First on of the Season

[darchell]

Here in NJ Ground Hog splating came in on March 1. We have had record snows and the snow is finally gone, however, the rain has moved in and the fields I hunt are quite messy. I finally had the opportunity to go out and my daughter got sick. She had some stomach virus, or so I thought. The next day she did not go to pre-school and stayed home with me. She was running around and acting like herself. I figured what would be better for a recovering four year old but some fresh air. Asked her if she wanted to go hunting with daddy and she lit up like a Christmas Tree. After Mommy found out we were out when she was supposed to be home sick she did too but that’s an entirely different story.... Any who, I loaded the quad and the new shooting table and away we went. I pulled into the field and low and behold a chubby ground hog ran right in front of the truck. I jumped out loaded up and the hunt was on. Long story short I found him about 80 yards away on the other side of an old abandoned barn looking at me through a hole in the wall from the outside of the other side. I sent a 39 BK through two openings in the rotted walls and hit him just below the chin and into the body. Kinda reminded me of the sniper stories where one sniper sends a round through the other's scope. Made me chuckle a little thinking of my prey as though he were looking back at me through a little ground hog scope. K, I'm sharing way to much here. Anyway, rode around the fields for the next couple hours and did not see anymore. It is still quite cool and wet so they’r�ot popping out just yet. Still had fun and one down for the year. Amazingly, my daughter was quite cured after riding around with me for a while. Guess I coulda been a Doctor. The boys were not as thrilled when they got home from school that they missed the event, I have two son's also. I’m s� they will have plenty of days in the coming months to make it up. Here are some pictures of the day hope they show up. Good shooting to all.

[Guy M]

Cool! That's great, sharing the hunt with your daughter. Wonderful!!!

[BabaOriley]

I think the seat on that bench is a little low for her to reach the controls. Maybe need a pillow.

Nice setup there. Here in Minnesota, we only get about 3 weeks in the spring before the grass is knee high and you can't see those woodchucks. Pretty sure we have less of them than out East. Once in awhile you might catch one around a farm yard, or in a mowed ditch, but it wouldn't be worth our time to sit and glass for them. Sounds like out East you can sit and shoot them like prairie dogs in some areas.

Did you ask her if she wanted to eat it?

[darchell]

BabaOriely,
We don't have quite that many but we do have plenty. We can shoot them from March 1, through August 31. By August we have the same grass issues. During that time I sit on the corner of two farm roads and wait for them to make a crossing. I am good for one or two an outing. Thats with sitting for an hour or so. They are a major problem here with the farmers and they are more than happy to have them removed. As for eating them I read up on that and posted some info on it on this site last year. We tried one and it tasted rather good however, it must have been a rather old one. It was like chewing on a tire. I have not been able to try the younger ones as they get pretty messy after the 39 bk goes through.

[Captqc]

I love the pic of the beast attacking the bench leg!!! Okay, just kidding but I did enjoy the pics and the story. Gary

[WaltherP99]

N1 Darchell...sounds like a good time! I am sure the daughter preferred to be with her "Daddy" rather than be at school!

You did however make me VERY JEALOUS and IMPATIENT!!!!! LOL I have 1 MORE NIGHT of work to go before I get a chance to go out again!

Was out last week and didn't see anything but a fresh hole!