Huckleberry Finn
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I just caught this. What do you flag them with, dumbass? That's sounds like a wonderful idea...just like utility flags?
Are the groundhogs disappearing in your area?
- Thread starter Bowhunter57
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- area disappearing groundhogs
I just caught this. What do you flag them with, dumbass? That's sounds like a wonderful idea...just like utility flags?
That's what I have used. I have also used trail marker tape to hang on brush over the hole.
Don't get me wrong, I don't really give a shit if you kill everyone you see whether it's here, or there. I was raised such that "mindless" killing was not something we did. If you killed it, you better plan on eating it. As I've grown older, I realize some things just need killed and I'm fine with that. But in the case of groundhogs, until one makes himself a varmint by causing havoc around the barns and what not, I'll leave him alone. I've killed them when warranted, but I don't see the need to kill them just to kill them that's all...
I guess Im of the same mindset now that Im older and don't see as many whistle pigs. Hunting them was one of my favorite pastimes in the summer back 20 years ago, but so wasn't grouse hunting and fox calling. Since I see so little of all 3 of them, what I do see always gets a pass. My latest war is on the coons, man can those things make a mess and their seems to be plenty of them, but that is another subject.
Maybe I should point out there is a huge geographical and terrain difference between Frank/TreeMonkey/Me/RC and wdbak.
Sounds like some mature guys with differing opinions. It is nice to see a discussion not turn into some sort of childish pissing contest like we have seen on other sites in the past. This is what is awesome about this site!
Sounds like some mature guys with differing opinions. It is nice to see a discussion not turn into some sort of childish pissing contest like we have seen on other sites in the past. This is what is awesome about this site!
I'm not so sure geography has as much to do with it as habitat and predator population, although they do go hand in hand. The yotes are thick as thieves down here and have all kinds of places to hide. The hogs down here don't have an abundance of preferred habitat like you guys have up there. Having been through the area around Ryan, it's no wonder there are hogs all over the place. I'd imagine the same type of habitat makes it tough for yotes to survive in large numbers. I think it's very easy to conclude the reason the hog numbers are in the dumper down here are a direct result of exploding yote populations since 1990. The same can be said for rabbits around here as well. Hell even in my short existence on this earth, I've seen the rabbit population decline drastically.
Like I mentioned earlier, at the point a groundhog makes himself a nuisance, I'll be the first to pump him full of lead or carbon. But until then, they are figuratively and literally, out of sight and out of mind.
Like I mentioned earlier, at the point a groundhog makes himself a nuisance, I'll be the first to pump him full of lead or carbon. But until then, they are figuratively and literally, out of sight and out of mind.
Agree with both Jesse and Hickslawn, our terrain is so different. I have a spot that I shoot hogs that you can see for 5 miles and maybe see one or two fence rows and that's it. When it's soybeans, you can sit out there all day and glass fields and wait for them to come out.
Plus we have a group of coyote hunters that (this is all they do) is get 15+ guys together and drive woods and shoot coyotes. They kill 100+ every year, so they keep the yotes under somewhat control around the area.
100% agree with hicks on the fact that we can take so many differing opinions, from guys in night and day different locations, and still keep it civil, that's the great thing about this site.
I will snap a pic sometime this summer of the area i'm talking about, pretty amazing what 2-3 hours North or South in the same state will do terrain wise.
Plus we have a group of coyote hunters that (this is all they do) is get 15+ guys together and drive woods and shoot coyotes. They kill 100+ every year, so they keep the yotes under somewhat control around the area.
100% agree with hicks on the fact that we can take so many differing opinions, from guys in night and day different locations, and still keep it civil, that's the great thing about this site.
I will snap a pic sometime this summer of the area i'm talking about, pretty amazing what 2-3 hours North or South in the same state will do terrain wise.
In my area there are groundhogs but they certainly are not overpopulated. Between the hawks, owls, coyotes, fox and the farmers and hunters shooting them it seems the population stays in control. I used to hunt them hard from the time I got my drivers license until I was married....it wasn't uncommon to kill 50-75 hogs in a season. Our local farm store hosted a largest groundhog contest for many years and they gave away some good prizes, which made a lot of guys get out and hunt them. One year I got 2nd place with a 14lb, 13 oz groundhog. The population went down pretty good because of that, but has rebounded.
Here is a picture of a good couple hours of hunting I had one cloudy afternoon day in June back in the 90's. It seems the groundhogs would be out more during the day on those overcast days.
I shot a lot of them with the .22 and eventually bought a 22-250 and did a lot of damage on them also.
Here is a picture of a good couple hours of hunting I had one cloudy afternoon day in June back in the 90's. It seems the groundhogs would be out more during the day on those overcast days.
I shot a lot of them with the .22 and eventually bought a 22-250 and did a lot of damage on them also.
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Tree Monkey
Member
Don't get me wrong wrong ...not gonna get in a pissing match but it was a pretty strong statement to call people who shoot groundhogs "dumbasses"....just saying
Huck...yes I use field flags and remove it once I have dispatched a groundhog ...I have a ditch right now that in a 600-700 yd stretch has 5 active holes....and they are slamming the beans. Its amazing how much they can eat. Also its a great way for me to get my foot in the door on new properties for deer.
Huck...yes I use field flags and remove it once I have dispatched a groundhog ...I have a ditch right now that in a 600-700 yd stretch has 5 active holes....and they are slamming the beans. Its amazing how much they can eat. Also its a great way for me to get my foot in the door on new properties for deer.
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This is the main reason why I'll take up hunting groundhogs...on any property. It takes a lot of soy beans to feed 1 g-hog. Plus, it's an easy way to get on to some new hunting property and the farmers really appreciate it. :smiley_bril:Tree Monkey said:
Bowhunter57
Tree Monkey
Member
Hunted a new section of soybeans ditch today....got another one but missed one, dang winds had me screwed up! Saw a third but it didn't give me enough time to squeeze a shot off. Before packing up i walked the ditch and flagged the active holes had 13 total both sides. And the ditch was probably 800-yds long. I didn't flag the old RR bed that runs along the property I am sure it is loaded with ground grizzlies!