WE FOUND THEM ! ! !

CHIZLERAMOS MAXIMUS HUMORI  = target

Fellow chizzler hunters, you guys all know --  Some times you go to reap chizzlers in Iron County, Utah and the weather or the chizzlers or both don't participate.  You go with good intentions to do a favor for the agriculturalists in the area and rid them of some hundreds of vermin via a rim fire rifle. You really try but to no avail.  You hunt and glass and move around to various possible reaping locations and the chizzlers just are NOT there.

I went on such a hunt on Monday 4-17-2017.  I took my son, an accomplished chizzler hunter, and a good friend from elk camp, Big C.  Big C had never hunted chizzlers before.  He was going to have some fun.  We went up to the fields and moved around some and ended up shooting maybe 100-150 chizzlers in eventually 15 - 25 mile an hour wind gusts.  We did get a few profit robbers moved on to the alfalfa field in the sky but not as many as I had hoped.  Big C said he had a great time and was all grinny about getting some little rascals with his .17HMR.  My son did well and took out his share of chizzlers also with a .17HMR.  I used my good ol' .22LR and did my best.  All in all it was a great trip to travel to and from hunting with the guys and then take out some pesty varmints.  It is male bonding time to the max = guys, trucks, guns, and dead animals.

Big C bearing down on an unlucky chizzler

I was back to work for a few days and licking my wounds when a great pal, L J called and told me we had to go hunt again on Thursday.  I said sure, what could I loose?  L J picked me up and we had a good trip with no mule deer encounters along the way.  There were 3 or 4 groups of deer out on the edge of the highway.  These renegade mule deer were looking for a truck to run into while we made our way up Utah highway 18. L J, a great driver, managed to "dodge" them in his Nissan double cab P/U.  Prior to departure I had checked the weather on my "smart" phone and it was predicted to be windy and 60% + chance of rain.  We went hunting anyway, we were trying to get lucky.

We arrived at the pre-determined location and the chizzlers were not abundant.  We moved to an alternate location and amazingly proceeded to mow the critters down.  L J was shooting a bolt action Ruger American .22LR and had some 25 round magazines pre-loaded.  He shot up all his pre-loaded magazines and commented, "The 25 rounders are nice except for when you have to reload them".  I was doing my best to keep up.  We both went through significant amounts of ammunition.  We also retired  maybe 300+ chizzlers in just 2 hours.  It was 65º F outside and there was no wind.  The sky was clear and absolutely no rain fell.  So much for "smart" phone weather forecasts.

L J plows one under

We shot well.  I personally shot around with a +/- 75% hit ratio.  L J smacked them lots and the pop up in the air of the baby vermin and the break-dance of death were causes of demonical snickers.  You fellow chizzler hunters know the sound of a .22LR hollow point hitting the big fat side walls of a over fed old herd bull chizzler.  It is a pop that the farmers appreciate and you enjoy.  We came home with no wind in our hair, and no rain on our equipment.  It was a real good day.

ready to start reaping . . .

See how the little profit eaters had taken down the alfalfa in the field just behind my set up?  It is financially hurtful for the farmers.  I want to help.

THEY ARE OUT -- BIG TIME!

The chizzlers are out in force. Bounty Hunter 6 and I went to Iron County, Utah and took on a multitude of chizzlers. We have been reaping chizzlers two times in the last few days. Between us over the two days we have thinned the herd by just over 1,000 little profit stealers.  Bounty Hunter 6 took his heavy barrel custom Ruger 10-22 the second day with 25 round magazines. He could not keep the magazines filled as the vermin came out in droves.  I shot so many rounds in such a contineous pace that my .22 L.R. bolt action rifle got the barrel heated up.  That's a lot of .22's.

Thr first day some of our shots were at distance -- like 110 yards or so. (That's a long shot for a .22 rimfire.) The first day I connected at a rate of around 65%. The second day most of our shots were less than 50 yards.  I connected on around 80%+ of my shots. B H 6 did about the same. I even took out a dozen or so with my S&W .22 pistol.

I have to work but am trying to arrange my schedule to get back reaping profit stealers ASAP.

Slow day in the alfalfa field. . . ? ? ?

