Last year I shot 250 with my Air Arms TX200. This year I am at 425. I have more farms this year to shoot on and it seems that a population explosion happened over the last year.



In this barn I shot 50 chucks with my air rifle.






It has been a great spring so far. I still have a solid month before they start to go under ground.

Holy cow!!

Very impressive. I have never used a good air rifle.
Please tell me the range for gophers/chuck of a good air rifle. Thanks, brian

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
Very impressive. I have never used a good air rifle.
Please tell me the range for gophers/chuck of a good air rifle. Thanks, brian

I have shot them out to 120 yards. That said the air rifle is most effective under 40 yards. The real young ones are easy to kill with a chest shot. after they are about 2 months old they are harder to kill. So head shots are the best. I have killed a lot of them at 80 yards. If they are under 60 yards no wind they are in trouble.
I shot this mess a couple days ago. I am up to 462 now.

Ron, is your TX200 in .177 or .22? Wonderful rifles!

I'm wondering the same thing. 22 has more kinetic energy and the 177 has better penetration. Pick your poison. The long shots might be easier with a heavy 177 pellet to still have the penetration. Good luck with the chucks. Packy

My rifle is a 22 cal. I use H&N FTT 5.54MM 14.66 GRAIN PELLETS.

Looks like it is a good choice. Would like to own one of those guns some day. Be Well. Packy

Ron, which optic do you have up top?

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Ron, which optic do you have up top?

Bill, I have the Vortex Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP scope on it. Last year I had the Vortex Crossfire II 6-18x44 AO on it. I wanted a better scope to dial in come up. The Diamondback is an awesome scope for 400 dollars.I love the FFP and the retical is awesome.
I have shot 504 rock chucks as of today this year.

Ron, I am glad to hear the Diamondback can take the "double recoil" of the TX200. Mercy sakes those are a lot of scope rings! I've not seen six on one rifle before. Is this part of what keeps your scope in one piece?
I really like the big springers, having had a couple of HW 97s. I wish they didn't weigh close to 10 pounds, though.

Ron, Thanks, That is impressive. Thanks. Brian

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Ron, I am glad to hear the Diamondback can take the "double recoil" of the TX200. Mercy sakes those are a lot of scope rings! I've not seen six on one rifle before. Is this part of what keeps your scope in one piece?
I really like the big springers, having had a couple of HW 97s. I wish they didn't weigh close to 10 pounds, though.

A scope mount like that adds at least a half pound to the total weight!

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
A scope mount like that adds at least a half pound to the total weight!

Well they are alloy so it really doesn't weigh that much but yes the gun is heavy. I would rather carry a heavy accurate rifle than a light one that doesn't hit anything.

Good point, Ron. What palpable advantage is conferred by six vs. four scope rings? Just curious.

IN a spring piston engine ,gun, there is a lot of recoil both forward and backward at firing and scopes can walk in the rings. More rings and a precise fit of ring to scope tube can prevent it. Usually it is harder to hold a scope securely on a spring piston than a magnum cartridge gun.

Nice Hide there on that Barn sir.

Just checking in to see the latest count. Helluv a record so far in my book.

quote:

Originally posted by Ole Miss Guy:
Just checking in to see the latest count. Helluv a record so far in my book.

I am glad you asked. As of today 6-19-2019 I am at 581 rock chucks for the spring early summer.

Hope you get to 1000: then see if anyone can better your record.

Idaho Ron--Thanks for the pictures and the post. Certainly it is established that you have been there done that. Can you imagine the insults to your integrity without the pictures? Like nobody shoots 581 rock chucks with an air rifle--well Idaho Ron does.

Ha ha ha.
I keep thinking what would the farmers do if I hadn't got them? I know one farmer last year told me they lost 10,000 dollars in beans alone. My goal is 600 but I just had a surgery on my ankle. It's going to be a couple weeks before I can do much besides shoot from the truck. One hay field needs my attention but it will have to wait until I am off crutches.

Ron, heal quickly, and save a farmer's bacon!

Impressive effort and results, Ron!

George

I'm still wondering why there was 50 chucks in that barn!!

Very nice shooting!

About 10 years ago, when I got my Weihrauch 97K, I shot about 400 Feral pigeons first year. It is in .177 cal, FAC version, I use JSB Exact exclusively. Longest bird shot at about 82 meters.

Jiri

I realized I never finished up the count on this thread.
I finished the year with 605. This picture was a few weeks after the surgery. I was going crazy and my wife took me out. This one was 14 pounds and number 600.



I took a young girl that we helped raise on a hunt. She was signed up for a Rock Chuck derby.
I told her that we were going to use my air rifle. She shot it a bit at my house before we went hunting the next day. She shot it pretty well.



