Want to shoot ground hogs/whistle pigs

[fowl smacker]

Hey guys and gals.  Me and a couple buddies want to shoot some ground squirrels this spring.  Never done it before.  Anybody have any good locations they wouldn't mind sharing?  Would rather not  pay a ranch, but would be willing if it is fairly cheap.  Just wanna get some more trigger time and help places eradicate some varmints.  Thanks in advance.
P.S.  We are very responsible hunters.

[Stein]

I grew up in MT and they were everywhere on public and private both.  Some guys were paid to hunt them due to horses breaking their legs in places where they were too thick.

I haven't seen much of that around here, maybe others can chime in.

Between beer cans and gophers, I learned how to shoot open sights pretty dang good.

[jasnt]

Getting varmint spots is like trying to get elk info for NE Washington.  Best bet is to get out to some public land soon as the snow is disappearing and look for sign. Old burrows is a good indicator.  They will probably be active on nice days so bring a rifle. 

[The Marquis]

Klickitat County is about the only place I've seen ground squirrels that one can actually shoot in places one can shoot.  I know they are up in Yakima County as well, but I think most of that area they call home up there is Reservation land.  Few and far between overall though.

[Tracker0721]

We have a couple different species of ground squirrel so be sure youre shooting the right ones as some are protected. Same with marmots. Here in the north east corner it’s extremely easy to find these Columbian ground squirrels. Early spring is easiest to find them. They’ll even be out in the snow.

[JDHasty]

We shot ~ a thousand chucks last year.  Most shooting was with 17 Hornets.  Didn't shoot much 243 and 22-250 or mid range at all. 

Put together a couple lowers from my stock of receivers this winter because next season we will be shooting mid to long range and I wanted something for the kids to be able to reach out beyond Hornet ranges.

ARs are best at that because of the adj stock length w/o cutting down stocks.  The Magpul UBR works perfect for kids and we have super accurate uppers w/optics so it is cheap.

It's like anything, you get out of it what you put into it.  We will not shoot "urban chucks" this year because we shot them hard the last two years and the small acreage hay farmers are happy, happy, happy because the chucks are at an acceptable population.  BUT the guys that farm big acreage that have not seen us for a couple years are calling. 

If you are in it or the "long game," that is how you work it.  We will not shoot the hornet range stuff this year, and take out what is left of what is left of the breeding stock.  We will shoot big country ranches and alfalfa farms this year and next.

It's hard to "get an in." But once you do, if you develop a relationship with the the property owner... you are in... so long as you keep up your rend of the bargain and keep the chucks at a level they can live with. 

The "devil you know" is what makes that land your own to shoot on.  If you do your part the landowners will take a particular liking to you and will send interlopers down the road with:  We have a guy that shoots here already.

So, back to where do you start?  I guess you keep your ears open, ask a lot of questions and  put a lot of miles on the F150.  That is about how I still do it.  I loose properties to hunt on every year and I expect that things change and don't take it fore granted that property I hunted last year will be available in May. 

Your first year, expect to get 100 shots.  But next year that property owner will give you a name of a friend or relative that has chucks.  That is:  If you mind your Ps and Qs. 

I can look at Google Earth and locate chuck colonies and cold call property owners and have a 1 in a dozen chance of finding a great place to shoot. That means eleven GTFOHs.  It takes work to consistently have good sport. 

Best of luck to you, and I mean that sincerely.  Other than I can say that our RV is on I-90 all spring until early summer so we can shoot chucks anywhere betw Canada and Oregon, that is as much help as I will give you. 

There are pockets of them all over the eastern part of the State, but a hundred-thousand times more land w/o them as with. 

The problem with chuck shooting is that people who have not made the investment in time and effort don't have an appreciation of what it takes to leave Tacoma and expect to have a great shoot. 

Once bitten, twice shy, has never been so applicable as in chuck shooting. 

Most of the time, money and effort is spent in locating a shootable i.e sustainable colony for me, and and sharing that info is very high risk.     

   

[Chukar]

“We have a couple different species of ground squirrel so be sure youre shooting the right ones as some are protected. Same with marmots.“

Thank You

Too many times on this site members have posted photos of shot up dead protected species which makes us all look bad not to mention you are posting illegal/prosecutable activities.
Shootable species persist in our state of course but check your regs for goodness sakes. Slob Hunters is what we used to call them...it’s a poor time to start shooting protected species.

[JDHasty]

Even if they are actual varmint rodent species:

Photos of blasted to pieces rodents does none of us hunters any service.  IMHO.  There is nothing that can not be demonstrated by shooting a gallon milk jug that can be demonstrated by a photo of a varmint that has been blasted to pieces.  I would suggest that individuals that are into visuals confine themselves to the former.