Third PA groundhog of the year

[MLC]

I've been after a family of groundhogs for a couple days and actually took a few shots at one while a friend was "on hold" the other day.
Today I got to connect, albeit from a hasty and precarious rest.
I got the sucker from 124 yards(laser measured, paced at 126) with my CZ 452 22lr and a Remington Subsonic hollow point.
The precarious part was that I was resting on the post of a live electric fence.

The groundhog was moving around for quite a while and not giving me a shot until it poked it's head up under one of our Christmas tree funnels.
He was on the fieldstones we use for ballast and peeking out from under the fiberglass making the shot a little tricky because I didn't want to nick the fiberglass.

I'd previously laser ranged the area they've been frequenting and knew it was around 125 yards.
I set up some plywood(after my previous misses) and shot at the top edge to see what my drop was at that range with my current 50 yard zero.
The drop was approximately 12".
So I held the thick part of the duplex reticle just behind his ear.
Figuring my drop was a hair lower than the junction on the reticle.
This is where the fiberglass tension came into play because I was aiming right at it with the crosshairs.

Since it was subsonic ammo it took a bit for the sound of the whack to get to me and I saw the hog roll off the stones at about the same time.

In the pics above and below you can see the rocks he was perched on, sneaky SOB.

I said to my friend that it was really nice to see what practice, patience, marksmanship and a little luck will get you.

 

[MassHunter2190]

One hell of a shot!

Very nice detailed explanation and pictures of what happened too.
I'd like to see more of these mini-wars that were won posted here.

And I know what you mean by being a little hesitant to pull the trigger when the crosshairs are on something other than the intended target. Something just doesn't feel right about shooting at anything that you don't want to destroy, even if you know the bullet's going to drop.

 

[41mag]

All I can add is that that's a really sharp rifle!

 

[P95Carry]

Great result!!! Many years back I used a Rem semi with silencer - sub sonic ammo, of course. I learned over time what drop allowance to compensate for and it was very possible to take rabbits at these sorts of ranges.

Best shot ever - tho maybe Lord luck helped too - was a crow in a field - 150 yards estimated. I double tapped - something that the rifle and ammo made possible. Get on aim and ''pop-pop'' ... and one of those shots took him out!

Never under estimate the possibilities from a humble .22lr sub sonic.

Shot placement!!!

That CZ is one nice rifle!

 

[MLC]

I'll probably be at Water and Wings on 6/11 if you want to shoot it.

 

[Cindog]

MLC,

Nicely done. Love the Lux. I have an American and it's a shooter but I still want to add a Lux to the collection for its iron sights. Are those BKL rings?

 

[MLC]

Yes they are.

 

[NavajoNPaleFace]

You do eat what you shoot, right?

I was born and raised in NE Pennsylvania until my departure via the US Army.

During that time, and subsequent visits back, I've had the opportunity to do some fun woodchuck hunting, also.

My grandfather would get very upset if I left the woodchucks lie in the field and not bring them to him to cook.

Although I realize they are vegetarian eaters I just could never bring myself to trying one.

At any rate....knowing how tough they can be to target and hit....that was a fantastic shot, MLC, and as it was already pointed out, a nice rifle as well.

One other thing I just thought about; when I used to hunt the buggers you'd just go out riding and shooting and the farmers would thank you for you taking them out of their fields and the Pennsylvania Fish and Game never hassled you. Now, I understand the F&G are requiring each woodchuck shooter to have a valid hunting license in their possession.

I'm just not used to having to have a license for varmit hunting, I guess.

 

[Brian Williams]

Not only a valid PA license, but you must wear an orange hat. Nice shootyin and Iron

 

[P95Carry]

I'll probably be at Water and Wings on 6/11 if you want to shoot it.

Thx - wish I could be but looks like, having made last two - this one will not work out - summer schedule etc etc. Hope it'll be a good day for all.

 

[SLOOSH]

Wow

I was just on the phone the other day with a buddy of mine, and heard an action cycling, and "snap..".

story sounds just like that!

Toggle off and save some for me.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

The precarious part was that I was resting on the post of a live electric fence

now that's living right...