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I have one farm in the SRA of SE PA where I play my silly games with the field rat population. Normally, my dog and I scout out where the scent trails are, or in my case spot one munching on soy bean.

Usually this ends up with a few woodchucks praying to the sun gods, or at least a canditate for the following outing. Not so much this season. The field rodents seem to have developed a 6th sense for a hunter in the area! Yesterday I spotted one standing about 75 yds away, and as I used the adjoining corn field for cover it scurried off the field. The dog is pretty well trained not to give our position away, but something has these hogs very skittish.

There is a new kid on the block, with a young dog he enjoys having with him, and the young dog is rather energetic to say the least' The new fellow is a really nice guy, and the dog is being trained, so I do't want to point fingers, but do you think the puppy may be the cause of the problem? Or possibly someone else has seen this happen with a different reason for it?

Really, I'm more curious than upset, actually, so long as a get a few and don't get rained on I'm pretty much not upset at all.


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Seems Coyotes have Groundhogs jumpy everywhere. They tend to stay closer to cover. The migration of Yotes to the East has affected most all game !!!


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I hadn't made any association with it, but you could be right. I really don't hunt coyote in the Special Regulation Area here in SE Pa mainly because we have a rimfire only restriction, but I have seen quite a few more coyote than I remember spotting in the past.
Deer numbers seem fine, and they're no jumpier than usual, unless the coyote are crossing the fields toward the bedding area, but those field rats are a whole nother game.

Last edited by Old_Man; 07/05/20.

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I guess I don't know why you were trying to get closer with a 75 yard shot presented, buildings in the background, hunting with a handgun, etc? Inquiring mind is curious!


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Yotes pretty well decimated our groundhog population.
I used to smack at least a dozen or so every summer. In '98, before coyotes had made it that far east, I spent the spring and summer up in Grainger Co. TN, and killed a truck bed full.
I can recall killing two since 2007. Of course, I'm long out of the habit of going out and looking for them.

Deer around here (at least grown ones) don't particularly seem to fret coyotes. I'm not saying that they won't eat fawns, just that there are typically easier protein sources available. I'm sure when one happens upon a very young fawn, it's lunch.

I've been meaning to take up semi professional coyote whacking in the years since, but that seems to require getting up early and dedicating more time and energy, as opposed to just going out late in the afternoon and shooting them like I always did with groundhogs.

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Originally Posted by shootsacreed
I guess I don't know why you were trying to get closer with a 75 yard shot presented, buildings in the background, hunting with a handgun, etc? Inquiring mind is curious!



Why get closer? Well, my longest shot with the 17 HMR has been a one shot, 238 yard head shot off my bi pod, as was measured by my rangefinder. Since rimfire is all we're permitted in the Special Regs Area, it was a head shot. But I need a steadier rest than off hand can provide these days.

Problem was that I couldn't get down on the bi pod and see over the rise at the same time. Before my dissability took hold a 75 yd off hand shot was in the cards, but no more. So, I guess the answer is that if I can't be reasonably sure of a killing shot, I go for better position But I really had to smile at your question, because it is EXACTLY what I would have asked years ago! I loved it!

Last edited by Old_Man; 07/07/20.

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Hardly see any groundhogs around here now. Only on the roadside close to the cities.

Haven't shot a groundhog in maybe 20 years. Used to be able to go out and get 1/2 dozen a couple times a month on the larger farms. Fun shooting.

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Old Man I hail from just north of you in Carbon County and wished I had a 17HMR in HS and college, much cheaper to use than my .223 and just as effective. You need to get a set of the shooting sticks that extend to like 60+ inches that way you can shoot standing up!


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Originally Posted by shootsacreed
Old Man I hail from just north of you in Carbon County and wished I had a 17HMR in HS and college, much cheaper to use than my .223 and just as effective. You need to get a set of the shooting sticks that extend to like 60+ inches that way you can shoot standing up!


I never found the 17 HMR to be as effective as just about any centerfire. A 22 Hornet will anchor a groundhog out to 200 yds, my old 22/250 out past 400yds, and that with body shots. But the 17 HMR seems
shaky using body shots past 125 yds.

The shooting sticks are a great idea, and I do use a set of Stoney Point sticks with my flintlock during deer season, they just never worked out too well on woodchucks for me. When I was a firearm instructor I often gave the example of "If your crosshairs are moving on a target that's 200+ yards you at best will only wound, at worse miss all together". I'm sort of rock steady or gain better advantage. Groundhogs have a habit of being predictable enough to almost be able to set your watch by them as to when they come out, so if not today, I'll be waiting for it tomorrow.

And by the way, I'm a little jealous you guys up in Carbon County get to hammar your hogs with centerfires. Always a pleasure.


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Originally Posted by Old_Man
I hadn't made any association with it, but you could be right. I really don't hunt coyote in the Special Regulation Area here in SE Pa mainly because we have a rimfire only restriction, but I have seen quite a few more coyote than I remember spotting in the past.
Deer numbers seem fine, and they're no jumpier than usual, unless the coyote are crossing the fields toward the bedding area, but those field rats are a whole nother game.


