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Ground squirrels and rockchucks

4K views 9 replies 3 participants last post by  Wyo. Coyote Hunter 
#1 ·
Well, the weather has been horrible this spring and into June. E. Oregon is just now beginning to cut hay, so the sage rats will be quite visible. I am taking off on friday to get in two days of shooting. I am sure we will have the ever present wind but it will be just be nice to get out for a couple days.
I am taking a HB Sako 243 for the longer shots on chucks along with my 223. Will just use rimfires for sage rats unless they a way out there.

The young chucks should be getting pretty big now and will make good targets to 200 yards with the 223.

Fred
 
#3 ·
luv2, I have literally spent a total of weeks shooting when the wind never stopped and I never held on a sage rat the whole time.

I don't mind the cross winds, but those from the front or the back are accuracy killers. Weird things happen at 200 yards and further. Will see how it is this time. They are getting their first real warm spell, so fighting the mirage will be the challenge.

I shot at a rockchuck some years ago, at 385 yards with the 243. I had the elevation adjusted for 375 and shot a foot and a half over his head, with a center hold. Now, that is what mirage does at times.

Fred
 
#4 ·
I got back sunday from a grueling trip for chucks and rats. We just never got into any sage rats with numbers, so after shooting a couple dozen we made tracks to the chuck grounds.

I had the same damn winds as the last trip which made shooting over 200 yards tough with the 223. So the 243 became the gun of choice.

We shot 15 chucks, with all but one being mature animals. Most all shots were 200 yards plus with the longest being at 350. A hard target it was, because we spotted him peering over the top of a rock with only his head showing. I adjusted the scope for the distance and turned it to 24 power and took his head off. Probably a combination of skill and luck on that one.

For those who like to shoot rockchucks, we never have them stand up. Usually only a body part with be showing. We know where the dens are so we setup 200 yards or more away and wait for them to come out of the dens. On two occasions, we set for about 2 hours and ended up shooting three big chucks for the first and two from the second set. We have learned over the years, that success is equivalent to patience.

This entire hunt is around a 20-25 acre alfalfa field. We have shot 48 chucks from this area this season and there are still a lot more of them.

Fred
 
#6 ·
:D This am, I went up the creek and did a bit of shooting. Used to go everyday, but the last year or so, haven't done much. This morning I shot 50 ground squirrels with the 521-T Remington also 6 prairie dogs. I used cci lr hollowpoints. I was surprised at how many squirrels took a hollow point in the ribs and still ran 10 yards or so. :oops: This ammo is rather old, maybe 10 years. Seemed to me it used to have more power. I may try my 513 T later today. It shoots Stingers and Yellowjackets like they are match ammo. :wink:Haven't gotten in to prairie dog shooting yet. In a few weeks the grass will brown and the dogs will have less cover to hide in. :p Taking a friend to the airport saw several rockchucks, but didn't shoot any. May try that next mth. Have a good spot that I shoot a few (10-15) each summer. These spots have to be guarded with one's life. A friend let his favorite spot slip one day at coffee. One of the local guides overheard the spot, and immediately had a couple hunters fly in :evil: :twisted: They exterminated the entire colony. :cry: :oops: :evil: I think our chuck populations are rather small compared to Idaho, Ore. and Washington. :cry: :?
 
#7 ·
WCH, I used to shoot a lot of the high velocity 22 LR ammo. I really did like the Yellow Jackets from Remington. Then I bought a case of the Federals that shoot at 1500 fps. I do not know if they still make them or not, but they were some of the very best ammo I ever shot.

I have shot a ton of sage rats with them and honestly, if a rat was laying on his mound, he would end up on the other side. They were extremely effective and quite accurate in my Ruger 77/22. Finally ran out and am suffering with the accuracy of the cheaper Federals.

I agree as to ones keeping their yap shut about good hunting areas. We never tell anyone where we shoot chucks just because of the word of mouth.

Sounds like you had a great time. I have never shot any prairie dogs, but might like to do that some time. If I wanted to travel to SW Kansas, I could get into a good place for them.

Fred
 
#8 ·
:lol: Fred, I never saw that Fed. ammo you mentioned. I looked this am as I got more CCI's out for the morning shoot. I still have over 10,000 of them, plus stingers and Yellowjackets and an assortment of Fed. Wal Mart specials. This am the cci's seemed to do better, maybe I was just shooting better. Got 130 gophers with the 521T, and about a dozen p. dogs. Some with the .22 Hornet, but most with the old .222. I really like this little Hornet, I think it is one I am going to keep in my truck for targets of opportunity. Saw 2 badgers and a jack this am, tried to get them with my S & W .357. Knocked the badgerdown but he got into a hole, and the jack I hit at about 80 yards, but not a killing shot. My golden retriever couldn't stand it and squeezed out the door and chased the jack down into a bunch of heavy brush. I HATE wounded game of any sort, so the pistols will be used for cans and such, and the Hornet for shots like these. This little rifle is a lovely gun, one of the few non Rem. bolt guns I have. But it is a gem. :wink:
 
#9 ·
I never have seen any of them in a store. I read about them and called Federal and talked with one of the technical guys. I then found a place that carried them.

I'm curious as to what brand of rifle the 22 hornet is. I have been thinking about a cz myself. Also what bullet weight and powder are you using? I might just like to try one of them.

Fred
 
#10 ·
:? Fred, I am sorry I didn't answer sooner, but have not been at the computer for quite a while. You ask about my Hornet. I love it. It is a little Browning, the only Browning I own. I have had it since 1995. Bought it used in W. Va. I mostly use 4227 powder and 46 grain hollow pts. I buy in bulk from Midway. But I have used others. 40 grain Speer, are very good. I have shot several coyotes and turkey with the little rifle. Also, chucks, ground squirrel, p. dogs, crows, tree squirrel, grouse, and maybe some stuff I forgot. Right now I am shooting woodchucks in Pa. and I always put this one in the pickup for shots near buildings or walking hunting along hedge rows. The only draw back is trimming the darn cases. :evil: I bought 2000 nickel cases with the plan of loading them three times and pitching them with out trimming. So far I haven't got them loaded :roll: Other powders shoot much faster than 4227 I think h110 is very fast, but when I need a faster round, I take my .222 or 223. Hope this helps. Again, I am sorry for being so long :oops:
 
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