I don't have many to choose from. We have ground hogs but not enought to hunt. I am 100 % on the 3 I have killed in my life. I have lots of beavers to shoot. I hit most of them, because most are under 50 yards but swimming. Coyote, I do pretty good on them. I have missed 5 out of 28. I don't shoot foxes anymore, sence the coyote's have come here, just don't see that many. When I do I let them go. Don't shoot Bobcats either. I saw one last week 3 times eating on a deer carcass I had put out for the coyote's. Armadillos are fun to shoot. Saw one last week about 200 yards and didn't have my rifle. Now the hardest Varmint to hit and the one I have the most of is Crows. I have been shooting at them for over 50 years. Started with a 22 rimfire and shotgun. My cousin and I use to ride around and shoot at them out in the fields on the weekends. They got wise to us pretty quick. Couldn't get with in rimfire range, but we would lob bullets at them anyway. Then we got the 220 Swift that was a game changer. We still missed alot but that was before range finders, not that I don't miss knowing the range. LOL, I missed one at 200 yards the other day. Was laying prone on a bank, just knew the swift was going to make him explode. A couple of years ago I got two with one shot. They lined up and I shot, hit the first one with a body shot and cut the other ones head off LOL. All in all I still probably only hit 20% of the shots I shoot at crows. I did make the longest shot I have ever made on a crow right after I missed the 200yd shot. 3 crows flew to other end of the field and I ranged them at 538 yards. I had been practiceing at a target at 512 yds the day before. The wind was calm and I looked at my drop chart and cranked up the scope. I waited for him to face me and I took steady aim with the Swift and let er rip. I saw two crows fly off and to my surprise there was still a crumpled black spot on the hill side. I would rather be lucky that good any day.
What is your hardest varmint to hit.
- Thread starter Tnwhip
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HARPERC
Well-Known Member
Crows would be a good candidate. Even the urban ones won't sit long here. I did kill one with an F-250. He was eating McDonalds in the street, figured he'd move, and he didn't. Sickly looking beggar, grey colored. I always wondered if he was there cause he was sick, or sick cause he was there. Not good advertising any way.
When deer/antelope hunting in Wyoming we will on occasion take a a break and shoot prarie dogs with our D/A rifles. We only shoot at 500+ yards and shoot 5 or 10 rounds. Broke my record this season at 787 yards with my 6.5-284 Cooper. It's pretty difficult shooting with the mirage, wind, and coloration of the critters against the low contrast background.
Browninglover1
Well-Known Member
I haven't had buck fever in a long time, but put a little varmint in my view and I can hardly hold still! Nothing gets my heart pumping quite like a coyote and I have to admit missing a higher percentage of coyotes than any other varmint. The first couple of rock chucks every year usually get me pretty amped up too and make it hard to connect on them.
jjmp
Well-Known Member
Tnwhip, nice write up n question.
crow
coyote @ groundhog tho ive never hunted gh.
p -dog
yes ain't that 220 Swift a game changer love mine dearly.
regards jjmp
crow
coyote @ groundhog tho ive never hunted gh.
p -dog
yes ain't that 220 Swift a game changer love mine dearly.
regards jjmp
brant89
Well-Known Member
I'll agree with crows being a very challenging targets. I've had a carcass sitting out for coyotes (never saw any) at 650yd and I have missed more crows off that carcass than I would care to admit. I did finally pick one off the other day with a pretty stiff crosswind. Had a few lined up which gave me a pretty good margin of error on my wind call though.
lewwetzel
Well-Known Member
I'd say crows. Poked one that was walking at just over 200 yards with a .22 Hornet last fall, but I consider that a lucky shot; I've missed many at half that distance with more-accurate rifles. They're all feathers.
A tip: let the dead ones lie and their buddies will hover and squawk as they mourn their dead comrade(s), usually long enough to enable at least another shot. I once had a synergistic crow-killing experience with a hawk as my helper. On a day it was legal to shoot crows (stupid Fed law), I noticed a "murder" of crows (that's what it's called, really) harassing a hawk sitting in a tree outside the barn window. Was able to reach the .17 HMR rifle I keep there for just such an occasion and shoot one of the worthless black sobs. A (probably) puzzled but grateful Mr. Hawk immediately left his perch and literally shredded the carcass. More frenzied crows came in. Being that close I could pick an easy shot and it was the same scenario. One more time and the crows finally wised-up and split. I swear the well-fed hawk looked at me as if he wished he could have given me a "high five" as he flew away.
A tip: let the dead ones lie and their buddies will hover and squawk as they mourn their dead comrade(s), usually long enough to enable at least another shot. I once had a synergistic crow-killing experience with a hawk as my helper. On a day it was legal to shoot crows (stupid Fed law), I noticed a "murder" of crows (that's what it's called, really) harassing a hawk sitting in a tree outside the barn window. Was able to reach the .17 HMR rifle I keep there for just such an occasion and shoot one of the worthless black sobs. A (probably) puzzled but grateful Mr. Hawk immediately left his perch and literally shredded the carcass. More frenzied crows came in. Being that close I could pick an easy shot and it was the same scenario. One more time and the crows finally wised-up and split. I swear the well-fed hawk looked at me as if he wished he could have given me a "high five" as he flew away.
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I have been on a roll in 2015. I can't believe my luck this year. I have shot 7 crows in a row with out a miss. Then missed two but now I am on a roll again with 6 so far. Our season is out right now and want be in again till June. I have shot them with several rifles 17 HMR, 22K hornet, and the 220 swift. Anywhere from 50 yards to 150yds. Some in my back yard out of my pecan trees and the others have been shot from my porch up at my cabin shooting across the field. I had two different doubles. They do like to come back to see what happened to their buddy. I too, had a hawk come down and get the ones in my back yard. I'm not a better shot just luckyer. LOLgun)
Hairtrigger
Well-Known Member
Hard to get a crow to stand still
Most often if you whistle at a groundhog it will stop and may stand up for you
Most often if you whistle at a groundhog it will stop and may stand up for you
6AYoteHunter
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Pack rat heading towards its nest in the morning
StrutNut
Well-Known Member
In MN probably the most difficult I have shot is a gopher. Small targets that do not sit still very long but fun to shoot.
Lone Hunter
Well-Known Member
Crows to me are the hardest, always moving. Coyote next, most of the time moving but sometimes you can get them to stop.
stonehands1
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I'm surprised how many people shoot crow's. Not that I have any problem with it what so ever. I've just never thought to shoot crow's. But I would bet that they would be tough to shoot. I prefer shooting seagulls (legal here as long as your standing by the barn) but they're quite easy to hit.
Lone Hunter
Well-Known Member
It's a lot of fun to shoot crows with a rifle. A lot of fun to shoot them over decoys with a shotgun also. I don't like crows ever since I saw one rob a birds nest before. I shoot them ever chance I get. They are real pretty when you bust them with a centerfire rifle. Red Mist and Feathers. They are not stupid and learn real fast. Here in TN we have a season on them. Wish they would do away with it.
