# Groundhogs



## crowbuster (Mar 14, 2010)

We had everything from buzzards to bluebirds return and yet to see a groundhog. Anybody else?

C.B.


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## fubar2 (Mar 14, 2010)

I seen a young one yesterday afternoon.


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## rubberducky (Mar 14, 2010)

Lot's in eastern Oregon!


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## indiansprings (Mar 14, 2010)

Yep, seen them, been out about three weeks. Not real active yet but out every couple of days. Our alfalfa fields are a magnet. We killed over thirty a couple of years ago. We have a neighbor that eats the young one's, just swears they are fantastic eating. He cleans them and put them in the crock-pot with potatoes, carrots and half an onion. It does make sense, they only eat grass.

Squirrel's in this area have had their first litter too, The neighbor cut down a tree and found two baby squirrel's in a nest, he's bottle feeding them now.


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## DANOAM (Mar 15, 2010)

We used to be overrun by groundhogs, shot quite a few, haven't seen any this year.

There haven't been as many around since we stopped growing sweet potatoes in the garden.


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## gwiley (Mar 15, 2010)

*Carcasses*

Thanks for the reminder. It is about time for the beagle and shepherd to start dragging those critters into the garage. You know you live in the country when you have to routinely remove animal carcasses (that you didn't put there) from the garage.


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## CGC4200 (Mar 16, 2010)

I was looking in the lawnmower shed for something, ran across the
.243 Winchester loading dies for a M77V I used to have. It would
reach out & touch the varmints. We tried eating one once, they were
greasy and smelled of wild onions, the last one I bagged I ran over it.
The coyotes have thinned them some, but they are still around.


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## dingeryote (Mar 16, 2010)

Most sows are tending thier spring litter about now here, so I have only eyeballed a couple brave ones. 

I gotta get busy and thump all the dens I am aware of.
It ain't sporting, but then neither is a tractor rolling over on me.


Took the Mutts to the Vet today, and a gent had his Lab/Chessie mix in for stitches. Ya gotta admit that for a Varmint, the woodchuck is a bad Hombre when they throw down. Poor pooch was all tore up around the muzzle, but won the match. 

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## deer slayer (Mar 16, 2010)

seen a few along side of roads. None in the fields yet.


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## DANOAM (Mar 16, 2010)

.243 Win is good groundhog medicine. Taken quite a few with it. Taken most of them though with the 10/22, it's always handy.


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## deer slayer (Mar 16, 2010)

Purchased a 17hmr last year. I like it...potent little sucker at 2400 fps..


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## gwiley (Mar 17, 2010)

dingeryote said:


> Most sows are tending thier spring litter about now here, so I have only eyeballed a couple brave ones.
> 
> I gotta get busy and thump all the dens I am aware of.
> It ain't sporting, but then neither is a tractor rolling over on me.
> ...



You aren't kidding. I watched my german shepherd/lab mix corner one in the garage - don't let anyone fool you, groundhogs have NASTY teeth and claws. She grabbed it and snapped its neck (after destroying half the garage with the thrashing). The other thing I learned was that my sweet little pooch is a killing machine if you are small, furry, four legged and not a dog.


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## crowbuster (Mar 18, 2010)

Yep they will flip like a light switch, cool calm and collected 1 minute and stone cold killer the next, oh how mine loves a good fight. She did have a crazy kamikaze squirel last year charge her and jump on her head, clamped on her nose, shes a rott husky mix and let me tell ya that got her exited, not even fit to cook up after all was said and done but was good for a laugh. She love her a chipmonk and diggin moles toDid finally see the first ground hog of the year out behind the barn today.

C.B.


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## indiansprings (Mar 18, 2010)

I was out and about today with quite a few errands and it was a nice sunny 60 degrees out, I must have seen four or five. They must be out filling up, supposed to be nice tommorrow and possibly freezing mix or snow on sat and sunday. The weather here is up and down like a yoyo.


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## mbopp (Mar 19, 2010)

Years ago I had a 218 Bee barrel for my T/C but traded it on towards 357 Herrett one. I found a NOS 14" 218 Bee barrel this winter. I had the brass and dies left from before, now I have to work up some loads for it.


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## deer slayer (Mar 20, 2010)

They were out today like stink on poop!!!


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## crowbuster (Mar 22, 2010)

Well the one hog I saw behind the barn the other day is no more. Dang dog beat me to. just a small one but the 204 needed some blood. Can't have nothin. hehehe

C.B.


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## ryan_marine (Mar 28, 2010)

My total is 3 for me so far this year. The 223 makes short work of them. My dogs have gotten 15+ so far this year.

Ray


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## indiansprings (Mar 28, 2010)

I have a Swarvoski 6 x 24 on a 22-250 ackley improved I built using a Remington Model 7 action and schneider barrel. If I have time I like to crank up the scope and see if I can hit them in the eye. The rifle is more than capable, so far one in the eye, one right between the eyes, the babies are coming out of the holes, it's time to start carrying the rifle in the truck!


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