Had some Varmint Hunter Visitors

[GT Accuracy]

So....I was making my rounds on friday afternoon, going through my permitted fields and seeing a few but not as many. Something seemed off. Then around a bend I see a truck! "Hmmmmm, What's going on here" I think to myself. Pull up to the truck and look to the adjacent field and see a pair of orange hats.

"OH CRAP - COMPETITION"

Being a friendly guy, I parked my truck and hoofed my ass out there to see what was happening.

Introduced myself and recorded a few of the kills they were making. After about an hour we agreed to hunt a little the following day, Saturday. These boys, 3 of them, were all form southern PA and come up every year to hunt the farms around the area.

These guys are gentleman. We had an absolute blast. Laughter, stories, some good shots and a lot of funny misses. Only had one questionable hit with a 6 BR which, after watching it in slo-mo on Final Cut - I don't see how the ground hog even lived.

I'd like to thank Glenn, Darren, and Dalton for having me along. This is what it's all about.

The tripod froze up on me half way through so I apologize for the rough camera adjustments. Not my best work

Rifles Used: 6mm AI, 6x51 BR, 22 Hornet, 223, 17 HMR

Video is long - 15 Min...feel free to jump around as your viewership requires.

 

[yotehater]

Oh yeah good times. That first one had nerves of steel. It looks like you had a little mirage already.

 

[stacy]

NOTHING LIKE IT LOOKS TO HAVE BEEN A GREAT TIME !!!!!!!

 

[Don in VA]

I love the telephoto shots - clear - looks like much fun was had

 

[snert]

Wow...I wish the guys who "share" my farms were as polite and nice as those guys! PA has some respectful guys.

I have a "local guide" who was a "tech" for a "major shooting industry business" who brings along a fellow (who seems could be decent) to farms I have long established relationships. When the "local guide" shows up it turns into a fight the second he arrives, no matter what is going on. Braggart, complainer, fat slob who talks a big story, and is flat out ignorant. Cops have come to check on him several times for being too close to houses, and he claims he is "target shooting". (Ya, he got fired from the industry years ago). I have always been willing to share farms I work hard to maintain good relations, but lately i have found myself (first time ever) pre-emptively asking the farmers to deny this guy. He is ruining my hard earned rep because people see a guy with a long range rifle and immediately think it is me..

Thank your lucky stars your guys are gentlemen.

 

[GT Accuracy]

I love the telephoto shots - clear - looks like much fun was had

Ya that camera is great - average shot on these vids are 400 yrds

 

[CaptainMal]

Sure a quality camera. Unreal how clear it is at those ranges.

Some of the shots show a house, some kind of building and a car in the background. From my standpoint, that's nothing I would shoot toward. Skipped bullets off stones and just ground can go anyplace. That one over the road is another thing that would bother me. I do know that in the East it's tough to get shooting without people things around. Just a little unnerving to me but obviously not you or others.

 

[GT Accuracy]

Sure a quality camera. Unreal how clear it is at those ranges.

Some of the shots show a house, some kind of building and a car in the background. From my standpoint, that's nothing I would shoot toward. Skipped bullets off stones and just ground can go anyplace. That one over the road is another thing that would bother me. I do know that in the East it's tough to get shooting without people things around. Just a little unnerving to me but obviously not you or others.

All valid concerns. What it doesn't show is that the house road is a natural dirt driveway over 1000 yrds long. We had permission from both the property owner and the renter to shoot over it. As for the house there is a large bank that the chucks are in that really limits any form of ricochet possibilities. We went over all the shooting locations and hole locations as well as firing lines with Property owner and renters when we got permission.

Everything was on the up and up. All PA laws were followed and safety is always at the top of our concerns. There were a few time where chucks came up and at the shooting angles we were on we just could not fire safely. Those were left to seed the field again next year.

 

[snert]

All valid concerns. What it doesn't show is that the house road is a natural dirt driveway over 1000 yrds long. We had permission from both the property owner and the renter to shoot over it. As for the house there is a large bank that the chucks are in that really limits any form of ricochet possibilities. We went over all the shooting locations and hole locations as well as firing lines with Property owner and renters when we got permission.

Everything was on the up and up. All PA laws were followed and safety is always at the top of our concerns. There were a few time where chucks came up and at the shooting angles we were on we just could not fire safely. Those were left to seed the field again next year.

leaving some standing is always a good bet! You want to get the obvious ones to keep the owner happy, but I tend to miss those edge ones and the one under the shed...they live forever and sire all my targets for the coming year.

 

[CaptainMal]

Thanks for the explanation. I saw those high misses near that car/house, especially the unknown one, and got quite nervous. Having hunted since the mid-1950's all over populated areas of Pa., seeing that brings back many, many memories. Dealing with other hunters and shooters, who may or may not have quality skills, also brings back memories. Still here so none were fatal but some were awful close. Even got shot by a "friend" and spent a New Years' Day in the hospital.

Not a fan of people around me while hunting. Even public ranges bother me. Just watched a girl spin her loaded handgun toward other shooters because a hot, ejected case went down her breast. Week ago a local father killed his son at a local range in Sarasota when one case went down his shirt. Seeing those misses were reminders.

Glad your experience with other hunters worked out well for you.