Crap-o-rama, Lynn and I went up to Iron County, Utah to shoot some chizzlers and help out the farmers, Thursday 4-6-2017.  I couldn't believe it but the chizzlers were all gone to a convention or a party or a revival or a "chizzler--ention" somewhere out of the area.  I saw very few varmints.  I shot at some and Lynn shooting a .22 magnum shot at some at longer distance.  Lynn is quite the head shooter.  He nailed some at over 100 yards and I was truly impressed.  Overall Lynn took about 40 or 50 out of the ranks of profit eaters.  I did manage to end a few chizzlers, like 20 or so.  Most of the shots were at distance and I posed for the above photo with one of the few I harvested.  I was totally let down from the fine shoots we have had in the recent past.  We drove to five different locations scouting targets before we could finally settle down on a shooting spot. We found Bounty Hunter 6 and five of his amigos hunting. They were shooting spurraticly but I could tell it wasn't as good a hunting as just a few days earlier.  A couple of the B H 6 shooters accused us of shooting them all in the weeks before and the reason there were so few targets on this day was due to us.  NOT SO !

I speculate that the females are having their offspring right now and the entire horde is waiting below ground for the births then they will assault in mass on the alfalfa fields in just a few days, like 7 - 10 days.  Figure one male, one female, and about five or six babies coming up in two weeks to mow the alfalfa fields down to the the bare earth.  It will be financially difficult for the farmers.  It will be financially difficult for the poor chizzler reapers buying ammo at "Hillary" prices.  I will dedicate myself to stopping the infestation as much as I am able.

{P.S. I am so sorry for the gross photos on my last post.  I put them on and though they were fun at the time.  Now as I look back I think I went too far using them.  Sorry for my lack of professionalism but I am just a "blogger" you know.}

COLD AS HECK . . . still chizzlers die in the snow

Before we get into the details of hunting chizzlers in the snow lets take a little quiz:

Guess what?

 1. WHAT IS THIS A PHOTO OF?
2. How did it end up on the dirt?
3. Will it be a profit eater for the farmers in Iron County, Utah anytime soon?
4. Can a chizzler reaper count multiple K.I.A.'s for a single shot and multiple reapings?
5.  Is this going to reduce the number of chizzlers to hunt later in the year in any perceivable way?  {Answers to follow at the end of this blog post.}

Bounty Hunter 6 (B H 6) and I went to hunt chizzlers last week.  It has been cold and rainy in Washington County, Utah and Iron County being some 3,000 feet above sea level higher in elevation was gifted with some snow.  I had my doubts if we would see any little profit stealers out in the snow.  Guess what  --  YES, you guessed it  -- there were some eskimo chizzlers out eating the alfalfa and bundled up in fur.  We took no prisoners.

Snow chizzler

 B H 6 did his duty with a .17 HMR CZ rifle and I did what I could to keep up with my Savage .22LR heavy barrel.  We really didn't chat much.  We were both rather occupied with obtaining a target in the scope, concentrating on shooting precisely, and working the bolt to ready for the next cycle of agricultural menace harvesting.  We did our best to do our duty to get the chizzler population down.  We had a pretty darn good day!  I will admit I was almost frost bitten and my fingers were numb.  Agriculture helping work is sometimes not as pleasant as others.  I still had a wonderful time.  I don't now why I like this type of hunting, chizzlers, so much?  {I must have been a very evil person in previous life?  I certainly hope my next incarnation is not as a chizzler in Iron County, Utah.}

3 for 1, at least

ANSWERS to the quiz:
 1. WHAT IS THIS A PHOTO OF?  Soon to be born and start eating profits chizzler
2. How did it end up on the dirt?   Emergency C section via a .22LR round, the mother was                dying from a gun shot wound
3. Will it be a profit eater for the farmers in Iron County, Utah anytime soon? Never to eat in Iron County . . . or anywhere else for that matter
4. Can a chizzler reaper count multiple K.I.A.'s for a single shot and multiple reapings? NO.  One shot per chizzler.  Collateral damage is not counted.
5.  Is this going to reduce the number of chizzlers to hunt later in the year in any perceivable way?  It is highly doubted the total number of chizzlers will significantly change in the next 4 months.

YES . . . YES, YES, YES ! ! !

YES! Chizzler season is open and in full run.  The alfalfa is not yet  two inches high and the little profit stealers are eating like they haven't been fed for five or six months.  Guess what -- they haven't been fed for five or six months and they are starving.  As soon as they eat some hay they are going to start the good old mating ritual.  They will run around and fight with each other, lucha libre style, and move like drops of water on a hot skillet.  It will be an adventure trying to shoot doubles.  It is done.  I have done it in past years.  Bounty Hunter 6 did a double today.  I can hardly wait.

Basically the history is as follows: I went out with Bounty Hunter 6 (B H 6) and we did a pretty good job mowing down the Early Guard of chizzlers that had emerged from their burrows on February 22, 2017.  We nailed about 250 - 300 vermin.

