We\u2019re going through a transition.\u00a0 I hate that word.\u00a0 Transition generally denotes change and change is not always comfortable but I find the transitions in the predator and varmint hunting world are easier because they hold promise.\u00a0 I love to call predators.\u00a0 It\u2019s one of the most exhilarating things in the world but after a long, cold winter of piling on layers and fighting the snow, the varmint fields start to look pretty inviting.\u00a0\u00a0 The colony varmints are starting to come out now\u2014actually they’ve been starting to come out for weeks but the transition in the weather isn’t keeping up with the desire of my mind!\u00a0 Our sage rats are trying to get out between rain showers and snow squalls and icy winds .\u00a0 The \u201c\u2018rats\u201d don\u2019t offer the heart pounding excitement of a charging predator but, hey, there\u2019s something to be said for a hunting sport that doesn’t require a 4:30 alarm and can see hundreds of rounds fired per day!\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sage rats offer the shooter an unequalled opportunity to burn ammunition and utilize that last quarter inch you wrung out of your handloads at the range.\u00a0 This early season ground squirrel and prairie dog shooting is made for the accurate centerfire rifle.\u00a0 It’s just as hard for the grass to go above ground as it is for the squirrels so the cover is almost non-existent.\u00a0 With relatively exposed targets and large ones at that, we get to stretch the legs on the heavy barrel rifles with the Hubble-like scopes.\u00a0\u00a0 Accuracy trumps terminal bullet performance now and laser trajectories make reaching the practical limits of your rifle\u2019s accuracy on a target that only spans two inches less than a mathematical, computer-driven event and more a relaxed chance for trigger time.\u00a0 We just bust out the benches and shoot!\u00a0 That said, the rockchucks have been peeking out about as long as the sage rats.<\/p>\n
Our country doesn’t hold a lot of rockchucks so we have to practice self-imposed conservation measures to keep from shooting them out.\u00a0 What that means for others is up to you but for us, we’ve put a self-imposed limit of \u201cNo rockchucks under 1000 yards \u2018til May.\u201d\u00a0 A few years ago 400 yards would have been just as realistic in conserving the resource.\u00a0 For you, the minimum range may be much further.\u00a0 My son, Ben, connected on his first rockchuck of the season last year at 1044 yards so, “Game On!” as they say .\u00a0 The size of rockchucks makes them a viable long range target.\u00a0 They will weigh up to maybe fifteen pounds in our area.\u00a0 So, now the need for a dedicated long range rig comes into play and, yes, you better get to the computer or, better yet, carry one with you.\u00a0 One nice thing about long range rockchuck shooting is that there are generally multiple targets at similar ranges and they don\u2019t necessarily run off when the shots are coming out of the next zip code.\u00a0\u00a0 This allows a shooter with a spotter to \u201cwalk\u201d onto target.\u00a0 It doesn’t make it pure sniper \u201cone shot, one kill\u201d stuff but it allows newer long range shooters a chance to work their way into the game.\u00a0 \u201cOne shot, One kill\u201d stuff can be progressed into as the LR shooter gains experience.<\/p>\n
A few good sage rat shoots have kept the reloading press busy already this spring but the big events have been our LR rockchuck attempts.\u00a0\u00a0 The first two attempts resulted in more data-gathering sessions than killfests. \u00a0Does\u00a0 \u201cNo animals were harmed in the process of this shooting\u201d mean anything to you?\u00a0 On the third try of the year, it started to come together.\u00a0\u00a0 My son, Ben, and I each connected on 1000+ yard rockchucks in one evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You can read the whole story here:\u00a0<\/p>\n
1000+yard Rockchuck<\/a><\/p>\n It felt like sweet success but I’ve also come to know that \u201cPride comes before the fall.\u201d So I won\u2019t hold my breath that the feat can be repeated any time soon.\u00a0 But, you know what?\u00a0 Today is another of those rare-for-this-spring sunny and calm days.\u00a0 Maybe we should go out to see if it was just a fluke or not\u2026..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019re going through a transition.\u00a0 I hate that word.\u00a0 Transition generally denotes change and change is not always comfortable but I find the transitions in the predator and varmint hunting world are easier because they hold promise.\u00a0 I love to … Continue reading