 

[K22]

About six years ago I was hunting a farm that I've hunted for years. An older gentlemen walked over the hill were I was set up watching a tree line and asked if I minded if he hunted the opposite field from the other side of the hill where I was sitting. I said as long as he had permission from the land owner I didn't mind. I thought he was nuts anyway since the opposite hay field was over 500 yards from where we sat, separated by a large corn field. The guy disappeared over the hill to set up on the other side.

I shot two ghogs in quick session then the tree line went cold. I heard the older guy shoot, it sounded like 105 howitzer going off. Twenty minutes later I heard him shoot again. That was enough, I had to see what was going on. I walked over the hill and saw his set up. Wow! He had a shooting mat, a custom rifle with a 30" barrel with a Harris bipod attached, the barrel almost as round as a beer can, and large pair and I mean large pair binoculars set on a tripod. He had hauled all this stuff in the field with a golf card he had modified. I was impressed and intrigued.

He asked if I got any. I said two, one at 206 yards, the other at 231 yards. How about you I asked. One at 550* the another at 600* hundred, Naturally I though the guy was full of it but he seemed like a really nice guy and his equipment told me that he was no novice. Long story short, he was gunsmith and specialized in long range varmint hunting. The rifle was a 8mm Remington Magnum necked down to 6 MM. He was shooting a Hornady A Max bullet, I think it was 105 grains. The cartridge was huge. Anyway I asked if I could watch. He asked me to scan the field for him with the binoculars. I spotted one about 30 minutes later at close to 800 yards (he ranged it at the far end of the field). He took out a chart, dialed up his scope and shot at the hog and got him. I couldn't believe it but I saw it. Later we drove over to the field. I had to see this especially the other two he claimed he shot. Both were in the range he had claimed. The long shot, (784 yards actual) was on a standing hog and he nailed it in the chest area. I went away shaking my head.

I never ran into him again unfortunately but I'll never forget that experience. If someone told me this I wouldn't believe it and I wouldn't hold against anyone if they claimed I was full of it but I swear I saw him hit that one at 700+ yards.

*I can't recall the exact yardage of these two shots but in was in the range of 500 to 600 yards. I remember the longest shot because I witnessed it and will never forget it. This was in late August and there was very little wind if any.

 

[snert]

About six years ago I was hunting a farm that I've hunted for years. An older gentlemen walked over the hill were I was set up watching a tree line and asked if I minded if he hunted the opposite field from the other side of the hill where I was sitting. I said as long as he had permission from the land owner I didn't mind. I thought he was nuts anyway since the opposite hay field was over 500 yards from where we sat, separated by a large corn field. The guy disappeared over the hill to set up on the other side.

I shot two ghogs in quick session then the tree line went cold. I heard the older guy shoot, it sounded like 105 howitzer going off. Twenty minutes later I heard him shoot again. That was enough, I had to see what was going on. I walked over the hill and saw his set up. Wow! He had a shooting mat, a custom rifle with a 30" barrel with a Harris bipod attached, the barrel almost as round as a beer can, and large pair and I mean large pair binoculars set on a tripod. He had hauled all this stuff in the field with a golf card he had modified. I was impressed and intrigued.

He asked if I got any. I said two, one at 206 yards, the other at 231 yards. How about you I asked. One at 550* the another at 600* hundred, Naturally I though the guy was full of it but he seemed like a really nice guy and his equipment told me that he was no novice. Long story short, he was gunsmith and specialized in long range varmint hunting. The rifle was a 8mm Remington Magnum necked down to 6 MM. He was shooting a Hornady A Max bullet, I think it was 105 grains. The cartridge was huge. Anyway I asked if I could watch. He asked me to scan the field for him with the binoculars. I spotted one about 30 minutes later at close to 800 yards (he ranged it at the far end of the field). He took out a chart, dialed up his scope and shot at the hog and got him. I couldn't believe it but I saw it. Later we drove over to the field. I had to see this especially the other two he claimed he shot. Both were in the range he had claimed. The long shot, (784 yards actual) was on a standing hog and he nailed it in the chest area. I went away shaking my head.

I never ran into him again unfortunately but I'll never forget that experience. If someone told me this I wouldn't believe it and I wouldn't hold against anyone if they claimed I was full of it but I swear I saw him hit that one at 700+ yards.

*I can't recall the exact yardage of these two shots but in was in the range of 500 to 600 yards. I remember the longest shot because I witnessed it and will never forget it. This was in late August and there was very little wind if any.

If you need a repeat, yo need to hunt with several of the guys who haunt this sub-forum. A bunch of us have chucks in the 800+ range to our credit. With the fine bullets and cartridges out there, with good optics, triggers, barrels and actions, it is pretty common for 450-650 yard kills to the tune of about 20 a year in my log book. I do not record those my partner makes.

 

[ab_bentley]

If you need a repeat, yo need to hunt with several of the guys who haunt this sub-forum. A bunch of us have chucks in the 800+ range to our credit. With the fine bullets and cartridges out there, with good optics, triggers, barrels and actions, it is pretty common for 450-650 yard kills to the tune of about 20 a year in my log book. I do not record those my partner makes.

Yeah 800yds is pretty doable on any trip we go on. Shooting the 20cal though evens the playing field though and makes a 600yd shot feel like a 1100yd shot.

@Greg Taylor those Chambersburg boys, did you get names? I frequent Chambersburg a few times a year.

Adam