2022 Campaign

[K22]

If the weather forecast is accurate, next week I will begin the 2022 ground hog campaign.


My recon mission of 3/16/22 didn't result in any sightings but that wasn't my main purpose. I just wanted to access which huntable farms have survived another year and get reacquainted with the farmers.

It's a diminishing situation here in eastern PA. More farms or adjoining land going to development. Oh well, I've had a good run at it. Looks like I might be transitioning to target shooting in the near future. but wait, there's a component storage situation. Bird watching maybe??

 

[ALK]

Forget the bird watching. I love reading your varmint hunting experiences, I don't know about bird watching, maybe bird shooting.

 

[snert]

I expect you to be the last remaining varmint hunter! I live vicariously thru your posts when I can't get out anymore. NO land around here that isn't covered with McMansions.

 

[357Mag]

If the weather forecast is accurate, next week I will begin the 2022 ground hog campaign.


My recon mission of 3/16/22 didn't result in any sightings but that wasn't my main purpose. I just wanted to access which huntable farms have survived another year and get reacquainted with the farmers.

It's a diminishing situation here in eastern PA. More farms or adjoining land going to development. Oh well, I've had a good run at it. Looks like I might be transitioning to target shooting in the near future. but wait, there's a component storage situation. Bird watching maybe??

K-22 -

Howdy !

Have you heard the saying used in the MILITARY.... "..... Every day is a holiday, every meal a banquet, every formation a parade, every paycheck a fortune "...... ?

Well, I'll encourage you that every sucessful shot on a " Soybeanus Digestus " is a victory !
Celebrate each one !

My best friend an shooting buddy called yesterday from NE Indiana, to tel me his just did something he never had ( to his knowledge ) done before. He was tickeled to tell me that he had killed 3 groundhogs from the same hole all within a few short minutes. He was using a .222Mag, and a new Timney " Calvin Elite " trigger that I gave him for Christmas. Even though I live 3 states away or more so, because I DO... we celebrated his " victories " together over the phone.

Joy is where you find it ! The fat lady ain't sung yet, on your groundhoggin' !


With sincere regards,
357Mag

 

[K22]

K-22 -

Howdy !

Have you heard the saying used in the MILITARY.... "..... Every day is a holiday, every meal a banquet, every formation a parade, every paycheck a fortune "...... ?

Well, I'll encourage you that every sucessful shot on a " Soybeanus Digestus " is a victory !
Celebrate each one !

My best friend an shooting buddy called yesterday from NE Indiana, to tel me his just did something he never had ( to his knowledge ) done before. He was tickeled to tell me that he had killed 3 groundhogs from the same hole all within a few short minutes. He was using a .222Mag, and a new Timney " Calvin Elite " trigger that I gave him for Christmas. Even though I live 3 states away or more so, because I DO... we celebrated his " victories " together over the phone.

Joy is where you find it ! The fat lady ain't sung yet, on your groundhoggin' !


With sincere regards,
357Mag

The one thing I remember the Drill Sergent saying when I was in basic training at Fort Campbell, Ky in 1970 was "adapt and overcome". So I've adapted to the changes or at least I've tried to.

The great days of ghogging are over where I hunt due to over development and changes in farming practices that have resulted in planting crops in strips. Gone are the long rolling hay fields with an abundance of holes. The hogs, what's remaining, have moved into the tree lines. Also, I believe the yotes have hammered them. In the past I'd often see 12 to 15 hogs in an outing. These days I'm lucky if I see more than 2 or 3.

These days, just getting out in a freshly cut field on a sunny day has value but of course, having a challenging shot on a ghog is always stimulating.

 

[K22]

I expect you to be the last remaining varmint hunter! I live vicariously thru your posts when I can't get out anymore. NO land around here that isn't covered with McMansions.

I stopped posting details a few years ago because I was criticized for not posting pictures. This is a fair criticism and did not anger me. I get it, I'm a dinosaur, lost in the last century. We live in a virtual world now, so I understand and accept the criticism.

I only have a flip phone for emergencies. I did take some picture with it of monster hogs I shot the last couple of years, but I'm technically challenged and can't figure out how to load them on this site.

I haven't done a lot of varmints hunting the last two years. In 2020, I had double hernia surgery which wiped out about 1/2 of the season. Last year was the worse year of my life, my wife passed away, so I miss almost the entire season. Hoping for a better year this year.

I did get an email from the vultures where I hunt, they requested my presences as soon as possible due to supply chain roadkill shortages. One farmer use to tease me, he said when the vultures see my truck coming, they start circling and follow it to the farm.

 

[Bocephus]

I stopped posting details a few years ago because I was criticized for not posting pictures. This is a fair criticism and did not anger me. I get it, I'm a dinosaur, lost in the last century. We live in a virtual world now, so I understand and accept the criticism.

I only have a flip phone for emergencies. I did take some picture with it of monster hogs I shot the last couple of years, but I'm technically challenged and can't figure out how to load them on this site.

I haven't done a lot of varmints hunting the last two years. In 2020, I had double hernia surgery which wiped out about 1/2 of the season. Last year was the worse year of my life, my wife passed away, so I miss almost the entire season. Hoping for a better year this year.

I did get an email from the vultures where I hunt, they requested my presences as soon as possible due to supply chain roadkill shortages. One farmer use to tease me, he said when the vultures see my truck coming, they start circling and follow it to the farm.

The Undertakers(vultures) are indeed quick studies!
Remember well when there wasn't a bird in sight until the first shot was fired, within 15min the whole family was circling.

 

[357Mag]

The one thing I remember the Drill Sergent saying when I was in basic training at Fort Campbell, Ky in 1970 was "adapt and overcome". So I've adapted to the changes or at least I've tried to.

The great days of ghogging are over where I hunt due to over development and changes in farming practices that have resulted in planting crops in strips. Gone are the long rolling hay fields with an abundance of holes. The hogs, what's remaining, have moved into the tree lines. Also, I believe the yotes have hammered them. In the past I'd often see 12 to 15 hogs in an outing. These days I'm lucky if I see more than 2 or 3.

These days, just getting out in a freshly cut field on a sunny day has value but of course, having a challenging shot on a ghog is always stimulating.

K-22 -

Howdy, again !

My " Basic " was @ Lackland AFB, TX in 1972. I went to basic 1wk after graduating high school.

From what I saw in NE Indiana and NW Ohio, I'm of the belief that the decline in groundhog populations corresponds to the advent & adoption of " No till " farming. No till brought w/ it the use of chemicals to " burn down " weeds in corn stuble and wheat fields, prior to planting soybeans directly through the stuble and chaffe. No need to plow corn stuble " under ", then disc the substantial clods of dirt; then use a " roller " ro prep the ground for planting. But, these chemicals are another quantity over and above the post-emergence herbicides that were already in widescale use. Can't imagine the stuff does groundhogs any good, even if introduced into their system via eating of soybean plants that were chemically treated.

And, as you noted; coyote prescence does seem to be more prevelant these days than say....4 decades ago.

Won't stop us from lookin' for groundhogs, though.


With regards,
357Mag