I just had this exact scenario and ‘solved it’ on Thursday. I have had a LARGE groundhog digging holes all over my retaining wall, and nesting in the most difficult place visibility wise. I’ve seen it several times since the last year, and then starting in early March, but could never get a position with line of sight. Better keep an eye out for it’s mate
Thursday I saw it out and decided to grab my RAW HM1000x (.25 cal, polygonal barrel from Martin), head out to one of my cords of oak that are seasoning, about 45 yards away. That gun can be taken out of the case after sitting unused for over a year, and be 100% perfectly on, first shot!
I waited for nearly 45 minutes, then saw her exit a hole on the close side of the deck, through the brush, but walked away under the deck. I chambered a pellet and watch through my scope as she went to the far side and eventually perched on the rock I was hoping. Held still looking out the back of the property. I had lasered that rock at 46.7 yards, and had my scope dialed for that distance already, mag set to 15x, and 47 yards on the parallax.
Set my cheek down, put the crosshairs in the middle of the line between the eye and ear, took out the first stage and gently continued to squeeze. All I heard was ‘thunk’, as she literally fell over, twitched slighly, and slid off the rock she was perched on. No running, no movement, just thunk, and slumped!
Perfect pass through, and extremely humane dispatching. Now to plug the holes in the retaining wall…
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