Woodchuck with a .177 pellet rifle???

apander

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I have a new problem, two large indoor/outdoor cats and a large woodchuck in my backyard. I already paid about $1100.00 this year to repair the damage from a fishercat fight with my 19# 6 year old black cat and I don't want to repeat that. He seems a little cocky and will take most critters on, I said he is big, not smart. The other big guy only keeps other cats off HIS land, he doesn't hunt at all, only fights and chases other cats. My question is will a .177 cal. pellet put a woodchuck down with a head shot? It's supposed to go around 1200 fps, depending on pellet weight. I live on 3/4 of an acre and the people on either side of me don't care if I shoot a pellet gun. I can't use anything else. Does anybody have any experience using .177 pellet rifle at about 30 to 40 yards, max. I can keep 5 shots in about a Quarter sized hole using open sights with a rest. This would be a shot off my deck, sitting using a spring break barrel Gamo. The woodchuck likes to eat windfall small apples by and maybe living under my shed. Thanks in advance - Arlie
 
Wood chucks are hard headed and pretty thick skin.
177 cal go as heavy a pellet your gun will shoot accurately. Some piston guns don't do well with to heavy of a pellet.
I say get a nice 20 yard shot with a domed heavy pellet. If you can hold 3/4" at 50 yards a head shot is good. If not a lung shot.
I would use this as a excuse to buy a nice 22 cal pellet rifle though.
Again woodchuck are pretty tough.
Best way to get rid of woodchuck is limit food and shelter.

I'm shocked you cat survived a Fisher fight.
 
I can think of a way to find out....

My 1000fps gamo has knocked squirrels off a branch ( firing from my window) and they're dead before I get down there. Of course I'm talking a 30 ft shot, not 40 yards.

I would imagine if you could actually get a head shot it would be lights out. Unless woodchucks have some super thick skull I'm not aware of.…


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Yep - I was chasing a damn havoc reeking wood chuck for years. Could never get a shot off because everytime I tried to line up the shot the damned thing would get spooked and dive for cover.

Came home one night and my 15 year old son said " take a look on the deck". And their.. to my astonishment... was my nemesis. It was the biggest damn woodchuck I have ever seen. Must have weighed 75 pounds ( ok, maybe 15-20 lbs)

He took him with a single shot to the head at about 20 yards with a gamo whisper, Fusion, .177 pellet gun, 9 power scope.

detail_whisper_fusion.jpg
 
"Mac1911 I'm shocked you cat survived a Fisher fight."

The Tufts Vet said about the same thing, she wanted to see the fishercat too. She is the one that called it a fishercat fight, teeth wounds to small for anything else, and I don't think a dog or coyote would have lost or let my cat get away.
 
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Wood chucks are hard headed and pretty thick skin.
177 cal go as heavy a pellet your gun will shoot accurately. Some piston guns don't do well with to heavy of a pellet.
I say get a nice 20 yard shot with a domed heavy pellet. If you can hold 3/4" at 50 yards a head shot is good. If not a lung shot.
I would use this as a excuse to buy a nice 22 cal pellet rifle though.
Again woodchuck are pretty tough.
Best way to get rid of woodchuck is limit food and shelter.

I'm shocked you cat survived a Fisher fight.

I live in North Attleboro, and you're welcome to use my .22 side lever airgun anytime. Idk the fps but it does hit with a thud.
 
I'm not going to tell you that it can't be done, but I ran into a woodchuck in my garden that took four or five shots from my 22 caliber pellet gun at about 1100 ft./s. It was immobilized, but wasn't dead. I had to finish it off with a 22 Long rifle.

Dave
 
if you are talking about shooting one in a have a heart trap, sure a .177 will do it. But a free range one....a .22 pellet is just barely enough. Those things are like PURE muscle.

They are also reasonably good eating too...just take out the hind leg scent glands before stewing them up
 
I mis-spoke about the yardage, I just stepped it off and it's about 45 Feet not yards (about 15 yds. from a rest). That's about 10 yds closer then when I sighted it in at my clubs 25 yd pistol range. I think this is doable.
 
It can be done but way less than optimal. Frankly I've had too many squirrels shake off a .177 pellet. I use a .22 air rifle now with better results.
 
I mis-spoke about the yardage, I just stepped it off and it's about 45 Feet not yards (about 15 yds. from a rest). That's about 10 yds closer then when I sighted it in at my clubs 25 yd pistol range. I think this is doable.

From that yardage you should be fine. Bottom line, is it optimal, hell no. Is it possible, definitely. There is a reason I don't shoot deer with a .243 and it's because I have 30 cals available to me. There is also a reason I shoot woodchucks with a .177. It's my only option at this time.
 
[video=youtube_share;XySGaSIHD64]http://youtu.be/XySGaSIHD64[/video]


[video=youtube_share;IO1pOaeizH8]http://youtu.be/IO1pOaeizH8[/video]
 
The front of their heads are very hard. A perfect shot is right between the ear and the eye coming from the a side shot. Instant death, even with a .177. Ask me how I know.

This....it's all shot placement...the big problem is the small brain and vitals in most critters/pest.
If you shoot a squirel with in the effective range of a pellet gun suitable for pest control and it Did not drop dead quickly you missed the vitals....birds are famous for This.
This is why a nice heavy round nose pellet comes in. The added energy not only creates a larger wound chnnel the blunt force alone can put them down.
Get to know the pest vital zones. There are target's out there you can print with the vitals high lighted. Print some up and practice from your firing point at a distance you know they are at.
Wood chucks for what ever reason are masters at not giving you a shot.
 
I desperately need a good pellet gun. I'm riddled with chucks and bunnies. I've been taking shots at them with my .22, but I can really only take one shot, two if I'm lucky. I have decent neighbors who won't say shit, but it's that random person that may be lurking around that will cause trouble.
 
I remember when I was a kid, my dad tried like hell to kill a woodchuck with an old Sheridan Blue Streak in .20. Took about 20 hits over the course of a week to kill the thing. When it finally died, it was all caked in dried blood and riddled with infected pellet holes. Not a pretty sight.

Bottom line: If you have a scope and are confident in your ability to deliver precise shots, a .177 should be fine, but I personally wouldn't use anything less than .22 pellets on woodchucks. .25 or .30 would be even more optimal. I don't like the idea of wounding an animal and having it wander off suffering and in pain. If I have to kill something I want it to die on the first shot.
 
Cheater ![rofl]

It shoots 9mm "pellets".[grin] Shit, I should post a pic of my office window screen....plenty of bullet holes.

window.jpg The biwindow.jpgg The blowout was from holding the muzzle right up to the screen...wised up and stood back a couple of feet...just had to tell the Little Lady to plug her ears.
 
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