Spent a couple hours at a local 3-d shoot with some buddies today.Made some really good shots,ended up with a 229.
Come home,eat supper with my wife,she says "Honey,here comes a big, fat Groundhog out of the woods. I have not even put my stuff away yet so I might as well finish this day off well.
Out on the porch I go (We live in the country)and wait until he gets behind a big Maple that is about 20 yds away.I put a stalk on him that Geronimo would be proud of. I am now on the other side of the Maple,he is 7 or 8 yds. away from the other side,he turns and is feeding with a slight quartering away. I draw back, anchor,and proceed to drill the pine tree that he is sitting along. He now jumps,squares off with his front legs planted and looks right at me like "Is that all you got buddy". I already had a second arrow nocked, and was at full draw. Concentrate, release,right over his head. Unbelievable.......
Craig
Ouch
Great!!!!! I love stump shooting stories.
If I'd a hit it my girlfriend would have made me skin it and eat it. I tend to always shoot a bit high a purpose!!!
Groundhog ain't bad on the table, a bit greasy, kind of like raccoon, but better than muskrat. It does NOT taste like chicken. Get a young one if you can, and don't bother with a fall "hog" when they're laying on the fat for hibernation.
You're lucky he didn't charge - it bein' as close as it was - and you irritated him not once, but twice....
Better carry pepper spray next time just to be safe!
Shoot straight, Shinken
Would not have happened if you had been shoot'en that little Mahaska... :biglaugh: I'm working on it.....Dana
Shinken, Them are cash critters. They never charge!!!!! :laughing:
Has the same thing with a rat a few days ago.
I'd chucked an apple core out the window when the Mrs weren't looking,an 5 minites later this big rat hops out of the hedge an starts eating it.
Took my shot from about 5 yards,,,,He's still out there somewhere,,,hope he's not planing revenge.
The last time I had a Ground Hog within range I over shot it too so don't feel bad, you'll ge him sooner or later.
I love 3-D but I haven't see a styrofoam critter yet that could get my heart pumping and interfere with my judgement like a live'n and breath'n beast!
Congratulations on the "trophy pine tree"
I had a groundhog step out from my backyard shed, I was already on the deck with my bow. And this groundhog was facing me .I came to full draw and released ,Made a clean kill of my shed !
I think the groundhog walked away shaking his head. At least you hit something alive !
Carl
How many of us really practice at 7 yards?
I should be RESTRICTED to seven yards, but most of us square off at fifteen to twenty yards from the target for or "serious work".
Very few 3D targets set that close.
Just a thought.
Killdeer
Just be happy it wasn't a world record buck. Bet u won't miss him the third time.
sure craig...where was this lack of shooting prowess when we were at shade yesterday shooting that 3-D course??? you could have hit a hummingbird then! Guess you can't shoot well unless Brian and I are there giving you some instruction!!!!! Oh well...I went home and practiced too...shot some mothballs at 14 yards...never once touched their wings...not bad, eh!! See ya' at baltimore.....john
Killdeer,
Yes,it is tough when you can see the grass hanging out of there mouths. He should have been mine though,I shoot yard sale stickers all winter long in the basement at 10 yards sitting down. Oh well,next time it will be Whistlepig tenderloins on the grill.
Yeah John,no kidding,I felt lost without you, Brennan,and Brian looking over my shoulder.We will pick out a coffee shot down at Baltimore.
Good Shooting,
Craig
Craig, I am upset. After sending John and I home from Shade Mountain with our tails between our legs,I expected better. Boy, am I disappointed.
Better luck next time!
Kind of reminds me of Caddy Shack!! :banghead:
I love stories like this. I don't feel as lonely when I shoot like that. :bigsmyl:
Aww c'mon now Craig. Ya know you were shakin in yer shoes when that grass pig whirled around and squared off with ya. You prolly never even made it to anchor! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
AH, the pleasures of hunting the wiley Whistle Pig! They're good eating too-- just be sure to leave a little hair on em.
:biglaugh: Next time stalk to about 17 yards and let him have it!!!!!!!!!
Always have a backup plan, just in case he charges. Best way to find out is approach downwind with a good set of nockulars. If that little varmit has an American Express card in his back pocket, you know darned well he's onto you.
HEY!
This is a CASH critter - he ain't gonna do no STANKIN' chargin"....
