will go down, because the wage earners will be out hunting, instead of falling asleep to a loooooooong sermon.