Hunting and Trapping Forums > Predator and Varmint Hunting
Anyone still hunt woodchucks?????????
Hairtrigger:
Plenty of farmers in my area want people to shoot on their land. It is not uncommon for me to be sitting along a road glassing a ditch bank and a local farmer will stop and invite me to his property
varmintman:
I still do when I can but I live in the state game area now and not where there are alot of hayfields. Had a coyote hunter in my area the other day who heard of me and and invited me to hunt his farm around where I used to live and he took my name and phone# so when the season starts maybe I'll be at it again. I shoot a 22mag, 223 and a 6mm rem., depends on the range of the shot. Dan
woodchukhntr:
I would rather hunt woodchucks than anything else! I started in 1964 and still do it when I can. But there us less available land to hunt and the 'chucks are getting scarce due to coyote activity. Here in Central New York state there were effectively no coyotes in 1964, but there are plenty now. One set of fields that I used to hunt always had plenty of chucks, but in the last 10 years I have only seen one. While the farmer and I were talking a few years ago, a coyote sauntered thru the field and didn't even pay any attention to us. There is more posted land now and more houses. Roads that had no houses on them in the 60's now have enough to the point of not being able to get far enough from one to legally shoot.
The previously mentioned fields are now posted due to new ownership. I still have a couple of farms to hunt that have quite a number of 'chucks available. Good landowner relations has always been the key to having available hunting land. Just the other day I was given a lead to a farm than might be huntable. I stopped by and talked with the farmer for a bit and got permission to coyote hunt, I didn't see any, but I saw him when I was leaving and we had another conversation. When I mentioned woodchucks, he was very enthusiastic about giving me permission. He even offered to pay me! I'm not going to take up that offer, but will sure try to develop a good relationship with him this year.
My 'chuck hunting methods have changed over the years due to having less land available and therefore shorter ranges. Also, I really don't want to get the natives all riled up with a superboomer caliber. I used to use a Remington 700 in .22-250, but ran out of places where the range capability was needed. Sinjce then, my "long-range" calibers have been the .223 and .17 Remington. I find myself using my Contender carbines in .17 HRM and .22 Hornet most of the time. With the .17 HRM, the noise is low and the range is adequate for most places I hunt. I just picked up a .204 Ruger Contender carbine at the T/C Classifieds here at GBO, and plan to try it out this year on the longer fields.
calling4life:
I will shoot anything that moves, woodchuck, beaver, porcupine, muskrat, raccoon, fox, coyote, MT. Lion, I am an equal opportunity shooter. :o :P
But I can honestly say I haven't had many opportunities for shooting these guys, only a couple in my life so far.
DalesCarpentry:
I took 60 Groundhogs durring the summer a couple years ago here in sw Pa. I was using a Remington 700 Sps Varmint 243. Most of my shots were between 100 and 300 yards or so but I have taken a couple out to about 500 yards. I don't have that rifle anymore. :'( I did buy a Marlin 917V in the 17 HMR a few months ago and plan on using it this summer until I can buy another Remington 243. We have a lot of them around here and I live in a very rural area with fields for miles. I have several farms I am allowed to hunt. I just can't wait for spring. ;D Dale
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