Idaho Examiner: Rock chucks & ground squirrels in good supply"Common Sense News"

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Rock chucks & ground squirrels in good supply

Posted on: April 26, 2007

By Dave Langston

Although hunting season is still months away for most, varmint shooters are scoring near the Blackfoot river and Lava flats near McCammon and the supply of these furry critters look endless. With sunny skies and warm weather, look for chucks and squirrels to be active.

Rock chuck hunters know the lava flats near McCammon hold a real good population of chucks but getting to them is tough. “You have to start at the bridge in McCammon and walk north just off the railroad tracks until you get into the lava’s,” says varmint shooter Harold Gerber of McCammon. “I hunt this area a lot since I only live a few miles away. It is one of the best chuck shooting grounds I have found,” he adds.

Gerber shoots a .22-250 Remington and loves it. “It has to be a flat shooting gun to reach out there and down these critters, I love this gun,” he says.

Another good bet at this time is around the Blackfoot river near Sage Hen flats and Morgan Bridge east of Blackfoot. The area is riddled with lava rocks and also holds a decent population of ground squirrels offering shooters difficult shooting at long range. Late afternoon hours offer hunters shots at chucks lying on the lava rocks basking in the sun. “It’s a good time honing your skills in preparing for the up coming hunting season. We make this a weekly outing,” says long time outdoorsman Dave Jackman of Blackfoot.

Jackman also says the lava flats west of Blackfoot near Groveland is a real good bet for hunters looking to down jacks and rock chucks during the late afternoon and early morning hours. “You just have to be careful with the rattlers, they are thick in this area” he says with a wide grin.

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About Dave Langston

Outdoor writer Dave Langston resides in Chubbuck. He grew up in the Midwest and south fishing and hunting across the country.

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