What is with all the groundhogs?

[Melnic]

I'm seeing an increase in Deer, Foxes, groundhogs and Rabbits.
I have not had a groundhog down by the creek in 3 years. That one did not last long. I had a suppressed subsonic ready for it but within a week or so, I saw a hind leg remains down there. Never was able to get a good shot.
There were 3 juvenile foxes on my cameras last week and I guess they are too young to handle the rabbits right now. They seem to be eating bugs and worms and not going after the rabbits.

 

[hobiecat590]

I have quite a few in my yard as well and use them for target practice. Have killed about 5 with my AR .22 lr this year. In years past I have shot at them with my single shot .22 lr. Not affective. Especially if you hit them in the head. .22 lr not powerful enough to penetrate skull from distance. Was like Caddy Shack, bullet bounced off and then they would just stare at me. Got to get them in the lung or under the chin works best when they are standing.

This has been my experience also. See a GH thread from 3 years ago. 1 perfect behind the shoulder 22lr shot, then 1 more for good measure at 20 yards. It took 3 more from 3 ft away to finally put it out of its misery. Head shots and finally a spine shot took it out. I felt terrible and switched to 22 mag after this. 1 shot and "quickly" done under for under 80 yards and reasonably quietly to keep the neighbors happy. YMMV

I have not seen one yet this year because they probably think Jake, aka "small critter bane", is still prowling around. Sigh...

 

[Bob A]

I'm seeing an increase in Deer, Foxes, groundhogs and Rabbits.
I have not had a groundhog down by the creek in 3 years. That one did not last long. I had a suppressed subsonic ready for it but within a week or so, I saw a hind leg remains down there. Never was able to get a good shot.
There were 3 juvenile foxes on my cameras last week and I guess they are too young to handle the rabbits right now. They seem to be eating bugs and worms and not going after the rabbits.

Silver Spring and Takoma Park are overrun with rabbits since last year. I've only encountered one fox in the area, which is disappointing as there's more than enough of these critters to feed a few families.

For that matter, we have our full share of deer as well. However, while the local deer herd has been around for quite a while, the rabbits are a recent phenomenon.

 

[outrider58]

More groundhogs, more fun!

 

[Rockzilla]

I find the .22 hornet one of the best rounds for groundhogs. .222, 5.56 and .22 mag will do the job very well too. Of course, so will a .50 BMG. Some folks like overkill.

50 BMG most definitely kill em and dig the hole to put them in.
22 hornet works well, 221 Fireball (50gr Blitz),17 Rem, 220 Swift (52gr HPBT)


-Rock

 

[slsc98]

Everything in our runs in contrasting (or parallel?) cycles. When Fox / yote are down, rabbits are up …

At present we have two black bear cubs, first sighted in our own front yard Sunday by a neighbor walking past our place. She texted the wife and I to demand, “DIDN‘T YOU SEE THEM?!” and proceeded to tell us the two had run across the road right ahead of her, from our yard into the woods as I did a 3-point turn and back down our drive. Multiple sightings of both since then but, no sight of any adult(s) yet …

 

[teratos]

The young ones cook up like pot roast.

 

[44 Bulldog]

It's global warming!

I thought it was Trumps fault!

 

[SummitCnty]

We have been steady cleaning them out since I moved into my house 12 years ago. Some years it’s one or two, others it’s 5 or 6.

Good target practice for my son.

 

[justiw]

Inside 50 yards, my cz 455 in .22 lr is a drt machine. I just use cci sv rounds, 40 gr lead round nose. High neck, ear hole, spine, straight to the face, broad side boiler room. Only one had enough gumption to scurry under the shed. He fooled me by acting drt and when I put the rifle away and came back, just blood trail.

 

[Pale Ryder]

Haven’t seen an increase in GH’s, but have seen an increase in both rabbits and squirrels.

 

[Threeband]

The young ones cook up like pot roast.

And the hide makes the best shoestrings.

 

[EddieB]

I find the .22 hornet one of the best rounds for groundhogs. .222, 5.56 and .22 mag will do the job very well too. Of course, so will a .50 BMG. Some folks like overkill.

A few years ago I was zeroing rifles on a friend’s farm. Had portable target backers set up at 100-200 yards. About an hour into the session a ground hog wandered out between the targets. Hit him with a 180 grain Core Loct out of a .30-06. It happened to be what I had on the bench at that moment. Overkill? Maybe. But dead is dead.

 

[Crazytrain]

 

[Clovis]

View attachment 423871

That look that says "Damn, where'd they put their beans..."

 

[RRomig]

Suppressed 200 grain subsonic 300 blk is great for small game in tight areas. Targets and Squirrels is my limit for subsonic 22. Though I’m well aware it works on other creatures I just like a little more put down power. Full power 22 is fine but then you have the sonic crack. I’m available anytime for pizza and ground hog parties.
GL

 

[Phoenix_1295]

We used to have two groundhogs that regularly fed below our bird feeders. We haven’t seen them this year, though.

We enjoy a nice variety of wildlife at our place - foxes, opossums, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, pileated woodpeckers, rabbits, raccoons, etc.

 

[CHUNKERMD]

The young ones cook up like pot roast.

I knew an old lady would give $5 each but had to be alive
She caged them up for 7-10 days and fed them all you can eat saltines and milk.

 

[RRomig]

We used to have two groundhogs that regularly fed below our bird feeders. We haven’t seen them this year, though.

We enjoy a nice variety of wildlife at our place - foxes, opossums, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, pileated woodpeckers, rabbits, raccoons, etc.

We live in the woods surrounded by wildlife. If I’m not going to eat it I don’t hunt it. We really enjoy watching all the animals. Unless they start fvcking shyt up. Then they are done.

 

[lazarus]

We live in the woods surrounded by wildlife. If I’m not going to eat it I don’t hunt it. We really enjoy watching all the animals. Unless they start fvcking shyt up. Then they are done.

Ditto. I am either eating it, or it is a problem animal. At least here, ground hogs are the only ones that are ALWAYS problem animals. I enjoy seeing them enough when they are no where near my house. Never had severe damage from them. Did have one little F*$& get into my wife garden and tear up a lot of stuff one year when we were on vacation. I have had part of my shed supports undermined and had to fix it. If it is within eyesight of my house on my property, or a neighbors where I have permission, the sucker is going down. I am not waiting for them to move on in.

Half of what I love about deer hunting is just sitting in my stand behind my house watching the fox, blue herons fishing in the creek, listening to the birds, watching the deer that never get close enough, or just aren't on the target list, squirrels doing their thing, etc.

If ground hogs didn't mess with or try to get into my wife's garden, or undermine foundations, I'd be 100% on live and let live. Just like fox. I've no problem with someone who wants to hunt them. Heck, I kind of would like a nice taxidermied mount of one. But eh. The ones here leave my chickens alone, keep the squirrels somewhat in check, and I just love watching them. Not going to eat them, not bothering me and mine. So I leave them alone.