Saubier.com  



Go Back   Saubier.com > Saubier.com Forums > Small Caliber Discussion Board

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-23-2015, 09:08 PM
Lenard Lenard is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 235
Default Western RockChucks Shoot

Just got back from a 5 hour drive from our RockChuck hunt. Just tired from the ride. It all started at 8: 00 a.m. on thursday. We were going to take a chance on the weather as thunderstorms were moving thru our hunt area.

Arrived at a little after 1:00 and sat up next to an alfalfa field overlooking a large pile of rock, 100 yards long and 30' high. The wind was calm and the sun was out. The sage rats were everywhere and Larry my friend, started shooting them. We sat in one place for 3 1/2 hours, him shooting rats and me watching for chucks. I ended up with 12 chucks and they were extremely wary. Sometimes only head shots and other times full body shots. I am certain Larry must have killed 150 rats.

Then we moved to a different area where we could shoot out to 500 yards. We neither were shooting guns capable of consistent grouping at that distance. Our main goal was to pick off chucks in the 200-300 range. About 5:00, they started coming out to feed and we had such a large amount of chucks in front of us. They were feeding on newly sprouted grain. I ranged a couple at 400 + yards. After making adjustments on the scope, I killed one at 417 on the second shot and my partner killed on the 3rd shot at 400. Now, before you say anything about what guns we were shooting he was shooting a 17 Fireball w/25 gr Hornadays. I was shooting a 20 Tac put together by Bob Greene w/40 vmax. Everyone knows a Fireball is not dependable at that range!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep in mind, that neither of us had ever killed chucks at those distances and these chucks were victim of chance as we did not go shooting with 400 yards in mind. From 1:30 till 6:15, we killed between 60 and 70 chucks. The shooting was so fast and furious, that we lost track of the actual numbers, but that does not matter to us. That is normally what we kill in a season, but changing strategy really increased the numbers. Last season, our crew, killed 350 chucks on this place and it was all because of a very mild winter. Sage rats are absolutely like locusts this year. When we came back to the killing fields on friday morning, there was a dozen turkey buzzards out feeding on the remains.

I know this sounds like a fantasy, but I swear it is the absolute truth. Many won't believe it, but that is fine as I know what happened.

We will have one more trip, as the weather this time only allowed us to shoot the one afternoon. Otherwise it rained like crazy with high winds. The chucks were out but we never fired a shot on friday due to averse weather.

We feel very blessed to have access to hunting grounds like this.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-23-2015, 10:50 PM
rickiesrevenge rickiesrevenge is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,706
Default

Thats AWESOME. I can believe that you made shots that far with the little cartridges. Went out with my buddy to shoot some chucks a couple weeks ago. Didn't get anywhere near the numbers you did. Had a great time none the less.

Aaron
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-23-2015, 11:08 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: N.E. Kommie Kalifornia
Posts: 6,304
Default Western Rockchuck shoots

Sound like a great shoot and day out. BUT where are the photo's We like photo's you know. Bill K
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-23-2015, 11:18 PM
Kiwishooter Kiwishooter is offline
Supporting Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,794
Default

Thanks for the write up, I'm jealous, as I'd love to go Rockchuck shooting someday and all these stories just make me want to do it even more.

I will be in the US during September but I don't think that is the right time of year........Kiwi
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-24-2015, 12:02 AM
Lenard Lenard is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 235
Default

Bill, both of us forgot to take our cameras. I will try to take them on the next trip as I have not taken pictures in years of chucks.

Kiwi, yes that is the wrong time of the year for chucks in the west. There might be some up all summer, but out very early in the mornings and then late evenings when it is cool. Generally late June is the latest unless one lives close. Then out early and then late and those chucks get very big and fat.

Aaron, there are very few areas that can support that kind of population with enough feed. In addition, decent winters allow survival when they are hibernating. These are alfalfa fed critters and they do very well. A biologist from Oregon State told one land owner, that 8 chucks can consume as much grass as a 1,000 lb. cow. That is lot of feed.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-24-2015, 01:13 AM
ARW ARW is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: S/E Pa.
Posts: 67
Default

Sounds like you guys sure had a lot of fun and plenty of targets to shoot at.

I'm a Pennsylvania boy, actually only about an hour from Bob Green, but what exactly is a sage rat?

Alan
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-24-2015, 01:36 AM
Lenard Lenard is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 235
Default

It is just a short tailed ground squirrel. They must be about an inch across the body and maybe 6-7" long. They are likely the most prolific squirrel I know of. A female can give birth to 7 or 8 young which mature quickly. The young can reproduce before the season is over. In addition, the mama can breed and produce a second litter. An Oregon State biologist did a study and figure that 75% of the young will either starve or freeze to death. With the mild winters Oregon has been having, there must be a large percentage that is surviving.

On an earlier trip, we saw an area the size of two football fields that was eaten to the ground (alfalfa field). When the farmers start irrigating, it will come back but be shorter that the uneaten areas. Quite a loss of volume for the farmers.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-24-2015, 01:15 PM
sicero sicero is offline
Supporting Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Medway, Ohio
Posts: 3,013
Default

Someone correct me, where I am wrong.

Don't the ground squirrels go under ground, mid summer and show
up again, early spring. Kenny
__________________
sicero

I pride myself in being able to make decisions with little information.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-24-2015, 01:53 PM
17VLD 17VLD is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 1,674
Default Sounds like a great time...

We all know those kinda of spots are rare and highly coveted.
I have been lucky enough to hunt on 8000 private acres in Colorado,but no numbers like thatof course our goofy government/DOW won't allow that kind of take.Good shooting with the Fireball.
Matt
__________________
NRA Benefactor Member
VHA Life Member
IBS Member
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-24-2015, 02:03 PM
foxhunter foxhunter is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: new mexico
Posts: 3,413
Send a message via AIM to foxhunter
Default

did they look like this?


if so they are richardson ground squirrels. in northern nevada /eastern kalifornia a friend will shoot a brick of 17 hmrs a day at them.
__________________
I post here because it keeps the riffraff away.
'Life's Journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in
a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, Holy sh!t... What a Ride!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 08:27 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.