I slept late today recovering from another very long 65hr work week and was lounging around the house not doing much of anything but checking the yard for my favorite summer quarry
It was around 3pm when I was contemplating going outside to spend the 2hrs it takes to cut the grass. I decided to take one last look out the windows in search of my ground dwelling friends who have not visited me this Spring yet except for one 3 weeks ago. I quickly looked at the shed area and proceeded to the next window facing the back, when I thought something looked a little different so I went back for another look. After letting my eyes get used to the grass around the tool shed for a few secs, I made out a "frozen" G-hog's head and eyes barely sticking out of the middle hole under the shed. The left side of the shed facing the house has 3 holes. I froze as it seemed like it was looking up straight at me. Then the neighbor's kids came out some 40yds from the other side of the shed, and the G-hog moved its head to that direction away from me. I backed off the window fast and got the Talon Tunes Condor .25 ready and loaded with a 25.4gr JSB.
Now the biggest task was to put the window up without giving away my position or scaring the G-hog. I peaked through the window again and it was on the lawn eating the clovers and the grass when the neighbor came out again to call the kids back inside to get a snack. The G-hog ran under the shed and I took that opportunity to open the window quickly. I setup my trusty shooting pillow on the sill and waited with the Condor for the chuck to come out 22yds out with the mag @ 12x. Not 2min. went by when it stuck its entire head out again but this time from the hole farther out and started looking around. After about another minute it inched out a little more but then put its head and body down to the ground like it might have seen me and was trying to keep a low profile. It was laying there flat on the ground at the burrow entrance completely still for another 30-40secs so I put the crosshairs between its left eye and ear (closer to ear) and squeezed.
Immediately I heard a loud "THUMP" and through the scope I saw blood pouring fast out of its ear as the G-hog layed there motionless. I knew I did not aim directly at the ear, but then 2secs later blood started slowly coming out of another spot about 3/4" to the left of the ear where the pellet had struck and where I was aiming. I was relieved that my shot was not 3/4-1" off, and that the G-hog did not even move or attempt to back up or down the hole after being shot. It laid completely still and died instantly which is always the intended outcome.
I put my shoes on and went downstairts to collect the G-hog and take a couple of pics. I opened the side door leading to the driveway and WHAT do I see? Another much bigger, dark, almost black Groundhog runs over to the dead one from the trees in the back. He saw me open the door but he still finished his run to his girlfriend, put his head down to smell her, and then ran back to the bushes and trees on the small hill in the back of the house. I was very pleased to see him but I was a little disappointed that I had shot another female G-hog. Oh well. These 2 were clearly a couple and had moved in to make babies. It looks like I keep interrupting their plans to reproduce. Anyone else (normal) would want that, but I want them to have offspring so I have plenty of them around to shoot so it doesn't get boring.. hehehe
The woodchuck was 9lbs and was taken with a .25 JSB King traveling at 1,050-1,060fps with the powerwheel dialed down and a low pressure fill. This tuned Condor is so accurate and powerful, I can't seem to put it down
