Got my first Groundhog

[Brink]

There was a whistle-pig burrowing under my Grandpa-in-Law's(we call him Poppy) barn, and he met his end today. I saw him poking his head out from under the woodpile, and I went next door to my house and grabbed my Savage 93R17 17HMR.

Poppy and I relocated to the patio, and it took about 5 minutes for him to come out of his hole and stand up on his hind legs. I took the 75 yard shot and hit him right in the sternum. The Hornady VMAX bullet did what it was designed to do, and there was no exit wound.

I'm pretty exited, as this is my first blood with the HMR, and also, my first groundhog. Enjoy the pictures.


Groundhog by kamelean, on Flickr


Hog and HMR by kamelean, on Flickr

 

[ColtPythonElite]

So, how are you gonna cook him?

 

[matrem]

Congratulations!
Those dang things are certainly my favorite summer target.
I don't eat em, too much lead & copper mixed in with the meat.

 

[jim147]

Being called groundhog, I thought they might taste like sausage. They don't.

jim

 

[JEB]

nice. we have a few around our house but our dog has proven to be a pretty good grounhog killer so i dont find many opportunities to take a shot at one.

 

[MtnCreek]

nice. we have a few around our house but our dog has proven to be a pretty good grounhog killer so i dont find many opportunities to take a shot at one.

I've seen a large groundhog give three walker pups (~6 month old) a major butt kickin! One of them had to have it's nose put back together (they can chuck more than just wood...). IMO, groundhogs are pretty good eating. They have glands similar to a coon that have to be removed before cooking.

 

[j1]

Where are these glands located?

 

[MtnCreek]

Armpits and along the back. I think there's also some on the rear legs, but it's been a while since I lived near any ground hogs. If you leave any, it will not be fit to eat. Parboil them than finish in the oven or crockpot. You can also cut them up and pan fry like yardbird.

 

[22-rimfire]

I used to love wood chuck hunting growing up. My brothers fished and I hunted chucks in the summer. Maybe this is the start of a new sport for you?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I used to enter groundhog contests. I drove around all summer carrying a baby scale to weigh them.

 

[BADUNAME37]

I live in an area somewhat abundant of the darn things. One summer, I carried my varmint rifle everywhere I went within the state and ended up shooting 29 woodchucks that summer! In the past 30+ years, I have literally shot hundreds of them.

It is funny, they have a kind of pattern, even though there are young ones, they have been known, on many occasions, to set themselves on an exact same rock as others that have gone-on before them! I guess they know what they like and they all pretty much think about the same is the only explanation I have!

I tried to eat one once. I had cooked it all day in a crock pot and it was way too game-tasting for my palate.

 

[red rick]

I have caught 7 in backyard in a weeks time so far. I was seeing 3, one adult and 2 young. After removing them I didn't see any for a couple days, then caught 3 more. Couple days latter another one. I am seeing another one now. They like it under my shed and my weeds. I could be having a lot of fun if I could shoot a .22 in my neighborhood.