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Post by davewolf on Jul 3, 2009 22:51:56 GMT -5
Finally I took my first woodchuck at 140-150-yards, with the T/C Triumph. 50 cal. I don't have a range to practice beyond 100-yards, but she's sighted in 2-inches high at 100. Using one legged shooting stick by Gander Mtn.--I like that it moves back and forth is easy to carry and is light weight, with an adjustable leg.
Any way, I've been hunting hard and long to take one--had missed one a week or so ago. But the fields are high here and they're really getting tough. Saw this one feeding in a turnip field and took my time...still could of fell over when it did!
I've seen turkey close up--under 30-yards, five deer, including two buck under 40-yards, a doe at 10-yards...and who thought woodchucks were dumb?
This is what I wanted in a hunting inline! I've been soaked to the skin two days straight. But that hog made my day!
Have a great day!
Dave
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Post by rossman40 on Jul 3, 2009 23:39:06 GMT -5
One of the best hunting times I had was in 69. I stayed with one of my dads friends in Maryland for a weekend and his son and me went groundhog hunting. The area was changing to horse farms and they wanted groundhogs gone, horses and groundhog holes don't mix. We would ask for permission and the farm owner or farmhand would tell us what fields to hunt and we would stop and tell them we were leaving and he would point us to one of the neighbors farms that he already called and was waiting for us. Both days we probly took over 100 shots and bagged 50-60 just with .22s. I often wonder if the hunting was still like that.
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Jul 4, 2009 6:31:46 GMT -5
Rossman,
Maybe you've read about the spring woodchuck hunt I go on each year. It's only a 2 hour drive and you have to do it before the grass grows up. Township of Woodhull on the NYS/PA border. Closest town...Jasper. Lot's of small time dairy farmers and omish.
But YES....there are still honey holes around these parts to go shoot a pile of woodchucks. Usually these places are hayfields and pastures and heavily farmed. The chucks are so established, that I believe it would be hard to rid them without poison.
Davewolf: Good shot! In the summer of 2000, my good friend and I had a blast with my Knight dics, his .223 and a camcorder. I have a video of over 50 kills...more then half of them using the knight. My load was a .429 300 gr XTP and 140 gr FFg black powder. Longest shot was 180 yds and many over 150.
My friend is a farmer and using a 6 ft long 6 inch diameter peice of irrigation pipe we made a mortar. With it, a bunch of black powder, and homemade sabot, and lots of wadding, we launched a dead woodchuck almost 100 yds at a steep angle. It's on that video tape!
I just love hunting woodchucks
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Post by davewolf on Jul 4, 2009 11:53:06 GMT -5
Thnaks guys. I measured some more powder and hope to find the time to get back out there today. This time, I hope to lug the camera equiptment with me!
That T/C Triumph and I are becoming as one...I like that. I need to feel comfortable with it and have some knowledge of what it can and can't do in a hunting situation. Even like cleaning it when I'm not to tired from hunting all day!
Have a great day!
Dave
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Post by davewolf on Jul 4, 2009 21:20:08 GMT -5
well as promised I lugged the camera gear a mile in and a mile out. Today there was a lot of fireworks where I hunted. I took 3! One at 50-yards; without fouling the barrel; another at 30-yards and another at 20-feet! Here's one of them and the gear I carry.  Note my shooting stick, turkey bench, Triumph Inline of course and what you don't see is my goodies bag, a camo turkey calling pouch that is designed to hold calls and sticks. My vials fit in the stick holders perfectly as does my ball starter and Shockwaves. I slip my primers in an outside pocket attached to a key chain carabiner! Great day to be be outdoors! Have a great day! Dave |
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Jul 5, 2009 5:03:57 GMT -5
When it rains it pours! Nice going. What's your load?
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Post by whyohe on Jul 5, 2009 9:49:27 GMT -5
20 feet!! the percussion killed it!! you actually missed. LOL J/K nice job!
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Post by davewolf on Jul 5, 2009 9:57:39 GMT -5
Wilmsmeyer:
I'm shooting T/C Shockwaves, 250 grain with crushed Harvester sabots, pushed by 100 grains of BH209. Didn't destroy the hogs as I thought they might. But then all were shot behind the front shoulders.
All died instantly without a wiggle or kick. Found the entrance hole and the exit hole on all three. I think the load will work well on deer, none over-expanded--not even on the one I took at 140-yards the day before. I guess what is amazing to me, is that I didn't fire a fouling shot on either day, nor did I foul the barrel with primers or anything else.
I find the same holds true on the range, my first shot is always close to where I aim?!? After reading all about fouling shots this one has me baffled.
Any ideas?
Have a great day!
Dave
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Post by davewolf on Jul 5, 2009 10:01:40 GMT -5
Whyohe: I think you're right, I was more than amazed to see him enter the field that close to me. He even stood up and looked around. The rifle was laying beside me and I froze and waited till he started feeding--no shooting stick on that one!  Have a great day! Dave |
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Post by whyohe on Jul 5, 2009 10:08:26 GMT -5
dave not all guns need fouling shots. as long as you dont leave alot of oil in the barrel you shouldnt have a problem. i dont use fouling shots but i do wipe the inside with a clean dry patch to get any excess oil out if it was after a good storage cleaning.
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Post by davewolf on Jul 5, 2009 15:45:28 GMT -5
Whyohe:
I clean the gun with a mild dish detergent every time I shoot it, and then I swab it dry--the same with the breech plug. So far she's stayed as clean as anything I can think of.
