killing groundhogs

[maddysdad]

given at distance of 300 to say 400 yards and the 6 mm bullets of 55 to 70 grain using varmint bullets I hear that you need 400 foot pounds of energy to be on the target or so.if you look at some of the posts I fell this may not be true. any thoughts on this?i shoot a 22 br and used 22 250s and a 6 mm ppc with sierra and custom bullets.the ranges were up to 350 yards.
gary b

 

[K22]

I've taken them at 300 yards with a 22 250 using 50 bullets driven at 3600 f/s. Ghogs can be tough to anchor. If you gut shoot them they can crawl into their hole, especially the larger ones. We owe it to the animal to make a humane shot. I'm not capable if making an ethical shot beyond 300 yards on a consistent basis because my shooting platform just isn't stable enough, i.e. shooting cross sticks.

A fellow ghog hunter I know makes consistent hits with a 22 250 at 400 to 500 yards but he's shooting off a table with sand bags. He also has a very high end Leupold scope that can make repeatable and precise adjustments.

I think a better question is what is the MOA that you can consistently acheived at those distances. Place a target at those distances and see if you can hit the vital area of a ghog shooting off the system you intend to use in the field.

 

[ab_bentley]

I've taken them at 300 yards with a 22 250 using 50 bullets driven at 3600 f/s. Ghogs can be tough to anchor. If you gut shoot them they can crawl into their hole, especially the larger ones. We owe it to the animal to make a humane shot. I'm not capable if making an ethical shot beyond 300 yards on a consistent basis because my shooting platform just isn't stable enough, i.e. shooting cross sticks.

A fellow ghog hunter I know makes consistent hits with a 22 250 at 400 to 500 yards but he's shooting off a table with sand bags. He also has a very high end Leupold scope that can make repeatable and precise adjustments.

I think a better question is what is the MOA that you can consistently acheived at those distances. Place a target at those distances and see if you can hit the vital area of a ghog shooting off the system you intend to use in the field.

780yds with a 20p w/ 40gr vmax@ 3800.

180ft/lbs @ 780yds

They're not that hard to kill, just got to hit them in the vitals.

Adam

 

[Rem06]

given at distance of 300 to say 400 yards and the 6 mm bullets of 55 to 70 grain using varmint bullets I hear that you need 400 foot pounds of energy to be on the target or so.if you look at some of the posts I fell this may not be true. any thoughts on this?i shoot a 22 br and used 22 250s and a 6 mm ppc with sierra and custom bullets.the ranges were up to 350 yards.
gary b

I shot them at 350yds with a 223 and any bullet that I had. 250yds with 17hmr and 22mag. 243 varmint is the way to go...87vmav etc...87 berger...

 

[John Russell]

I have seen that number (and others) bounced around the internet... by people that haven't shot many woodchucks.

There have been eleventy trillion woodchucks killed by the 22 rimfire at ~100 yds, and that is only 90-ish foot pounds of energy.

Many shooters are using 222 family cartridges, with good bullets out to 500-ish yds, and .22-250 and .220 Swift to 800-ish yds.

 

[Lone Hunter]

I have seen that number (and others) bounced around the internet... by people that haven't shot many woodchucks.

There have been eleventy trillion woodchucks killed by the 22 rimfire at ~100 yds, and that is only 90-ish foot pounds of energy.

Many shooters are using 222 family cartridges, with good bullets out to 500-ish yds, and .22-250 and .220 Swift to 800-ish yds.

John Russell, I agree wholeheartedly with what you said. Seems like you have to shoot a Magnum to kill an animal. It's like in the old days animals and birds were killed with 2 3/4" shells and all the sudden you HAVE to shoot 3" or 3 1/2" shells to kill them. I've killed a bunch of ghogs with .22 lr and .222 Rem. I like the 22-250 though it turns them inside out. To the OP I have shot ghogs with a .300 WM with 110 gr bullets. That is a pretty good show also.

 

[357Mag]

Maddysdad-

Howdy !

I've stated MHO several times @ this site.

" For enhanced lethality on groundhogs, use a varmint calibre/cartridge/rifle combination that can deliver at least 450ft lbs of energy @ the desired target distance. "


With regards,
357Mag

 

[Richard Jones]

" For enhanced lethality on groundhogs, use a varmint calibre/cartridge/rifle combination that can deliver at least 450ft lbs of energy @ the desired target distance. "

I can't begin to say how much I disagree with this statement and how far from reality I believe it to be. How was this 'theory' formulated?

What is 'enhanced lethality?' Is that like, really dead? Deader than dead? Deader than necessary?

