I moved to my town 49 years ago. After 4 years people told me I should look at the airport and the groundhogs that were on very large fields on both sides of the runways. I was blown away. The fields looked like they were inhabited by flies- dark spots everywhere. Scads of groundhogs!!
I went to the airport manager and asked permission to shoot them. By that time I already had a reputation of a serious groundhog hunter using only handguns.
After 45 years I've taken over 700 groundhogs there with my handguns. I've taken so many groundhogs in WV that I've had to go to ID to hunt rockchucks, my groundhog's cousins.
I've kept excellent records these 49 years of the numbers taken with each gun & the distances. Since both animals
View attachment 604545View attachment 604545are basically the same I include them together. This year in ID I reached a milestone that I think is unique
A week and a half ago I finished my summer crop damage deer hunting- 88 with my handguns. I returned to the airport thinking there may be a few groundhogs left over from my spring hunt. In 4 days I spent 2 hours each and took 18 groundhogs, a surprise. Four of them were very spooky the first 3 days. Day #4 I decided to target these 'hogs.
I did a walk around in a secluded part of one field with my .41 Mag. Taurus Raging Bull. The first 'hog was out feeding facing away. I took my time and shot him offhand at 68 yards with a 210 gr. Horn. XTP in the neck. #1 target down. The damage was minimal. I've never liked XTPs on deer due to this. THere are much better bullets, but they do fine on groundhogs. I'll try a turkey with them this year.
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I moved to the other side of the runway to a much larger field. I set up on a small knoll with my BogPod tripod and PSR handgun rest. over the next 90 minutes the other 3 targeted groundhogs came out. I shot them at 159, 170, and 198 yards with my SSK .22-250 XP-100 handgun and 50 gr. Nos. Ballistic SilverTips . All 3 were very large with the center one a monster. It had evaded me since the 1st week of March. All these 'hogs were males.
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That about does my groundhogs for this year. Just a few days left. Guess I'll have start bow hunting until I can use my handguns on turkeys, does, bucks, and maybe bears the rest of the year. I really love this handgun stuff!!
