So...any of you westerners gearing-up for gopher season? :)

.22LRGUY

.22LRGUY

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As an Ontarian with gopher-envy, I'm wondering if any of you guys are pumped about the idea of getting out for gophers this spring, and what you have lined-up to shoot them! As a passionate groundhog hunter here in S. Ontario (checking PMs daily for invites ;) ) the prep for my season here started about 2 weeks after our varmints started their hibernation here. A new rifle (.204 R) will be on deck this year but as is always the case...a 3-4 groundhog day is a success. An 8-10 groundhog day is MAYBE a once-a-season kind of gang-buster hunt. I'm sort of hoping I can make my way out to AB or SASK to try gophers in 2014, just doing what I can to gather a little intel, and find-out where I should get WestJet to land! lol

Let's see those gopher guns guys!
 
3-4 a day? Wow.

I know our RGS's are different from yours in many ways... numbers are waaaay different. 3-4 per minute is a success. :) The last few years the numbers where I shoot are way down, but still able to whack at least 100 on a good day. Back in 2003-2004 I had some days with well over 500 using rimfire only.

I'm loading up some VMAX .223 rounds this weekend in anticipation!

My gopher slayers:
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Excited to see how the VQ .17 HMR is in the gopher gallery this year.




Lightweight .22Lr for walking around.



I hope to get this .17 HMR Cooper finally scoped. Been saying that for a few years now but this year I mean it :)





My very ambitious goal but not very unlikely is to get either a .22 Hornet or .17 Hornet for the season.
 
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Big issue is ammo in 22 HP. If you can find it, the price has gone up $10 or more a brick.
I can shoot 200+ a day on my friends 4 sections of land!
Happy happy!
 
I'm planning a trip into Pa. to scout some areas, secure access for a possible groundhog shoot this year...
The non-res. lic. is somewhat spendy at $101.00, but... apparently its a target rich enviroment.
My bestest best day of dirt pig shooting in Ont. last year was six kills.
Usually I get one or two...

My longest shot last season... appox. 240 yards.

 
I've got a nice new Henry Frontier to try out this spring, and I'm going to take my JR out this spring and see what a 9mm does to a gopher.

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Cz 452 17hmr

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Cz family, 452 hmr, 452 22lr beach stock, and 455 22wmr.

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Cil 171 22lr

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Crappy phone pic of marlin m60

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Savage axis 223rem

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Savage model 14 classic stainless with fluted barrel. 22-250

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Missing the old cooey but it gets used lots as well.

Then this is getting set up right away. Really good time to shoot gophers with a bow

Hoyt carbon spyder30
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Shot a few last year with this hoyt rampage xt

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667 said:
I'm planning a trip into Pa. to scout some areas, secure access for a possible groundhog shoot this year...
The non-res. lic. is somewhat spendy at $101.00, but... apparently its a target rich enviroment.
My bestest best day of dirt pig shooting in Ont. last year was six kills.
Usually I get one or two...


My longest shot last season... appox. 240 yards.

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Hey 667~I recognize that photo! :) We've chatted on another forum before, so I might have to bug you about PA and see how you're going about that. (license, bringing your rifles/ammo over the border, etc.) I've heard PA has allot of groundhogs, but always thought it would be a hassle to bring gear down there.

bollox said:
My bevy of CZ rimfires.

A 22 mag American and a henry lever have been added for this year.
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Hey bollox~that's a rifle I have a WTB ad up for. How do you like yours?
 
BrotherRockeye said:
only city folks hope for gophers...

I hope there's a sh!t load of potholes this year...
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Hey BRE~I'm just north of (but definitely not in) Toronto. If you're wishing for potholes in S. Ontario, your wish comes true about this time every year. :)

For the record~I'm not wishing for anything that might be a burden on farmers, rather, just starting a conversation to help beat the winter "blahs." Here in S. Ontario, I'm putting a terrific amount of time, energy, and fuel into the effort of keeping a number of farms here groundhog-free throughout the spring/summer. It's incredibly fun, but also an effort hard-working farmers here appreciate. Last I spoke with them (3 weeks ago) they still don't seem to be bothered by the fact that I don't live on a farm. Let's not make this thread a city vs. rural thing, because it's not.
 
.22LRGUY said:
Hey 667~I recognize that photo! :) We've chatted on another forum before, so I might have to bug you about PA and see how you're going about that. (license, bringing your rifles/ammo over the border, etc.) I've heard PA has allot of groundhogs, but always thought it would be a hassle to bring gear down there.
Click to expand...

ahhh yes... I thought that was you 'whisperer..lol
My initial plan is to take a couple days and take a ride down through some rural areas on the bike... 'See if I can hook up with some farmers and or check out some state forest lands.
just have to get a Pa. Non resident small game lic. and a blaze orange hat (State hunting law).
Bringing guns/ammo into the US is no hassle at all. 'Been doing it for years already.
 
hometownhero said:
Wouldn't be any different then the past 40 years of city living. Ive lived on the farm for many many years and we always hoped for some moving targets to shoot at.
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C'mon now, you don't look that old lol

I don't mind gophers...as long a they're not in my fields ; )

There's a couple of buffalo pastures a few miles away that are alive with them.

I think the high water table has them turning aquatic or morphing into swamp rats around here.

Had a muskrat walk across the road a few yards in front of my pickup last week...

.22LRGUY said:
Hey BRE~I'm just north of (but definitely not in) Toronto. If you're wishing for potholes in S. Ontario, your wish comes true about this time every year. :)

For the record~I'm not wishing for anything that might be a burden on farmers, rather, just starting a conversation to help beat the winter "blahs." Here in S. Ontario, I'm putting a terrific amount of time, energy, and fuel into the effort of keeping a number of farms here groundhog-free throughout the spring/summer. It's incredibly fun, but also an effort hard-working farmers here appreciate. Last I spoke with them (3 weeks ago) they still don't seem to be bothered by the fact that I don't live on a farm. Let's not make this thread a city vs. rural thing, because it's not.
Click to expand...

It was a tongue in cheek comment. Guess a smiley would have helped :D

I have a house in a city too. Don't see many grass rats there though...and wouldn't care if I did.

Happy blasting lads, kill em all if you can.
 
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