Ground Hog Dilemma

[HOLEPUNCHER]

I have a ground hog living in my oak tree in the front yard. He/she has been destroying the flowers etc. TWRA says I can hunt it. Don't want to fire off a live round in the neighborhood. Been thinking about buying an air rifle, this would be good reason. Question, would air rifle rid me of this pest? Would possibly have a 20-25 foot shot

Edited August 14, 2011 by HOLEPUNCHER

[NRA]

These new air rifles are not the ones we had in our youth. These things are bad a** and most sling pellets 750 -1200 FPS. The pellets also are no joke. I think a well placed shot at that range would do the job.

[DaveS]

NRA said it right. Only other choice is a "caddy shack" mission....not reccommended.....Live trap maybe? Remember, any "shot" you fire in a nieghborhood, you have a liabilty issue if something goes wrong. Read "murphy's law" 101.

[DaveS]

I have a ground hog living in my oak tree in the front yard. He/she has been destroying the flowers etc. TWRA says I can hunt it. Don't want to fire off a live round in the neighborhood. Been thinking about buying an air rifle, this would be good reason. Question, would air rifle rid me of this pest? Would possibly have a 20-25 foot shot

Never heard of a "groundhog" living in an Oak tree. Do we have the right critter here?

[HOLEPUNCHER]

Yep, right critter. First for me too. I saw him around and neighbor saw him using the tree as home. He actually got pictures. it's a large hollowed out tree.

[whiskey]

I had a ground hog come down the tree next to me in the early dawn one morning. I thought I was about to kill a world record squirrel.

I take it you aren't a bow hunter? I'd be decked out in 3-D ASAT sitting on my roof with a quiver full of arrows.

An air rifle would work. So would a .22 short. If you go with the air rifle, make sure you have one that is capable of accuracy and a clean kill. I had to shoot a possum that took up residence under my house, in the city, with a pellet gun. I was under-armed. I had to shoot it multiple times and it wasn't pretty. Go for a head shot. That old ground hog won't go easy. They are tough critters.

[Just2Honor]

NRA is right on. I have a Gamo Big Cat 1200 and with their "Gold PBA" ammo it develops 1200 fps. Not a pump--just cock the barrel one time (about 35 lbs pull), load a pellet, close the barrel and fire away. Came with a scope from "Walley World". Knocks squirrels out of a tree or bird feeder if hit in the head or upper torso from about 75-100 feet. Much better than anything I had as a kid.

[DaveS]

Just one word about a groundhog. They have about the toughest hide of any animal out there. They will actually dull a knife while skinning one. I remember my granddad telling me how they used groundhog hide for shoes and laces back during the depression. They are very tough skinned animals, so therefore, you should use the best caliber available to you. I personaly don't think an air rifle will work. A .22 will hardly work at times.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

If the ground hog also has a burrow, maybe some company around nashville has a gopher blaster?

Maybe not strong enough for a ground hog, but I had a brick of Aguila .22 bb, which are shorts with just primer and no powder, and a slug about the size of a pellet or bb. Not loud at all.

I didn't have a .22 revolver and they had to be single-fed into semi-auto pistol or bolt-action rifle. Didn't have patience for that so gave most of the brick to dad and a couple of boxes to a friend with an urban rat problem. Big old rats had started eating the dog food and took up residence under his studio building. The .22 bb rounds worked great on the rats at close range and didn't make enough noise to bother the neighbors.

[Just2Honor]

+1 wd-40. Cherokees used the hide for drum heads because it was so tough. Pellet rifle will take a head shot, preferably in the eye.

[DaveS]

Oh, that's gonna leave a mark......lol

[Howler]

Own a bow? I've seen them run in the hole with an arrow in em. Makes it easy to pull them back out.

[UncleJak]

We had a groundhog on the farm where I grew up. I know of at least 2 times where I got him with a .410 and he did not die. Dad caught him with the S&W 5906 9mm one day, that did it. I agree with everyone else, place your shot in the head!

[Guest 270win]

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Have you thought about burning or poisoning that ground hog out? You have to be careful if you have dogs or cats. I'd be very tempted to pour something down in the hole that dude has been digging. Those things can really tear up your yard. Where there is one there will be more. Trapping might work too. A good 22 air rifle from RWS has a lot of power too.

[dlm37015]

they are also very tastey when fixed like a roast

[Guest clownsdd]

Air gun may be prohibited shooting in your area also. Be sure you have "friendly" neighbors.

If you have a good paint ball gun, enough pestering might run him off.

[Motasyco]

Live trap. Take him for a ride with no return ticket. You can be the Groundhog Godfather.

[ttocswob]

IMO, .22 CB's or subsonics with a well-placed shot will terminate the groundhog as that range, and in a .22 rifle, the CB's are quieter than an air rifle.

[ShaunM]

I would trap him and call the TWRA or relocate yourself. I think its to dangerous/risky to shoot a pellet gun or use poison in a neighborhood.

[DaveS]

I also think city ordanances prohibit the discharge of firearms, to include airguns inside their city limits.

[R_Bert]

I would trap him and call the TWRA or relocate yourself. I think its to dangerous/risky to shoot a pellet gun or use poison in a neighborhood.

Check state regs, I think relocation (i.e. trap then release) of nuisance widlife is not permitted. They have to be destroyed & disposed.

[Guest Conrad]

I will gladly come kill your groundhog with my bow i need the practice for Bear and Deer Archery Season anyway. Where is Hendersonville?

[JAB]

I had to shoot a possum that took up residence under my house, in the city, with a pellet gun. I was under-armed. I had to shoot it multiple times and it wasn't pretty. Go for a head shot. That old ground hog won't go easy. They are tough critters.

I also was confronted with a possum that had to die a few years back (it was in my chicken coop one night.) It took three shots to the head with Stingers from a 22A at about five yards to do it in. After the first shot, it fell over then sat right back up and looked at me as if to say, "What in the hell did you do that for?" After the second shot, it fell over, again then sat right back up, hacked some blood out of its throat/mouth and just continued to look at me. After the third Stinger to the brain, it fell over once more, spasmed a bit, hacked out some more blood, spasmed some more then finally died. As ticked as I was that it was in my chicken coop it still bothered me that it didn't die quickly and cleanly.

Edited August 15, 2011 by JAB

[whiskey]

I will gladly come kill your groundhog with my bow i need the practice for Bear and Deer Archery Season anyway. Where is Hendersonville?

Liked previously stated, if in the city limits, check regs for firing any weapon. Some cities consider bows as weapons.

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- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

[R_Bert]

I also was confronted with a possum that had to die a few years back (it was in my chicken coop one night.) It took three shots to the head with Stingers from a 22A at about five yards to do it in. After the first shot, it fell over then sat right back up and looked at me as if to say, "What in the hell did you do that for?" After the second shot, it fell over, again then sat right back up, hacked some blood out of its throat/mouth and just continued to look at me. After the third Stinger to the brain, it fell over once more, spasmed a bit, hacked out some more blood, spasmed some more then finally died. As ticked as I was that it was in my chicken coop it still bothered me that it didn't die quickly and cleanly.

I bet the chickens were more disturbed by the gunfight than the possum !