Where to hunt Gophers in AB?

Poppin off the odd one with the 410 calibre would get real expensive in a hurry with the price of them today! Looks like your gettin up real close. Cool
I think that’s my 3 one with the 410, one with the 20 gauge. Up around the feed bunch it’s easy to get close to them. But yeah 410 ammo is crazy expensive these days
 
I think that’s my 3 one with the 410, one with the 20 gauge. Up around the feed bunch it’s easy to get close to them. But yeah 410 ammo is crazy expensive these days
Yeah the 20 is way more wallet friendly but cool whacking stuff with a 410. Shooting birds on the wing is humbling!
 
I thought my ears were ringing? lol I've seen 13/Columbian and Richardson's all on the same day in SW Ab but the 13 stripe were only in one field and not a lot of them. Not a lot of Richardsons in that field either btw. Anyway, I instinctively touched a shot off on one and missed before realizing it wasn't just a small Richardson, then in that field....stopped looking for the 13s altogether. Spotted a few more, but they were cool looking...in small #s and to be perfectly honest, more restless and probably a harder target.

Always wondered if the 13s exist in problematic numbers anywhere-guess I have that answer.

Richardsons are basically the targets 100% of the time
 
I think I killed close to 60 13 stripers last year in my yard alone. They come in from the fields obviously. They are very hard to get rid of once you have enough of them. They are a PITA. Just like giant mice, they get into and under everything.
 
I think I killed close to 60 13 stripers last year in my yard alone. They come in from the fields obviously. They are very hard to get rid of once you have enough of them. They are a PITA. Just like giant mice, they get into and under everything.
What makes them hard to get rid of? Is it their small size or constant moving or both? Im curious and basically know nothing about them and only seen the pics posted on here. They look kindah cool but like red squirrels and chipmunks here in Ontario, they can be a PITA but fun whacking with the PCP gun.
 
What makes them hard to get rid of? Is it their small size or constant moving or both? Im curious and basically know nothing about them and only seen the pics posted on here. They look kindah cool but like red squirrels and chipmunks here in Ontario, they can be a PITA but fun whacking with the PCP gun.

I know one answer might be....? The ones I saw literally wouldn't sit still for more than 2 seconds and often less than that. Smaller, darker/blending in and when they disappear in the grass and reappear, it's usually further away than you think it's gonna be. They can cover ground quick for their size. Cagey lol

In a field a few kms away (in contrast) we were making 120-ish yard shots with the 22s (Richardsons only) with major wind a constant factor. Couldn't even hold the reticle on the target with the gusts...but we were shooting down into an Alberta-brown valley, a seeded field early June that the gophers had already written off. I will admit that it sometimes took more than 10 rounds to make contact but never 20..lol Point being, even in the heat/mirage/wind/dust...we could still clearly see the near misses that peppered the gophers with dust/pebbles. We were shooting into the wind naturally so the misses were all upwind...it was something to see. Bang......"poof" and the gopher sits-up and dusts itself off but doesn't move. Cycle/repeat...gopher doesn't take the hint.

I'd rather have Richardsons to contend with
 
Use to have my cousins ranch to shoot at for years, unfortunately it sold years ago but what a hoot.

As much fun as it is I wouldn’t wish them upon any farm.
 
Yes, to most of both the above posts. They’re tiny, super flighty, rarely sit still longer than a second or two, if they see movement they’re gone. A lot of times they are close to my buildings, house, if you miss you cause other problems obviously…

I can’t really poison because of dogs etc.. tried traps with peanut butter, but rarely work but sometimes.

20 or so years ago, rarely saw a handful a year.
 
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