If I lived in a rimfire area, I would get a 22mag or maybe a 17WSM to shoot coyote.

Can you use shotguns? Shotguns with large shot or buckshot can be very effective. Early morning, late afternoon, anytime you can call are good times to call coyote.

If most callers are calling early and late, try the middle of the day. You might have great success because the coyotes aren't used to mid day callers.

Last edited by AB2506; 07/08/20.
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I just shot my first groundhog since at least 10 years. Have not seen any. Just saw this one by chance along the ditch next to the road. While I was waiting for this one I saw 2 more moving a field over.

Some road traffic but no people in this area. They sure didn’t seem afraid.

I used a newly acquired Thompson R55 Sporter 22lr.
The most accurate 22lr I have had. Doesn’t seem to miss.

Last edited by JustLucky; 07/09/20. Reason: Typo

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The pre-R55 Classics don't seem to miss, either.....

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Originally Posted by AB2506


If I lived in a rimfire area, I would get a 22mag or maybe a 17WSM to shoot coyote.

Can you use shotguns? Shotguns with large shot or buckshot can be very effective. Early morning, late afternoon, anytime you can call are good times to call coyote.

If most callers are calling early and late, try the middle of the day. You might have great success because the coyotes aren't used to mid day callers.



My rimfire of choice has become the 17 HMR. I have a 22 Magnum, very accurate to 100 yds, great little groundhog bone crusher out to 75 yds, but out past 100 it isn't as dependable as the tack-drivng 17 HMR is

The 17 WSM would be a very good woodchuck taker in an accurate rifle. Unfortunately I bought a Savage B Mag that was just terrible. I tried all I could think of to straighten it out, but eventually returned it to Savage, who replaced the whole rifle with one that while better than the 4>5 moa the original managed, was only 1 1/2 moa on a good day. Hardly the 300 yd gun I hoped for when I purchased it. My Marlin 17 HMR was the rifle I got when the Savage was traded in. In fairness, there are some B Mags that are decent shooters. I know of one fellow who has one which he says does 3/4 moa any day of the week. I really dislike the idea of playing musical rimfires to find one.....My HMR is a 5/8 moa day in and day out.

As I said, I don't normally shoot coyote, but I did load up a box of 25 BB lead for my 12 GA that patterned well to about 50 yds, and did a number on fox and yotes hanging around the chicken pens at the other farm in SRA that I can hunt. Ballistics Products carries all the components you might need to load some up, including specs.

Last edited by Old_Man; 07/09/20. Reason: typo

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Originally Posted by JustLucky
I just shot my first groundhog since at least 10 years. Have not seen any. Just saw this one by chance along the ditch next to the road. While I was waiting for this one I saw 2 more moving a field over.

Some road traffic but no people in this area. They sure didn’t seem afraid.

I used a newly acquired Thompson R55 Sporter 22lr.
The most accurate 22lr I have had. Doesn’t seem to miss.



Sweet Hiram! That's a nice 22 to be that accurate as to never miss. Every so often you hear of a gun of one kind or another that you wish you had, and the owner never will be willing to part with. Treasure it and enjoy it, they don't come along too often.


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Originally Posted by oldwoody2
Seems Coyotes have Groundhogs jumpy everywhere. They tend to stay closer to cover. The migration of Yotes to the East has affected most all game !!!




What migration our freaking game commission bring them in, trade trukey for yotes

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Just saw one this evening behind the barn. First one I've seen at my place since moving here 9 years ago. I've seen a few up the road.

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Originally Posted by Old_Man
Originally Posted by JustLucky
I just shot my first groundhog since at least 10 years. Have not seen any. Just saw this one by chance along the ditch next to the road. While I was waiting for this one I saw 2 more moving a field over.

Some road traffic but no people in this area. They sure didn’t seem afraid.

I used a newly acquired Thompson R55 Sporter 22lr.
The most accurate 22lr I have had. Doesn’t seem to miss.



Sweet Hiram! That's a nice 22 to be that accurate as to never miss. Every so often you hear of a gun of one kind or another that you wish you had, and the owner never will be willing to part with. Treasure it and enjoy it, they don't come along too often.



You know what that means since I have’t missed with it so far? I have not shot it enough.

Last edited by JustLucky; 07/10/20. Reason: Clarity

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Originally Posted by JustLucky
[quote=Old_Man][quote=JustLucky]


You know what that means since I have’t missed with it so far? I have not shot it enough.



I,m sure you'll take care of the "not shooting it enough" part soon enough Brother. The missing part will unfortunately take care of itself I'm sure. Get 'em all!


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There's a reason they're usually considered a long range proposition.


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Originally Posted by deflave
There's a reason they're usually considered a long range proposition.



For me, long range used to be 350>yds. Lately, and now living in that Special Regulations Area, 200ish and up is long range. The long range proposition is most desirable, but anyone who snipes at extended ranges knows all too well that solid rests and steady crosshairs are mandatory to hit tiny targets.

My old hunting partner and I used to have a saying: "Youthful enthusiasm is replaced by old age and treachery", which simply means at our age we've learned to do what's necesary to get the job done, and we learned to be patient enough to accomplish it. Long range shooting seems to fall within thoses lines.


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