Saskatchewan Gophers

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Gerald

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A friend and myself have some time off in May and are looking to journey to Saskatchewan to hunt gophers. We would like to know the best area of the province to go to and any other advice or knowledge that you could offer.
Thanks, Gerald.
 
I have family south of Moose Jaw and they always have plenty of gophers in their fields. There always seems to be lots around Swift Current as well. BTW, you don't "hunt" gophers, you shoot them ;)
 
Sorry about the terminology. Is there any problem accessing land to shoot on? I guess what I am asking is, are the locals open to letting outsiders on their land to shoot? I am not fond of trespassing and only hunt with permission here in Ontario.
 
Gerald, generally speaking if a farmer or rancher has gophers on their land, they most often let people on to shoot gophers as long as there isn't livestock or people working in the field. I don't think that you'll have any problem at all getting permission. Be polite and look respectable, and you'll certainly find some fields to shoot gophers in. You will find the good folks in Saskatchewan to be gun / hunter friendly.
 
I went out last Sept and in one pasture we shot til dark each day for 4 days and it was never ending. 5 1/2 bricks and not many misses as we shot bolt actions. We have been asked back again in May and through out the summer and to many other farmers properties. I shoot in Western Manitoba but close enough to Sask.
 
This is the type of response I was hoping to get. We will be driving from rural central Ontario. Western Manitoba would also work. Finding one place and shooting would be excellent as Winnipeg Toymaker has related. This trip is going to happen and I would like it to go as smooth as possible and I would like to be as prepared as possible to make that happen. Are there any specific areas we could concentrate on?
 
to many gophers

If you want to travel to SW Sask. I'm sure I could find you enough gophers to keep you busy for a day or ten, and we would supply the 22lr shells to kill the little buggers.
 
I shoot around the Russell area and because i have a travel van, I am self contained and stay out in the fields quite often...shooting starts early and ends late. Therefore can go anywhere to shoot if need be.
 
I've shot twice now in the area around Mankota, and a couple of times around Ogema. As said above, just ask and you will likely be able to shoot gophers 'til the "cows come home". Don't arrive in the farmer's yard with empty beer cans rolling around on the floor, and be careful of fire. These are good people, and we are shooting on their land. Good luck!!:p
 
I did a three day hunt just outside of SwiftCurrent last May longweekend. It turned out to be VERY hot (keeps gophers down) and VERY windy on one of the days (70+km winds). And out of the party of 4 guys I was in, we bagged maybe 2500 to 3000 gophers over the time we were there.
The farm we were on was frikkin HUGE! All the fields were in "stubble" which made it tough to spot them unless the ran. We ran into the owner a couple of times and he told us, "If you guys are running low on ammo, theres 50,000 rnds of .22 in the truck in my yard...help yourself" Now,....where would you get an offer like that? :dancingbanana:
All in all though...we have just as good shooting here in Alberta, only an hour out of town. SwiftCurrent was a 7 hr trek one way.
Center fires also are fun with the lonnnng wide open areas to shoot. My .204 did get a bit of a workout, but the wind was just to much for the 32gr bullets.
 
hey gopherxs i'm located in Rosetown sk and me and some friends would be intersted in coming down the closer too swift current the better
 
Gopher cull

I am hoping to get down to Gopherxs's place early in April, for some plentiful shooting.
I was with Rickcat on last years safari, and the wind was howling, but I disagree with the shooting in Alberta being on par with Saskatchewan. i was staying in Swift Current and driving out to where the boys were camped.

If I would have stopped to shoot the gophers beside the highway on the 40 km drive, I'd have never made it out to the camp.

You truly can't believe how many gophers in south west Sask that need to be dealt with, and I can't wait to get back there. FS
 
FassteelI was with Rickcat on last years safari, and the wind was howling, but I disagree with the shooting in Alberta being on par with Saskatchewan. i was staying in Swift Current and driving out to where the boys were camped.
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Lmao...Its because you got there a couple of days ahead of the rest of us and shot them all . :D
The one REAL high point Greg was the meat you brought to camp and treated us with for brecky one morning. MMM MMMMMMM!!
 
kjohn said:
I've shot twice now in the area around Mankota, and a couple of times around Ogema. As said above, just ask and you will likely be able to shoot gophers 'til the "cows come home". Don't arrive in the farmer's yard with empty beer cans rolling around on the floor, and be careful of fire. These are good people, and we are shooting on their land. Good luck!!:p
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X2...Never been turned down by a farmer when asking to shoot gophers. Often they mention neighbors that are warm to having a shooter dispose of gophers as well. A clean vehicle, politeness and a fresh haircut go a long way...especially with older generation agricultural people. These are fine hard working people so respect is of the utmost importance. I drive the highways and back roads in search of new territory. Google earth is another good avenue to spot likely areas. Can't see gopher holes but often badger craters show up well.
 
Every year I go to a buddies farm out near Regina Beach, we both used Savage 22-250's all day, it was worth it when you see the thing rip in 1/2 or explode. Anyhow, we usually sit on top of this small mound and no joke, it looks as though the ground was moving, it was that thick with gophers, we both went through 80 rounds each and probably hit 75 out of 80, we barely made a dent in the population that day.
 
I understand the message you are trying to convey, but don't worry, my parents taught me respect and manners before I started school. Alcohol and guns is not my thing, and I am so close to 60 that the older generation and I see things the same way.
 
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My folks live in Eastern Sask near Qu'Appelle Valley, lots of gophers there.

When I go home we usually just use .22 rimfires so its cheap fun. I like my .204 for long range shooting. I like to teach them acrobatics..........


Weather can make or break your experience, it sucks when you book a long weekend and it rains the whole time. As Rick65Cat mentioned heat and excessive wind will keep them in their holes to.

Your best bet would be to plan nearly a week in the spring, then if weather is bad you can just relax rather than getting frustrated. You can camp for next to nothing but hotels in small towns are pretty cheap.

I plan to go home for a bit in June, PM me later in the spring and I bet I could set you up with some shooting.
 
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