G'hogs hunting begins .. right?

[Walleye Hunter]

I shot one last year and cooked it, stew with vegetables, it was quite good to eat. I was surprised. Anyway, now I want to improve my ground hog hunting skills. I am using a target Savage .22 but the last one I shot was about 75 yards and it limped away and died under my wife's studio. (P.U,!) I like the .22 but was wondering if it was the ammo or the shooter. I shot for the heart and may have hit or missed I will never know. Any advice here would be much appreciated. Head shots only? or hotter rounds?

I'd say that 75 yds is pretty far away to start with and even at close range if you don't score something like a head shot they'll live long enough to scurry off before they kick.

[gghbi]

I shot one last year and cooked it, stew with vegetables, it was quite good to eat. I was surprised. Anyway, now I want to improve my ground hog hunting skills. I am using a target Savage .22 but the last one I shot was about 75 yards and it limped away and died under my wife's studio. (P.U,!) I like the .22 but was wondering if it was the ammo or the shooter. I shot for the heart and may have hit or missed I will never know. Any advice here would be much appreciated. Head shots only? or hotter rounds?

I'd say that 75 yds is pretty far away to start with and even at close range if you don't score something like a head shot they'll live long enough to scurry off before they kick.

With a 22lr I would go with head shots only, and only at ranges where I can do so consistently.

[Jhaydeno]

If you can find an older .22 mag or a .17 HMR you can get out to 100-125 yards without issue. I saw a target barreled savage 17R93 on our sale page a few days ago, I think it was $200, which is a good deal.

[Tin Soldier]

I*ve already taken nine this year. Must admit, three with a Havahart trap, but they still ended up in the same place.
Vultures are flying over my woods on most days. Other varmints are getting a bit of lead these days as well. Mowing down my kale and beet tops.

I use the ole Golden Boy with .22 shorts for the closer shots or the 10/22 w/ CCI Stingers at 70-80 yds

My property is between two other large properties and they do not hunt varmints. So once I clean my property out, it gets re-populated from theirs. It never ends

[Jhaydeno]

Two yesterday, three today! Here's the winner from last night. 150 yards with a .223 Hornady VMax (55 grain). it was very well fed in an alfalfa field.

ghog1.jpg

[Walleye Hunter]

Nice, what's the longest you've gotten one at?

[zachomega]

Two yesterday, three today! Here's the winner from last night. 150 yards with a .223 Hornady VMax (55 grain). it was very well fed in an alfalfa field.

ghog1.jpg

Great looking rifle! I'm all about thumbhole stocks.

-Zach

[gghbi]

Nice, what's the longest you've gotten one at?

I have not gone chuck hunting for a few years, but back then, using my Rem 700 in 243 with a bipod, I was able to consistently make ~300 yard shots from a good position on high ground. More typical 150-200 shots were the norm.

[SgtRecon]

Them things been undermining my shed for years.....
they are like drug dealers ...
no matter how many you wack ....... they keep refilling their ranks

Actually more like the Viet Cong, for everyone you see, there is surely to be 10 more underground

[abner13]

Varmint Cong?