Stick with pepper spray - that way he's already seasoned for the BBQ!
Tastes great!
:jumper: :jumper: :jumper:
Shoot straight, Shinken
I got one around here that has set off two conibear 220s. I can't even get close enough for a shot with the .22. All the while he is making a heck of a mess under my shed. It has a dirt floor and everytime I go in there I step into a new sink hole!!
Good thing he didn't charge; could have been messy. Make sure you don't get too close without a professional hunter carrying at least a .22 as back up.
Chad,
A 160 conibear is my go to tool for taking care of these guys normally. It is amazing how quick they populate and the trick is to nail them before young are born.I thought I would make it a little more challenging this year and try to get it done with the bow.Tough animals.
Shot one last year quartering away at 15 yards,good carbon arrow with a shaving sharp Zwickey No-Mercy.He still made it to his den hole
arrow and all.
Craig
Craig, I hear Oxford will have a fair amount of 7 yard shots this year- you will be ready- added attraction will be me stalking from 7 to 3 yards doing the moon walk so the hog thinks I'm going the other way-
That's it Bill,I am there! After that fantastic demonstration on the Bionic Deer 2 years ago I need a refresher course.
Craig
So, today I am heading out to shoot a few arrows before work when I notice that Mr Whistlepig is waddling around on the cut path that I mow in the field beside my house.He is about 60 yards away.I quickly go down in the cellar and find my Hex-Pine,Magnus tipped,Whistlepig seeking arrow and the stalk begins.
A quick glance gives me the feeling that he has no idea I am in the yard. I quickly cross the yard to a very brushy fencerow,cross it on a deer path and proceed to sneak towards the chuck on the opposite side of the fencerow. As I approached
where I thought I saw him last I slowed up and really scanned with my eyes before going any further. There he was,sitting at his den,facing away from me with absolutely no cares. We are about 6 1/2 yards apart,I pick a spot of gray on his front quarter and just as I release he turns his head back towards me. If you could imagine a unicorn....the only thing that moved was his tail.
Straight up in the air,a few twirls,and it was over. The Dorado did well,and the old Magnus completely got through the skull. It is going to get bleached out.
Craig
WAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY TTTTTOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Pics Craig?
Shoot straight, Shinken
OUCH!
That's why you got him this time....6 1/2 yards not 7... :biglaugh:
i have got a list of small game i wanna get...gotten several but still need ground hog,red and grey fox,and a yote..
Congrats, Craig, on finding your 'range'. Man gotta know his limits --Diry Harry said so! :thumbsup: :D
You know,the smaller the animal,the harder it is to pick a spot. When you get that close to them,they are in the dead zone...........
craig, you just need to practice a little more at shade mountain bowmen on that 18" tall blackbear 3-D target.......good "grundtsow" practice as the local mennonite put it.....shot OK at shadetoday with brennan, brian, and tim buehler...wish you could have been there amigo...talk to you later.....john
John,
Glad you guys got to shoot them up,spent the day in Harrisburg/Boiling Springs area with my daughter and grand daughter.
Caught another Punxsatawney down by the woodpile on Friday.2lung at 2 yards,Wensel Woodsman.
Good Shooting,
Craig
The metal monster strikes again!think how cool that would have been with that old Leon Stewart recurve you just sold!! Oh well...I'm just wasting breath with you...you've officially gone to the "dark side"....glad to see you're all boned up on those 2 yard shots anyway...apparently those woodsmen will kill the vaunted whistlepig anyway. By the way...does Brian need to make that bowrack out of some nice annodized aluminum if you win it??? Don't want it clashing with that Dorado...LOL...stay well buddy...John
Gotta love Redemption! Congrats!
Congrats on connecting when offered a second chance. I live in a suburb and my neighbors are very accepting of my boys and I shooting, even encouraging us to take game. But, we don't make a practice of shooting at critters except in three cases. Crows that like to tear into garbage (only even close one time), chipmonks that set up residence around the foundation of the house, and one particular groundhog that continues to excavate under my neighbor's shed.
We've been after this one groundhog for 3 years and have only managed to get off 1 shot. It foiled me again today before I even got an arrow knocked. We've never seen it more than 10' away from the shed and there is no way to approach it undetected. I'm thinking about hanging a treestand and getting in an hour before daylight and wearing full camo. :help: