Anyone like to hunt woodchucks?

K

KiYiKid

New member
I just started hunting woodchucks last summer. This past year I got 10. My longest shot is about 100 yards and my closest is 5 yards. I shoot a Savage .17 HMR. I use hornady V-max 17 grain bullets. I hunt a field that my grandma owns. It butts up to railroad tracks and a bunch of brush. I was walking out to get set up one day and I was watching the edge of the brush for chucks when all of the sudden I saw a chuck about 5 yards in front of me. he was completely still and looking right at me. I pulled up my 17 and blasted him right behind the ear! That was one of the first chucks i ever shot.
 
I've went the custom route lately. Use a 6br, 22br, and 6ppc. All totally unnecessary for chuck hunting. Any of the over the counter light calibers will shoot just as good, and will be a lot cheaper, than those mentioned. Just my thing, thats all.
 
I see. I shoot a savage 17 hmr. its my primary woodchuck gun, but i've been known to use a 22 with hollow points. I cant really use any small caliber centerfires because it is really flat where i am. I'd like to try something like a 204 or a 22-250 though.
 
You are ruined now. As Groundhog202 said, it is addicting.

I'm amazed that 5 yard hog didn't attack you ! he he.

I've been shooting "pigs" in a serious manner for 30 years at least, and have used about every kind of gun (caliber) you can think of, up to and including a 375 H&H mag - actually my son used his new elephant getter last summer and I got him on film doing it - 116 yards. We had a good laugh over that one. It's good to "think out of the box" a bit sometimes and do something different.

The small calibers are great groundhog getters and fun to shoot. I too have a 17 HMR that I hope to try out. Seems your 17 is doing a great job for you.

The main thing is that you just enjoy being out there. Use whatever you have, and have fun.

Keep us posted, and as MTurbo said, we need pictures.

My son and his elephant getter (CZ 550), and his
116 yard pig.
375Groundhog.jpg


 
Last edited:
Love hunting chucks, having a hard time finding a good place to doo good chuck hunting these days.

I started out shooting chucks with a .22 when I was a kid.
 
i like to shoot chucks also shooter44n45 and i went out last yr a couple time we had a good time but didnt kill any but i met a new friend and hunting buddie it was worth it as far a a gun i love my remmy 700 in 243win but i got a new t/c omega last yr and wanna shoot 1 this yr with a 50 cal 300gr hollow point and c what it dose
 
Quote:
I've went the custom route lately. Use a 6br, 22br, and 6ppc. All totally unnecessary for chuck hunting. Any of the over the counter light calibers will shoot just as good, and will be a lot cheaper, than those mentioned. Just my thing, thats all.



Groundhog,

How difficult is it to form the 22br cases?????

I`ve been fondeling the thought of this caliber for a while..6mmbr sats it`s EASY...but thats not always the caes.....

Sorry for the hi-jack...now back to our regularly schedualed topic.....




YES!!!!!!!!

I LOVE to hunt whistle pigs...... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Phillip

I got the info from 6mmbr also. Using Lapua brass and Redding die, did a full length resize, no problem. The only thing I would do different is go for a no turn neck. I was setting the gun up for PD shooting with 400 cases. To much work. Other wise quiet happy with the results.
 
I have killed a phew with a shot gun and so has my friend along with an ak47, Barrett 50cal (not much left) and many other things. This is one of the best things that you can do for your local farmer and usual this leads to other hunting opportunities.
 
It would be nice to have a few groundhogs to hunt around here.You don't see many any more.I killed 1 last summer with a 17hmr and my 9 year old killed 1.Something sure has thinned them out here in Ky.
 
Possum,

It's the same way here. We don't have the groundhog numbers that we once did. It used to be nothing to see several in an evening. Now, there are days when I don't see any at all, not even along the highway while driving to my hunting area.

A lot of people are blaming the coyote, but I don't know for sure that is the reason. I've heard some say that they have actually seen coyotes trying to dig them out. It does seem conincidental though that once coyote numbers increased, the groundhog numbers declined.
 
I love to hunt groundhogs. Started using a 22-250 last year and have had great success. Got 54 last year from anywhere from 5-575 yards as measured with a rangefinder. Hunting them with a bow is a real challenge but i always try to get atleast 1 with a bow every year.
 
I think coyotes and dogs have alot to do with it.I can not go out without dogs running through the woods anymore.I do not know how many deer they have cost me in the last several years.I used to hunt groundhogs with a bow.Me and my dad hunted a Saturday evening and Sunday one year and killed 13 with our bows.I have a picture with 11 of them in it.I gave one away and one got back in the hole on us.I could feel it with a stick but my arm was not long enough to reach it.
 
Back
Top