Shoulda worn longjohns

[Nomad47]

Nomad I often wonder if groundhogs here in NC really hibernate, or just shut down when it's really cold and wake up when it gets into the 50's, which it does often here through the winter. You have to be at the ready at all times here. You guys have real winters, we don't. As it is I stopped by a farmers place yesterday who has near 200 acres of soybeans. He was washing one of his big rigs.
I asked how bad the smoke from the forest fires was bothering him, after a few minutes of cussing the lack of rain and the awful smoke ( I could only see 150 yards on the deer stand this morning ) I asked if he had trouble with groundhogs, he confirmed, I asked if he would mind me shooting them, he grinned and said "have at it son". So I'll have some scouting to do this winter and another spot this spring!

Sweet! Groundhog hunting in NC.

According to science, groundhogs are one of the few mammals that truly hibernate - heart rate and breathing slowing to the point of near death. Also according to science, bears are not true hibernators. With that said, I have heard of groundhog sightings on rare very warm days here in Ohio.
I agree with you. Your groundhogs probably get sluggish in the cooler months and might even nap for a couple,days at a time, but probably do not truly hibernate.

BTW, back when we lived full time in a diesel pusher motor home, we spent a month each spring visiting son and family in the Kinston/Goldsboro area. I developed a friendship with one of the biologists at the Neuse Nature Center. We would go out to his dad's farm and shoot my steel out at 500 yards. That part of the state was so flat it was hard to get any more distance than that.

 

[rebel]

Sweet! Groundhog hunting in NC.

According to science, groundhogs are one of the few mammals that truly hibernate - heart rate and breathing slowing to the point of near death. Also according to science, bears are not true hibernators. With that said, I have heard of groundhog sightings on rare very warm days here in Ohio.
I agree with you. Your groundhogs probably get sluggish in the cooler months and might even nap for a couple,days at a time, but probably do not truly hibernate.

BTW, back when we lived full time in a diesel pusher motor home, we spent a month each spring visiting son and family in the Kinston/Goldsboro area. I developed a friendship with one of the biologists at the Neuse Nature Center. We would go out to his dad's farm and shoot my steel out at 500 yards. That part of the state was so flat it was hard to get any more distance than that.

I am western NC. The foothills right under the Blue Ridge. As I drive to work each day I climb to around 1100 ft and can look over the river valley like a map. In 30 min. I can be at 3800 ft. So the shooting is a bit more safe. Our groundhogs are coming back, possibly because of coyote population drops ( disease and an increase in the popularity of hunting them) When we make the long drive to the coast, the first hour is a contest between me and my daughter in spotting groundhogs. Then I make her range them Drives the wife nuts.

 

[Nomad47]

I am western NC. The foothills right under the Blue Ridge. As I drive to work each day I climb to around 1100 ft and can look over the river valley like a map. In 30 min. I can be at 3800 ft. So the shooting is a bit more safe. Our groundhogs are coming back, possibly because of coyote population drops ( disease and an increase in the popularity of hunting them) When we make the long drive to the coast, the first hour is a contest between me and my daughter in spotting groundhogs. Then I make her range them Drives the wife nuts.

Most of our trips to NC started in AZ and went thru GA, but we came across I-40 on one of our trips. I really liked western NC.

 

[Nomad47]

Shot 2 more today. Nothing special, except their fur appears to be turning a dark brown.

No hunting tomorrow, previous commitment.
Friday is supposed to be sunny and warm, nearly 70. Yahoo.
Then it's to turn cold. So Friday may be my last day of groundhog for the year.

 

[Nomad47]

Looking at the extended weather forecast, I would say this was my final day of groundhog hunting for the 2016 season.

I went out for 5 hours and hunted 3 of my 21 farms. On the first setup on farm 1, I sat for about an hour watching combined bean fields and never saw the first groundhog. For my second setup on farm 2, I was watching a combined bean field that was now in winter wheat. Shot 2 over a 2 hour period that came out to munch on the tender wheat growth. For my third and final setup, I was setup again on combined bean fields. By now the wind has really picked up with gusts to 20 MPH. Nailed the first one at 289 yards in a crossing wind. Missed the next one at 402 yards, down wind and I forgot to take out the previous windage correction. DOH! But he comes back out after a couple minutes. Missed AGAIN!! He was standing up and the bullet just missed the top of his head. DANG. Down wind and some downward angle. The wind must have pushed the bullet up. If he comes out again (he sure is living a charmed life), I'm taking out .5 moa. Sure enough, a few minutes later, out he comes again. Now he's pushing his luck. Nailed him - third time's the charm. Shot one more at 298, almost straight upwind. 5 for the day.
That makes 464 for the season - shattered my old record of 427 set in 2012. And 2,040 since I started keeping records in excel in 2011.

 

[snert]

Looking at the extended weather forecast, I would say this was my final day of groundhog hunting for the 2016 season.

I went out for 5 hours and hunted 3 of my 21 farms. On the first setup on farm 1, I sat for about an hour watching combined bean fields and never saw the first groundhog. For my second setup on farm 2, I was watching a combined bean field that was now in winter wheat. Shot 2 over a 2 hour period that came out to munch on the tender wheat growth. For my third and final setup, I was setup again on combined bean fields. By now the wind has really picked up with gusts to 20 MPH. Nailed the first one at 289 yards in a crossing wind. Missed the next one at 402 yards, down wind and I forgot to take out the previous windage correction. DOH! But he comes back out after a couple minutes. Missed AGAIN!! He was standing up and the bullet just missed the top of his head. DANG. Down wind and some downward angle. The wind must have pushed the bullet up. If he comes out again (he sure is living a charmed life), I'm taking out .5 moa. Sure enough, a few minutes later, out he comes again. Now he's pushing his luck. Nailed him - third time's the charm. Shot one more at 298, almost straight upwind. 5 for the day.
That makes 464 for the season - shattered my old record of 427 set in 2012. And 2,040 since I started keeping records in excel in 2011.

mid 60's here and not a GH in sight. Weird. Great job! Thanks for keeping a running tally and letting us "ride along".