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Two Lucky Gopher shots

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Arrowhead1951

Arrowhead1951

Member
May 10, 2020
175
17
CA, United States
I did not see any active gophers yesterday, so I decided I would set up some targets and do some serious practice. I shot 2 clips (20) pellets at various distances from 5 yards to 25 yards, this is where I get most of my gophers. Rifle and scope and most of all me were all in harmony, I was satisfied I could hit anything that gave me a shot at those distances.

This morning I set-up at 5:30 AM, had a cup of hot coffee in my insulated mug and a upside 5 gallon bucket as my coffee table. I am getting serious about my gopher eradication hunts. I staked out an area where a couple mounds appeared a few days ago. It took about 20 minutes and I saw some dirt flip up, about 2 feet from the existing mounds. Ranged it at 15 yards, waited patiently for a little exposure, just the side of the head with a slight slight pause and the Gamo Urban spit out a 14.3 gr. pellet right on target.

It was a while with no more targets. My curious friends came by to see what I was doing, fox, rabbit and pregnant doe, it was a short distraction as I had already fed all the other animals and my curious friends left to scrounge tidbits from the others.

I was going to move my location and try somewhere else... I caught a glimpse of movement way off to the right and sure enough another gopher was causing a mound to form. I swung around and got all settled in for another shot. Almost an exact replay of the first, got a side exposure and the Gamo Urban delivered another lead message to gopher number two. 

6 13 21 EYE SHOTS.1623604224.JPG


Look close, both gophers got hit in the eye and out the other side!!! I would brag, but that has never worked for me, tomorrow I'll not be able to hit an elephant. I try and be humble and just enjoy my good luck that Mr. Blackpaw talked about the other day, brought on by the resident raven !!! These shots were about 15 and 18 yards, just right for me and my set-up.

I will put these gophers over in the wood pile for the fox tonight, she has a litter of kits around here somewhere and might appreciate the extra chow.

Good luck with your pesting, stay healthy and safe

Arrowhead1951




 
Thanks for the replies, I am sure anyone who puts the time and effort in with their rifles can do even better. I have the benefit of targets to shoot at at home, so I can practice anytime I feel like it. Even the Fedex, UPS and phone line repair guy like my place, they have all now been infected with the airgun bug!!!

Home shooting range 1.1623623526.JPG


Air rifle arrow targets.1623623652.JPG


First picture is of my archery (with regular arrows) and pellet rifle targets, second picture is air rifle bolts from my .30 cal FX Dreamline. I move the rubber animals all over the place to make it interesting. My weak shoulder only allows me to shoot a few arrows from my bow until it gets painful. Thanks to this forum I found out about arrow shooting air rifles, OH Boy was I happy, that Dreamline really sends those bolts (arrows) hot, accurate and no shoulder strain!!! 

Good luck with your pesting, stay healthy and safe

Arrowhead1951
 
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Mr. lamarkeiko,

I am an old retired guy with plenty of time to play cat and mouse games with the gophers. I get up around 5:30, get my coffee in an insulated mug and head outside on the front porch or back porch. I have a very comfortable, portable shooting chair, adjustable tripod and a empty upside down 5 gallon bucket to act as my coffee cup rest. I just scan the areas near mounds and look for the slightest movement, flicks of soil. wriggling plants and maybe a head poking up. It may take a while, so I have to be patient and usually if I don't make any racket, or the deer or rabbits don't come up begging for snacks I will see activity.

I also move my shooting station out from the house and stake out my fruit trees, or anywhere else the gophers are active. They don't usually stay still very long, so you have to be ready and all they give you is a head shot. I practice a lot on my old pill bottles, I sort of push them partway in the soil to simulate what a gopher gives you to shoot at. I am not an expert by any means, but this works for me.

This morning I got my wheel barrow, shovel and trowel and got a load of soil to backfill a bunch of gopher holes. My wife or I could break an ankle with these holes everywhere so I do backfilling duty once in awhile. I don't think anybody would disagree that I have an infestation of gophers!!!

100_4815.1623692177.JPG


My Gopher Gun Gamo Urban .22 with Bug Buster 3 -9 x 32 side focus scope, perfect set-up for short range in the yard shooting.

I too have a .25 FX Crown, that I use on ground squirrels. It is a little over-kill for gophers but could handle it with some adjustments. 

Good luck with your pesting, stay healthy and safe

Arrowhead1951 
 
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Mr. uhfradarwill,

My sister and I grew up shooting arrows, we spent many fun times trying to out do each other. Our Dad taught us how to enjoy our bow and arrows, he set up targets for us and we shot until we were wore out. Good times we had back on the farm.

I shoot 30 yards at my rubber animals, I still enjoy my bow and arrows, but shoot a 25# bow until my shoulder tells me to get the FX Dreamline arrow shooter out to continue.

100_4781.1623723140.JPG


Great therapy for an old tired guy, nothing fancy, just a lot of fun remembering my Sis and the fun we had.

Good luck with your archery, stay healthy and safe

Arrowhead1951 
 
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Thanks Arrowhead for the reply back. I to am also retired with lots of time to do what I like. I have the perfect set up from my back porch where I already do most of my ground squirrel shooting. I have gopher mounds from that vantage point between 10 and 60 yards. Most of my shooting is 60+ yards, so I'll need to do some practice close in to see what I need to adjust at for elevation. Maybe also go to a lower power level for my Crown. Once I'm zeroed in for close range, I'll go out on the porch early and have my coffee like you do and see what happens.

Lamar
 
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Mr. lamarkeiko,

Wow, I think the gophers are in trouble at your place, they just don't know it yet.

The Gamo Urban was my first PCP and the FX Crown was my second PCP. I shot the Crown constantly and really got to enjoy the long range accuracy and power. I have a steel gong target at 120 yards and my son came over for a visit and was able to hit the target almost from the first shot, he was impressed how easy it was to shoot. 

When the gophers got bad I could hit them at 20 yards, but any closer was a focus issue and by the time I was ready they were long gone. So I dusted off the Urban, took the advice of the pesters on the forum and tried the Bug Buster side focus 3-12 x 32. It is small, light weight and focuses to 3 yards. It was just the tool I needed, zeroed at 10 yards and a cheat sheet stuck on the inside of the scope cap with all the holdover/holdunder data it is easy and quick to use.

Good luck with your pesting, stay healthy and safe

Arrowhead1951
 
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