Gophers...?

[rishu_pepper]

I hear a lot about gopher hunting and it sounds like a lot of fun, a good way to practice shooting (who am I kidding, I wanna see them doin' cartwheels :tongue:). If one wanted to find these little buggers, where is the closest area from the LM that they would show up? I'd assume it's mostly private land..?

Those prairie boys have all the fun :biggrin:

[Archer]

Sorry Rishu, I can't help with your request, however I can agree with your prairie boy comment. :biggrin: Myself and the boy just got back from an afternoon in the fields outside of Calgary, smokin' em with the bows. The boy, 11 got his second and third bowkills tonight, both about 10 yrd shots. I managed to hammer a few as well. Lots of fun, and the gopher season is just beginning. If you swing out this way throughout the summer, I'd be glad to take you out, but that said, its a helluva long drive just to kill some rodents. Hope you're able to find some out there. Good luck.

[SUAFOYT]

We've had some pretty good luck with Columbian Ground Squirrels up our way. There's always some around Barriere and area, but like you said it's private land shooting only. They seem to go in cycles from year to year. Last year not so good but other years we've gone through a brick in a day. It's a lot of fun. We usually wait til the young ones are out and about, they're smaller and the adults don't seem to dive for the holes right away.

[rishu_pepper]

Sorry Rishu, I can't help with your request, however I can agree with your prairie boy comment. :biggrin: Myself and the boy just got back from an afternoon in the fields outside of Calgary, smokin' em with the bows. The boy, 11 got his second and third bowkills tonight, both about 10 yrd shots. I managed to hammer a few as well. Lots of fun, and the gopher season is just beginning. If you swing out this way throughout the summer, I'd be glad to take you out, but that said, its a helluva long drive just to kill some rodents. Hope you're able to find some out there. Good luck.

If I ever visit Cowtown (haven't been there since '04), I'll be sure to bring firearms LOL. Bowhunting them must be quite challenging I would think!?


We've had some pretty good luck with Columbian Ground Squirrels up our way. There's always some around Barriere and area, but like you said it's private land shooting only. They seem to go in cycles from year to year. Last year not so good but other years we've gone through a brick in a day. It's a lot of fun. We usually wait til the young ones are out and about, they're smaller and the adults don't seem to dive for the holes right away.

Barriere is kinda near the Loops, ain't it? If you are willing to share some info regarding land/location/permission could you shoot me a PM? :smile:

[mrdoog]

I've heard they're good on toast.

[rishu_pepper]

I've heard they're good on toast.

I'll be the first one to try it :p

[mrdoog]

I'm game, a little Dijon on a fresh baked Kaiser bun?

[rishu_pepper]

I'm game, a little Dijon on a fresh baked Kaiser bun?

You're game? With Dijon on a kaiser bun? Gee mrdoog I don't know, cannibalism is going a little too far for me ;):lol:

But seriously, I'd try it. Takes a man to try to eat what he shoots at least once :D Damn it, just talking about it makes me hungry again already... someone hook me up with a gopher spot!

[mrdoog]

Double dog dare ya!
My Dad shot gophers around Barriere a long time ago.
I'll pick him up and meet you at the Legion.

[rishu_pepper]

Double dog dare ya!
My Dad shot gophers around Barriere a long time ago.
I'll pick him up and meet you at the Legion.

If you show me and/or bring me where the gophers are, I'll gladly shoot 'em up and fry 'em up (I'm actually serious :cool:).

[Mr. Dean]

Bubonic Plauge, anyone?
Yes, they're known carriers.

Rishu. Gophers are a bit of a rarity 'round here. I grew up on'em in Alta.
Squirrels is where its at on the coast.
So are crows.

[rishu_pepper]

Bubonic Plauge, anyone?
Yes, they're known carriers.

Rishu. Gophers are a bit of a rarity 'round here. I grew up on'em in Alta.
Squirrels is where its at on the coast.
So are crows.

