Varmint shooting?

[Guy Miner]

Anybody been out, or planning to get out and pop some vermin this spring?

Came across this little rascal on my morning walk today:



Guy

 

[6mm Remington]

Get a little sunshine and a couple nice days and I sure would like to get out soon! That and SPRING BEAR SEASON opens April 15!!!!

 

[nvbroncrider]

Yes sir. Was out for two hours last Thursday run 4 rounds through the 35 Rem and 35 through the 22-250. After going 2-5 with the 22-250 I didn't miss again. 2 rabbits and a ton of those pests 90% were shot from standing with a sling including a squirrel @ 150 yards standing on an idling quad and a rabbit at 200 same conditions kinda impressed myself for the first time out this year.

 

[muleman]

Just got back! The weather wasn't cooperating on Tues. or Wed. but we got it going on Thursday. Killed about a pickup load of sage rats. I put a couple of VXIII 4.5x14 luepys on the kids 17HMRs and they killed everything within 150yds. I took everything 150yds and out. I got a new 1 shot personal record of 364yds with my 17Hornet. I didn't think that cartridge would do it. But WOW! It wasn't our best year, as a matter of fact it was our worst because of the weather. On Thurs. it got better and we all shot about 200rnds apiece. That's about 400 dead squirrels not eating the rancher's hay anymore! We didn't target any Rockchucks on this trip but saw a whole bunch. We'll go after them next time.

Scott

P.S.
Guy, that is a great photo!

 

[Guy Miner]

Thanks, I think I'm getting the hang of this camera. Mama gave it to me a year ago as a retirement gift. Retired from police work. Photography has always been an interest of mine, but I've gone a long time without a "good" camera.

Guy

 

[salmonchaser]

Last weekend of March we saw a couple of rock Chucks on Yoakum road down near the Umitilla river. Didn't see any sage rats. Jumped two song dogs along the river, Sandra peppered one with a load of sixes but he was too far out.
Might head down to Christmas valley, Oregon in late April for rats.

 

[NYDAN]

When I was a kid, we couldn't kill off the woodchucks in the fields here in the southern tier of New York. We could take several woodchucks out of the same hole every year, year after year. Now, I almost never see one in an open field. The only ones I see are along the edge of a road.

Some people around here claim that the coyotes have decimated the woodchuck population. It that a reasonable explanation? Can coyotes reduce the population of woodchucks to that extent?

 

[Guy Miner]

I don't know - but it sounds like a good reason to do more coyote hunting... :mrgreen:

 

[longrangehunter]

Thanks, I think I'm getting the hang of this camera. Mama gave it to me a year ago as a retirement gift. Retired from police work. Photography has always been an interest of mine, but I've gone a long time without a "good" camera.

Guy

Now this is just my opinion, but that Yellow-bellied Marmot is just too cute and after looking at that picture that I'd say that's good enough to be framed.

 

[salmonchaser]

A little more on that yote Sande stung, in case someone wondered. We were hunting pheasant the last weekend of the pheasant preserve season. The dogs pushed the coyote out of a brush patch and were in hot pursuit. I yelled coyote, or shoot. When he cleared out he was perhaps 50 yards. I started popping with my trusty 1911, Sande immediately confirmed a miss, and again and again. The k9 pursuit cleared the flat and had started up a 500 foot tall ridge, quartering away. My reload was smooth and efficient, 200 yards out, running, well like some idiot with a 45 was shooting at him. I reload again "seriously", I hear but I'm encouraged by the dust signatures. Sande has recalled the dogs, who are confused by my efforts. About 4 rounds into my third and final magazine I decide 350 yards and running does not make a high percentage shot. Elapsed time maybe 30 seconds.
Perhaps I need to go spend some time with Guy, I'm a little rusty.

 

[maverick2]

A little more on that yote Sande stung, in case someone wondered. We were hunting pheasant the last weekend of the pheasant preserve season. The dogs pushed the coyote out of a brush patch and were in hot pursuit. I yelled coyote, or shoot. When he cleared out he was perhaps 50 yards. I started popping with my trusty 1911, Sande immediately confirmed a miss, and again and again. The k9 pursuit cleared the flat and had started up a 500 foot tall ridge, quartering away. My reload was smooth and efficient, 200 yards out, running, well like some idiot with a 45 was shooting at him. I reload again "seriously", I hear but I'm encouraged by the dust signatures. Sande has recalled the dogs, who are confused by my efforts. About 4 rounds into my third and final magazine I decide 350 yards and running does not make a high percentage shot. Elapsed time maybe 30 seconds.
Perhaps I need to go spend some time with Guy, I'm a little rusty.

There's nothing quite like shooting at coyotes, rockchucks, or ground squirrels with a pistol for pure fun. Kill ratio isn't very good (particularly on those running shots) but the entertainment level is very, very high. Used to go out with my .357 on nice spring days, and it was nothing to burn thru 100 rounds in a couple hrs.

 

[salmonchaser]

Yeah it was kinda fun, wish I hadn't been shooting up my Federal Tactical ammo though.