Originally Posted by VarmintGuy
Coldboremiracle: Some of my closest held "secret Hunting spots" are indeed those for high mountain Rock Chucks!
I have one secret spot from which I and a carefully chosen fellow Hunter can set-up and shoot at Chucks from nearby to 1,000 yards if one so chooses!
I choose NOT to shoot them at anything under 200 yards nor past 550 yards - and then only if the Chuck is of the mature/large body type.
These high mountain Chuck Colonies are often VERY susceptible to "over-Hunting" so I limit myself to 20 - 25 a day, total, from various stands.
Indeed I once traveled 950 miles to get to this particular spot only to find out the rocky road/trail leading to it, was still snowed in.
And this was in late June!
One of my all time favorite "high country" calibers by the way is the 220 Swift.
Slow shooting up here so no barrel heating worries and the flat trajectory always helps.
And another tip/observation - when I first found out about high country Rock Chuckin (1970'ish) my home Rifle range was at 25' elevation.
I sighted my Swift in there on the tide flats of Seattle and then traveled to the timberline (9,500' plus) and you would be amazed at the difference in the point of impact change (due to the change in air density)!
Have a good season and don't over-harvest.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy



That sounds a lot like what I do, except you must have a lot more chucks than us. I'm happy to shoot 2 or 3 a day, but like you I never over harvest. I never shoot more than one or two from a group. We are very selective with our shots, they are not hard to wait out, and get a better/cleaner shot. But we do on occasion shoot them at 4,5,600yds. I totally agree they are a trophy varmint, which Is why I dont like to kill off the little buggers. They are actually quite a beautiful little animal, and fun to watch (through a scope).
I usually use my .223 barrel, but sometimes a 308 or 260, just depends on the day.


[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

"The first shot, is worth all the rest"