Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters How Do You Call A Gopher?

J.B. being the pro that he is, used a 17 something-or-other shell casing to blow into and get the gophers to stick their heads up. It wasn't really working that well, we didn't see that many gophers all day.

When one did show up, he was out the door before I could stop the truck to get the first shot. Now I know why he told me the 4 wheel drive was out in his truck, so I could drive and he could shoot...

You made him ride in the back?
No wonder he was peeved.

Being in the back wasn't any problem, since I was sitting behind all the BS going back and forth between Shrapnel and Eileen!

It does look like it worked out for you.....

John,

Does he hit you over the head with that horsewhip whenever you can't see the gopher he's looking at? He told me it was a "Bozeman tradition" but I'm not so sure.


Travis

What '17 something-or-other'?

Travis,

Shrapnel and I are pretty much even on gophers seen first, though I might be a little ahead in lifetime spottings, since I was a year ahead of him at Bozeman Senior High School (BSHS, known widely back then as "old bullschidt horseschidt). He has taught me many lessons on the effectiveness of plastic-tipped bullets, especially bullets with red tips.

Eileen did say something about having a cold arm. By the time we got to dinner, we realized John had shot 3 holes in her sleeve...

You won't like his reply. He has become a "Fireball guy."

Sickening...


Travis

Huntsman,

That was a .17 Varmint Hunters Association (.17 VHA), the 4.6x30mm submachine gun round necked down. The ammo used had the 20-grain V-Mac at 3200 or so, a little more than the new Winchester rimfire round.

I also field-tested my new CZ .17 Hornet for the first time. Mucho impressed, as I knew I would be, after your posts and those of others.

Shrap loves him some V-Maxes. Big time...


Travis

Big Time!

I'll be down in June. Go easy on the horsewhip this time.



Travis

Shrapnel: I have owned a couple of different models of "Gopher Calls".
My close friend Don owns the coolest one though!
His was made years ago by a western Montana Hutterite Colony craftsman.
It is made of oak and brass tubing.
I think the secret to Gopher Calls is convincing your shooting/Hunting partners to put down their armaments and take up the "Gopher Call" and work it.
Meanwhile, YOU shoot the Gophers that are "up" and may or may not have appeared due to the calling!
I have read game biologists reports where they estimate that only 20% of a Ground Squirrel colony is above ground at any one time - so about 80% of the Gophers are down in their burrows but thinking about coming up to get something fresh to eat.
In other words there is a lot of coming up and going down in a colony at all times - so a "Gopher Call" may or may not be working at all.
I don't know.
I still use them on occassion.
But I would not bet a box of 22 L.R.'s that they do or do not actually work.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Travis,

I pointed out the red plastic tips on all the .17 ammo I was shooting, and Shrapnel congratulated me heartily on my learning ability.

At dinner in Livingston that evening (the Campfire members including Shrapnel, 30338, handwerk, leenie3freezers, and our generous host George De Vries) I confessed that all my articles are based on stuff Shrapnel taught me over the past few years, His big problem is he can't write worth a lick. Otherwise he'd be as rich as me, or other gun writers like Mike Venturino.

I feel left out.

Long live shrap!


Travis

John can't quite get his mind wrapped around the "Plastic Tipped" bullets. I had to show him throughout the day, what a red tipped V-Max looks like, before and after it is launched. I think he may be converted now, I wouldn't be surprised to see an article or two on the virtues...

Laughin'... I ditched the Bergers and replaced them with V-Maxes for the June trip. Hopefully you'll go easy on the horsewhip now.

The boy's .223 AI will be ready by then as well. Wait until you see those "red tips" with the RPM's of a 1-8" twist...

"OUCH!"


Travis

And I thank you very much. Also want to thank you for taking the books over to the Bozone for Ron, and for introducing me to the 6mm 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip!

I can't wait, but be honest, do you think it has a chance against the trio of 222 mag spatulas???

Oh yeah. Most of my archaic SX's are shot up.

Schit gonna be ugly...


Travis