Winchester 1000 Bags a Woodchuck

[longislandhunter]

Decided to make another trip to the duck farm this afternoon, this time with my Winchester 1000 .177 and the JSB Exact pellets that it loves so much.  

Arrived at the farm, parked in my usual spot and headed off in search of targets :)

The grain feeders were getting some attention from some  starlings and pigeons, but there really weren't that many birds and the ones that were there weren't letting me get close enough for any shots.  I tried taking a couple of stands underneath some thick trees and  inside some low bushes, but the birds just weren't going to be fooled today so I decided to just still hunt around the edges of the farm and see what targets presented themselves.  

I had worked my way half way around the farm and was approaching a group of 4 grain feeders when I spotted the first target.  A squirrel quickly left the cover provided by the woods at the edge of the duck pen and made a mad dash for the nearest grain feeder.  He arrived at the feeder and began feeding on the grain.  What he didn't expect was the next arrival at the feeder,,,, the .177 caliber JSB Exact pellet that the Winchester 1000 had just spit out of it's barrel.  Distance was 30 yards and the pellet made it's arrival at the feeder with a loud THWACK as it slammed into the rats head.  Squirrel went down for the count immediately.  I picked up my prize and continued my slow walk around the perimeter.

As I was slowly working my way through a small tangle of trees near a large fresh water pond I noticed a brown shape emerging from the undergrowth and entering the duck pen enclosure.  I stood still and watched as  a fair sized woodchuck began his slow waddle towards the grain feeders in the duck pen.  At 25 yards he offered me  a quartering away head shot so I put the crosshairs just behind his left ear  and pulled the trigger. The rifle fired and I was again greeted by that sound of the pellet striking home.  The woodchuck slumped, layed still and never moved again.  Retrieved my kill and saw where the pellet had impacted right where I aimed.  Put the chuck in my game pouch and started walking back to my truck so I could get home in enough time to take some pics for GTA.

On the walk back I saw two large black backed gulls land in a duck pen ahead of me and start to attack one of the ducks.  Keeping a large feeder between me and the gulls I managed to get within 30 yards before they spotted me.  One of the gulls took flight immediately but the second one lingered just a bit to long.  The JSB Exact struck him in mid chest and he flopped over dead as a stump.  I didn't bring the gull home for pics, I disposed of him at the farm.  

I got home with enough daylight left for a couple of pics of the Winchester and it's kills.  Have to go back to work tomorrow afternoon, but I may try and get in a morning hunt if I can work it out.  Hope you enjoy the pics.

Jeff

[JMG]

Can always count on you for great hunts and great pics Jeff. And I am glad that all your guns get a work out. So when is it the B3's turn for the famous duck farm? hehehehe

John

[shadow]

Man Jeff, gess I'm going to have to play catch up. Fantastic story, pic's and shootin my friend. I'm headed out to pop's tommorrow for some rabbit hunting, take a break from the paint fumes hehe. Again Jeff, just super.......... love the pic's. Ed

[Big_Bill]

Yes Jeff,

You sure are making up for some lost time there, great kills !!!

And tell your daughter "GREAT PHOTOS" for me. Your photos are very good also Jeff, it's jest your never in them. :)

Do you eat the woodchucks ? I have, and I think that they are very good eatin.

[Gene_SC]

That duck farm has lots of cridders there Jeff, and a gold mine for you.. hehe. When the birds are away Jeff can still find some game to take home.. hehe  You have mentioned that the Winchester is a harsh shooter and packs a wallop.. Have you ever chronied it with those JSB Exacts?

I need to send up one of my rifles to you and let you hunt with it and see what you think.. hehe cause I sure can't find the time to do it here and when I do it is not the right time.. hehe

Great hunt and pictures Jeff

Thanks again for sharing
Gene

[patton123]

When are we going to get an invite to the DUCK Farm????hehe  Tell me about the Winchester 1000 does it differ in any way from the Powerline besides the stock??  And what scope mounts are u using on the Winchester and Powerline?


Thanks
Eric

[longislandhunter]

Yeah Bill, I do eat them.  Todays woodchuck is resting comfortably in the freezer along with a couple of his brothers.  I really like them, as do both my daughters, matter of fact they were bugging me just the other day to make some more barbecued woodchuck.  Next day off I plan on defrosting a sampling of wild game and making a feast for me and the daughters.  

Gene,,,, anytime you want someone to take one of your babies huntin just pack em up nice and securely and send em my way :)    I'll gladly give em a workout for ya   :)

Eric,,, as for any differences between the Daisy powerline and the Winchester 1000 I can't see or feel any.  I haven't taken either one of them apart since I got them so I can't tell you if there's any significant difference with the internals.  The only thing I can tell you is that both of them really pack a whallop, probably the hardest hitting .177's in my gun vault.  I had bought the powerline first and was so impressed with it's power and accuracy that I ordered the wood stocked version, which I really like.  As for the scopes,,,, the daisy came with a powerline 3x9x32  non AO scope which is actually pretty nice.  The stock scope mounts that came with the Daisy have held just fine so I left em on.  As for the Winchester, it came with an AO 4x32 scope which has also worked well for me, but the mounts that came with the scope started to creep so I replaced them with an Accushot one piece hight mount and it hasn't moved even the slightest bit.

Both of them are "harsh" to shoot and kinda twangy, but with the accuracy and  power they give me I don't care :)

Jeff



Jeff

[shadow]

Heck, I should get a Daisy now just to say I have one and post some great hunt pic's too hehe. Ed

[Splash]

As always Jeff, excellent acount of your day at the duck farm. Your detailed description of the days events gives a person the sence of being there with you. I don't know how similar they are, but I have an old style Win. 1000 and it settled down nicely with a debur,couple of washers and lube. It now has about 50% less recoil and no twang. I also polished up the trigger,mine is nonadjustable, it's still alittle stiff, but smooth and breaks clean. I know it is hard to take one apart that hits that hard, but you'd be surprized at the diff it can make.
Mike

[patton123]

I saw the mount at Pyramid Air is it 11mm or 3/8 dovetail.

Thanks

[longislandhunter]

Should be the 11mm model.

Jeff

[DAMAGE]

Very nice shooting there M8 looks like those woodchucks might make a good hat for winter you should get yourself a tanning kit & see how nice they come out ????.

[dw33]

Sounds like a great hunt, and that woochuck looks pretty big.