Early Guard

Mr. Bob came to hunt as soon as he knew the chizzlers were out.  He brought his super fine chizzler reaping trailer.  We went out in two different fields and shot dozens of chizzlers for a few days.  His trailer and his laugh make it all worth while.

Mr. Bob at his best.

I took my pal, co-worker, good friend, and soon to be master chizzler hunter J L to hunt on March 13, 2017.  {Remember J L's introduction on the blog post of 6-3-2015} Between 9:05 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. we managed to take about 350 - 400 profit robbers out of the equation.  That is fast shooting.  Think about it -- say 400 hits and maybe 200 misses (pretty good percentage, 67%).  That is 600+ rounds fired.  Given both of us use Savage bolt action guns with the largest magazine of 10 rounds that makes for 60 magazine loadings.  600 rounds fired in 3  1/2 hours or 210 minutes.  600/210 = 2.86 rounds per minute.  That is pretty dang fast and fun.  Targets as quick as you can obtain sight picture, concentrate on trigger control, breathing, and splatting.

J L  having a heck of a time!

 I went at the behest of B H 6 again this morning.  I did my best, to do my duty, to increase the profits of the farmers in Iron County, Utah.  I think B H 6, his pal Dr. Phil. (really a doctor), and I were able to end the economic slide for a week or so on a certain field.  Just one end, of one circular, in one field.  WE have so much more work to do.  I also, unfortunately, have another job that requires me to work.  I know we should continue to strike while the Iron (County) is hot, and mow down chizzlers but alas I must earn some money to pay the bills.  I can not go shoot chizzlers everyday . . . .  yet.

S&W .22 handgun for sappers within 10 yards

See up there fellow chizzler hunters!

CHIZZLER SEASON STARTS NOW ! ! !

Bounty Hunter 6 and I went to Iron County to check for chizzlers on Wed. 2-22-2017.  We saw various chizzler scouts in their advanced chizzler guard positions on the side of the road as we drove to Beryl Junction.  We were getting pretty excited.  When we arrived at the farmer's fields around 9:30 a.m. we were greeted by 20 mile per hour winds, and an outside temperature of 45º F, with the wind chill factor -- it was cold outside for a desert boy like me.  There were overcast skies.  BH6 and I drove from farm to farm looking for possible targets.  Not much out and hardly any shots to be taken.  At around 10:15 a.m. after harvesting about 5 chizzlers total we decided to go back to St. George and have lunch and lick our wounds over a burger.  As soon as we started to throw in the towel and leave the sun broke through the clouds and the wind died down to maybe 10 MPH.  The chizzlers came out and were scurrying around the alfalfa fields.  We proceeded to introduce them to the great alfalfa field in the sky.  We shot for just an hour or so but ended up with maybe 4 dozen reaped.

I have to admit my skills are not what they were last year.  I probably missed 50% + of the time.  I have to practice my marksmanship skills.  BH6 was successful and his CZ .17HMR and he really connected at ranges from 30 to 130 yards.  The 17 HMR seems to be the perfect chizzler caliber.  The sadistic laughs were abounding in the truck cab.  There is now empty brass in the defrost vents of BH6's truck that needs to be fished out with a bent coat hanger.  It was a nice trip and I can hardly wait for the chance to go hunting again.

Notice in the photo below there is hardly any alfalfa sprouted out to date.  The chizzlers are hungry and there is little food available and zero cover for them to hid in.  In the next two weeks the chizzler reaping will move into high gear I am sure.  I hope I have enough .22 L.R. ammunition.

CRAP-O-RAMA I want to hunt chizzlers so bad I am almost ready to buy a 6-pack of hamsters at the pet store and set them out in my backyard as a way to ease to my passion's burning fire.  My trigger finger itches tons.  I am watching TV with my binoculars.  I range finder at my refrigerator.  My Supreme Commander thinks I am more nuts than usual.  I need to start the carnage.

It has been rather reasonable weather around here in Washington County -- 70º+ some afternoons.  Climatically, it should be close to chizzler season opener in Iron County even though it is about 3,000 feet higher elevation up there.  Bounty Hunter 6 and I went up to check out the prospects the other day and saw ideal conditions but not a single chizzler.  It was over 60º, blue sky, and no wind.  I was at least hoping for a few "mentally ill" type chizzlers that would be out and about early in the slightly cooler air.  NO WAY.     NOTHING.     NADA.

To make matters worse, my hunting pals are also going bonkers.  Mr. Bob is pretty much waiting in his truck for the word to come.  I think his wife is almost glad he is getting out of town as he has been driving her nuts with anticipation.

I will post as soon as I draw my first bead.  I have a lot of pent up frustration.  I will take no prisoners.