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Post by wilmsmeyer on May 3, 2009 7:30:37 GMT -5
Grass is getting up there around western NY.
Went on the annual Woodchuck "safari" down in Steuben County yesterday with my hunting partner and his 18 yr old nephew. This "kid" is a great hunter and a crack shot.
He spotted so many chucks that we couldn't see without bino's...it was scary. Although I think I see good...don't have glasses yet either...it was obvious that I need to reconsider.
He went 6 for 6 with his 223 and my friends 22-250. All with improvised rests from 70-150 yds. I took only the longest shots with my 243 and a bi-pod prone. It was breezy. I connected on my 1st shot at 248 yds and then missed 2 shots at about the same distance. Both very close though! It reinforces my thoughts at shooting at deer with a MZ under less then ideal condtions including wind and rest. It ain't a chip shot with a 243 and it's even tougher with an ML.
Total for the day was 14 chucks...about average. The wind kept them close to their holes and very spooky.
My favorite kill of the day was a woodchuck I thought I smacked at about 260 yds. Both the other guys said I missed. I went to check and brought my Ruger 22 pistol. When I got 15 yds from the hole, up came his head. Pop! Hit him and he slid down his hole. Pretty sure he didn't make it through the night.
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Post by ozark on Jul 22, 2009 19:15:41 GMT -5
Sounds like great fun. I doubt I have killed 14 chucks in my lifetime. For some reason they have never been plentiful here. Enjoy your trips afield while you can. Father time eases up on us. It pleases me to read about someone out there enjoying the great sport of hunting. Down the road aways you have to live on the memories or when someone shares a trip as you have. I know I bore some by replying to so many threads but if I could get out there and do it I wouldn't need to talk about it so much. Anyway I appreciate all who share their adventures with me on this forum. I don't have much to share except how to deal with the aches, pains, and drugs we old has beens must adjust to. Right now it is a bout with gout. You don't want a case of that. The best thing I can say about it is it is a new experience for me and they do have remedies that makes it go away. For awhile that is. Ha. We have great health care benefits so we don't have to worry about it breaking us. My first goal in life was to eat a whole baby ruth candy bar without having to share it with five brothers. I can do that now so I have reached one life long goal at least. If this is interesting to anyone they need to get a life of their own. Mine is much too dull and slow.
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Post by whyohe on Jul 23, 2009 19:04:06 GMT -5
i will be 39 this august and a few years ago i went to the eye doctor cause i had trouble focusing on the front and rear sight at the same time and keeping both clear. the doc said that was normal you are just getting old. now i did end up getting a pair of glasses but they are very weak. i only use them when looking for fine detail at long distances. i do feel very lucky to not really need glasses yet.
i wonder if thoes vitamins for better vision advertised in my hunting mags really works?
nice gooing there wilms and friends. sounds like a good time was had by all.
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Post by chuck41 on Jul 30, 2009 7:43:08 GMT -5
Woodchucks are not common here. When I do see one it is usually in town and for some reason folk seem to object to me popping critters from the WalMart parking lot.
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Post by ozark on Jul 30, 2009 8:29:32 GMT -5
Whyohe, I don't believe anyone can focus their eye on both the front and rear sight at the same time. We were taught to focus on the front and let the target and rear sight be a blur. Switching focus from one to another is bad also. In shooting focus on the front sight blade clearly and keep the focus there. That is how the winners do it. LOL
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Post by whyohe on Jul 30, 2009 9:13:32 GMT -5
see Ozark you can tell i was raised on shooting scopes. i hadn't shot open sights for years and had for gotten how. even now it is hard for my eyes to focus on just the blade.
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