Took Cookie for a drive yesterday, and we ran into one of Rock Chuck's kids. Cute little guy about 10 inches long.



Had about 4 siblings, but they would not gather for a group shot.

Were you going to get them with one shot?
That would be quite a feat unless it was a shot of #6's.

Just kidding, nice picture!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I've only got 1 on my place so far this year. They live under the neighbor's wood pile and I can't shoot until they cross the fence. My wife has a commercial flower farm. If they ever find that, it'll get expensive real fast.

How could you? After some thought though, I've come to sympathize with Rosanne's comment about understanding why some species will actually consume their children. My son takes me close to that wall quite frequently.

Have a good one,

Oh man. Rock chuck where are the chucks? I was in the southern Idaho area last weekend. Got into a few but not in the numbers I am happy with. A 243 ai with a 75 max gets pretty entertaining

Waited and waited for 3 groundhog pups to line up on a log by their den, eventually got pizzed and just shot two of em w a 75gr Speer HP

Pop two w one shot.....erases a miss statistically LOL

So many houses and urban sprawl that shooting them with a centerfire is getting tough to find a spot. I shoot a hundred or so each year with my pellet gun on the edges of rural subdivision and farms that my boss owns. Still entertaining but not as fun as grenading them

We were Hell on Woodchucks when I was a kid in Va. So poor, however, that 22LR's were the arm of choice. Had to break them down or brain them to keep them from making the den. About the only thing we could air out during spring/summer.

Here in Oregon, we have Belding's Ground Squirrels from about mid-March through June and in much greater numbers than one could ever experience with chucks. Except for some fly-tying needs, I pretty much leave our Rock versions alone.

Around here the ground squirrel numbers are nothing like they used to be. What we have is a dozen species of hungry hawks. Only the biggest ones can handle a rock chuck but any of them can eat a squirrel. The feds have been propagating hawks for about 20 or 30 years and they're very common now. We do have lots of rock chucks, though, if you can find a safe place to shoot.

Interesting. This was my first time heading up there for a chuck specific hunt. I too only saw a couple ground squirells Pretty surprised at that Did see an abnormal hawk population. What did the feds do to propagate the hawks?

I don't know what all they did. They established the National Birds of Prey area between here and Boise. They've done a lot of work to increase nesting and you sure as heck don't want to be caught shooting one.

There used to be signs around central NC stating that it was a 5000.00 dollar fine and up to 5 years jail time for killing a bird of prey.
Better off to shoot anything besides one of them. We are overrun with hawks and owls. Surprisingly I see a few bald eagles around too.

You practically can't find a covey of wild quail around. Between feral cats and the hawks they work on them.
And yes I shoot every cat I see. Well except for that big bobcat I saw last year. He will not get a second chance....

They made it illegal with big fines to shoot any bird of prey.........unlike what Elmer Keith did back in the day.

There are hundreds of gophers in town, but I swear they know where the city limits are because beyond that line they don't exist.

Great photos, as always, thanks for sharing.

As a followup: a couple litters of chucklings have appeared in my pasture the last few days. If they find my wife's commercial flowers, it'll get expensive in a hurry so I'm gunning for them. I got 1 yesterday and 2 this morning. There are at least 4 more I need to get. I have lots of patience. When they're close in, they're extra wary. Any movement at all and they're gone. This morning there was a mother with 4 young'uns but as I tried to peek through the garage door, one of them saw me and they all streaked for the neighbor's woodpile. I usually don't get more than 1 chance a day. Once they've been spooked, they won't be back for at least that day, sometimes 2 days. Most of these are no more than 30 to 50 yd shots with a 22LR.

Gotta love them feds and their birds of prey protection.