Gopher shooting this coming week in Edmonton

spacesaver

spacesaver

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Hello fellow CGNers!!
This coming week I'll be hosting a CGNer and his brother from B.C. for a few days. While here we are planning to go gopher shooting. Since niether of us has done this before I was wondering if anyone might have some tips on where to go. If you know of a place and can come as well that would be great!! It would be great to meet some local CGNers. We both have .22s and will probably have two apiece with us.
Thanks in advance for any and all responses!!:)
Spacesaver
 
They're everywhere, you don't have to go far. Try to find a place thats been a pastured a bit, the grass is getting long now. We burned over 2500 rounds last weekend near Onoway but barely put a dent in the population.
 
Is everyone really that secretive about where they shoot gophers that no-one will respond??lol Honestly, we've been told to go south, east, and now Onoway. While I have no problem going out and just "given 'er", having SOME sense of where to go would really help. With only a couple of days to cram alot of stuff into, if we have to go scout places and maybe make a couple wrong turns or hit some dead ends, we end up burning alot of our free time. I realize that all of that is part of gopher shooting and we all have to "pay our dues", we're just asking for a little help is all. General directions would be a huge help, as would specifics, but I sense people are a little hesitant.
Again, thanks for any and all responses!!
 
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You know as silly as it sounds, it is like asking a guy where he goes for big perch, nobody shares. I have always shot plenty gophers out around Viking south east on HWY 14. Gopher shooting is like any other kind of hunting, some one has to go out and find them, simple as that. If you are not prepared to do that then folks aren't too interested in assisting you. FS
 
Fassteel said:
You know as silly as it sounds, it is like asking a guy where he goes for big perch, nobody shares. I have always shot plenty gophers out around Viking south east on HWY 14. Gopher shooting is like any other kind of hunting, some one has to go out and find them, simple as that. If you are not prepared to do that then folks aren't too interested in assisting you. FS
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The hardest part is gaining access to land. I live in Viking and lots of things get shot out in the country that shouldnt.. ie.. tractors,live stock,$50'000 prize bulls and horses also...I have access to over 38'000 acres now and it takes time to get it...LOTS OF TIME...One of the worst things to do is damage control after a shoot...if something gets hit that shouldnt of it falls back on who ever set the shoot up..then it can get real costly in a heartbeat.:mad:

Couple of things come to mind...FIRST ASK PERMISSION..then let the land owner know that you will be safe around cattle..grass will be to tall now in open pasture with no grazing on them..leave gates as you found them,if a gate is down close it if you see cattle in the pasture,if you see a fence jumper out( Stray cattle out side a fence) Find the nearest farm and let them know. Its mostly common sense...ya gotta remember that a 1/4 of pasture sells for around the $100'000 an the farmer is paying for it...An you as a gopher shooter are merely a guest...
 
One favor please. Don't post pic's of your kill's showing how different rounds cause the gopher's eye's to bulge out. Don't film yourself stabbing it on the end of an SKS bayonet while still kicking then clear it by firing a round.
If you do feel the need to record your kill's, keep it for your private collection. Don't post it on here; please.
That sort of thing gives the Anti's ammunition to portray us as knuckle-dragging cretins.
Good luck and stay safe
 
Well now, we've got some more responses!! Viking sounds ok, just got to figure out where it is!! As to not blasting whats around me other than my target, I'm the person who sweeps the shooting line when its a mess; the one who picks up crap laying around the backstop; the same one who generally leaves stuff tidier than when I found it. I'd like to think we all do the same. And shooting equipment? Learned my lesson young when I got hit by a richochet! Posting pics/vids of my "kills"? I really never took to that myself.
Thanks for the input people!! Off to Google Earth to find Viking!!:)
 
spacesaver said:
Well now, we've got some more responses!! Viking sounds ok, just got to figure out where it is!! As to not blasting whats around me other than my target, I'm the person who sweeps the shooting line when its a mess; the one who picks up crap laying around the backstop; the same one who generally leaves stuff tidier than when I found it. I'd like to think we all do the same. And shooting equipment? Learned my lesson young when I got hit by a richochet! Posting pics/vids of my "kills"? I really never took to that myself.
Thanks for the input people!! Off to Google Earth to find Viking!!:)
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If u are coming out to viking as you travel down the line it will be Tofield,Ryley,Holden,Bruce then Viking. Watch on the south side of the hiway between Ryley and Holden. Some pastures there have gophers and cattle in them right now and are easy to spot. Also as you are travelling east of Holden on hiway 14...bout 2 to 4 miles east or so look for a sign that says old water tower road or water tower road( this part dont quote me on as I drive by it all the time but really dont pay attention to signs..I just know where it is by the look of it)...,turn right on it and then look to your immediate left.You will be looking at the northwest 1/4 and should see some old buildings and a old windmill. Look to the south as you are now facing it and there should be a farmhouse just down about 400 yards or so.

That should be the homeowners 1/4...the pasture you were looking at has gophers in it.If not they will probably help you find the owner.You will have to keep your shots to the east or southeast cause north of you is hiway 14,west is a county road,south is buildings and people...

2 other things to help you out...east of Edmonton is Strathcona county..its basically a no discharge of firearms( cept for shotgun only) during hunting season as its to populated but not sure about gophers.Check it out closely b4 you shoot and the county line is west of Tofield about 8 miles or so and clearly signed off on the hiway.

2nd thing once you leave the county of Strathcona you are now in Beaver county and here is a phone number for you...780-663-3730..its the county admin office. Phone em up and buy a county map from them. Its only like 10 buks or so and LEARN HOW TO READ IT..It will give you all the township roads and range roads and 1/4's of land and who owns the land.So now if you find gophers on oh say nw1/4 13 67 42 w4 ( w4 is west of the forth parallel where we are) It will tell you or its printed that oh say John Wayne owns that quarter..now you know where to start looking for permission..Also if the 1/4 is marked John Wayne with a red dot on it that means its the home 1/4...the red dot is a house.When you look at the map at one of the 1/4 which are squares and you see a square with a small part of it lined off with a red dot in it that means its a acreage on a 1/4. The red dot is the house and the lined off part is the size of the acreage...stumped yet???

Sorry for the long winded post but trying to give you as much help as I can with what i have available..with out you physically being here..its tough..but this should get you started...above all...HAVE FUN...:)
 
Thanks to all who responded; yesterday we made out way out to the Holden/Bruce area, found some really friendly farmers, and spent an awesome day getting bit by mosquitoes, getting sunburned, and more importantly, shooting gophers. While we may not have gotten as many as some it was a great experience, and we were invited back any time we wanted!!
Again, thanks to all who helped us out.
Spacesaver and Sniperelite.
 
spacesaver said:
Thanks to all who responded; yesterday we made out way out to the Holden/Bruce area, found some really friendly farmers, and spent an awesome day getting bit by mosquitoes, getting sunburned, and more importantly, shooting gophers. While we may not have gotten as many as some it was a great experience, and we were invited back any time we wanted!!
Again, thanks to all who helped us out.
Spacesaver and Sniperelite.
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It's a good feeling when the farmer says "Yes, no problem, blast away"
Good to hear that you had a good time :)
 
So, after getting our first taste of gopher shooting Sun., we headed back out yesterday again. The farmer we met was not home so we went to his neighbor. He not only says sure thing, he tells us that HIS neighbor would give us each a box of shells if we wanted to shoot in his pastures! Got to tell you, all this seems WAY out of place for two guys from Vancouver originally. The old guy came out to show us around and even offered us the use of his semi-auto .22; back home you think twice before even asking to borrow a shovel!
Once again, a great day was had by all with some awesome shooting.
 
tokguy said:
One favor please. Don't post pic's of your kill's showing how different rounds cause the gopher's eye's to bulge out. Don't film yourself stabbing it on the end of an SKS bayonet while still kicking then clear it by firing a round.
If you do feel the need to record your kill's, keep it for your private collection. Don't post it on here; please.
That sort of thing gives the Anti's ammunition to portray us as knuckle-dragging cretins.
Good luck and stay safe
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ya no pictures please. pictures are for rookies post videos please!!!
 
tokguy said:
One favor please. Don't post pic's of your kill's showing how different rounds cause the gopher's eye's to bulge out. Don't film yourself stabbing it on the end of an SKS bayonet while still kicking then clear it by firing a round.
If you do feel the need to record your kill's, keep it for your private collection. Don't post it on here; please.
That sort of thing gives the Anti's ammunition to portray us as knuckle-dragging cretins.
Good luck and stay safe
Click to expand...

:needPics:
 
oopswasthatyourdog? said:
:needPics:
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just because you were asking about the ruger air hawk i figured i show you what it can do a 50 yards. note the blood splatter on the metal container from the head shot. it's more than enough pellet gun

50ydgopher.jpg
 
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