Teach Me About Groundhog Hunting

bill c68

bill c68

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We have no groundhogs on PEI but I thought I might bring my rifle to NB next weekend when I go to build some bear stands.
We see the odd hog when we go but I heard there are calls and wistles, etc that get them to poke their heads out. Any tips and tricks to seeing them? Or is it just patience?

I see the odd one from the road and I popped one last year after calling coyotes.
 
Hey BillC68, I hunted them in high school & plan on hunting them this summer with my new Ruger 10/22 from Coltfan, YAHOO!

Anyhow, my success came from slowly walking fields and edges of fields, carefully sneaking around corners and not scaring them down their holes. It gave enough time to get a shot at them and I found mid morning and mid afternoon to be the best time to hunt them.

Cheers
Jay
 
Jay said:
Hey BillC68, I hunted them in high school & plan on hunting them this summer with my new Ruger 10/22 from Coltfan, YAHOO!

Anyhow, my success came from slowly walking fields and edges of fields, carefully sneaking around corners and not scaring them down their holes. It gave enough time to get a shot at them and I found mid morning and mid afternoon to be the best time to hunt them.

Cheers
Jay
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Was this when you lived in NB?
 
As Jay said, that was the method I used. But add to that, periodically, when you see a hole that a groundhog has just ducked into, try a high pitched whistle with your teeth. I've seen them stand right up on their hind legs after doing so, perfect shot.
 
When we hunted them many years ago, with only .22 LR Whiz Bang Open points, we only counted a dead hog if it was stopped from crawling back down the hole. Usually, only a head shot was a certain kill.

Up to 100 yds. guesstimated, unless the hog was standing upright facing us, we would not take the shot. If we did would hold at the top of the head with the rifle sighted for about 70-75 yds. and hope that he was hit between head and the upper chest cavity.

Gut shots were taboo.

In those days, a number of well know gun writers from the northern states would visit central Ontario before the hay got too high, using what to us was exotic calibers. Most rifles were all single shot custom made in .22 Hornet, K Hornet, .218 Bee, .219 Zipper and all sorts of wildcats.
.218 Bee, .219 Zipper.

And I rode by bicycle all over the Kent/Middlesex dirt roads with my .22LR BSA Martini on a sling over the shoulder, no questions asked.
 
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I'd wait until at least May 24 - let them have their young ---> more targets!

The coyotes have really thinned their numbers - got to keep the pop-up targets coming back....

Since there are fewer ground-hogs, we try to take long shots and actually move back to do it as the property allows.

Bring some good binocculars and look for holes. Scan the field edges, ditches or fence rows - anywhere sweet grass grows the best because they live in their dining room!

Good luck!
 
superd222 said:
I'd wait until at least May 24 - let them have their young ---> more targets!

The coyotes have really thinned their numbers - got to keep the pop-up targets coming back....

Since there are fewer ground-hogs, we try to take long shots and actually move back to do it as the property allows.

Bring some good binocculars and look for holes. Scan the field edges, ditches or fence rows - anywhere sweet grass grows the best because they live in their dining room!

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Yep, coyotes and wolves have really thinned them out the last 20 years.

When I was young I would go out late in day during the summer, after hay or grain was cut, with a peep sighted 22. Stay behind fences or in shallow valleys, sneak up on them. Usually managed to get a couple every day. If they did see you and pop down, they would usually come back up within 5 minutes.

For those people out west, don't confuse groundhogs with gophers (Richardson Ground Squirrels). Groundhogs weigh in at 5 to 10 pounds.
 
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