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Woodchucks vs Horton

I am planning a day of target practice very soon. I just acquired a place to hunt groundhogs with my crossbow. Way to dangerous to shoot even a rimfire on this property or I'd use the HMR. It is only a four acre field, but has targets aplenty. I scouted it last week and saw as many as eight in the field at the same time. I'd guess 30-40 are living in and along the field. Should be fun, just waiting for some battery holders for my metal detector to show up in the mail. I know I'll need it to find arrows. Hope a cooler day arrives soon.
 

Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
6,078
118
Sounds like its gonna be a fun day.... "J" has a good idea about the air gun...
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
57,018
274
North Carolina
I've killed hem with the compound, xbow, .22 .22mag .35 cal R.E.M. .243 and a couple with vehicles lol...
 
Hunted this property Saturday morning. Nice cool weather, almost like an opening morning of bow season. I killed my first (and only) woodchuck just before 8AM. He made it back to his hole, but the sign told me he was dead very soon. Worst part was I lost my favorite bolt somewhere in the woods edge. I looked everywhere with my eyes and my metal detector, no luck. This bolt had killed 10 or more deer in years past and it will be missed.

This proved to be a tough place to hunt. Only a small strip of grass, 8-10 foot or so, is mowed along the edge of the field. I'll be back after the field is cut by a neighboring farmer. This will make it easier to find bolts after the shot and allow me to sit in the hedge row to stay better hidden.

It was fun and I only took one shot, but I hit my target and built my confidence for October.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Glad you connected! The reason I brought up the shotgun was because of bolts. That'll get expensive in a hurry. Sounds like you have a plan though! Good luck. Spring might also be an option.
 
Glad you connected! The reason I brought up the shotgun was because of bolts. That'll get expensive in a hurry. Sounds like you have a plan though! Good luck. Spring might also be an option.

Spring was exactly what I was thinking. Bolts and broadheads may get expensive, but as they say about money, you can't take it with you. I've only lost half a dozen or so bolts in all my years hunting. Most are found with my metal detector. Next time I hunt this field I'll be using aluminum bolts, much easier to find with the metal detector. All I had detectable Saturday was the broadhead on the carbon bolt.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Spring was exactly what I was thinking. Bolts and broadheads may get expensive, but as they say about money, you can't take it with you. I've only lost half a dozen or so bolts in all my years hunting. Most are found with my metal detector. Next time I hunt this field I'll be using aluminum bolts, much easier to find with the metal detector. All I had detectable Saturday was the broadhead on the carbon bolt.

Sounds like you have a solid plan! Enjoy buddy.