"Busting Gophers?"
Printed From: The BaitShop
Category: Hunting
Forum Name: Small Game
Forum Description: Get the scoop on predator, varmint, furbearer, and all small game hunting, trapping and calling methods here!
URL: http://www.baitshopboyz.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=17259
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 22:30
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Topic: "Busting Gophers?"
Posted By: d4570
Subject: "Busting Gophers?"
Date Posted: 05 June 2009 at 10:22
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Any one still after them? I'm thinking about a gopher run the first part of the week. I was hitting then hard earlier but My thought have drifted to walleye fishing .I'll try again and if the grass has not gotten to long to see them out at my Killing fields maybe I can fill my fetish and go back to landing walleye. ------------- Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box |
Replies:
Posted By: d4570
Date Posted: 08 June 2009 at 09:37
: We went out to our best spot today and shot 107 shells between us, we got (confirmed ) 26 gophers and one weasel.That sound like poor shooting but... At 200 yards in a steady sprinkle and a fair wind I think we did very well. We probable got more that that, with the weather they where in the holes and if you didn't fling them out with your shot they would just disappear in to the hole.There was enough dead bodies laying around that we had lots of magpies and a Hawk hanging around to clean up after we left.The Young gophers would come out to eat the dead ones too,cool ,we would shoot them on top of the dead ones  I was using my daughters 243 with some factory 100grs, and some reloads 80 grain barns. The gun is "O" with factory loads and you could tell, the reloads where a foot higher at all ranges.My bud had his CZ 223 with his Home Cast bullets and reloads.No pics the battery's where dead!! ------------- Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box |
Posted By: VarmintGuy
Date Posted: 02 July 2009 at 05:07
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D4570: Its July 2nd and I was out yesterday afternoon shooting the "edges" of my favorite Ground Squirrel haunts. The crops are about maxed out down here in SW Montana and the ever abundant Ground Squirrels only show themselves on the edges and in the rare short crop areas. Hereabouts there was so much bad weather this year during the regular Gopher season that there are an abundance of them left over for next year and what little is left in this years season. The Ground Squirrels begin their summer hibernation (Estivation) hereabouts on August 8th or so. They won't be back up above ground til next spring. But again there should be a strong crop of them for next year! I have gone through eight 525 round cartons (4,200 rounds) of Federal bulk pack 22 L.R. and 3 1/2 cartons of 17 HMR (1,750) and about 200 centerfire rounds on Gophers so far this year! I will admit that my over-all success percentage per shot was way down from a "normal" year, I am sure! I simply persevered on the many, many windy days we had all during the season and tried to do the best I could to thin the crop munching vermin a bit. I know there were days when I did not have 50% hits! I am guessing, but I will estimate, that in a normal year I am around 70% to 75% hits on the Gophers that I shoot at. It has just been a tough year with many late snows, lots of rain, wet and muddy conditions along with the aforementioned incessant wind. Looking forward to next year already! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy |
Posted By: d4570
Date Posted: 02 July 2009 at 09:29
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I was under the impression there was no wind in SM Montana. Do you shoot Richardson's (gophers) or Columbian ( ground Squirrel ) Ours have a short skinny tail? Any way the wind is always awful here in Central MT and the rain and snow was tuff to hunt them here too. I was out last mid week and had to hunt the edges of the wheat and the over grazed "state" lands. Don't give up I have seen Gophers come back out in January. "D" ------------- Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box |
Posted By: VarmintGuy
Date Posted: 05 July 2009 at 13:40
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D4570: I am not sure which of the many sub-species of Ground Squirrels we have here in SW Montana. I do know this that about 110 miles west of here (by vehicle) the Ground Squirrels in the Phillipsburg area are a completely different animal. They are much bigger and colored more like a Rock Chuck than the Ground Squirrels we have here in the Dillon area. I will try to identify the Ground Squirrels we have hereabouts for you. I used to Hunt the "country" Ground Squirrels up around Libby, Montana and they are also much larger than our local Squirrels but are different than the Phillipsburg area Ground Squirrels. Hold into the wind VarmintGuy |