big PA groundhogs

[fuzzbuster]

With groundhog season coming to a close in Pennsylvania due to the winter season, I thought I would share a few pictures of my favorite groundhog gun and one of the bigger groundhogs of the year, which was number 194 out of 203. The last one was shot October 28th.

The gun is a Thompson Contender in .204 Ruger with an 8x32 Burris Signature scope. I made the stock myself out of quilted maple and rosewood with a Limbsaver recoil pad and pillar-bedded forearm. I also use a Rem 700 BDL 222. And I'm working on putting together a 300 varminter with a Stiller Predator action, a 30" Bartlein 1-in-15 twist barrel; I'm making the stock myself out of fiddleback maple and walnut, which will be a thumbhole stock with a red stag antler for part of the grip and cap. I'll post some pictures soon of the progress.

Thanks for looking!

 

[M700]

WOW! Great looking little setup - and apparently it shoots well too! Nice... :thumb:

 

[fdshuster]

fuzzbuster: Wow! I've "done" a few G'hogs, in SW PA) myself, but that is one big one. Any idea what it weighed? My heaviest was 14#, but yours looks a lot heavier than that.

 

[fuzzbuster]

i thought it was going to be my heaviest to but it wasnt. it was around 14.6 pounds. alot of hogs here, im in cambria county.

 

[chino1969]

PA groundhogs are busy fattening up for the winter and look like little bears.

That is one fantastic looking stock. You can't beat the look of a nice piece of wood. Very nice looking rig and awesome hog!

Lou Baccino
Chino69

 

[Mudcat]

How about a NC groundhog? This guy lives up near my barn and has been diggin some huge holes all over the place. Got his wife earlier this year, but finally managed to get him yesterday. He was a wary bugger and would dart at any sign of a human and would only be spotted right along the driveway next to the barn and only rarely. Finally got him by spotting him in the drive, going upstairs to the spare bedroom and resting the Remington 40X 22LR out the window. 200 yard shot but as the 40X is my HP offhand practice rifle, its dialed in to hit a steel gong at 200 yards, so I just rested the crosshair on his head and plunk, down.

Now, keep in mind, I really dont hunt these guys, I simply try to eradicate them as they aint exactly good to have around when you got horses and these guys tend to want to dig holes in my pastures! So ANY means of killing them is fair game....I wouldnt hesitate to run over the SOBs with my truck if they didnt move so fast.

This is the biggest one I have killed around here. My jack russell next to him weights a plump 22 pounds.

John