Must be Spring... Groundhogs are out

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MacAR

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Shot this sow this evening while she was digging in my hay field.

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Range finder said 224 yards, and the old triple deuce did a fine job. She never moved after the shot, those 50 grain V-Max bullets are keen! There was no exit wound, but according to my field post-mortem the guts were so much jelly. Here's the rifle:

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Just a plain, cheap Springfield 840. Nothing special, but very accurate. I had planned to swap the 6x40 Bushnell for a 3x9 Nikon, but I think I may hold off for now. Seems to do just fine.

Anyone else shooting 'chucks yet?

Mac
 

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Shot this sow this evening while she was digging in my hay field.

View attachment 989479

Range finder said 224 yards, and the old triple deuce did a fine job. She never moved after the shot, those 50 grain V-Max bullets are keen! There was no exit wound, but according to my field post-mortem the guts were so much jelly. Here's the rifle:

index.php


Just a plain, cheap Springfield 840. Nothing special, but very accurate. I had planned to swap the 6x40 Bushnell for a 3x9 Nikon, but I think I may hold off for now. Seems to do just fine.

Anyone else shooting 'chucks yet?

Mac
We don't have the ground hogs here, but the prairie dogs have been active (and shot at) without rest since last year....;)
 
Do you eat them?

As a matter of fact, yes. Can you guess what Mrs. Mac and I are having for Sunday dinner? I'm a recent convert to the .222 by the way, but I'm absolutely smitten with it.

but the prairie dogs have been active (and shot at) without rest since last year.

That I should be so lucky! I've got a Savage 17HMR that would love to have a day on the little buggers. Armadillos and possums will have to do for now I suppose.

Mac
 
Nice shot with a nice rifle. I’ve got it’s cousin the savage 340 in 30-30 and it sure is a handy accurate rifle. I’m taking it to the dry side of the state next week to shoot ground squirrels with cast bullets.

edit: I’d snatch up one in .222 in a second
 
Thats great. A stew of some sort? Maybe just battered and fried? Sorry op. I'm hungry.

They're good fried, but we cook ours thus:

Take one groundhog, and quarter it up and take what meat is on the back. Soak one hour in salt water, then pour off and put meat bones and all in crockpot. Cook all night on low. Then debone the meat and put in a roasting pan with several potatoes, carrots, an onion and a whole garlic clove. Pour in a pint of black stout (Guinness) and the same of water, then salt and pepper well. Add a little Season-All as well. Cook in the oven for 2 hours at 350, basting occasionally. Serve with fried cabbage, cutoff corn, and homemade "high top" biscuits.

How hungry are ya now, Fats?

Mac
 
Gosh this brings memories back! I have my Dads old Savage .222- would love to know how many groundhogs I have shot with that rifle. Let alone how many Dad shot. My Mom bought Dad that rifle before they were married. I showed up in 1957 so that'll hint its age. And it will still get the job done. Thank you for the walk down memory lane!!
 
that'll hint its age.

Based on what I've read and educated guesses, mine is a 1963 model. Like yours, it will still get the job done. Accurate as all get out too. The PO must not have shot it a lot since the bore looks great. My handloads probably aren't helping though; 50gr v-maxs at 3150 will wear a barrel I'd think.

Mac
 
Nice shot with your 222, it seams that caliber fizzled out and got replaced by the 223.
I bought mine about forty-five years ago at Philadelpia Sales in Binghamton New York.
I have a Remington 700. I shot lots of woodchucks with it years ago. I use to hunt them with Don Stark. He had a 220 Swift rifle that he shot chucks with.
If your were under 150 yards I shot them. Over 150 yards he shot them.
We never ate any of them, probably should of. We do not have them out here in Washington State. Over on the East Side they have rock chucks and sage rats. It's probably time to take my grandson over and let him dust some of them.
Nice post, brought back some good memories.
Thank you.
 
Thank you

My pleasure! I enjoy sharing my stories here, and hope I don't come off as a braggart.

For those interested, the roasted 'chuck came out excellent. We had brown beans, cabbage, and cornbread with it. I didn't think to take a photo untill after the plates were empty! Hoping to do a bit of fishing this weekend and have trout for next Sundays dinner. We'll see, I suppose.

Mac
 
My pleasure! I enjoy sharing my stories here, and hope I don't come off as a braggart.

For those interested, the roasted 'chuck came out excellent. We had brown beans, cabbage, and cornbread with it. I didn't think to take a photo untill after the plates were empty! Hoping to do a bit of fishing this weekend and have trout for next Sundays dinner. We'll see, I suppose.

Mac
I also enjoy the stories. I don’t know many folks in the real world who enjoy guns and hunting so this sort of thing is exactly why I’m on this site.keep it coming!
 
One of my best outdoor magazines is:
Fur-Fish-Game

It has lots of average Joe hunting, fishing and trapping stories.

If I go back to Upstate New York this summer I'll have to get out and shoot a few woodchucks and give it a try.
 
As a matter of fact, yes. Can you guess what Mrs. Mac and I are having for Sunday dinner? I'm a recent convert to the .222 by the way, but I'm absolutely smitten with it.
Why don’t people talk more about eating groundhogs? Are they just so abundant that no one cares?

if they taste like squirrel, that’s as good as it gets (except a little too lean)


That I should be so lucky! I've got a Savage 17HMR that would love to have a day on the little buggers. Armadillos and possums will have to do for now I suppose.

Mac
 
I
They're good fried, but we cook ours thus:

Take one groundhog, and quarter it up and take what meat is on the back. Soak one hour in salt water, then pour off and put meat bones and all in crockpot. Cook all night on low. Then debone the meat and put in a roasting pan with several potatoes, carrots, an onion and a whole garlic clove. Pour in a pint of black stout (Guinness) and the same of water, then salt and pepper well. Add a little Season-All as well. Cook in the oven for 2 hours at 350, basting occasionally. Serve with fried cabbage, cutoff corn, and homemade "high top" biscuits.

How hungry are ya now, Fats?

Mac
I’ll have a dinner size with all the sides, please.

you do instacart?
 
I

I’ll have a dinner size with all the sides, please.

you do instacart?

Unfortunately, I don't. But I do think they taste like squirrel when fried, and furthermore recommend my roast chuck recipe to anyone who wants to try eating them. The young ones are best; the old ones have more fat, and that must be skimmed off while boiling or the meat tastes funny. Usually only eat one or two a year, as it takes all day to cut up and cook one. But boy are they tasty!

Mac
 
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