Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
Once I got my new widget, my "chuck stake" finished, it was time to field test the new gizmo on the intended target of choice, our local rock chucks with my current varmint rifle love affair, my Cooper M38 VR in 20 VarTarg. When I got a call from a local horse rancher to please come and thin out his rock chucks, there was no time wasted grabbing my rifle and heading out to the ranch.
Using a load of 18.5gr of RL-7 under a Nosler 32gr BT at 3,725 fps, this rig is like a laser on the chucks, and is nice and quiet for settled areas. Here's a shot of the Cooper, affectionately named "Scooter" resting on the chuck stake waiting for the first victim:
A curious chuck checking out the intruder in his territory as I was sneaking about trying to be stealthy (all chucks were photographed with various telephoto lens....they won't let you get anywhere near as close as the photos appear):
Typical local rolling terrain with chuck dens under the junipers in the rocks:
This big boy was shot sitting on the stump shown in the area above:
One thing the local ranchers and myself really like about the little 20 Vartarg, is it's quiet when compared to any of my 223's or 204's. The ranch stock was not even disturbed by the little rifles report from this fenceline hide:
There's no doubt about the terminal effects of the little caliber. This chuck only gave me a head/neck view through my scope.... at 248 yards, the effects are pretty graphic:
The rock piles are full of chuck dens, sort of like rodent condos if you will. This one kept peeking out at regular intervals:
After just over an hour, I had eight chucks...one flopped about so much when hit, he disappeared down the rock pile, never to be seen again......without a backhoe:
The ranch has a slight depression near the rock piles that I usually put my moribund chucks into, belly-up for the raptors to see from the air for cleanup. The rancher called me that evening to tell me that the sky was dark with eagles, hawks and ravens over the chuck pile:
A parting shot of a young chuck checking me out, about to bail down his den (he's alive and well, I'm saving him for breeding stock for next year.
)
All in all it was a good morning, and I found out that my new widget, my 'chuck stake' works as advertised, and my Cooper 20VT, or "Scooter" endeared herself to me again. Hope you enjoyed my morning walkabout......I know I sure did.
Using a load of 18.5gr of RL-7 under a Nosler 32gr BT at 3,725 fps, this rig is like a laser on the chucks, and is nice and quiet for settled areas. Here's a shot of the Cooper, affectionately named "Scooter" resting on the chuck stake waiting for the first victim:
A curious chuck checking out the intruder in his territory as I was sneaking about trying to be stealthy (all chucks were photographed with various telephoto lens....they won't let you get anywhere near as close as the photos appear):
Typical local rolling terrain with chuck dens under the junipers in the rocks:
This big boy was shot sitting on the stump shown in the area above:
One thing the local ranchers and myself really like about the little 20 Vartarg, is it's quiet when compared to any of my 223's or 204's. The ranch stock was not even disturbed by the little rifles report from this fenceline hide:
There's no doubt about the terminal effects of the little caliber. This chuck only gave me a head/neck view through my scope.... at 248 yards, the effects are pretty graphic:
The rock piles are full of chuck dens, sort of like rodent condos if you will. This one kept peeking out at regular intervals:
After just over an hour, I had eight chucks...one flopped about so much when hit, he disappeared down the rock pile, never to be seen again......without a backhoe:
The ranch has a slight depression near the rock piles that I usually put my moribund chucks into, belly-up for the raptors to see from the air for cleanup. The rancher called me that evening to tell me that the sky was dark with eagles, hawks and ravens over the chuck pile:
A parting shot of a young chuck checking me out, about to bail down his den (he's alive and well, I'm saving him for breeding stock for next year.
)
All in all it was a good morning, and I found out that my new widget, my 'chuck stake' works as advertised, and my Cooper 20VT, or "Scooter" endeared herself to me again. Hope you enjoyed my morning walkabout......I know I sure did.