So she ended up shooting a few smaller ones. I wanted her to wait for the big one my wife called the cocker spaniel. Because it was as big as a cocker spaniel. Well the big one came out and Mae shot right over his head. She was really bummed out but I told her we would get him. I went back to the truck and got my 17HMR. Now we sat for about 2 hours and he poked his head up again. That time she shot him in the head.



The smaller ones she shot with the air rifle.



The big one was 16 pounds. That one chuck was going to put her on the board against the adults. We went to another spot that had several 10+ pound chucks. We never saw them, Mae ended up entering two chucks for a total of 24#. That gave her 3rd place and she won a Savage Muddy girl 243. Later she shot her first deer with that rifle. She turned a chuck into a buck.
Anyway, I was getting around pretty good at that point. My ankle was still not letting me walk much but I could drive. I went to the place Mae and I hunted for another big one. I saw a HUGE chuck. At that point I started to carry my 17HMR in case I saw a big one at long range.
I pulled into the field and saw a HUGE chuck on top of the rock pile. The shot was 160 yards, that is the first line on my scope. I elected to go for a bigger target and went for the lungs. At the shot the chuck fell off the rock and rolled. I figured he was done. I headed for the chuck and I found a blood trail. It went about 30 yards and into a hole.
I took my light and look in and there he was. I reached in and dragged him out and he was dead. That chuck went 18 pounds.



My shoe is size 13




I ended up using my 17HMR to kill about 50 but I got 605 with my air rifle.
This one was #605

That is great therapy. And bringing a new hunter into the fold is quite important. Be Well, Packy

Congratulations, Ron -- and plus one on getting that young lady hunting. I had no idea those chucks got that big.

Ron:

Holy smokes!
Never dreamed or heard of that
many any place.

Mighty impressive count.
Why did you quit for the year?
Weather put 'em down the holes?

Sounds like they're thick as
prairie dogs are around here.

You've made a hunter out of that
girl! Be proud, that's one of your
best accomplishments so far. Right?

Bill: thanks for the fwd note!

George

I have to say you have given me a new respect for air rifles. I used to use them on pigeons years ago and purchased a new one although a much less expensive one than your's. Being a bit old and decrepit I can only do about 5 shots with the springer and I'm done for the day. I sure hope you can clean house around those farms.

quote:

Originally posted by georgeld:
Ron:

Holy smokes!
Never dreamed or heard of that
many any place.

Mighty impressive count.
Why did you quit for the year?
Weather put 'em down the holes?

Sounds like they're thick as
prairie dogs are around here.

You've made a hunter out of that
girl! Be proud, that's one of your
best accomplishments so far. Right?

Bill: thanks for the fwd note!

George

I kept hunting into October but I didn't see any out. They typically go down late summer but do come out from time to time. I shot a chuck every month for 9 months.
That number was by far the highest count I have ever shot. I have two new farmers this coming year that want me to help them. The farmers really needed me to hit these kind of numbers. They were over run with them in a lot of places.

I've missed this thread until just now.
Fun to catch up.
WELL DONE RON!
You really know how to get it done.

Zeke

I have just now returned to AR forums after a couple of years away. Just saw this post and wanted to say good job! I have the TX200HC and love it. It's a tack driver for sure! Being from Southern Arizona, I'm envious of your hunting grounds and quarry. Keep up the good work and give us an update on this years' season!

Ron, what is your total for 2020?

Ron, your having way too much fun. I'm envious.

Dave

Yes, please tell us! With the new farmers on board and the virus keeping you outdoors and healthy, you had to have another great year! You might have said, and I might have missed it, but what part of Idaho are you hunting? I spent a lot of time in the Jerome/Twin Falls/Burley area when I was younger. Do you get any bounty on them from the farmers? Or from anyone else? What do you do with them? Is the hide good for anything or do you worry about fleas and plague?

This post is actually from last year. I finished last year with 605 total. This year when the farmers asked to help with the cost I let them decide what to pay. This year I was reimbursed 800 dollars for shooting 400 rock chucks. One farm didn't contribute due to the farmer fighting cancer. I didn't even let him try to pay.
I got a new Job this year and that took a lot of my time. I am a Sexton for the local cemetery. Along with burials and taking care of the grounds I am also paid to shoot chucks there too. Along with doves, skunks and other vermin.



The Dairy shooting gig is pretty good too. I am gunning for several dairy farms and get free milk, ice cream and cheese.




This year I was able to use my 17 Hornet a lot more and that helped with time. My best day this year was 60 chucks.

Ron, congratulations on the new job -- an important one. Keep the totals running!

Thanks, my wife calls me the last responder.