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Fireball Rockchuck Walkabout

Rick in Oregon

Rick in Oregon

Gold $$ Contributor
It's that time of year again, and when I wake up and it's a perfect sunny morning, I'm jonesing to grab a rifle and go for a rockchuck walkabout, yesterday was one of those days. I've been doing a lot of rat shooting with my 20VT, so decided to take another 'small-case' caliber rifle, and as ranges are not over 300 yards at this particular local ranch, my Cooper Phoenix 221FB was my 'rifle of the day'.

This property has pastures bordered with 'islands' of lava rock and juniper. For a rockchuck, it's pretty much heaven, as they don't get shot much (except by me), have all the food they can eat, and great rock piles for denning. It's also great terrain for sneaking about with a rifle trying to not be seen by the chucks inside of 200 yards.



These chucks are wary enough to know not to let a human see them exposed, so in all the years I've shot here, it's been 90% head shots only. My typical shot is an eye and ear peeking over a rock....no body shots here, so it's been interesting and challenging in the accuracy department.

This rock pile/den has been a chuck condo for as long as I can remember:



These two were taken off this rock pile from 228 yards, prone with bipod. Both only offered 'peeker' head shots, and the little "Furball" shooting Nosler 40gr Varmageddon Tipped over A2200 at only 3,100 fps was mucho plenty for the task.



I really don't want to post carnage, but I'll mention that the chuck on the left in the above pic offered me a head-on shot, my POA was right under his nose. What the pic shows 'looks' like it has a head, but trust me, it's completely empty, just skin. Even I was surprised at the performance of the bullet, and I've killed countless sage rats with it in this rifle and my other .224" rat rifles. I'll post the pic if the mods give the nod. Don't want to offend anyone.

So I'll just ad another pic of the place as I was walking back to my truck:



I sure do enjoy these morning walkabouts, and a sweet shooting rifle just makes it better. :)
 
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I have the spittin’ image of that rifle & scope, shooting the same bullet. That combo works just as well on your rockchucks’ cousins, our Eastern woodchucks. Something about the speed+energy of that Fireball cartridge that makes it deadly on our big groundhogs out to 300 yards, even with body shots. In fact, the biggest ‘hog I ever took was with a Furball, through its heart from 275.
Years ago, I could have posted a picture that would have rivaled the beauty of your’s. Unfortunately, the rolling hills and farmland of my once-great state of Ohio has been overrun with housing developments and hillbilly hovels, and - thanks to climate change - the sun rarely shines here anymore: Columbus now gets more rain per year than Seattle.
 
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Rick in Oregon said:
It's that time of year again, and when I wake up and it's a perfect sunny morning, I'm jonesing to grab a rifle and go for a rockchuck walkabout, yesterday was one of those days. I've been doing a lot of rat shooting with my 20VT, so decided to take another 'small-case' caliber rifle, and as ranges are not over 300 yards at this particular local ranch, my Cooper Phoenix 221FB was my 'rifle of the day'.

This property has pastures bordered with 'islands' of lava rock and juniper. For a rockchuck, it's pretty much heaven, as they don't get shot much (except by me), have all the food they can eat, and great rock piles for denning. It's also great terrain for sneaking about with a rifle trying to not be seen by the chucks inside of 200 yards.
Rick you must be very close to me ? I am in Tumalo .
Don


These chucks are wary enough to know not to let a human see them exposed, so in all the years I've shot here, it's been 90% head shots only. My typical shot is an eye and ear peeking over a rock....no body shots here, so it's been interesting and challenging in the accuracy department.

This rock pile/den has been a chuck condo for as long as I can remember:



These two were taken off this rock pile from 228 yards, prone with bipod. Both only offered 'peeker' head shots, and the little "Furball" shooting Nosler 40gr Varmageddon Tipped over A2200 at only 3,100 fps was mucho plenty for the task.



I really don't want to post carnage, but I'll mention that the chuck on the left in the above pic offered me a head-on shot, my POA was right under his nose. What the pic shows 'looks' like it has a head, but trust me, it's completely empty, just skin. Even I was surprised at the performance of the bullet, and I've killed countless sage rats with it in this rifle and my other .224" rat rifles. I'll post the pic if the mods give the nod. Don't want to offend anyone.

So I'll just ad another pic of the place as I was walking back to my truck:



I sure do enjoy these morning walkabouts, and a sweet shooting rifle just makes it better. :)
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the comments guys, 'preciate 'em. I've been here since 1975, moved here on purpose just for the hunting/shooting. Figured the best way to land where you want is to just do it, then look for a good job. Probably not the smartest approach, but it worked (this time :D )

Didn't take that many pics this time out, but here's a couple from other outings there:

I took my Anschutz 1517 HB in 17HMR for a walk one day....a very good day it was too. It was one of those days that virtually every rock pile/den had 'willing' chucks sitting about, seemingly waiting to be shot. Nice to have semi-willing participants.



And of course, my pet rat rifle, my Cooper M38 VR in 20VT with a couple of chucks taken at the ranch.



After living after the war in the SF Bay Area (ugh), then escaping that place and what it has turned into, I really 'escaped' to a remote logging camp at the northern end of Vancouver Island for a few years. But bogus gun laws, and copious amounts of rain drove me back to the good ole USA in '75 where I could again use my veteran benefits and enjoy the Second Amendment properly. Been in central Orygun every since.

This has been posted before, but it's one of my favorites and reminds me of another good day afield with "Scooter", my Cooper 20VT. You can guess how the name came about.....



Twelve minutes from my house is my little "chuck heaven". No big boomers here, just sweet little rat rifles that are wicked accurate for what I call "fun with rodents". :D



Once the weather turns to spring and sunshine, it's a great feeling to wake up, see the great conditions, grab my Natural Gear desert camo, rifle and kit and whip over to the ranch for some chucks. We all have our favorite little patches of what we'd call 'paradise', this one is mine, and I don't take it for granted. :)
 
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A groundhog retriever! Cool!

Mr M...I always liked Gunsmoke. i really don't know why I never went west till I was 50...and by then it was too late to start over. I am always late to the party.
 
Well then 'intheshop', you're not the only one with a chuck sniffin' pup. My two hound-dog girls, Ruby and Lily are hot on chuck scent and can find them no problem. If and when I turn them loose that is, as being hounds, their brains are ruled by their noses and if left off-leash, they'll track for miles if allowed. Good thing rock chucks don't roam too much.

Here's Ruby checking out some chucks from last season....



We'll forgive you for the 'thread drift'......this time. ;)
 
Okay, I can't leave it alone. Just for fun, a pic of Ruby with what's left of a mulie shed she was chewing when her sister Lily was a young pup. We call this "Ruby the Saber-Tooth Hound". :D



If I give either of them a scent with a treat and tell them "Track!", they'll find it, him or her whatever every time no problem. Don't really do it with rock chucks though, or they'd be falling into the dang rock dens and be unable to climb out. Goofy hounds. :)
 
Drifting into trees - I have sort of an interest in rockchuck tree climbing ability. In some places I have never seen them climbing trees but in other spots I have. The rockchucks are sort of like giant squirrels but lack the speed and agility of squirrels. Just thinking that tree climbing ability might be an acquired trait for isolated groups of these fat rodents. Look! - there's a big fat one bending that branch down. Never seen a rockchuck nest in a tree.
 
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