Henry Rifle Forums

We have a groundhog problem. This is the worst year in a long time. I have a few acres mostly wooded. If they stay down by the woods I leave them alone. But when they are everywhere or they start for house or porch then they need to be dealt with. I've already had one bust up the lattice already this year to get under the front porch. Every evening lately they are everywhere. Just this afternoon I saw 4 or more adults and 3 juveniles.

So I took a break to get the GB and sit on the back porch for a while. The porch is elevated about 10'-12' above the yard which slopes away from the house. I can safely shoot down most anywhere in the yard. A miss hits the ground. Nothing behind us except woods and fields. I'm out there a lot so most critters from the hogs to deer don't pay me much mind on the porch.

So anyway I loaded a few rounds of American Eagle 38gr copper plated HP 22 lr. It didn't take long before a juvy came up from the wood pile. He was facing me and I was above him. I shot him in the front quarter. It went through him mostly length wise. He was down and twitching. I stood up and shot once more to the head and it was over. Quick and clean. About 30 yds. With the peep sights it was pretty easy to make a precise shot. 1st time I've shot a Groundhog with a 22. I usually use the 44 special.

I walked down with the pitch fork to launch the carcass over the hill. It'll be gone by morning. They always are.

I was surprised at the damage done by those little hollow points. Just opened the little critter up. The 1st shot was 100% kill. The 2nd just made it die a little quicker. I'll be doing this most evenings for a week or so till I get the population under control some. I figure I need to take out at least 1/2 dozen.

The Golden Boy has now proven it is as effective as it is pretty!

Congrats, and that is a beautiful rifle.

Congratulations, +2 on your rifle. I have shot a lot of ground hogs with a .22, mostly with my old Springfield single shot with Winchester Wildcat.

I knew these beauties were good for more than paper punching.

Nice job on that pest. I've only used a .22 lr on those pests. Sometimes a .22 pellet if it's from strong hitting air rifle.

I'm glad to see your Henry is a "game" getter as well as a looker.

Dang. You are going g back to your country roots. Sitting in a rocker on the back porch picking off varmints, all you need is a corn cob pipe.

Might be like uncle Jed and strike oil.

Hack wrote:Dang. You are going g back to your country roots. Sitting in a rocker on the back porch picking off varmints, all you need is a corn cob pipe.

Yup. You'll be a good ol' boy before long.

Wish I had a ground hog problem.

ditto1958 wrote:

Hack wrote:Dang. You are going g back to your country roots. Sitting in a rocker on the back porch picking off varmints, all you need is a corn cob pipe.

Yup. You'll be a good ol' boy before long.

I always have been! I grew up in the sticks not here in the east.