Tough day hunting groundhogs in Ohio!!

[HaMeR]

It was some tough hunting today as this short video will show. It was the only video we shot today because the wind constantly vibrated the camera. 10-15mph winds with 25mph gusts.



Diane was still able to hook up with her springtime nemesis. She missed a big hog with a lot of white on it's neck & belly. This one fit the bill as the one she missed. Rd #2 was in Di's favor. 39gr BK at 3900fps & the shot was maybe 100yds. Too short to use the RF on. When I poked it's head it slid further down into the hole where I couldn't reach it.



As we left that field & headed around the bend back to the main farm fields we seen this little guy dive into the hole. We drove past & pulled into the field & walked back to it. He poked his head back up at about 25yds,, again too close for the RF to come out,, & I put a 34gr Winchester HP in the side of his noggin from the Marlin 22WMR. Tiny little entrance wound with very little blood & a very GOOD groundhog was reborn.



Same hog "over easy" the way the buzzards like em.    

[Hawks Feather]

I saw that wind blow through here earlier today.  Nice hogs and they will make some great "ground" hog sandwiches.

Jerry

[pitw]

  That was a fun time I bet.  Good spraying weather by the sounds of it too .  Don't they have white very often .

[FinsnFur]

Did you hunt and film while you were out getting the mail today....or?

[HuntnCarve]

Tell Diane we'll excuse her miss on the elusive "white neck".   -It's just no fun trying to dope the wind when the clovers whipping around the back pastures.  -But we still have to go out!  I do like that "red welcome mat" rolled out in the chucks burrow.

[HaMeR]

That little one would been good eating Jerry. Don't usually find them that small this time of year. Ddin't seem like he had much fat at all. I may have done him a favor this winter.

Barry-- I don't know anything about what you do but it would seem a calm day would be better for spraying.    We do enjoy popping them critters too. I've been doing it for almost 40yrs now & it never gets old.    There's normally very little white on them. This one had a nice white belly & chest clear up to his lower jaws & up almost to it's eyes & ears. Woulda been a nice one to tan maybe. We seen the big chunks fly but couldn't find them either. It mighta been wrecked beyond sewing. 

I drove to the mailbox & reached out the window to get the mail Jim. Then backed up to the back door & came in the house.  Diane wouldn't go with me for that ride.    Way too windy for the videoing too. The camera just vibrated on the tripod. 

Diane just laughed & said Thanks Dave.  Actually her miss was a little over 100yds & it was off the shooting sticks with the FireBall. The little CZ American 221 doesn't recoil quite right thru those sticks & we don't normally shoot it from them but had no choice in the spring. This time a well placed round bale did the trick. And yes we do have to get out regardless.    I loved the "red welcome mat".   

[pitw]

Glen most people believe as you do about spraying and wind .  I like wind for spraying cause I know where my droplets are going.  I've sprayed in 47mph winds and never had a problem but I did witness the biggest wreck in our area on a calm day.  A fellow was air applying glyphosate on 300 acres and conditions were right for inversion.  That stuff lifted up and came down damaging 6 quarters of crop.  Needless to say but the applicator is out of business .

[vvarmitr]

I see you brought out your big bores for that windy weather. 
Thanks for the story & pix! 

[HaMeR]

Well that does make sense Barry. Once I thought about it from your perspective & not an uneducated guess. 

I guess air applying would be a method that uses no liquid carrier. 


Sure had to VV!! Had I known Diane's shot would be that close we coulda saved some powder & took the FireBall along. But what fun would that have been right??  And I'm still messing around with ol Maggie & her diet so I decided not to use the mighty 17 HaMeR.  Altho it was in the truck with us. 

[pitw]

I guess air applying would be a method that uses no liquid carrier. 

Aerial applied as in by plane.  They seem to have more wrecks than me.  Had one company wanted to hire me to do the headlands of fields they were spraying.

[vvarmitr]

I decided not to use the mighty 17 HaMeR.  Altho it was in the truck with us. 

Bet that took a lot of restraint! 

[HaMeR]

I see the connection now Barry. Takes me a few minutes sometimes. 

Yes it did VV!!  But it came out today when precision shot placement was required. 


But that's another thread.