A walk in the woods: Groundhog hunting tale

Duxman · April 10, 2006, 02:29 PM

Our first groundhog hunt ever. The group was so excited. 1000 acre farm and fields, littered with the buggers. They are brave enough to walk around the roads and just frolick in the fields. We were enlisted to "eradicate them".

I bring my M4 with a red dot scope. 4 magazines of ammo. Backed up with another rifle - Beretta Storm carbine with a vertical folding grip + laser sight, 6 mags of ammo. Of course since I was bringing my CX4, I had to carry a sidearm so the M92 was a natural choice. I also needed a .22 handgun, so I carried my Ruger Mk II as a backup weapon. If I ran out of ammo - I had my kershaw tactical folder plus a gurkha kukri knife in my backpack. Walking around with those guns and knives. - and the mags, made me feel like a walking talk. If I tripped and fell, I would not be able to get up.

My brother in law was carrying his Glock 19 and a remington Nylon 66 + scope as his primary rifle. Another friend borrowed an assualt vest so he could carry both a USP 40, Sig Trailside and his Walther G22 with optics and a lasersight.

We were heavily armed but forgot to take into account one thing: It was raining and the temperature was in the 40's with a 11 MPH wind chill. Wearing vests and long sleeved shirts - not a good idea. We froze our butts off.

We fired over 120 rounds at mushrooms and termites (in a dead tree trunk on the ground) - hey we drove over an hour to hunt and loaded up all our guns - we had to get our "gun" off.

The score in the end: Humans with hi - tech weapons - ZERO. Groundhogs - all the laughs. Because the next day - they came out in force.

Oh well. Perhaps next week - we will get them. Please share more of your funny hunting stories here.....

FirstFreedom · April 10, 2006, 05:06 PM

"Eradicate" means you were to get every last one. So you weren't even close. But it wasn't for lack of firepower...

Anthony2 · April 10, 2006, 05:40 PM

"The best laid plans of mice and men, sometimes fall asunder."
But I guess you'd have to plan first...

Oh well, better luck next time...
How many stumps did you eradicate? I hear they can be mighty vicious...

In all seriousness, anytime afield with friends is a good time.
Glad y'all had fun.

hippo · April 10, 2006, 06:01 PM

All this talk about groundhog hunting is getting them old varmint whacking urges all a-jumpin and a-stompin to the highest heavens. Yes sir ready, it's time to wake up the 19-223 Calhoon and the good old 17 HMR. A huntin' -- we shall go ! Weeeee doggies.........(chuckies, whatever)

banditt007 · April 11, 2006, 02:30 AM

sounds like you guys used the 'ground hog hunt' thing as an excuse to strap on 900lbs of guns and tactical BS and walk around like some sort of swat team shooting stuff... JMO

Hey if thats what your into, but to call it a hunt...

22-rimfire · April 11, 2006, 07:43 AM

Sounds like you had fun even if you didn't get any chucks. If you are serious about hunting them, I would consider using something a little larger than 22LR. But with restraint and good marksmanship, you can do very well with the 22 rifle to about 50 yds. Shoot for the head. They will almost always get back into their burrow if you shoot them with a 22 in the body. Slow death which I don't think you want to happen.

Sounds like you have found a great place to hunt. Enjoy and Good luck.

Duxman · April 12, 2006, 10:07 AM

4 stumps

500 termites (estimated)

1 mushroom cluster

all KIA.

This weekend the hi-tech hunters will return and I will send out an update.

It was our first time to go "hog" hunting so bringing all our hi-tech gear was obviously overkill but fun nevertheless.

Jseime · April 15, 2006, 09:37 PM

I wouldve taken some slightly less tactical equipment but thats only bacause i dont have it.

a good deer rifle with a 3-9X40 scope
a semi-auto .22 with a 3-9X32 scope
and maybe if i were allowed to here in canada a semi auto .22 pistol
p.s.- the knives wouldnt have done you any good at all, varmints are smarter than that leave them at home next time and for goodness sakes take more ammo it sounds like you were seriously understocked

UniversalFrost · April 30, 2006, 11:18 AM

.22 or .17HMR should be fine.

