Hello from a newbie from New Zealand - Gophers, PAL, .22lr and pellet gun questions.

[fortyseven]

Just thought I'd join up on this forum as I have already gotten some useful information from it, so I thought I'd contribute what little I can.
I've applied for my PAL, and it's in process (waiting, waiting)
I have two pellet guns for the time being, just so I can actually get out there and shoot while I wait for the PAL to come through. I've also bought a .22lr (Marlin 925 for anyone whos interested) that my buddy with his PAL is looking after for me. (I got it before my PAL because I got an AMAZING deal on it, and I have heard nothing but rave reviews about its accuracy etc.)
My buddy and I have been driving all over trying to find good gopher/yote shooting locations. We recently drove from Edmonton out to Bashaw to help a farmer out with a few gopher he had. My buddy had a 30-06, I took my pellet guns, and we set out. We saw two of them, and that was it. What a shame to drive 2hrs for that. The weather was cloudy, and there was a bit of a wind blowing, so no real luck there. We've driven out to Tofield, and as far north as Black Bear grazing area, with no luck at all. So I have a few questions.

We want to go to one of these seemingly elusive fields with "thousands and thousands of gopher" and I want to shoot hundreds of the buggers. Any farmer with information please PM me. We both work in industrial safety, and we shoot by the book and safely.
We're willing to travel up to 2.5 hours out of Edmonton if it means a good days shooting.

I have a Stoeger X10. I've taken it to Phoenix to try and sight it in at 40yds. What sort of grouping should I be getting? I've gotten some shots pretty close to the mark, about 1/2" under the bullseye, and I'm thinking thats as good as I'm going to get?

What would be the best scope to buy for my .22lr so that popping off gopher and yotes should be easy? Anyone with experience want to share the best spot to hit a yote so it'll drop cleanly?

As for the gophers, if they're young/clean enough, I'll stew them and eat them. Waste of meat to just throw em out if they're clean and healthy gophers. I'm not the hippy type, but if I can make a meat stew for free, I'll do it - gotta get something back for the cost of ammo!

Another note on the gophers, any tips for luring them out? Just sit still and shut up and wait? Or do they usually just wander out on their own. Been to a couple of fields with loads of holes, but only ever seen them run from one hole to the other. Maybe I'm doing it wrong?

Also, I'm looking for someone to shoot with, high power pellet guns, or .22 rimfires. Head out, and pop off some varmint. I grew up on a farm and know the damage that rodents like that can do, so I'm determined to help the farmers out as much as I can, plus I like getting out of the city and getting into the country. I have a month+ off work, so I'd like to head out and shoot. Anyone interested PM me. Thanks!

Cody

[sikwhiskey]

Originally Posted by fortyseven

Just thought I'd join up on this forum as I have already gotten some useful information from it, so I thought I'd contribute what little I can.
I've applied for my PAL, and it's in process (waiting, waiting)
I have two pellet guns for the time being, just so I can actually get out there and shoot while I wait for the PAL to come through. I've also bought a .22lr (Marlin 925 for anyone whos interested) that my buddy with his PAL is looking after for me. (I got it before my PAL because I got an AMAZING deal on it, and I have heard nothing but rave reviews about its accuracy etc.)
My buddy and I have been driving all over trying to find good gopher/yote shooting locations. We recently drove from Edmonton out to Bashaw to help a farmer out with a few gopher he had. My buddy had a 30-06, I took my pellet guns, and we set out. We saw two of them, and that was it. What a shame to drive 2hrs for that. The weather was cloudy, and there was a bit of a wind blowing, so no real luck there. We've driven out to Tofield, and as far north as Black Bear grazing area, with no luck at all. So I have a few questions.

We want to go to one of these seemingly elusive fields with "thousands and thousands of gopher" and I want to shoot hundreds of the buggers. Any farmer with information please PM me. We both work in industrial safety, and we shoot by the book and safely.
We're willing to travel up to 2.5 hours out of Edmonton if it means a good days shooting.

I have a Stoeger X10. I've taken it to Phoenix to try and sight it in at 40yds. What sort of grouping should I be getting? I've gotten some shots pretty close to the mark, about 1/2" under the bullseye, and I'm thinking thats as good as I'm going to get?

What would be the best scope to buy for my .22lr so that popping off gopher and yotes should be easy? Anyone with experience want to share the best spot to hit a yote so it'll drop cleanly?

As for the gophers, if they're young/clean enough, I'll stew them and eat them. Waste of meat to just throw em out if they're clean and healthy gophers. I'm not the hippy type, but if I can make a meat stew for free, I'll do it - gotta get something back for the cost of ammo!

Another note on the gophers, any tips for luring them out? Just sit still and shut up and wait? Or do they usually just wander out on their own. Been to a couple of fields with loads of holes, but only ever seen them run from one hole to the other. Maybe I'm doing it wrong?

