Posted: 1/2/2002 10:17:26 AM EDT
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I think I have a ground hog living in my back yard. Wish I could shoot it but my neigbors wouldn't like that very much since they are around 40 yards away. Any ideas on how to get rid of these vermin? Other than blowing its head off with my AR. |
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Quoted: Better yet, one well placed shot with a .22LR. If you're lucky you neighbors won't even notice. That's exactly what I did. Neighbors never even noticed. Ruger 10/22 - a single shot - "great big gobs of greasy grimey gopher guts!" Or gasoline - "Fire in the hole!" |
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Put a pan of antifreeze near the entrance to the burrow. Animals love the stuff because of the sweet flavor, but it is highly toxic. Be aware that other animals that have access may also consume it. Your dog for instance. A better idea is to call your game commission. They'll (live)trap it and remove it, most likely. The one in PA will, anyhow. |
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.22 with eiter subsonic or the colibri/super colibri ammo the colibri in a rifle makes no noise at all except the hammer fall and the smack of the round hittiing target its low powered tho any more than 50 feet and it starts to drop quick --its better in pistols-- the super colibri is better slightly more power I have used all three for taking Racoons at night at the trash cans without spooking the neighbors. One of the nice things about the colibri is that it is so low powered you dont have to worry about it going through something if you miss or the target being the wiser as they usually go stock still staring at the ground where you just hit and staying still for a follow up shot. The Remington subsonic is accurate .22 LR ammo that will knock down some big a-- racoons no problem and at a downward angle shot have stopped some ground hogs dead in thier tracks also with almost no noise. I usually try to get an down angle shot to minimize backround worries and leave the storm window up on the most likely spot I will need to shoot from check sash for ease of movement and quietness contain any pets prior to "engagement".If I get a good downward shot I aim for the wide neck area behind the head body shots tend to set them running and if they get back underground and die....wheew! you'll find the other holes when the start to stink. Happy hunting! |
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Oxy/Acetelene anyone? hehe, pump that hole up real good then find some way to ignite it from a good distance away. it's not much different than the Propane "RODEX 4000" that they are using around here to literally blow the squirrels right out of their holes or collapse their holes around them, pump it full of gas then ignite. WHOOOMP Look the thing up on the net, they've got some videos of the thing being used down in Australia to cure them of the bunny rabbits, FINALLY SOMETHING TO GET THEM IN THEIR HOLES! Here I thought I'd need a mortar to get them. |
| An arrow hit usually lets them get down their holes, often enough with an expensive arrow still embedded in them. Yes, the .22 unit and the subsonics, or CB Caps should suffice. The cherry bombs won't. Gotta plug the other holes for the gas. If can get some calcium carbide, mixing it with water (IN the hole) and then covering the last hole will kill them in place. Sometimes it will also run them out of another hole. I have always just used boxtraps,made of boards, baited with half an ear of corn, even sweet corn will work, at least until it "ages". Carrots work too. Box traps don't harm cats and other animals that get caught, but if you catch a skunk, they are a hassle. |
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Thanks all for your great suggestions. Looks like I'm hunting ground hog this weekend. I just hope I don't have to post a "How to kill a skunk" post after this is all over. [:)]hehe If you want to know, I decided to use a few techniques. I'm gonna put on my tactical gear, arm my self with some subsonic 22, tac knife, shovel, cherry bombs, and some gas to burn the little sucker out. I'll post after the mission is complete. I know how you members need closure. [:)] |
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A bolt action .22 and CCI CBs - subsonic .22 shorts. Don't make any noise at all, but watch your backstop if the area is built up. Don't make yourself a statistic, eh? You can also try the old sniper trick of shooting through a barely open window to muffle the sound, but still use a subsonic round. I used to cap groundhogs all the time in a subdivision this way. [sniper] |
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Quoted: Looks like I'm hunting ground hog this weekend. If you want to know, I decided to use a few techniques. I'm gonna put on my tactical gear, arm my self with some subsonic 22, tac knife, shovel, cherry bombs, and some gas to burn the little sucker out. I'll post after the mission is complete. I know how you members need closure. [:)] Sorry to burst your bubble, akira! But I don't think you're going to have much success. Here are some things you must consider: 1. Groundhogs (Marmota monax) hybernate in winter. The VC(Varmint Cong)will NOT show himself before February (March more likely). 2. A groundhog tunnel is about 30'long and may be as deep as 6' (depending on soil hardness), with one main entrance and AT LEAST one or more emergency exits (well hidden). They will have a nest and toilet chamber that will be offset from the main tunnel. The main entrance will be blocked off with dirt during hybernation to save heat. We're talking about a "Tora Bora" like complex here! 3. Groundhogs make great eating (but not immediately after hybernation)! So don't poison it! I have recipes! [:P] DaMan |
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Maybe it wasn't a ground hog. This little bugger stuck his head out. The wife saw it. Saw its head sticking out. For your dirty minded, its head that rests on its shoulders. I saw the mounds. Could it be something else. Gopher???? She sad its head a bit smaller than a cats head. Any clue? |
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Akira, don't waste your time trying to gas him or flooding him out. They back fill the burrow down away from the entrance for stuff like that and most of the time have a second entrance. If you have a .223 and some reloading equipment, here's a load that will help. 5.5 grs of Unique (pistol powder) over a 55 gr bullet. This is subsonic and sounds like a .22 but with more UMPH! It won't cycle your bolt but it is very effective. I got several caddy shack stories to tell about my personal experiences with groundhogs. They are irritating destructive little creatures. If you have a groundhog in your yard and it's covered with dead leaves, BEWARE!!! You won't see the hole it left from rooting, and may end up with a broken neck... Kinda like what nearly happened to my friend at my house last spring. DESTROY THE LITTLE BASTARD!!!!!!!!! [b]If your neighbors don't mind, just use a 55 gr V-max on him, then post a picture of the red mist.[/b] [;)] |
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FAE Need one big old can o gasoline and a road flare... pour that stuff down the hole and let sit for a minute then through in flare... hopefully watch flaming gopher be ejected from his back door... [}:D] alternatively a Davy Crocket can be used from a safe distance.... [img]http://www.brook.edu/FP/PROJECTS/NUCWCOST/davy6.jpg[/img] [url]http://www.brook.edu/FP/projects/nucwcost/davyc.HTM[/url] |
| I have had similar troubles, here is what did/didn't work. The idea to put a peice of pipe on your exhuast, and gas them out will not work. They will seal of the entrance, blocking the exhuast. Flooding the hole will not work either, they dont seem to mind the water. sometimes sticking a peice of tubing deep down into their hole then pouring gas down it and lighting works. The only sure wayt to get rid of it is to shoot it or use a gopher bomb. A gopher bomb is like a smoke bomb, but the smoke is toxic. they can be bought at hardware stores. |
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Take a jug of Chlorine bleach ( or pure chlorine from a pool store if you can get it) Pour it down the hole.. Then take a jug of Ammonia cleaner and dump it down the hole...Cover hole FAST!!! The chemical reaction will result in Chlorine gas!! Very nasty stuff. Worked great on the skunks at my inlaws! |
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Stormbringer, I did that exact thing once and it didn't kill it. The next day it just cleared it's hole out. The way I finally got rid of it is I shot one of those 38mm flash bangs down the hole. It was cool, it looked like something from vietnam or that movie Clear and present danger. It took the ground up about 6 feet long and 2 feet deep then set it back down as a pile of rubble. The reason I know it work is because I found no new destruction. |
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Quoted: Ever seen a liberalus Kalifonius. Biggest varmints you ever saw. They are tough to spot because they pose as humans. [:)] But once you get 'em properly skinned out and prepared, they make for some good eatin'! They are vegetarians by nature! My friend Jeff sent me some superb recipes that I'll share, if you are interested! [:P] DaMan |
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Quoted: BB/Pellet Gun + 4X scope + Practice + Gopher = FUN |