My mother in law lives on a farm a couple of hours from me. She has been complaining about a couple of groundhogs that have taken up residence under an old shed by her barn. My wife and I went to visit her for a couple of days, and I thought I might try to help her out with her hog problem. :eyebrow: I took along a .22 rimfire and a .22 Hornet in case an opportunity presented itself.
We got there right at the tail end of a severe thunderstorm. It wasn't more than ten or fifteen minutes after the rain had stopped before they showed themselves out by the shed. I was able to get into a good position about ninety yards away with the Hornet. They were two or three yards apart and I dropped the one on the left with the first shot. The other one didn't seem to be alarmed by the shot and just looked around for a few seconds before going back to her groundhog business. I put the crosshairs on her and pulled the trigger. It was clearly a hit, but she didn't drop in her tracks. Obviously wounded, she crawled a couple of yards and disappeared under the wall of the barn before I could shoot again.
I loaded up the rimfire and headed out, hoping to avoid a confrontation with a wounded hog in the confines of the barn. :sad3: When I got out there, I found her stone cold dead just inside the barn. :whew: Two up, two down.
I checked several times over the next day and a half, but never saw anything else. Problem solved? :shrug: Only time will tell, but if the mother in law calls, I'll do my best to help her out. :wink:
Pat
There they are, frolicking between the shed and barn without a care in the world:
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg115/rlageman/Hunting/P1010868_zpsea7e499d.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg115/rlageman/Hunting/P1010869_zps6d254092.jpg)
The first one dropped at the shot.
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg115/rlageman/Hunting/P1010872_zpsc2db4c7a.jpg)
The second one crawled through a puddle before expiring a few yards away.
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg115/rlageman/Hunting/P1010873_zps81bdccf4.jpg)
Resting comfortably in the barnyard.
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg115/rlageman/Hunting/P1010874_zps287629bb.jpg)
Wow! Jim Corbett of groundhog hunters!
(That's an unalloyed compliment, not anything else). :yoyo: :highclap: Also, that's sure a pretty spot.
One shot, one kill.
Two shots, two kills.
Way to go!
Jerry
Nice shooting! :congrats:
Somehow I have a feeling they'll have followers. That's too nice of a view with two vacancies just opening up.
WTG!! Good shooting!!
Jim
Nice shooting, Pat. I found a big ol ground hog hole in my neighborhood and have seen the ground hog but haven't figured out how to shoot it without bringing the sheriff down on me. I wish silencers weren't so expensive.
Quote from: Semp on July 13, 2013, 10:50:31 AM
Nice shooting, Pat. I found a big ol ground hog hole in my neighborhood and have seen the ground hog but haven't figured out how to shoot it without bringing the sheriff down on me. I wish silencers weren't so expensive.
Crossbow :eyebrow:
Pat
Good shootin Pat!
Pretty sure HaMaR is gonna be jeolous.
Nice job on the eradication efforts Pat!! :yoyo: :yoyo:
So when do we get to see the old Hornet?? :eyebrow: :eyebrow:
Nicely done :congrats: I'm with Dave in saying that looks like too nice of a place to stay vacant too long. :laf:
HaMeR, you can see the Hornet in the corner of the third pic :eyebrow:
Quote from: FinsnFur on July 14, 2013, 09:47:06 AM
HaMeR, you can see the Hornet in the corner of the third pic :eyebrow:
Good eye Jim, but that's actually the barrel of the Glenfield Model 60 that I took when I went to see if the second one was still alive in the barn. The Hornet is a stainless Ruger 77/22 with laminated stock.
Here it is:
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg115/rlageman/Hunting/P1010877_zpsa7399406.jpg)
Pat
WTG Pat that little Hornet is wicked on the hogs, I have a old Savage 340E that has droped several in it days.
That sure is a purdy little rig Pat!! A real groundhog stopper in these parts for many decades now. Thanks for posting it. :yoyo: :yoyo: I'm thinking I would like a Hornet too but I'm leaning toward the 17HH.
Jim-- You gotta admit pics of a tube fed Hornet woulda been great to see eh? :eyebrow: :eyebrow:
Quote from: HaMeR on July 20, 2013, 09:56:35 AM
Jim-- You gotta admit pics of a tube fed Hornet woulda been great to see eh? :eyebrow: :eyebrow:
Well, I kinda thought so. :laf:
WTG Pat, good shooting , looks like the area around there is getting rain like we are here in SC. cc