.20 Cal G-hog Hunt

[longislandhunter]

It was a really nice afternoon so I decided to take the .20 caliber RWS 48 and do some g-hog hunting.  My first stop was the vegetable farm I've been hunting.  I hadn't been there for over a week and I was hoping I could find a g-hog out having an early dinner.  As I pulled into the farm I immediately saw a young g-hog out in the crops stuffing his face with tender new bean plants, but he saw my truck immediately and made a bee line for his burrow.  I parked the truck and set up in a sniping position in some bushes about 10 yards from his burrow entrance hoping he'd come back out but he never did.  I slowly hunted the vegetable farm for about an hour and while I had a nice walk and also managed to find a great patch of woods for the upcoming squirrel season I never did find another g-hog.  I walked back to the truck and decided to head down the road to the duck farm and try my luck there. 

As soon as I got to the duck farm I parked the truck, loaded a kodiak  into the 48 and headed off to slowly work my way around the farm perimeter.  As I was slowly working my way along the tree line I suddenly saw a good sized g-hog feasting at a grain feeder quite a ways off.  As I watched the g-hog and planned my stalk he suddenly spotted me and did something I didn't expect, he left the feeders and started running towards me angling his way towards the tree line directly in front me.  As soon as I saw this I knew what was happening.  His burrow was in the tree line just up ahead of me and he was trying to make it the safety of the burrow before I got between him and the hole.  He was running pretty fast but he had quite a bit of ground to cover and I was able to get in a position directly between him and his burrow.  As he emerged from the grass and approached a small man made stream running through the duck pen he spotted me standing between him and his burrow and he did what I was hoping he'd do.... he paused for a second to consider his next move.  As soon as he stopped I put the crosshairs on his noggin and sent the kodiak on it's way.  It slammed home with a POP and the g-hog rolled over and started to quiver.  I reloaded and quickly approached him but a second shot wasn't necessary, he was down for the count.  I snapped a couple of pics and worked my way back to the truck so I could head home and clean my harvest. 

The .20 cal 48 had done her job and cleanly nailed this g-hog at 30 yards.  The more I hunt with this gun the more I love it   







Jeff

[redsoxvw]

Nice SHot ...........In the last pic He kinda looks like me at 3am on a Saturday night......LOL

[dk1677]

Nice one there Jeff!

[Atchman2]

Nice shooting with that 48!  I'd think the sling would be mission essential!  Today I'm headed out to scout a ground hog infested farm!  Wish me luck! 

[1377x]

nice shooting!

[longislandhunter]

Thanks guys, it was a short hunt but it was enjoyable and gave me a future dinner

The 48 is a heavy rifle but the solid feel of it is one of the things that makes me enjoy the rifle so much. The sling makes it so easy to hunt with and it only takes a few minutes to install one.

Jeff

[shadow]

Great shot and pic's bro and the G-hog look's like he's taking a nice dirt nap there lol. I was out this afternoon but didn't spot a hide or hair of em. It's about 89deg's with the humidity to match so I had to get out of the hide and work the shade of the wood's, scored a nutter. Ed

[Atchman2]

The temp here has been over a hundred all week!  I went out to try and call some coyotes this morning and ended up mostly scouting (in the car).  Just too hot!  Mowed the yard then helped the wifey in the garage, I'm zapped. 

With the temps so high I haven't seen much of anything.  I did come upon some wild turkeys this morning. They are the first I've seen in awhile. 

[only1harry]

Nice shooting with the 48 Jeff!  I like the pics too where the groundhog is laying on his back   Classic G-hog position, hehe. 

You are really making me look at 48's right now, hehe.  I always wanted one, but your hunts and pics are making me want one even more.  Too bad they don't sell the .20 any longer.  I may have to settle for a .22.  I have thousands of .22 pellets anyway and not enough guns to shoot them all.  So I might as well get another .22

[longislandhunter]

Thanks Harry.  You won't be disappointed if you get a 48,,,, they really are awesome hunters 

My .20 cal 48 is gonna be doing a lot of small gaming this year 

Jeff

[only1harry]

I wonder if anyone has put a TKO on a 48, or if TKO makes them for Springers?  Noise is a big factor for me, which is why I don't use the 350's a lot, and the reason I don't own a lot of Springers.

[Atchman2]

What weight of pellet would you use in a .177 B21?  I'm pondering those Skenko pellets.  Right now I'm using the 10.6 grain Crossman Ultra Magnum.  They seem to shoot just fine. The lighter pellets seem to be all over the place.

[Predatortip]

I've been waiting to see more hair from that .20
Good shootin.
Troy

[longislandhunter]

Thanks Troy.

Randy, I'd try the predators.  If they fly well they'd be perfect for that gun.  If not I'd stick to the heavier domed pellets to take full advantage of the power of the 21. If the ultra mags fly well then use em, they're great for hunting.

Jeff

[TCups]

Hey Jeff:

Every time I see your posts, I am surprised there are any G-hogs left on L-Island.  BTW, saw this add for the "Rodenator" and thought immediately of you.  (I still can't figure out hyperlinks)

http://www.rodenator.com/

[longislandhunter]

Tommy,,,,

That "Rodenator" is awesome !!     The only drawback I can find is that it wouldn't leave me enough g-hog meat for a decent meal  

As for the g-hogs here,,, it's really strange because about 10 years ago you hardly ever saw them.  Then, all of a sudden over just a couple of years, their numbers exploded and now you find them everywhere.  We've always had a healthy red fox population here, as well as a few other predators that could prey on them so I'm not sure what caused their numbers to increase so rapidly in such a short time but I'm not complaining

JEff

[only1harry]

Jeff, I think that the red fox does not play a big role in controlling the G-hog #'s.  G-hogs only come out during the day and usually near where people are.  The red fox can't really touch them under those conditions.  I have shot 90 Groundhogs on my property and I have red foxes around.  Hek I even took a red fox on my property.  I thought it was feeding on all the G-hogs by digging up their holes, but I shot more G-hogs this summer than last year.  I don't think a fox can dig deep enough to get to where the G-hogs are.  They might in some cases, but they are not too effective.  Foxes unfortunately are not active during the day around us, or where G-hogs hang out, which is very close to people.  That is why foxes come out at night only around here.  In remote areas away from people, foxes are out during the day, as is the bobcat, coyote, and other predators.  There you will most likely find a lot less G-hogs.  I think domestic dogs kill more G-hogs than fox in suburban areas.  There are dozens of videos on youtube of dogs killing G-hogs in backyards.

[Atchman2]

Just from my coyote hunting experience.  In some areas of the south, the primary meal for coyotes are groundhogs!  

The weather didn't cooperate so I didn't go to the groundhog farm this weekend.  However, I got permission on two NICE farms for coyotes, coons, small game, and possums!  

Oh BTW I received the new mounts for my B-21.  I'll see how she shoots tomorrow.  I still think it needs a tune!  I want it ready for hunting the bigger small game in the backyard.