HI, I'm new to the Predator Masters forums and it seems like a great site, but to the question. How do you actually woodchuck hunt. I mean I live on a bug farm and I've shot plenty of chucks just w/ my .22lr and 410, but is there a better way to actually hunt chucks, I've hunted other stuff like deer, and trapped everything but how do you really chuck hunt?
How do you woodchuck hunt?
- Thread starter nat05
- Start date
nat05,
Welcome to Predator Masters!
Panhead has the right idea.
I would suggest the same routine-Find a spot that overlooks a big area where there are plenty of mounds or holes.
Then I would suggest stepping up to a bigger rifle, if you can afford to. This will give you the chance to put your rifle on a bipod or something stable, where you can take longer shots, possibly without even being seen.
It is a lot of fun! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif MP
Welcome to Predator Masters!
Panhead has the right idea.
I would suggest the same routine-Find a spot that overlooks a big area where there are plenty of mounds or holes.
Then I would suggest stepping up to a bigger rifle, if you can afford to. This will give you the chance to put your rifle on a bipod or something stable, where you can take longer shots, possibly without even being seen.
It is a lot of fun! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif MP
My neighbours all have land with road-frontage and groundhogs - I got shooting permission from a couple of them so far. If I see one in any of that land as I drive home then I'll return with my rifle. I have a .22LR that I used to use for 100yd shots but it just doesn't have the range or accuracy. I sighted it in for 50yds (2"grps@50yds) and got a Ruger 22-250 for longer distances (1"grps@100yds).
I've found I can sneak up to them if they are in small areas with lots of bushes etc as long as they don't see me. If you can see them through a dense bush and you approach them silently while staying the other side of the bush then you can get pretty close and even shoot through the bush. The .22LR is great for that - light, quiet (especially with the subsonic bullets I use for close-range work on neighbor's properties)
Now for more then 50 yds, I've found this Ruger 22-250 to be VERY flat shooting up to 100yds (need a longer range!) and keeps 1" groups out of the box with a Bushnell scope. Whole deal cost $500 and the first groundhog who tested it was in an open field and I couldn't get closer than 100yds. In the prone position with a bipod on a rifle that gets 1" groups shooting center mass isn't even challenging, but it is certainly effective.
I've still to pluck up the courage to drive to a farmhouse that I don't know and ask for permission to shoot groundhogs in their fields. I'll probably get some more practice in this year on public hunting lands before I do that.
I've found I can sneak up to them if they are in small areas with lots of bushes etc as long as they don't see me. If you can see them through a dense bush and you approach them silently while staying the other side of the bush then you can get pretty close and even shoot through the bush. The .22LR is great for that - light, quiet (especially with the subsonic bullets I use for close-range work on neighbor's properties)
Now for more then 50 yds, I've found this Ruger 22-250 to be VERY flat shooting up to 100yds (need a longer range!) and keeps 1" groups out of the box with a Bushnell scope. Whole deal cost $500 and the first groundhog who tested it was in an open field and I couldn't get closer than 100yds. In the prone position with a bipod on a rifle that gets 1" groups shooting center mass isn't even challenging, but it is certainly effective.
I've still to pluck up the courage to drive to a farmhouse that I don't know and ask for permission to shoot groundhogs in their fields. I'll probably get some more practice in this year on public hunting lands before I do that.
bowhunter57
Well-known member
nat05,
I bowhunt them along river edges and the edges of wood lots. Around old farm buildings and abandoned houses I use a .22 pistol or a .357mag. revolver. However, out in the open fields I'll use my .22-250 for the long range shots.
It's all good! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Good hunting, Bowhunter57
I bowhunt them along river edges and the edges of wood lots. Around old farm buildings and abandoned houses I use a .22 pistol or a .357mag. revolver. However, out in the open fields I'll use my .22-250 for the long range shots.
It's all good! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Good hunting, Bowhunter57
Curt Barrett
Active member
This is what I do. Get a 22-250. Find a nice comfy, patch of grass about 250 to 300 yards back from an area showing activity. Lay down. Commence to laying waste to the colony. I like being back some distance. It takes them longer to figure out what is going on.
"WOW, cousin Joe just got blowed up...wonder how that happened?" says surviving groundhog". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
"WOW, cousin Joe just got blowed up...wonder how that happened?" says surviving groundhog". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
We usually stay back too. One field where we shoot, we can't go past the pivot, and the hillside with the chucks are is 300 to 500 yds away. The first day we shot there, the land owner had told us how he had these "problem chucks" over in that corner that were so hard to shoot because you couldn't sneak up on them. We setup 400 yds from them and killed 60 in one afternoon, from one spot, without moving. Kinda blew the guys mind /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif . Gonna be hitting that field again next weekend - can't wait!
- DAA
- DAA
I hunt these things with handguns. Mostly stalk hunt them. My favorites to date are 357mag with 110 @ 2000fps, 221 Fireball, 7TCU with 135SSP @ 2000fps and the 41mag with 210 @ approx 1700fps. All have worked well. The 7TCU seems to really stop em though... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
mike
mike