I like to make sure my 700PSS (6-24X50 Simmons, 20moa farrell base, harris 9-13 bipod, warne tactical ultra high rings) in 7mm Rem Mag is sited in so I go out to the local prairie dog town and start shooting at 200 yards and work my way out to about 1000. You know when you hit them cause they kinda explode upon impact with a 140 grain nosler balistic tip. Hit one once with a 250 grain .338 win mag chambered ruger #1 after he hid behind his mound and I shot through it and the big red mist kinda told me he was dead

. I would not carry a pistol when dog hunting, yeah they got claws and teath, but I never saw a pack og prairie dogs attack anybody. (yet)

.30 carbine works good too. My m1 carbine with iron sights is very dangerous against the "swarming" dogs at the range under 100 yards.

my bushmaster m4a2 11.5/5.5 with ACOG is a good reason to spend 1800 on a fine weapon to prevent the massed hordes of dogs from invading the farm land further or atleast that is what I told m wife I needed it for.

thought about getting a .50 cal if the prairie dogs and coyotes form an alliance and attempt to take over the world. If not 50 cal then an m60 or m249 would be my next step.

LOL!!!!

Too bad I can't get my hands on 37mm grenades for the laucher I got that can be mounted on my m4a2. That might do the trick on them dog towns.

Quote:

p.s.- the knives wouldnt have done you any good at all, varmints are smarter than that leave them at home next time and for goodness sakes take more ammo it sounds like you were seriously understocked

always need a bayonet and/or kabar in case you have to fight em hand to hand like in NAM' ;~)

garryc · April 30, 2006, 07:40 PM

Quote:

I bring my M4 with a red dot scope. 4 magazines of ammo. Backed up with another rifle - Beretta Storm carbine with a vertical folding grip + laser sight, 6 mags of ammo. Of course since I was bringing my CX4, I had to carry a sidearm so the M92 was a natural choice. I also needed a .22 handgun, so I carried my Ruger Mk II as a backup weapon. If I ran out of ammo - I had my kershaw tactical folder plus a gurkha kukri knife in my backpack. Walking around with those guns and knives. - and the mags, made me feel like a walking talk. If I tripped and fell, I would not be able to get up.

DUDE, its ground_HOG not ground_ CONG!!!!

Death from Afar · May 7, 2006, 10:33 PM

Dude, are you serious? Do these puppies shoot back????

lil_bro · May 8, 2006, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UniversalFrost

thought about getting a .50 cal if the prairie dogs and coyotes form an alliance and attempt to take over the world. If not 50 cal then an m60 or m249 would be my next step.

LOL!!!!

LOL with me it is chickens and turkeys snice there is more of them then us.

Thats also what me and my bro tell someone when they ask "why do you guys need all that ammo" we say "well what happends when chickens take over the world" or likely the aliens.

Michael.

UniversalFrost · May 9, 2006, 03:05 PM

Just ordered a Bushmaster A3 223 11.5" Car-15 30rd (BCWA3F11555) from my gunsmith and a Heritage Arms 6.5" 22/22mag revolver to increase my arsenal just in case the prairie dogs decide to take over the world

Seriously, I did order the guns and since my wife has no idea what is the proper gun for dogs' and yotes' I told her I needed to get these since my old m4 wasn't good enough nor my 700PSS.

The more ammo and the bigger the gun is my saying!! Sure 1 shot 1 kill is great (that's what my 700PSS is for) but what about the guys (dogs' or yotes') that come after you. Then it is spray and pray time!! Yippeeeeeeeee!!!! LoL

Happy Hunting and give 'em lead poisoning.

Almost foregot to mention that I just got a 500rd box of the green tips (armor piercing) for the next dog' and yote' hunt. (better safe than sorry is my motto).. Later.

April 10, 2006, 05:06 PM	#2
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	Nice! "Eradicate" means you were to get every last one. So you weren't even close. But it wasn't for lack of firepower... Last edited by FirstFreedom; April 10, 2006 at 07:01 PM.

April 10, 2006, 05:40 PM	#3
Anthony2 Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 360	"The best laid plans of mice and men, sometimes fall asunder." But I guess you'd have to plan first... Oh well, better luck next time... How many stumps did you eradicate? I hear they can be mighty vicious... In all seriousness, anytime afield with friends is a good time. Glad y'all had fun. __________________ "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."-Voltaire "Baaa or Freedom!" - Ted Nugent "Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth." - Ghandi "The Addiction to Guns, The only addiction to ever SAVE a life!"- Me

April 15, 2006, 09:37 PM	#8
Jseime Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,775	I wouldve taken some slightly less tactical equipment but thats only bacause i dont have it. a good deer rifle with a 3-9X40 scope a semi-auto .22 with a 3-9X32 scope and maybe if i were allowed to here in canada a semi auto .22 pistol p.s.- the knives wouldnt have done you any good at all, varmints are smarter than that leave them at home next time and for goodness sakes take more ammo it sounds like you were seriously understocked __________________ I love the smell of fresh shotgun in the morning.

May 7, 2006, 10:33 PM	#11
Death from Afar Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2004 Location: Living the dream in Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND Posts: 1,635	Dude, are you serious? Do these puppies shoot back???? __________________ "Beware of the Man with one gun...he probably isnt into guns enough to be safe with it".

May 9, 2006, 03:05 PM	#13
UniversalFrost Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,300	got another prairie dog gun!! Just ordered a Bushmaster A3 223 11.5" Car-15 30rd (BCWA3F11555) from my gunsmith and a Heritage Arms 6.5" 22/22mag revolver to increase my arsenal just in case the prairie dogs decide to take over the world Seriously, I did order the guns and since my wife has no idea what is the proper gun for dogs' and yotes' I told her I needed to get these since my old m4 wasn't good enough nor my 700PSS. The more ammo and the bigger the gun is my saying!! Sure 1 shot 1 kill is great (that's what my 700PSS is for) but what about the guys (dogs' or yotes') that come after you. Then it is spray and pray time!! Yippeeeeeeeee!!!! LoL Happy Hunting and give 'em lead poisoning. Almost foregot to mention that I just got a 500rd box of the green tips (armor piercing) for the next dog' and yote' hunt. (better safe than sorry is my motto).. Later. __________________ Lifetime member VFW and NRA "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (when all else fails play dead) -Red Green

April 10, 2006, 02:29 PM	#1
Duxman Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: VA Posts: 1,294	A walk in the woods: Groundhog hunting tale Our first groundhog hunt ever. The group was so excited. 1000 acre farm and fields, littered with the buggers. They are brave enough to walk around the roads and just frolick in the fields. We were enlisted to "eradicate them". I bring my M4 with a red dot scope. 4 magazines of ammo. Backed up with another rifle - Beretta Storm carbine with a vertical folding grip + laser sight, 6 mags of ammo. Of course since I was bringing my CX4, I had to carry a sidearm so the M92 was a natural choice. I also needed a .22 handgun, so I carried my Ruger Mk II as a backup weapon. If I ran out of ammo - I had my kershaw tactical folder plus a gurkha kukri knife in my backpack. Walking around with those guns and knives. - and the mags, made me feel like a walking talk. If I tripped and fell, I would not be able to get up. My brother in law was carrying his Glock 19 and a remington Nylon 66 + scope as his primary rifle. Another friend borrowed an assualt vest so he could carry both a USP 40, Sig Trailside and his Walther G22 with optics and a lasersight. We were heavily armed but forgot to take into account one thing: It was raining and the temperature was in the 40's with a 11 MPH wind chill. Wearing vests and long sleeved shirts - not a good idea. We froze our butts off. We fired over 120 rounds at mushrooms and termites (in a dead tree trunk on the ground) - hey we drove over an hour to hunt and loaded up all our guns - we had to get our "gun" off. The score in the end: Humans with hi - tech weapons - ZERO. Groundhogs - all the laughs. Because the next day - they came out in force. Oh well. Perhaps next week - we will get them. Please share more of your funny hunting stories here.....

April 10, 2006, 06:01 PM	#4
hippo Member Join Date: February 18, 2006 Location: PA Posts: 29	All this talk about groundhog hunting is getting them old varmint whacking urges all a-jumpin and a-stompin to the highest heavens. Yes sir ready, it's time to wake up the 19-223 Calhoon and the good old 17 HMR. A huntin' -- we shall go ! Weeeee doggies.........(chuckies, whatever)

April 11, 2006, 02:30 AM	#5
banditt007 Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2006 Posts: 694	sounds like you guys used the 'ground hog hunt' thing as an excuse to strap on 900lbs of guns and tactical BS and walk around like some sort of swat team shooting stuff... JMO Hey if thats what your into, but to call it a hunt...

April 11, 2006, 07:43 AM	#6
22-rimfire Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 5,323	Sounds like you had fun even if you didn't get any chucks. If you are serious about hunting them, I would consider using something a little larger than 22LR. But with restraint and good marksmanship, you can do very well with the 22 rifle to about 50 yds. Shoot for the head. They will almost always get back into their burrow if you shoot them with a 22 in the body. Slow death which I don't think you want to happen. Sounds like you have found a great place to hunt. Enjoy and Good luck.

April 12, 2006, 10:07 AM	#7
Duxman Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: VA Posts: 1,294	4 stumps 500 termites (estimated) 1 mushroom cluster all KIA. This weekend the hi-tech hunters will return and I will send out an update. It was our first time to go "hog" hunting so bringing all our hi-tech gear was obviously overkill but fun nevertheless.