A 338 LP makes a bigger hole in a groundhog, but a 17M4 kills just as dead. A 'hog hit in the foot with said 338 will crawl away just as quick as a foot shot with the 17. As with any cartridge, bullet placement to the vitals is vital.

Where does this stuff come from?

 

[John Russell]

I can't begin to say how much I disagree with this statement and how far from reality I believe it to be. How was this 'theory' formulated?

What is 'enhanced lethality?' Is that like, really dead? Deader than dead? Deader than necessary?

A 338 LP makes a bigger hole in a groundhog, but a 17M4 kills just as dead. A 'hog hit in the foot with said 338 will crawl away just as quick as a foot shot with the 17. As with any cartridge, bullet placement to the vitals is vital.

Where does this stuff come from?

"Where does this stuff come from?"

Why, the internet, of course. It is the official source of all truths !!

 

[Rem06]

"Where does this stuff come from?"

Why, the internet, of course. It is the official source of all truths !!

LMAO, I hear that! gotta rack up those posts so you look like you know what your talking about,. AKA keyboard hunters..

ask how a particular bullet performs, get replies from people who never even shot them or seen their damage?

I read it somewhere lol!

 

[hogpatrol]

given at distance of 300 to say 400 yards and the 6 mm bullets of 55 to 70 grain using varmint bullets I hear that you need 400 foot pounds of energy to be on the target or so.if you look at some of the posts I fell this may not be true. any thoughts on this?i shoot a 22 br and used 22 250s and a 6 mm ppc with sierra and custom bullets.the ranges were up to 350 yards.
gary b

Just one experience of mine, 400 yd. groundhog, .17 fireball, 29 grain Kindler Gold, facing me, chest shot, fell over, dead, heard the thump.
Shot placement. Whoever told you that is living in an alternate universe.

 

[John Russell]

What is 'enhanced lethality?' Is that like, really dead? Deader than dead? Deader than necessary?

Where does this stuff come from?

I'm not much on "Enhanced lethality" (who speaks like that? "Lethality" is not even a word - it sent my spell checker into cardiac arrest ).

There was a gunsmith in Virginia, Richard Franklin, who promoted the 300 Winchester Short Mag, with 125gr Nos BTs for woodchucks. That gun would literally explode a 'chuck in a circle of "debris" of 20 feet or more.
I am not of the school of "Hit 'em with 3 M-80s" type of shooting.

I much prefer the "Heart attack" approach. They are hit, they fall down and die, their tail flags, and they are in one piece with one little hole (the entrance), and when you pick them up, they feel like a bag of warm jello.

 

[dedogs]

when you pick them up, they feel like a bag of warm jello.

I have had the same experience with a .17 Fireball and 25g Hornady HP @ 300 yds. Nothing spectacular just...dead. However the same load and distance striking the head IS SPECTACULAR dedogs

 

[Lone Hunter]

Seems like everyone has to have a magnum or bigger. I've Shot the magnums but like the lighter recoiling rifles better. That was just to see what a 300 WM will do to them. Didn't know I had to have a certain ft lbs before they would die. I've shot them with 22 L.R. and they died. Wasn't as spectacular as the 22 CF's but still dead. JR, I like the painter approach. Red Mist and Fur flying.

 

[Lone Hunter]

Wonder how many ft lbs it takes on a coyote? I must have been doing this wrong all these years.

 

[dedogs]

"Lethality" is not even a word

Better check that. dedogs

 

[HillbillyLongRifle]

Groundhogs shot in the Head are dead no matter what caliber you are using. Shoot them in the guts or the ass and they must likely will get back in the hole on ya! I have killed Groundhogs with everything from a 17 Mach 2 to a 30-06 and my favorite calibers are the smaller ones. 20 Tac and 20 Vartarg are two of my all time favorite Groundhog rifles.

 

[ab_bentley]

Wonder how many ft lbs it takes on a coyote? I must have been doing this wrong all these years.

I just wonder how many coyotes died without the knowledge that the didn't have to, due to the "less than needed" ft/lbs used.

 

[hogpatrol]

I just wonder how many coyotes died without the knowledge that the didn't have to, due to the "less than needed" ft/lbs used.

Only the ones who read too much ballistic mumbo jumbo on the internet.

 

[Ohio Varmint Shooter]

If I know for sure the shot will be less than 100 yards...I'll use my 17hmr for a head shot.

Otherwise....my 223. And I keep my shots less than 300 yards.

30-06? I like my shoulder and retinas the way they are.