A groundhog milestone

[WV Hitman]

I've been after groundhogs in WV since 1964. Used rifles initially, but got tired of the lesser challenge of them compared to handguns. I started handguns only in 1976 & started keeping records of numbers killed by each handgun, monthly totals, yearly totals and lifetime totals.
Six years ago groundhogs in my part of WV began to get depleted by me and coyotes. I started hunting rockchucks in ID. It has been very fruitful there. Since they are basically the same animal (at least, cousins) I include them in my yearly and lifetime total (1905 last 6 years). This year my total so far is 449, but my lifetime total by late May was.....
My top guns are .223 Contender (1500+), .22-250 XP-100(2,200+), .250 Sav. AI XP-100(1200+), Ruger MKIII suppressed with 38 gr. REm. subsonic bullets(800+). In addition to these I've used everything from 6.5 JDJ to .416 Taylor handguns. I've always said if you can shoot a groundhog out to 500 yards with handguns, then larger animals are a piece of cake. I've proven that out west (brown bear, moose, elk, etc) and Africa (Dangerous 7 with handgun). Basically, practice makes perfect.+

 

[TonyinKY]

Congratulations!!! Handgun hunting is the best hunting for sure!

 

[CaptainMal]

Getting a handgun into Africa sure must be an expensive bunch of hoops to jump. You are amazing.

As for the groundhogs, you are the best.

 

[219DW]

I really enjoyed your hunting reports on Specialty Pistols before it folded. I'll look forward to reading them here. I shot several thousand prairie dogs with handguns from 1986 to 2013 in S.D. and Montana. Most with TC's with .222 Rimmed and Bullberry .219 Wasp barrels. Now old age and other life problems have me stuck in Indiana shooting an occasional ground hog and a few coyotes that wander by.
Dave

 

[Kylongrifle32]

Congratulations on such a milestone. I also followed your stories over on Specialty pistol forum.

 

[ken158]

You have accomplished an amazing feat!

 

[1shot]

Amazing, simply amazing!! Congratulations.

 

[17VLD]

I miss SP but am glad you are here, keep up the great work Doc!
How many with a Python?

Matt

 

[dryhumor]

That’s a lot of shooting.

Curious what your preferences have become about barrel length, and scope selection.

 

[hfinkle]

God bless You!!

 

[WV Hitman]

Getting a handgun to Africa is reatively easy, but a little time consuming. It's NOT expensive. I know the ropes. Anyone interested can PM me.
My Python kills of groundhogs is about 250. With deer about 30. Longest 201 yds. with an Aimpoint. Pure luck????
All of my Contenders, Encores, XPs have barrels of 14-15", except my .45-70-12".
Not only is this a lot of shooting, but it's a lot of handloading, bullets, primers, powder. I''ve shot 100% handloads except in my .22 MKIII since 1972. All my animals have been taken with 100% handloads.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

I've been after groundhogs in WV since 1964. Used rifles initially, but got tired of the lesser challenge of them compared to handguns. I started handguns only in 1976 & started keeping records of numbers killed by each handgun, monthly totals, yearly totals and lifetime totals.
Six years ago groundhogs in my part of WV began to get depleted by me and coyotes. I started hunting rockchucks in ID. It has been very fruitful there. Since they are basically the same animal (at least, cousins) I include them in my yearly and lifetime total (1905 last 6 years). This year my total so far is 449, but my lifetime total by late May was.....
My top guns are .223 Contender (1500+), .22-250 XP-100(2,200+), .250 Sav. AI XP-100(1200+), Ruger MKIII suppressed with 38 gr. REm. subsonic bullets(800+). In addition to these I've used everything from 6.5 JDJ to .416 Taylor handguns. I've always said if you can shoot a groundhog out to 500 yards with handguns, then larger animals are a piece of cake. I've proven that out west (brown bear, moose, elk, etc) and Africa (Dangerous 7 with handgun). Basically, practice makes perfect.+View attachment 1584474

You're the man i'm hunting near Fayetteville Wv in a month,will see if any gh's are there the landowner guarantees it. Good hunting for sure you've had.

 

[K22]

Wow! That's impressive.

I hunted ground hogs extensively with an open sight S&W Model 27, 357 Magnum in the 70's and 80's in Western Pa. The terrain was such that I could stalk a lot of holes within 50 yards or so. While I didn't keep records in those days, I got quite good but never got anywhere close to your results. One memorable day I got 8.

Jeff Copper and Bob Milek were the handgun hunters that got me interested handgun hunting. It was a natural extension to my participation in NRA Bullseye competition which I competed with a revolver, Model 17 (22) and Model 14 (38)

It was the most fun I ever had hunting. There was just something so special about roaming those vast and beautiful hay fields with a revolver strapped to my hip. When I moved to Eastern Pa in the late 80's due to a job change, I had about a 13-year lull in varmint hunting, resuming full bore in 1999. Since then, I've taken, to date, 2,014, all with a rifle since the terrain does not afford stalking but mostly due to the fact that I am just not good enough anymore with a pistol.

 

[WV Hitman]

Ohlong, I grew up in Kanawha County. Hunted groundhogs there & Putnum Counties with mostly a rifle and a .22 revolver. Used to be a lot of 'hogs there. Anxious to see how Fayette Co. is. Hunted a lot of squirrels there with my dad.
'Hogs are rare in the eastern panhandle. Only killed 140+ here this year. Almost took as many deer this year (permits) as groundhogs.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

Ohlong, I grew up in Kanawha County. Hunted groundhogs there & Putnum Counties with mostly a rifle and a .22 revolver. Used to be a lot of 'hogs there. Anxious to see how Fayette Co. is. Hunted a lot of squirrels there with my dad.
'Hogs are rare in the eastern panhandle. Only killed 140+ here this year. Almost took as many deer this year (permits) as groundhogs.

Fayette definitely has them,i'll soon find out, we took 200 deer last year,on a citywide culling program,swat team snipers, me is on the team but no longer on swat after 35 it's not for you,had my time though.We just had our briefing Saturday will start in October. Good hunting to you Idaho is on my list next year,Rockchucks.