Groundhog hunting with a .22

[Hokkmike]

You can kill any groundhog on the planet within 50 -75 yards with a .22. But unless you are the farmer that is not what varmint shooting is all about. You usually WANT them to be far away then see if you can hit them.

And if you do hit them you want a rifle powerful enough to humanely / instantly kill them if you don't hit them dead center.

True - BUT (there is always a but) sneaking up close to use a .22 is part of the challenge.

[JAKIII]

True - BUT (there is always a but) sneaking up close to use a .22 is part of the challenge.

.22lr is effective to 150 yards (less from a practical standpoint). Why is sneaking necessary?

[cdi]

Sneaking is part of the gig. Try sneaking up on a groundhog that*s lived in a hunted area. Groundhogs see better than you, they hear better than you and they smell better than you. You can probably take that last one two ways, I guess.

[Rural Ruger]

if you don't kill em right away they bury themselves.

Yep. Popped enough of them in my teens, all with a 22, and they're stout bastards. They will die eventually, but usually make it home first unless you get them square.

A friend of my dads used to give me .50 a groundhog !! (apple orchard in Williamsport)

Grandpa's neighbor (farmer) used to do the same with his boys, but at $1/each. They made some good side money the one summer I remember, clearing out the fence rows. $100+ between them IIRC.

[JAKIII]

Sneaking is part of the gig. Try sneaking up on a groundhog that*s lived in a hunted area. Groundhogs see better than you, they hear better than you and they smell better than you. You can probably take that last one two ways, I guess.

Guys I know who hunt varmints do it from distance off a portable table and chair.

And I would add a third way... whistle pigs are slow as fuck and are easily caught by a trained dog.

[ROCK-IT3]

Yep. Popped enough of them in my teens, all with a 22, and they're stout bastards. They will die eventually, but usually make it home first unless you get them square.



Grandpa's neighbor (farmer) used to do the same with his boys, but at $1/each. They made some good side money the one summer I remember, clearing out the fence rows. $100+ between them IIRC.

I used to work out of my boss's house, which was on 15 mostly cleared acres on a hill surrounded by woods, adjacent to game lands. Groundhogs ran rampant after he stopped shooting them when he stopped gardening, but we started shooting them again when he opened an office in the house, because he was now home everyday, and saw how prevalent they had become.

We started out using a 22, but most shots were >60 yards, because they were very wary, and would spook and run at the slightest noise. It was hard to even get out the door without spooking them. At 60 yards or more, it had to be a head shot to kill them. Even a solid body hit would allow them to run back to their hole, or into cover. Once, I hit one solid, but as I approached it, it got up and ran. I was between it and it's hole, and put a few more rounds into it. It still kept going, and I followed it into some tall grass, where I hit it two more times. It was really shot up, but it found another hole and got away. I never saw an animal so tough.

I am sure it died in the hole, but I felt horrible because it wasn't a clean kill. We switched to a Sako in 222 Remington, and that cartridge would kill very quickly with any body shot. Most times they never even moved after being hit. I wouldn't use a 22 at over 50 yards on groundhogs. Even they deserve a clean, quick death if you are going to hunt them or kill them for property damage reasons.

[cdi]

It*s not much of an issue if you learn to be a good shot*

[Walleye Hunter]

If you give a sharp whistle, they'll stand up to see where it came from. Then they're easier targets.

[Manxdriver]

If you give a sharp whistle, they'll stand up to see where it came from. Then they're easier targets.

Hence the name *Whistle Pig*.

[DukeConnor]

Guys I know who hunt varmints do it from distance off a portable table and chair.

And I would add a third way... whistle pigs are slow as fuck and are easily caught by a trained dog.

Everything that is fun and cheap to do gets turned into gear junkies spending huge money. I wouldn't be suprised if dudes had custom rv's with pneumatic stabilized air conditioned shooting platforms 😆
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