I then lay the breech plug on an old towel and the Triumph alongside of it with the ram rod. I do use a silicone cloth to wipe her down on the outside, and clean the breech with a pipe cleaner and then pull a plastic dental floss with a loop through it and then blow through it a couple of times.
Storage? I haven't gone a week without shooting her!
Have a great day!
Dave
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Jul 5, 2009 16:56:03 GMT -5
I have found that the loads my gun likes do not need a fouling shot to stay in the group. I do not mind hunting with a fouled gun but if it's clean I am not too worried.
However, I am not competing in egg shoots. A good group to me is 2 inches or better.
Your load sounds like a perfect all round load for everything. Woodchucks are smart but only a little. When they dodge into cover, or their hole, make your move FAST and set up. Wait...wait...wait and they will re-appear and then you'll be ready. They have no where to go but back where they were. They are about as dumb as a critter can get.
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Post by davewolf on Jul 5, 2009 22:33:04 GMT -5
Well they might be dumb,,,but it was an hour between shots, almost exactly. And I did have deer within paces of me, and a turkey that came within 20-yards. Just couldn't get to the camera in time. Now I'm a little concerned I shot this particular area out. That's 4-hogs in two days, all dying within 50-yards of one another. If they cut the fields I'll try to find another area. However, they do smarten up--I think--I missed on a couple of weeks ago on between the corn and the woods where an old road, closed to travel, had chucks crossing every evening.  But I haven't seen one there in weeks. Knowing no one else hunts here, I was a little disappointed and wonder where they have gone. I'm really getting anxious to try my T/C on bigger game! I'm with you my groups are less than an two-inches, sometimes one and as I said before this is going to be my hunting rifle. Forgot to mention I 'lug' over 10-pounds of camera and lenses with me, in my Lowe Pro bag, but if it's going to rain, I have to leave it at home. Now it's back to the reality of work; can you hear my heels digging in? Have a great day! Dave |
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Post by davewolf on Jul 16, 2009 22:00:49 GMT -5
I'm still hunting groundhogs and have taken 4 more in the past two-days. I missed one, but I'll use the excuse it was a tough shot at one ducking in and out of a turnip field.
It actually was so hot and humid, I left early! Whew no wind and high temps and humidity almost killed me-warm water helped, but dang it was hot!
Have a great day!
Dave
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Post by davewolf on Sept 23, 2009 19:38:44 GMT -5
This may be the last groundhog of the season. I'm getting geared up for deer season, only a week and a half-away. Archery. Odd I'm going to miss the summer hog hunting. This one is # 22. Came out in the rain and I took him at 80-yards. It's been one of the most enjoyable summers I've ever spent. I know of a few groundhogs remaining that'll leave for seed for next year! Same load, same cleaning same sabots, same primers.  Getting ready to take the xbow out and then Inline doe season. Can't wait! Have a great day! Dave |
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Sept 26, 2009 5:53:45 GMT -5
Dave,
I've enjoyed your woodchuck hunting adventures and recommend that others should do it too. It has everything going for it: NO season dates...NO firearm restrictions...lots of sneaking around and taking shots from tough angles and stances when on foot. Great live fire practice that keeps a person honest about limitations of their abilities. It absolutely lets you get to know your gun better too...how reloading works in the field vs the bench. I think you are hooked now.
If only they grew racks....
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Post by davewolf on Sept 27, 2009 6:35:32 GMT -5
Thanks;
I agree it offers the most practical in the field experience I know of. If they grew racks, I would have to deal with a lot of hunting pressure! Hooked? Yep, I'm gut hooked!
The tough part about hunting groundhog is that they're tough to pattern, seem to be spread out here, about 100-yards apart--some farther. And although I've learned that some do come out at certain times of the day, others come out when they darn well please.
Learned to shoot from all kinds of positions--not available at the range--and have learned the advantages of a shooting stick. Of course all that cleaning of the T/C Triumph at the end of the day taught me a lot too.
Might seem strange but here it takes a lot of scouting, and one has to determine if the hole is being used or abandoned. Now I hope to take a few deer with the Triumph and hopefully a fall turkey. When the pelts become prime, I would like to take a yote as well. Heard one the other night.
Interesting to me...is that the last one and many others were taken without fouling the barrel...others were taken after a shot was already taken.
To me, hunting is a lot about confidence in your sporting arms.
Temps through this 'hunting season" ranged from mid-60's to low 90's. The Triumph preformed through all of them, not to mention some rain-filled days!
Have a great day!
Dave
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Sept 27, 2009 12:52:54 GMT -5
Been playing with my trail cam this fall....1st year with one. Lo and behold....I found a woodchuck on a deer trail before 1st light. Being late September, woodchucks are becoming scarce...they are digging in for winter. This guy is Alpha stud woods-chuck. Probably scared the big bucks away with his dusty, filthy buck toothed face. Even they have gone nocturnal with my constant pressure on them. ;D ;D If you are a trophy gopher hunter, this one is a real prize. He's so fat that his neck is gone....goes from shoulders right to the head. If woodchucks grew racks, he would be a 150+ gopher!!!  |
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Post by davewolf on Sept 27, 2009 19:50:17 GMT -5
Amazing! Neat photo and yes they're sure becoming less active. But it works out just right. One season ending and another beginning. Yeah, I would agree, at least 150, I can't see how long his brow tines are. Might have a heck of a time dragging that chunky boy out! Might take the Triumph for a walk, for one last peek at where to set-up for bow season. Need an alternative spot or two, because I suspect more than a few two-legged varmints have seen a few of these buck. Have a great day! Dave |
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