Hunting Groundhogs with Hungry today

We used to hunt them alot, we would shoot 50 or so in a day and a week later there were just as many as before, then they disappeared, I thought it was the coyotes getting them all. Some of them got smart and you couldn't get within 200 yds of them and you needed a good varmint gun to get them. We found the .22 rimfire wounded too many and they got back down their holes to suffer and maybe die. So we used all manner of calibers up to the legal max....the .270.
 
Hungry said:
I used to employ a .22LR shooting YellowJackets (Remington) out of a Ruger 10/22. Yes, I like the light package to carry. No bipod. Lots and lots of position practice. Killed many via headshots ONLY! Body shots? The earthpig would crawl away or slide down the hole :eek: No body, No kill policy ruled our circle of friends! :(

So FWIW, a .223 is more fun, humane, and entertaining. And of course, a .22-250 is more dramatic!! :D

:cheers:

barney
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ive got one ;) let me know when your free :D ... i saw a ton of groundhogs around ottawa when i was there last week
 
kombayotch said:
You need to find a farmer who will let you hunt on his land.
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Found one! Extremely looking forward to this. Am I correct in assuming that I can shoot as many ground hogs as I like without a small games license? All I have right now is my Outdoors card and have passed the hunter's saftey course.
 
Is this accurate...

Groundhogs hibernate in their burrows during the winter months. They resume activity in March/April with a litter of young (averaging four) born in late April – May. Groundhogs have two or three separate homes, sometimes 100 m or more apart. Each home will have at least two openings – the entrance hole will have a large pile of earth beside it while exit or plunge holes do not have earth around them.
 
cbabes said:
Even on a farmer's property? Do I just get a sticker to put on the back of my card? How much does this cost?

TIA
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Not sure about a sticker but I just passed my hunting course on Saturday and called to get my plastic outdoors small game card which takes up to 3-4 weeks to come. In the mean time I'm not allowed to hunt. It cost me $71 for three years. Whether it's private property or not means nothing when it comes to hunting rules.
 
carsmovies said:
Not sure about a sticker but I just passed my hunting course on Saturday and called to get my plastic outdoors small game card which takes up to 3-4 weeks to come. In the mean time I'm not allowed to hunt. It cost me $71 for three years. Whether it's private property or not means nothing when it comes to hunting rules.
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OK...I think I know what I did. I passed my hunter's safety about two years ago and got the card with the turkey on it that just says outdoors card. My safety course is recognised by the card as I had to wait for the results to register before I got the card. I didn't purchase any kind of games license. It has spots on the back to affix license tags. I guess I will get the small games anyway. I need to freshen up on all the rules again.
 
Timing couldn't be better...

Ground Hog Control

Winter is a poor time for groundhog control, as these pests hibernate in a sealed off chamber in the burrow.
The following are commonly used methods of control: Phostoxin, a fumigant, contains aluminum phosphide. In the presence of moisture, phosphide gas (phosphine) is released, which is claimed to be effective against groundhogs. When handling Phostoxin, a full face mask repirator with an acid gas canister should be worn and the use of cotton gloves is recommended. A second person with personal protective equipment should be assisting during the fumigation. Always consult the product label. This product is manufactured in tablet form. Rate of application is one tablet per hole. All entrances must be sealed to prevent the gas from escaping.
A Grower Pesticide Safety Certificate is required before Phostoxin can be purchased by a farmer. The policy with this pesticide also requires the user to take instruction on using the product before it can be purchased. (A Factsheet, Aluminum Phosphide for Groundhog Control, is available from the Ontario Ministry of Environment.)
Gas Cartridges are cardboard cylinders containing a mixture that burns slowly and asphyxiates the groundhog. The cartridge is placed in the burrow of the groundhog and all entrances must be sealed. Follow manufacturer’s instructions on the preparation and use of cartridges.
Trapping can be effective for groundhog control, however, it is time-consuming. The use of No. 2 steel traps (muskrat traps) are most practical. Traps should be checked at least twice a day and should be cleaned after each catch.
Shooting can be an excellent means of keeping groundhogs under control. However, it must be done regularly from spring to fall.
 
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