Groundhog surprise!

[Jeff Hoover]

This past Thurs., Fri., and Sat. were Marylands early muzzleloader season. On the first day, as I got to my stand, I saw the biggest groundhog I ever saw, standing on a blowdown, on his hind legs, about 35 yards from me. After staring at each other for a few minutes, I watched him scurry up the blowdown, jump onto another blowdown, and crawl about 20 feet up, and disappear. I take it the blowdown was hollow, and the woodchuck found himself a safe, snug den, to sleep in.

Later that evening, I passed on a smaller 8 pt. buck, chasing a doe around. Fri., and Sat., were pretty slow. No deer spotted. The mast crop is unbelievable this year ! The acorns are huge and plentifull. The deer must be in heaven !

As soon as I reached a different location to hunt on Sat. afternoon, I spotted another groundhog! I guess they've taken to the woods to take advantage of the acorns, also. This one climbed out onto some rocks to sun himself . I love to hunt groundhogs, and never had the opportunity to shoot one with my beloved TC Encore Muzzleloader. He was 75 yds. away, and looking very tempting! I put the crosshairs on him, to size him up. He looked pretty darn good with the crosshairs on him. I whistled, he lifted his head, and I placed the crosshairs under his chin, on his chest.

Next thing I know, the air is full of smoke and the groundhog is gone. I walked over to where he was relaxing, and found one heck of a mess. I shot him with a 250 gr. Shock wave over 150 grs. of triple 7 pellets.

Didn't get my deer, but got a muzzleloader whistle pig in October.

 

[cellar701]

Wow - that's quite a load for groundhog, but some good shooting with the old smoke pole! And some nice pics of the prize. I wish you luck with the venison as the season progresses.

Yes, this year has seen a bumper crop of acorns and groundhogs - I shot five or six groundhogs this year in my back yard alone.

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

grounghog suprise?
I was expecting a recipy for some oddball reason....


reuben...

 

[deserttrans]

That's what is called hydraulic failure.....

 

[Sheriff]

Congrats, Jeff.

 

[mt]

Dang! Buzzard bait.
:shock:

mt

 

[Snake45]

I shot him with a 250 gr. Shock wave over 150 grs. of triple 7 pellets.

"Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?"
:wink: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Snake45]

Dang! Buzzard bait.
:shock:

mt

"Buzzard's gotta eat, same as the worm."

--Josie Wales

 

[contender]

We may not have those mean old badgers,, but we got plenty of whistlepigs! Good one Jeff! It got me to thinking,, and I have never shot a groundhog with a smokepole either,,,! Hmmmmmmmm!

 

[WingMaster]

150 grains! Wow. I have been using 250 grain Shok Waves and 100 grains of 777 (2 pellets) for deer. This year I switched to a 300 grain bonded Shok Wave over 100 grains. I tried 130 but accuracy was better with 100 grains.

Regardless, it looks like your load was effective on that groundhog...

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Jeff,
That hog looks like you shot him with "Jugs"
.44/50 load!! :shock:
Terry

 

[callshot]

When you said GROUND HOG I thought that you were cooking some sausage. :roll: :roll: Steve

 

[Jeff Hoover]

Snake45, That was funny!!!!! Good quote from Sundance !

Terry, Jug sent me a triplex load of 1- 50 gr pellet of 777, 1 M80, another 777 pellet, another M80, this to get the charge of Black Powder going, being 100 grs of 2F, to be on the safe side . A saboted 250 gr Shock wave to be seated over the charge! We're looking for 4,000 fps !

callshot, another shot, and it would be ground.....hog :lol:

 

[Ethang]

grounghog suprise?
I was expecting a recipy for some oddball reason....


reuben...

Me too.... :roll:

On a related note, my Encore shoots better with 150 grain load and the SW's then it does with a 100 grain load.

 

[Jeff Hoover]

Ethang, those babies thrive on that hot load ! Mine will consistantly group 3 shots 1 - 1 1/2 " groups at 100 yds. For years I carried my TC ML during shotgun season. I feel confident up to 200 yds with it !

I use the Harvester ribbed sabots for easier loading and reloading.

 

[sixshot]

Nice shooting Jeff! Opened him up like a can of tomatoes! If our rock chucks were out now they would be shoveling snow!

Dick

 

[Ethang]

Ground Hog Suprise
The Way We Cooked: Vintage Gourmet
November 1942

Skin and cut a 6- to 8-pound woodchuck into serving pieces (being careful to remove the kernels under the forelegs and in the small of the back). Soak the pieces for at least 3 hours (overnight is better) in salted water to cover. Wash the pieces well, rinse them in several fresh waters, and drain thoroughly. Put the meat in a stewpot with boiling water to cover and let it boil violently for 15 minutes. At the end of this time the original quantity of water will be reduced by half, and the meat will have retained all its juices. Reduce the flame, and let the meat simmer gently until it is tender. Add 1 generous cup heavy sweet cream, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Note that this is the first time that salt and pepper have been added. Simmer for 5 minutes longer, then thicken the gravy with a little flour, stirred to a paste with cold water. Serve the creamed woodchuck with baking powder biscuits and boiled yams.


8)

 

[Ethang]

I tried a bunch of different bullets, loads, sabots, even tried weighing the powder charges when I first got my Encore trying to get the best group possible. In the end I spent a ton of money and ended up finding out that a 250 SW with a HPH 12 sabot and 3 pyrodex pellets shot the best in my rifle.

I have used that combo for the last 5 years or so for all my deer hunting in Michigan.

 

[Cholo]

Um Jeff, did you have to administer a coup de grâce on the little bugger? :wink:

Ethang, I hunted groundhogs with a friend who ate a few. I ate pizza...