"Ignoramus20428" wrote in message
...
On 2010-06-19, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Ignoramus20428" wrote in message
...
On 2010-06-19, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:52:26 -0400, Wes
wrote the following:

Ignoramus13320 wrote:

On 2010-06-18, Wes wrote:
wrote:

For in-town use, I'd recommend one of the more potent air rifles,
you
can still get a good springer for under $120. That should take care
of most anything up to rabbit size with proper shot placement. Ammo
is a hell of a lot cheaper than .22s, too.

Speaking of air rifles, a .22 cal or better would be a nice and
quiet
rifle.

I have a Gamo `1000 FPS .177 air rifle, it is nothing short of
amazing. I once became upset at squirrels, took a rifle, out of five
shots, I killed three with headshots and fatally injured the fourth.

(That should take out a woodchuck, Ig.)

I know that a pellet from this air rifle goes through 1/2 inch
plywood. (I hope that I remember right)

I heard from a few people who said that I could not kill a groundhog
with that and now you say I can. Hm

Read carefully. You can take out a woodchuck with almost anything *if you
make a head shot*. That's what a couple of people have explained to you.
If
you're able and disciplined to do that, go for it.

Jim Wilkins pointed out why 'chucks are hard to kill if you don't shoot
them
in the head. His is not some minority opinion. Having shot and killed a
couple hundred of them, and having once immersed myself in the
recommendations from the wildcat clan who shot them all the time, I can
agree what Jim says is widely known among varmint hunters. They don't die
easily if shot indisciminately in the body.

If you don't kill them, they'll make it into their hole and die there.
That
may not be so bad if you fill the hole immediately, or, if the hole is
under
your porch, it can produce a stinking mess that will disgust you for
several
weeks. g

OK, I got it. The groundhog does not want to go into the havahart
trap, even though it's been 20 hours. In fact, I have not seen him
since I started running the 40 lb rock tumbler in the shed.

In any case, time for more drastic measures.

You might have to be patient. The trap probably smells new and alien to an
animal. It may have to spend a week outdoors before it's effective. When I
trapped weasels and muskrats, we buried our traps in mud for a week before
using them.

Try putting a few more apple slices *outside* of the trap, but nearby.



What I would REALLY not want is to injure this woodchuck, so that it
runs away and then dies in a burrow under my porch. That would really
stink!

Bingo. If your chucks are calm enough that they'll sit still for you to
shoot, maybe you can make a clean head shot.

Try this trick: When no one is in your yard except for a chuck chomping
his
way through your vegetation, give a sharp, short, high-pitched whistle.
Or
use a toy whistle to do it if you can't whistle. That fluttering sound of
a
regular whistle does not help; pull out the little ball, if you can.

If the chuck is comfy he will sit up on his hind legs and just look.
Shoot
now. This is something that varmint hunters have been doing for many
years,
and it usually works.

If the chuck is nervous, he will run when you whistle. Your chances of
getting a clean, still head shot will be much less. 'Time for the trap.


Sounds good, I can whistle.

i