# First chuck this year



## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

Caught this one headed for its den.









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## Kristine1 (Feb 2, 2015)

Sweet!


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## mofo (Oct 9, 2009)

Nice gun!


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

This little bugger was battling with the fox squirrels to see who could more successfully steal the bird food that I put out. I was content to let him be until I saw him run underneath my back deck. Now I have a new project on my hands. Lol.









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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

They are real good eating this time of year


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Got one last week. He was trying to make it across the field. Musta thought the grass was greener on the other side.


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

Macs13 said:


> This little bugger was battling with the fox squirrels to see who could more successfully steal the bird food that I put out. I was content to let him be until I saw him run underneath my back deck. Now I have a new project on my hands. Lol.
> View attachment 759971
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G988U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


You should have put the cross hairs on him instead of the camera lens. The only good ground hog is a dead one. 

I had one dig up my garage foundation so bad, 2x, a couple years ago I had to buy a scoop of dirt to fill in the hole. The first time I was able to rake it back in. The second time he spread the dirt around so much there wasn't enough to refill the 3' deep crater. So I filled it with rocks & cobble then topped it with dirt. He died of lead poisoning before he could excavate it a 3rd time.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

The neighbors had one go under a shed next to their house then down along the basement wall. The spot he chose was where their propane line went in and it broke the line. He lost 3/4 tank of propane and lucky it didnt blow up. I caught him in a 220 conibear


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

FREEPOP said:


> The neighbors had one go under a shed next to their house then down along the basement wall. The spot he chose was where their propane line went in and it broke the line. He lost 3/4 tank of propane and lucky it didnt blow up. I caught him in a 220 conibear


A 220? I caught mine with a 223. 

220, 223, whatever it takes LOL


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Quack Addict said:


> A 220? I caught mine with a 223.
> 
> 220, 223, whatever it takes LOL


You can fire this off almost anywhere and it does it all by itself


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

Quack Addict said:


> You should have put the cross hairs on him instead of the camera lens. The only good ground hog is a dead one.
> 
> I had one dig up my garage foundation so bad, 2x, a couple years ago I had to buy a scoop of dirt to fill in the hole. The first time I was able to rake it back in. The second time he spread the dirt around so much there wasn't enough to refill the 3' deep crater. So I filled it with rocks & cobble then topped it with dirt. He died of lead poisoning before he could excavate it a 3rd time.


I was too slow. I saw him again while making dinner last night. I slowly crept the window up. I live in a suburb, so no rifle, but I do have a high powered gamo and I was going to pop him with that but he saw me open the window and dashed off. I put the trap out for him last night. One way or another. 

And yeah. We owned a house in W Va that we just sold last year. I spent a whole weekend repairing the damage done to the foundation (natural stone and dirt basement walls). I know what they can do. Grrrr

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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

Macs13 said:


> I was too slow. I saw him again while making dinner last night. I slowly crept the window up. I live in a suburb, so no rifle, but I do have a high powered gamo and I was going to pop him with that but he saw me open the window and dashed off. I put the trap out for him last night. One way or another.


You might be better off with a trap then. I shot a different ground hog with a regular 22 a couple years ago and he made it up under a wood pile before giving up the ghost. A couple of the hottest weeks of the summer followed. The CCI mini mags seem to lay them out consistently though.

I have a couple live traps from the hardware store. The best bait I have found is apples, with or without a smear of peanut butter. Problem is the raccoons like that too. Even got a opossum with that a while back.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Broccolli


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

Quack Addict said:


> You might be better off with a trap then. I shot a different ground hog with a regular 22 a couple years ago and he made it up under a wood pile before giving up the ghost. A couple of the hottest weeks of the summer followed. The CCI mini mags seem to lay them out consistently though.
> 
> I have a couple live traps from the hardware store. The best bait I have found is apples, with or without a smear of peanut butter. Problem is the raccoons like that too. Even got a opossum with that a while back.


No chuck overnight in the live trap. I had tossed in a quartered apple and a tomato. Hope to get him one way or the other this week. 

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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

My Grandson likes to wait until the young of the year start coming out because they are the best ones to eat.


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Even on private property the 220 deal doesn't work so well throughout much of the state. At least for those that don't want to be pulling their neighbors/stray dogs and cats out of their traps.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

shaffe48b said:


> Even on private property the 220 deal doesn't work so well throughout much of the state. At least for those that don't want to be pulling their neighbors/stray dogs and cats out of their traps.


Never had a domestic in a conibear and I've taken a couple hundred chucks in them, even when I had my beagles. It isn't rocket science. Cats don't crawl in holes and with dogs, put up some blocking. I set them in the evening or early morning, so any chucks will be in there and exiting.


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

FREEPOP said:


> Never had a domestic in a conibear and I've taken a couple hundred in them, even when I had my beagles. It isn't rocket science. Cats don't crawl in holes and with dogs, put up some blocking. I set them in the evening or early morning, so any chucks will be in there and exiting.


There's probably ways to go around it to minimize issues. But I don't think that's typically what's done. In fact I think what is often done is a full size 330 is plopped over a hole. I'm just saying what's done. Like you say, dogs tend to sniff out holes in the ground and I'm sure cats aren't immune. Just setting a 220 in a trail might lessen the chances of a dog getting it's head caught (though it might still get in it if it runs it over). Cats not so sure.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

shaffe48b said:


> There's probably ways to go around it to minimize issues. But I don't think that's typically what's done. In fact I think what is often done is a full size 330 is plopped over a hole. I'm just saying what's done. Like you say, dogs tend to sniff out holes in the ground and I'm sure cats aren't immune. Just setting a 220 in a trail might lessen the chances of a dog getting it's head caught (though it might still get in it if it runs it over). Cats not so sure.


I would never trail set for Woodchucks. Too easy to catch anything but a woodchuck that way. I only set dens, they go to them every night and come out most every day. A run may only get used a couple times a week.


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

FREEPOP said:


> I would never trail set for Woodchucks. Too easy to catch anything but a woodchuck that way. I only set dens.


I don't think many people apply a 'backing' when the put a conibear over a woodchuck hole. If you do this, then yes it would be much safer I can see that.


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