Seriously? That sucks.. cross one off the list of game I'm willing to try :tongue: (coyote's still on that list though, maybe beaver too lol)

Crow hunting is fun but it's much harder than it looks (or I just suck at it, they don't seem to like me much :confused:). Wouldn't mind a nice squirrel stew though.

[Nailgunslinger]

[quote=Mr. Dean;268658]Bubonic Plauge, anyone?
Yes, they're known carriers.

Ground squirrels can harbor diseases harmful to humans, particularly when squirrel populations are dense. A major concern is bubonic plague transmitted to humans by fleas carried on the squirrels. Ground squirrels are susceptible to plague, which has wiped out entire colonies. If you find unusual numbers of squirrels or other rodents dead for no apparent reason, notify public health officials. Do not handle dead squirrels under these circumstances.
The plague is rare among most colonies today and there are quite a few recipies that are used in southern american cooking. If it were me I would not touch them "for all the apples in Gugenshlap".

[Nailgunslinger]

[quote=rishu_pepper;268668]Seriously? That sucks.. cross one off the list of game I'm willing to try :tongue: (coyote's still on that list though, maybe beaver too lol)

Beavers really good IMO. The tail tastes like pork rind kinda.:p

[Mr. Dean]

Crow hunting is fun but it's much harder than it looks (or I just suck at it, they don't seem to like me much :confused:). Wouldn't mind a nice squirrel stew though.

Crows are extremely challenging... That's a hunt of ALL hunts. :tongue:

Here's some spam for your reading pleasure:
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=6981&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=1206

[islandstalker]

you can shoot crows? wheres it say that? on your own property i guess.

[boxhitch]

you can shoot crows? wheres it say that? on your own property i guess.Of course crows are shootable.

[rocksteady]

Why eat them on toast, cook them like hot wings (but legs)....Your drunk buddies would never know the difference...:shock::shock:

[rishu_pepper]

Why eat them on toast, cook them like hot wings (but legs)....Your drunk buddies would never know the difference...:shock::shock:

Are you referring to crows or gophers? ;-) I'd eat crow too (definitely no pun intended), apparently it's a Brazilian delicacy.

I've killed enough paper, they don't move and they don't explode/cartwheel, it's not that much fun :biggrin:

[rocksteady]

Are you referring to crows or gophers? ;-) :biggrin:


I will leave that up to you, you're the chef.....

[LeverActionJunkie]

I've heard they're good on toast.

I ate a gopher once:eek::eek: Seriously my mom tol me I had to eat what I shot soo...( I think she thought it would cure me of the hunting bug) Really it wasn't too bad at all. Like greasy chicken.:lol:

[rishu_pepper]

I ate a gopher once:eek::eek: Seriously my mom tol me I had to eat what I shot soo...( I think she thought it would cure me of the hunting bug) Really it wasn't too bad at all. Like greasy chicken.:lol:

You sure showed her! :biggrin:

Why does it seem like every thread I start end up talking about eating some godforsaken animals..?

[waserwolf]

when I was livin in Calgary I had permission to shoot gophers with my bow just inside the city limits but far enough from any house, had lots of fun although it was pretty gross, I was using Judo points, they would penetrate right thru the gopher.

[Archer]

Got out for about 10 minutes today, and the boy and I each got one before the weather turned the $hits on us. Mine happened to be one of my best shots yet, 43 yrds according to the rangefinder, and the judo shish-ka-bobbed him to the side of his hole. Gruesome, but still good times.

[308BAR]

Me and a buddy have made plans for a gopher shoot in May in Alberta. I'll post up some pics of our trip when we get back. We're both pretty psyched.

[rishu_pepper]

Me and a buddy have made plans for a gopher shoot in May in Alberta. I'll post up some pics of our trip when we get back. We're both pretty psyched.

I'm ever so jealous! Be sure to post some videos! :biggrin: