Gopher talk

My god I love shooting gophers. Just back from my Alberta trip, not a ton of gophers where I shot but enough to make the rip wirth while.

Apologies but no pictures this year.
 
Like most fellows who grew up in rural Alberta, I've shot about a zillion gophers...but until I looked at this thread I honestly didn't know that anyone took pictures of them.
 
I was out testing the effects of sudden, rapid, atmospheric pressure changes on them today. Turns out it's super effective. Problem is, it's too effective. After 3lb's of Griffin I had to move over to the next pasture, bugger's weren't coming out or got their brains scrambled in their holes.
 
The pics are for the benifit of the unfortunate city dweller. Kinda like bragging about tiny groups on paper. I punch a lot of paper during the winter,waiting,waiting and more waiting.
 
Ok so we just cut the hay on the ranch.
Now we have endless gopher killing heaven with no place for them to hide.

Here is somthing I have been doing this season.
As you all know a lot of gophers shot with a .22lr will make it down the hole.

I take a small drill bit and enlarge the hollow point cavity.
Makes a smacking sound on impact.

They don't go far. Haven't noticed any accuracy issues out to 60ish yards.
 
Rob said:
Like most fellows who grew up in rural Alberta, I've shot about a zillion gophers...but until I looked at this thread I honestly didn't know that anyone took pictures of them.
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Well, I shoot groundhogs here...with a .223, then with a camera. (most of the time) I only share the odd photo, but winters here have been harsh...and long in recent years. On a frigid, February day...it's nice to look back, and re-live the short groundhog season over a nice cup of black coffee!

metalbender said:
The pics are for the benifit of the unfortunate city dweller. Kinda like bragging about tiny groups on paper. I punch a lot of paper during the winter,waiting,waiting and more waiting.
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^I'm not sure I think of it as bragging, as shooting/hitting a gopher (in my limited experience) isn't really all that difficult if you're even a half-decent shot!

Gophers~I've only been to Alberta to shoot gophers once (summer 2014) but they were such a novelty to me that I took all kinds of photos. My Albertan host was a little puzzled by this...but I didn't care. :) I was, and am a little fascinated by them...and I don't see that changing any time soon. You can't really compare a RGS to an eastern groundhog. Some similarities...but more differences.

An average "hunt" here this summer means seeing about 8, getting about 5-6. This photo is from about the first 10 minutes of shooting out there last summer. The place was polluted with them!

GOPH1_zpsc31fc805.jpg
 
Paper doesn't move. Nothing like having the crosshairs spot on, squeeze the trigger at the instant the little effr moves. Quick shots, accurate, minimal rest, and varying distance are a tad more difficult than benchrest paper shooting.
 
metalbender said:
Paper doesn't move. Nothing like having the crosshairs spot on, squeeze the trigger at the instant the little effr moves. Quick shots, accurate, minimal rest, and varying distance are a tad more difficult than benchrest paper shooting.
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^agreed! Paper=punching rarely happens for me unless I'm load testing, or zeroing a scope. For hunting. :)
 
regulate34 said:
Ok so we just cut the hay on the ranch.
Now we have endless gopher killing heaven with no place for them to hide.

Here is somthing I have been doing this season.
As you all know a lot of gophers shot with a .22lr will make it down the hole.

I take a small drill bit and enlarge the hollow point cavity.
Makes a smacking sound on impact.

They don't go far. Haven't noticed any accuracy issues out to 60ish yards.
Click to expand...

Depends on the round being used, I find. Winny 555s, Rem Yellow Jackets, and CCI Quik-Shoks all hit like grenades and rarely need a follow-up shot even if you get them a bit low in the boiler room. The first two have big, deep hollow points already and the QSs' make a wound that reminds me a lot of a .17HMR.

For stuff with smaller hollow-points like Federal 525s or Win Dynapoints, placement is more important. I dallied with modding bullets the way you mentioned a few winters back, and got creative with a jeweler's saw to make fragmentation rounds. On thinner gophers they didn't seem to make much difference, but on the fat ones, whew what a mess!


TacticalTeacher said:
I'm coming out there! But in September. I think the little buggers will still be around.... :cool: I mean Calgary area, and I'm bunking in Turner Valley...

Cheers, :wave:

Barney
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Bring your M14s! The little buggers are getting tougher! ;)
 
Slowwwwwww day in the pasture. All the rain and heat have made the grass riz. +30 today, gophers were down in the cool comfort of the basement, only managed 49.
 
Draggin' this up one more time. Great afternoon in the pasture, weather wise. Gophers were few, only got 16. Once they detect a threat, long time before they surface again. A lot of looking and drive to within shooting distance.
 
I was out last week, and only got a half dozen, and that was pretty much every gopher I saw.

Really slowing down now, the season is pretty much over.
 
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