Also, I'm looking for someone to shoot with, high power pellet guns, or .22 rimfires. Head out, and pop off some varmint. I grew up on a farm and know the damage that rodents like that can do, so I'm determined to help the farmers out as much as I can, plus I like getting out of the city and getting into the country. I have a month+ off work, so I'd like to head out and shoot. Anyone interested PM me. Thanks!

Cody

Welcome to the forum.
Gophers tend to swarm on calm sunny days, I tend to see more at 6 -10am and 4-7pm, sometimes you get action all day long. Gopher whistles do work, I bought mine from Whole sale sports (WSS).
As for eating them would be like eating a Rat, no thanks. Post some picts if you BBQ one though Could be some health risks? Cook it well done to burnt.
Any 22 scope will work, I wouldn't spend too much on one. Look through a few and pic the one you like, or buy one off the EE.
If I lived closer I'd help you out, if your ever down this way send me a PM and I'll take you to fields that move.
I spent 1year in NZ around 2002, North Island, met great people and had an awesome time.
Good luck hunting.

[Hogie135]

Hey how's it goin? Welcome to the forum! I'm somewhat new here as well but consider myself a regular On the forum as I'm off work for 6 months and well, I enjoy the wealth of information here. I've learned a lot just from being on here.

As for scopes for your .22, I would go with a Bushnell .22 3-9x rimfire scope. They are a pretty decent scope and only $50 brand new. There is also lots of scopes for sale on here as well for good prices.

Hope you find a good gopher hole and if you do please let me know I'd love to get out there and shoot some with you. I'll pass on the gopher stew though 😳

[C Taylor]

I could take ya to some fields where you would want lots of pellets but I sure aint having dinner with you. Lol

[hal53]

Welcome to the forum, just a note "any 22 scope" will not work on an air powered pellet gun, you need a scope designed for them.

[fortyseven]

Originally Posted by hal53

Welcome to the forum, just a note "any 22 scope" will not work on an air powered pellet gun, you need a scope designed for them.

Thanks for the tip. The scope I have on my Stoeger is an air rifle scope - it came with the gun and I find it quite good, but I would like to get pop can size groupings at about 50-60 yards. It'll probably come with experience with a high power air rifle I guess, as they seem to fire quite differently to rimfire etc.

Originally Posted by C Taylor

I could take ya to some fields where you would want lots of pellets but I sure aint having dinner with you. Lol

Sure, sounds good. PM me your email address and we'll see if we can't line something up.

[Mekanik]

welcome to the forum

[Scott N]

Good luck with finding a good place to shoot, chances are you'll need to knock on a few doors, but I'm sure you'll find one.

Just one thing though.... no one I know eats gophers. You might re-think that idea.

[fortyseven]

Originally Posted by Scott N

Good luck with finding a good place to shoot, chances are you'll need to knock on a few doors, but I'm sure you'll find one.

Just one thing though.... no one I know eats gophers. You might re-think that idea.

Apparently it's not that bad. People just turn up their nose because they think it might be bad, or because they consider them pests. But meat is meat - it's edible. Don't knock it till you've tried it!

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by fortyseven

Apparently it's not that bad. People just turn up their nose because they think it might be bad, or because they consider them pests. But meat is meat - it's edible. Don't knock it till you've tried it!

Since you're a newcomer to Canada, I'll just re-state that no one I know eats gophers. Just wondering.... are there rats in New Zealand, and do you eat them when you kill them?

[fortyseven]

Originally Posted by Scott N

Since you're a newcomer to Canada, I'll just re-state that no one I know eats gophers. Just wondering.... are there rats in New Zealand, and do you eat them when you kill them?

I've been in Canada two years now. But I wouldn't eat rats as most of them carry disease etc. But if the rats were young and disease free, sure I'd eat them. Meat is meat. I've eaten Possum before.

[Comstar]

If you want tO try taking yotes with a .22 don't attempt it with some good ammo, haven't used them but friend use cci stinger segmented hollow point.

For gophers the cheapest hp ammo at walmart it what I use.

Have fun with your month off work.

[Rocky7]

Welcome to you. My outlaws are all Kiwis and have felt comfortable in AB or BC. Mind you, they're mostly from the South.

Let us know how the gopher stew works out. Might be ok. I've tried roasted squirrel but it was like chewing on an old shoe. Should've boiled it a long time, tossed the squirrel and make a tea with the water, maybe Gophers might be more tender.....

I would think there'd be plenty of gophers to shoot closer than Bashaw?

If you're squared away by the fall, you might want to try hunting our biggest varmint - bears. There's lots of black bears here and they are pretty fat then.

[fortyseven]

I'm looking at going shooting tomorrow (tuesday 12th June) with my buddy. Looking forward to taking my new .22 out for its first few shots. Any leads on some good gopher fields within 2 hours of Edmonton? Please PM me!