Anybody out ground hog hunt'n?

ArmySon · April 13, 2001, 11:32 PM

A couple of days ago, it was absolutely beautiful here in S. Central Pennsylvania. The temperature was 83 degrees so I took the day off and went hogging. Armed with my custom varmint rifle (Sako 75 action, Jewell trigger, Hart Barrel, Leupold 6.5-20x50 Vari-X III, Harris bi-pod, 220 swift reloads w/ 50 grain V-Max bullets and IMR 4064) and I setup at a local farm.
I was lying around for roughly 1 hour while peering through my binoculars before I saw my first hog. The safety was flicked off, had the hog in my sights, bang. She did a short flop and fell over. Funny thing about ground hogs, they're very curious animals. Shortly after I bagged the first one, another one popped out of the hole. Again, bang and she dropped.

I had to wait another 45 minutes before another one popped up. This time, I jerked the trigger and missed! About 30 minutes later, the hog came back out and this time, I did not miss!

All in all, it was a great relaxing day. The longest shot was about 475 yards or so. Varminting in Pennsylvania is pure joy and relaxation.

I'd go again tomorrow but it's the another holy day on my calendar... trout fishing!!!!

RWK · April 14, 2001, 06:34 AM

Son,

Thanks for the post, which brought back many happy memories. When I was a teenager (in the early '60s) I used to shoot (at ranges under 100 yards) groundhogs in upstate New York with an old, iron sights, lever action, Marlin .22 long. While this was obviously not the best equipment and the hogs were a lot safer in my company than in yours, the pleasure of the "patient hunt" was great and, every so often, I'd nail a few in an afternoon. Thanks for refreshing that memory.

Best regards -- Roy

ArmySon · April 16, 2001, 02:52 AM

I've sniped my fair share of hogs with a .22 as a teenager. Back then, I didn't know anything about "super duper high-end rifles" and probably could care less if I did know! Sniping and scouting the hogs were enough joy!

Ledbetter · April 16, 2001, 09:33 PM

I've been invited to hunt them on a local avocado ranch so they don't eat up all the produce. Taking a scoped 10/22 with some Hydra-Shocks.

Regards,

Ledbetter

biganimal · April 18, 2001, 10:02 AM

I just got out there monday morn as I had the day off from work. saw two but only shot one at 198 yds the other refused to re-surface, after 2 hours I gave up and washed the truck.....

rwk, you didn't shoot ground hogs in upstate new york....here they are woodchucks!!!remember????

El Rojo · April 18, 2001, 04:12 PM

The longest shot I have made on a ground squirrel has only been 325 yards. I shot at a ton of them this weekend anywhere from 350 to 600 yards and got really close for the junk 125 gr. softpoint rounds I was using in the REm 700 Vs in .308. It was a lot of fun to say the least and it was heartstopping to miss by ony inches at that range on those itty bitty little squirrels. I wish we had slightly larger targets like you guys back east so I could get some more hits. I just have to be satisfied with near misses.

April 16, 2001, 09:33 PM	#4
Ledbetter Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2000 Location: California USA Posts: 4,533	I'm going squirrel hunting I've been invited to hunt them on a local avocado ranch so they don't eat up all the produce. Taking a scoped 10/22 with some Hydra-Shocks. Regards, Ledbetter

April 18, 2001, 10:02 AM	#5
biganimal Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2001 Location: south carolina Posts: 435	I just got out there monday morn as I had the day off from work. saw two but only shot one at 198 yds the other refused to re-surface, after 2 hours I gave up and washed the truck..... rwk, you didn't shoot ground hogs in upstate new york....here they are woodchucks!!!remember???? __________________ Other than That, Mrs Lincoln, How was the play?

April 18, 2001, 04:12 PM	#6
El Rojo Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2000 Location: People's Republik of Kalifornia Posts: 2,057	I shot at squirrels this weekend. The longest shot I have made on a ground squirrel has only been 325 yards. I shot at a ton of them this weekend anywhere from 350 to 600 yards and got really close for the junk 125 gr. softpoint rounds I was using in the REm 700 Vs in .308. It was a lot of fun to say the least and it was heartstopping to miss by ony inches at that range on those itty bitty little squirrels. I wish we had slightly larger targets like you guys back east so I could get some more hits. I just have to be satisfied with near misses.

April 13, 2001, 11:32 PM	#1
ArmySon Staff Alumnus Join Date: April 14, 2000 Posts: 2,926	A couple of days ago, it was absolutely beautiful here in S. Central Pennsylvania. The temperature was 83 degrees so I took the day off and went hogging. Armed with my custom varmint rifle (Sako 75 action, Jewell trigger, Hart Barrel, Leupold 6.5-20x50 Vari-X III, Harris bi-pod, 220 swift reloads w/ 50 grain V-Max bullets and IMR 4064) and I setup at a local farm. I was lying around for roughly 1 hour while peering through my binoculars before I saw my first hog. The safety was flicked off, had the hog in my sights, bang. She did a short flop and fell over. Funny thing about ground hogs, they're very curious animals. Shortly after I bagged the first one, another one popped out of the hole. Again, bang and she dropped. I had to wait another 45 minutes before another one popped up. This time, I jerked the trigger and missed! About 30 minutes later, the hog came back out and this time, I did not miss! All in all, it was a great relaxing day. The longest shot was about 475 yards or so. Varminting in Pennsylvania is pure joy and relaxation. I'd go again tomorrow but it's the another holy day on my calendar... trout fishing!!!!

April 14, 2001, 06:34 AM	#2
RWK Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 1999 Location: Occupied Virginia Posts: 2,777	Son, Thanks for the post, which brought back many happy memories. When I was a teenager (in the early '60s) I used to shoot (at ranges under 100 yards) groundhogs in upstate New York with an old, iron sights, lever action, Marlin .22 long. While this was obviously not the best equipment and the hogs were a lot safer in my company than in yours, the pleasure of the "patient hunt" was great and, every so often, I'd nail a few in an afternoon. Thanks for refreshing that memory. Best regards -- Roy

April 16, 2001, 02:52 AM	#3
ArmySon Staff Alumnus Join Date: April 14, 2000 Posts: 2,926	I've sniped my fair share of hogs with a .22 as a teenager. Back then, I didn't know anything about "super duper high-end rifles" and probably could care less if I did know! Sniping and scouting the hogs were enough joy!