Parks, Forests, WMAs open only for passive recreation

Zach McGarvey

Explorer
Feb 11, 2018
248
168
37
Woodbury / Vineland NJ
The reason rifle hunting in NJ would concern me is that a shot, taken and missed at an upward angle, like from behind a blind in a low-lying spot, could send a bullet 1-2 miles downrange in an arc, possibly killing a person where it falls to earth. I understand that a level shot, unless taken extremely irresponsibly, will likely stop in the first decent sized tree.

There's no question that a high-powered rifle is a more effective way to take down game than a shotgun at any sort of range, although a 12 gauge slug has an advantage for very close range bear defense.

Many of the smaller states in the midwest and south have come up with a compromise, where only straight-walled cartridges can be used for deer hunting, like .30 carbine, .45-70, or .450 BM. They are larger caliber but lower velocity, so they dissipate their energy in a shorter distance.

I would guess the woodchuck hunting allowance is there for farmers to mitigate field damage and they figure on private property the danger to the public is less.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,678
2,593
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
The reason rifle hunting in NJ would concern me is that a shot, taken and missed at an upward angle, like from behind a blind in a low-lying spot, could send a bullet 1-2 miles downrange in an arc, possibly killing a person where it falls to earth. I understand that a level shot, unless taken extremely irresponsibly, will likely stop in the first decent sized tree.

There's no question that a high-powered rifle is a more effective way to take down game than a shotgun at any sort of range, although a 12 gauge slug has an advantage for very close range bear defense.

Many of the smaller states in the midwest and south have come up with a compromise, where only straight-walled cartridges can be used for deer hunting, like .30 carbine, .45-70, or .450 BM. They are larger caliber but lower velocity, so they dissipate their energy in a shorter distance.

I would guess the woodchuck hunting allowance is there for farmers to mitigate field damage and they figure on private property the danger to the public is less.
Groundhog is good eatin,in my estimation anyway.
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,064
3,342
Pestletown, N.J.
Groundhog is good eatin,in my estimation anyway.
I've only had it once Al and it wasn't bad. After all, they are vegetarians. The meat was right there with squirrel and rabbit as far as quality. I had it in a stew. My problem is that many I have shot are affected with mange or if shot in the dead of summer, they have fleas.
I hunt in Cumberland County quite a bit and we leave them lay. Usually they are picked up by an eagle or shredded by vultures in a few hours.
 
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Broke Jeep Joe

Explorer
Mar 8, 2006
781
476
Waterford Twp
I've only had it once Al and it wasn't bad. After all, they are vegetarians. The meat was right there with squirrel and rabbit as far as quality. I had it in a stew. My problem is that many I have shot are affected with mange or if shot in the dead of summer, they have fleas.
I hunt in Cumberland County quite a bit and we leave them lay. Usually they are picked up by an eagle or shredded by vultures in a few hours.
Same here as far as leaving them lay. I have never tried it. When I was much much younger, we used to hunt a farm over near Arney's Mount. The farmer was happy to have us every year. I drive past every once in a while on my way to Doyle Cemetery and it looks abandoned.
 

Zach McGarvey

Explorer
Feb 11, 2018
248
168
37
Woodbury / Vineland NJ
I've heard stories of people hitting them dead center with .243, .308, etc., and seeing them limp back to their holes, still alive, while you try to line up a second shot. They must be very tough.
 

Broke Jeep Joe

Explorer
Mar 8, 2006
781
476
Waterford Twp
I've heard stories of people hitting them dead center with .243, .308, etc., and seeing them limp back to their holes, still alive, while you try to line up a second shot. They must be very tough.
With a poor shot maybe, I use a Remington 22/250 700BDL and they are pretty much toast with a dead center shot
 
I've only had it once Al and it wasn't bad. After all, they are vegetarians. The meat was right there with squirrel and rabbit as far as quality. I had it in a stew. My problem is that many I have shot are affected with mange or if shot in the dead of summer, they have fleas.
I hunt in Cumberland County quite a bit and we leave them lay. Usually they are picked up by an eagle or shredded by vultures in a few hours.

Redtail buffet.
 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,678
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millville nj
www.youtube.com
I've only had it once Al and it wasn't bad. After all, they are vegetarians. The meat was right there with squirrel and rabbit as far as quality. I had it in a stew. My problem is that many I have shot are affected with mange or if shot in the dead of summer, they have fleas.
I hunt in Cumberland County quite a bit and we leave them lay. Usually they are picked up by an eagle or shredded by vultures in a few hours.
I hardly ever seen them when I was a kid and then only around field edges.I see many more now and even further back into the woods,though never real deep.
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,064
3,342
Pestletown, N.J.
With a poor shot maybe, I use a Remington 22/250 700BDL and they are pretty much toast with a dead center shot
I too use a 22/250 and my buddy uses a Ruger No. 3 in .223. I have seen some almost disintegrate with a good shot and others that can limp a good 25 yards and crawl back to their hole with a massive chest wound. They never cease to amaze me. Amazingly tough for their size and meaner than cat$hIt when a dog corners them. :eek:
 
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46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
I have one that lives under the shed. It climbs tree's and eats well in the garden.

69920537.jpg
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,678
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millville nj
www.youtube.com
I was sitting in the woods beside my job many years back eating my lunch on break.I knew there were Groundhog holes all around me and had seen them in the field,the holes were in the woods.I was leaned back against a tree reading a book and eating a sammich when I felt something nudge my shoulder.I turned to look and there was a groundhog setting up on it;s hind legs looking into my Igloo and had put one paw on my arm.When I turned it squealed like a pig and ran twenty feet away and straight up a thigh sized sassafras.Went up twenty ft to a crotch and sat there looking down at me.I did not know they could climb then either.I went home and dug out a big book I had on game animal habits and darned if it didn;t mention their ability to climb trees!
 
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Toothy Critter

Guest
I was sitting in the woods beside my job many years back eating my lunch on break.I knew there were Groundhog holes all around me and had seen them in the field,the holes were in the woods.I was leaned back against a tree reading a book and eating a sammich when I felt something nudge my shoulder.I turned to look and there was a groundhog setting up on it;s hind legs looking into my Igloo and had put one paw on my arm.When I turned it squealed like a pig and ran twenty feet away and straight up a thigh sized sassafras.Went up twenty ft to a crotch and sat there looking down at me.I did not know they could climb then either.I went home and dug out a big book I had on game animal habits and darned if it didn;t mention their ability to climb trees!



When I first read this real quick, I read : "When I turned I..." , instead of "...it" Thought, geez, how the hell did he get 20 feet up in the tree.:eek:
 
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Toothy Critter

Guest
Back then I could climb as well as that Groundhog.If you seen me now you';d have reason to wonder,better yet How the heck is he going to get down:)




Goes for me too. When I was young, I actually was a surfer. I tell people that now and they look at me like.....hmmmmm…..yeah, right. 50 years ago I go to the beach and people were like..."how's the surf?" Now.... enviromentalists just try to push me back into the water.
 
Goes for me too. When I was young, I actually was a surfer. I tell people that now and they look at me like.....hmmmmm…..yeah, right. 50 years ago I go to the beach and people were like..."how's the surf?" Now.... enviromentalists just try to push me back into the water.

Used to be, when I went to swim a mile in deep water, no one took notice. Now they watch to make sure I don't sink out of sight.
 
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