Gopher talk

Hoping for a better season this year. Been pretty poor numbers the last few years around the Calgary area, at least at my spots anyway. Used to be able to shoot off a brick and a half worth of ammo before lunch time. Hasn't been that good for years.
 
marcoman said:
Hoping for a better season this year. Been pretty poor numbers the last few years around the Calgary area, at least at my spots anyway. Used to be able to shoot off a brick and a half worth of ammo before lunch time. Hasn't been that good for years.
Click to expand...

Yup, same around here. All the gophers have moved into town were they know they're safe and very few in the fields outside of the city.
 
Yup my pasture was nearly gopher free last year. I saw maybe two or three in a day of fence fixing last spring. Usually it takes more than a day to check the fences cause i'm always stopped shooting gophers.
 
Unsure the reasoning behind it here in SE Sask. Some people say they were flooded out a few years back and some people say it was a disease that wiped them out. Irregardless, there are few around. Makes a guy not want to shoot the "one" you do see.
 
Spent most of the weekend prepping my gopher-shooters. (odd, coming from a guy in S. Ontario :) ) The Marlin 917 got a Rifle Basix trigger and a scope, the Savage FV-SR got an AGW brake. :) The red dot will be coming off of the FV-SR and a Vortex Diamondback will be mounted in it's place. Thought I had low 1" Weaver rings in the heap, but instead...I'm shopping this week. Then, I have to see what gopher-speed .22lr ammo shoots best in the Savage. Currently, only using subsonic for popping pigeons.
 
I'll be doing some hp mods with the Waltz die. Grabbed 2k of Win Dynapoint, have just over 3 boxes left, shoot great. Hp is kinda small though. Really opens up the Win 555. Can hardly wait for the resounding POP
 
My usual gopher patch didn't have many last spring, but near the end of the summer there seemed to be a lot......grass was too tall and they were hard to spot though. Left them at that point, so hopefully this spring will have a few extras.

My 1727 needs a workout anyways.....
 
Picked up a new Marlin Papoose Takedown today and put 200 rounds through it. Wow. I'm impressed. Shot many different .22 ammo and not one FTF even with Remington Subsonics. Mainly bought this for Dualsporting on the motorcycle out in the back country which we have a lot of here in Alberta. Bring on them gophers. Mild winter might mean they will come out early this year. All the snow is gone south of Calgary.
 
The first time i ever got out gopher shooting was last spring. I was down south of Calgary. I had a buddy invite me out to shoot. It was sooo fun. This year I'll be heading back down, but this time with all three of my guns.... custom 10/22, Magnum Research .22 mag, and Marlin .22 mag. I can't wait!!!!!
 
I'm curious, I don't have my hunting license yet.. do you need a hunting license to kill gophers/groundhogs etc? I live in Okanagan BC if that matters.
 
Matty308 said:
I'm curious, I don't have my hunting license yet.. do you need a hunting license to kill gophers/groundhogs etc? I live in Okanagan BC if that matters.
Click to expand...

a license with a daily limit. License is $14 for the year. tags are small so don't lose them as you don't want to get caught with a dead gopher and no tag. You might have to take a course or two in BC, not sure. The tags are for males only, the course is intended to help you identify the ### when on the run, the second part is for when they are stationary. The gait is different between the males and females, and they sit differently as well. Its a little hard to get close enough to see the bits, so you really have to study their characteristics to know the difference. Get your license early as they do go fast.
 
dizzy said:
a license with a daily limit. License is $14 for the year. tags are small so don't lose them as you don't want to get caught with a dead gopher and no tag. You might have to take a course or two in BC, not sure. The tags are for males only, the course is intended to help you identify the ### when on the run, the second part is for when they are stationary. The gait is different between the males and females, and they sit differently as well. Its a little hard to get close enough to see the bits, so you really have to study their characteristics to know the difference. Get your license early as they do go fast.
Click to expand...


Laugh2f:P:
 
In all my years of shooting gophers i never noticed a difference in the gait of a male and female gopher. I guess it doesn't matter here in SK. as we just kill em all when they are plentyful. R:d:
 
dizzy said:
a license with a daily limit. License is $14 for the year. tags are small so don't lose them as you don't want to get caught with a dead gopher and no tag. You might have to take a course or two in BC, not sure. The tags are for males only, the course is intended to help you identify the ### when on the run, the second part is for when they are stationary. The gait is different between the males and females, and they sit differently as well. Its a little hard to get close enough to see the bits, so you really have to study their characteristics to know the difference. Get your license early as they do go fast.
Click to expand...

Lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom