Goundhog help Needed-best shot placement

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SMH77

SMH77

Member
Oct 28, 2017
997
73
Wisconsin, United States
Guys,

I have a groundhog that's taken up residence in my retaining wall and it needs to GO! My wife has allowed me to mount it if I can shoot it and retrieve it before he heads back into his lair.

I have my RAW setup with my .30 cal barrel and is sighted in at 30 yards. I have clear shot access (now) from the woods to where his entrance is. Question: where (EXACTLY) do I want to put my crosshairs to put the thing down on the spot so I can retrieve his body to have him stuffed, mounted?

Pictures to come soon (their in the wrong format at the moment).

Thanks guys!



Sean


 
A headshot between the ear and the eye is probably the best spot for the fastest kill. But, that is likely the spot that might cause some trouble for your taxidermist to repair. You will have to balance the quickest kill and retrieval with the least damage to your trophy and make your decision. If you can get him far enough from his burrow opening then a solid heart/lung shot with the .30 caliber will probably anchor him before he can get back to cover. Tough call as to which choose is best.
 
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If you can get him standing and facing you a shot right at the neck body will drop him on the spot. If a side shot I’d go for right behind the front leg which should be a heart shot . At thirty yards you don’t have much to be concerned about. It’s when you get back over 75 that shot placement is pretty important for a clean humane kill I have a 30 cal RAW. It hits HARD 
 
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Here are a few pictures of him/her:

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1586636636_10895138405e92275c2e8bc3.50118372.jpeg
1586636637_20494040875e92275df32199.77804624.jpeg

 
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Thanks for the replies all. So here are some follow up questions / comments:

  1. I had heard about Cantaloupe, so I just picked some up from the grocery store. I'll put pieces out on the retaining wall to entice him out to take them. Even if he takes some without me seeing, getting him used to taking them will set up the shot. Thanks for the suggestion.
  2. Regarding neck shot: it's pretty hard to see where his head ends and body begins, so identifying the neck may be a challenge. Also, if I'm going to try a neck shot, I'm trying to break the spine so he's paralyzed and dead on the spot. Would his spine be more towards the 'sky', or more of the middle of the neck? How much should I account for the thickness of his fur when selecting the shot?
  3. Regarding the eye shot option: straight on broadside it would look like it may go in one eye and out the other if I'm unlucky. I don't want to wound him-I want him dead. Should I rather aim for the back of the eye socket (back edge of the eye)? This seems like a good option if he's slightly facing me and I have a change to hit his brain, through his eye. If it makes a mess, I'll have to have the taxidermist get creative I guess.
  4. Heart shot: I like that option-but he may not give me that shot. I'm going to try to open up all my options with the cantaloupe trick. I've heard many reports of people taking 'heart shots' (chest shots) with a variety of different weapons only to see the critter scurry off-don't want that. He's a good looking hog so I really want to retrieve him for the confirmation he's really 'done' and to mount him.
  5. Any ideas on what I should expect to pay to mount something like this? I've never had anything mounted but think he's worth being the first in a collection.
    [/LIST=1]

    Thanks again guys-keep the suggestions coming! I'll definitely keep you guys informed on how things go.

    I'm really aiming for a '1 shot, 1 kill, on the spot' outcome with this one, so I'm taking my time. I've already sighed in specifically at the ranged distance so there's no guessing on the point of impact. Plus I've removed the ground brush that would (already has!) deflected a couple .25 cal pellets thus far.



    Sean
 
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@kgphotos nailed it as far as shot placement. I always go for the shot between the ear and eye (not in the eye) but with that 30 you will have a decent size hole in the head for the taxidermist to try and repair. He will have plenty of room to close a chest shot. The problem with a chest shot is that groundhogs have an incredible drive to get back to the hole. I have shot many and even powderburner hits of 10 times the power of the airgun often have them getting back to that hole in the few seconds they have before everything gives out. Good luck. 
 
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I’ve shot many rock chucks and groundhogs with high velocity centerfires, rimfires and pellet guns. These are incredibly tough critters! I’ve seen a good number make it to their hole after being hit at 3,000-4,000 FPS with various soft and hollow points.
Heart shots may work with your 30, but I’d bet many still make it to their hole. I
I vote headshot.
 
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If you are going to get it mounted, and don’t want it going or falling into its burrow, a shot right behind the base of its skull (spine joins higher in neck like all 4 legged creatures) and with your .30 have room to spare for damaging spinal cord it will drop right there no movement and easier for the taxidermist to work around loose neck skin/fur.
 
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Well, two weekends ago, I was able to go get some practice at my sister-in-laws place as she has had (at least) a pair living under their deck. I scouted it out the night before, learned about where the like to 'surface' and then setup an approach to a good shooting location that was 40 yards from one of the key spots. Since I had just bought my new birthday present (a CZ 457 Rimfire) I had swapped my scope onto that gun the day before and had it sighted in at 50 yards to 'get to know it a bit'. Since it was too late to re-sight in once I got back from the scouting trip, I decided I would have to take the CZ with me to go the next morning to see if I could do some critter control.

Well, after nearly 3.5 hours of nothing (one appearance-that resulted in him spooking) I decided to pack up to head home for the day. That's when my SIL texted, saying he just came back out to sun himself in his favorite spot. I decided to give it one last try and was finally able to get a shot off. Aimed for between the eye and the ear, as suggested. Bullet flew true with an exit out the other ear. He didn't go anywhere-just flopped over, twitched a bit, and lay right where he was shot.

So, thank you for all the advice so far! Now, I just have to get the one that's burrowing in my retaining wall. Once I get him, I think I'll have him mounted. Anyone have an idea on how much it would cost to have a full body mount done of a groundhog?



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Sean


 
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Sean

Hard to say endless variables effect price. But you should expect to pay around 500.00

Could be higher or if your lucky a bit less. I am a taxidermist. When you get him its very important that you put him in a plastic bag and into a freezer quickly , do not gut, or wrap in paper its ok to wash the blood off but not needed. Just freez in a sealed plastic bag, that should give you 6 months or so before any damage occurs. If you need to store for longer wrap the entire animal in a soaking wet towel put that in bag and freez. You could keep forever by rewetting the towel every 6 to 8 months.

Side view just below the ear opening would be my advise. Small light bones around brain stem and spine. Not so much trying to hit the skull but just under near the back of it. Good luck!


 
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