Thing dug a pile of gravel out from under my barn concrete. Seldom seen her so I set the trail cam out and timed her. She poked her head out right on time and took a .22 mag to the head. I sat to see if Any more came out and when I picked her up, she was loaded with flies already.
Now to get gravel back in the hole. Not easy, a wall is right there.
Nice job. Fleas or flies?
ive never heard of timing them with a trail cam. Thanks for the tip
The road less traveled ain't for the faint of heart
Flies, a dead chuck is a magnet for them. I wanted to cook her but after the flies I gave up, need to work faster. 15 minutes and it was covered.Originally Posted by Djones
She was right on time from the camera. I sat and waited a few times for nothing. First picture was 5:29 PM and a few until 6:34. I went out a little after 5 and soon she came out.
The camera really worked.
Last spring I noticed a strange semi circular mowing in the lawn at the back side of our trailer house. I found a spot where something had dug underneath. Then for a few days every now and then the very distinct whistle of a rockchuck could be heard around the house. Living in a semi rural area with neighbors way to close I got out the trusty pellet rifle however every time I rounded the corner the dang varmint was gone before a bead could be drawn. I ended up removing skirting till I could get a shot at it under the house. They can take a lot of lead from a pellet gun..If it ever happens again the .22 will be used. Glad you were able to get the destructive varmint.
They are tough critters so I chose the .22 mag to keep from other damage at the barn. I have a neighbor close but can shoot anything in my yard. I did not want to take out my old mower in the back overhang!
Come to think of it, every groundhog I have dispatched attracted flies really quickly.... I often noticed it, but never thought of it. Strange.
Glad you were able to get rid of the critter. Those characters a destructive little beasts.
My first shot with my S&W 625 was on a wood chuck. Just came from the LGS with it and the chuck came out from under the pig house. I had enough gun lol.
Oh great, another thread that makes me spend money.
It is still laying where I tossed it, nothing came to eat it except maggots, not even buzzards.
It is darn good meat if you work fast so I don't understand it. I think they do draw flies too fast.
They draw blow flies from miles away.
I had a perfect shot on a little hog and it fell into the hole. I could NOT see it, but there were a lot of flies in and around the hole. I've always figured this to mean a NASTY wound or a dead groundhog down there! I just don't count them If I can't at least SEE the body.
Next time don't wait so long, if you want to eat em, get em quick.
Not only got a wood chuck problem but the flies seem pretty bad too.
I posted a recipe for you in the recipe section, try it !
Yeah need to clean and get on ice fast.
Thanks, I will go see the recipe.
I have heard of eating wood chuck but never tried it, not many around here and I have only every shot a couple.
Hmmm...
Yesterday coming home from carry out there were a female and several young hit by side of road 100yds farther down was a deer that had been hit. Buzzards were all over the woodchucks nothing around the deers carcass yet. We have ate woodchucks in the past you need a small young one otherwise tough and strong tasting. A pain to clean at tmes as hide is very tough. But Tanned might make some good strong leather also.
I've read years ago, they make great boot laces as the hide is so tough.
We have Rock Chucks in this country also. I used to shoot them quite often trying to keep them out of the garden, I learned quickly that a 22lr just wasn't enough gun but a 22mag was. I admire you fella's that eat what you kill but there's no way I'd eat anything that lives in the ground...ewwwww. True or not, I was told as a youngster to not eat any wild "rodent" (including rabbits) during the summer months. Rock Chucks, not a chance...The real nasty little critter we have around here is a ground squirrel we call a Gray Digger. If you happen to get them around your property they can be very destructive with their digging under everything. They breed like, well, rats, and if a population starts they are difficult to eradicate. However, a 22lr works just fine for them. They will eat just about anything including any dead ones you leave laying about....nasty, nasty little varmints.
Greetings
Down in Tennessee we would get them cleaned out and into plastic and iced. Then the pressure cooker for two hours to de-grease. Finally to the barbeque. Eat hot. Young ones were the prime targets.
32-20 with a 115 grain cast bullet has been my favorite "hog" caliber for many years. Grew up in SW Michigan and all the old farmers / hunters told us "young-uns" to leave the .22's home unless "ya gonna head shoot them through the head below the ears". That sure was good advice.
Mike in Peru
"Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.
They draw flies like a pig pen because they are such filthy little beasts.
I agree with 1bluehorse, they are tough and the 22lr is marginal.
and yeah, eeeeeew, no way I would eat one either.
This blighter was digging up the foundations of my shed.....A head shot with a CCI Stinger ended that.
Last edited by Charlie U.; 08-26-2015 at 09:40 PM.
~Charlie U.
The meat of young ones is very, very good. Old ones just get tough. Taste is still good, like a young squirrel compared to one you break your back to skin.
Seems a herbivore spoils faster, not that they are dirty. Something to do with bacteria in the guts.
when I was a kid at 16 I took up varmit hunting since I bought my first deer rifle. My uncle said he would take the young ones I could get. Well there never was alot left over to eat when the dust settled so he never got one and I started rethinking ground hog hunting with my lever 444 and that neat medal coin in the stock. This was around 1973, I believe.
Look twice, shoot once.
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