I am sated!

I just completed a three day Montana Gopher Hunting Safari with three friends from the west coast. We shot Gophers until we could shoot no more!

This was the earliest (by far!) that I have ever had such wonderful shooting for the Ground Squirrels!

The past 3 days here in Montana were warmish and for the most part wind free! Our second day of shooting did get cut short by about two hours because of 25 to 30 MPH winds that came up!

Yesterday alone, I went through 200 rounds of 17 HMR ammo from my Ruger 77/17 V/T, about 40 rounds of 17 HMR went through my S&W Model 647 revolver, I shot 200 rounds through my Kimber M-22 H/S 22 L.R. (heavy fluted barrel Hunter/Silohuette) and my old standby Gopher gun, a Lilja heavy barrelled custom Ruger 10/22 sent 300 rounds down range! Yesterday, was, the best of the 3 days of shooting!

Highlights of the Safaris included "close encounters" with Badger, Fox, Coyote, Weasels, Ermine, Starlings and several other "types" of flying Varmints!

One of my Hunt mates killed both a Weasel and an Ermine! Ermines are simply Weasels that are still in their winter peltage (all white with a black tipped tail). Another of the entourage killed another Weasel with his 17 HMR!

The Ground Squirrels in my estimation are out in forces that normally would not show up for 3 to 4 more weeks! They were simply EVERYWHERE!

At one shooting site in the midst of a cultivated field all four of us were shooting from inside my friends Suburban using window bags for steady shooting! The brass was flying inside that Suburban so fast and furiously that we began laughing at ourselves! Our shoes slid across the brass on the vehicles floormats to the point it impeded our ability to get a "steady" shooting position! Again we giglled at ourselves because of this! Luckily TWO of the four shooters were "south-paws" (left handed) and they shot from the right side of the vehicle - easily.

Highlights of the informal "distance" shooting contest, were shots made on Gophers at 221 yards with a Winchester 94 in 22 Magnum, 268 yards with a CZ in 17 HMR and 416 yards with a Browning in 22-250. Lazer Rangefinders in both Swarovski and Leica verified hits! Caldwell wind gauges were in use as well and I am VERY happy with my new wind gauge (Caldwell).

I myself stood humbly up to much good natured humiliation for missing a Gopher at a paced 11 yards with my Kimber Model 22 HS in 22 L.R.! To that Rifles credit it was NOT the Rifles fault - that was definitely operator error! I did kill Gophers out to 140 yards with this wonderfully accurate Rifle (Leupold 6x18 variable scope) and the Federal ammunition it prefers.

The ranchers we interacted with ALL commented on the "early-ness" of this years Gopher hoardes showing themselves above ground!

The one shooter who had, as yet, to own and bring along a Rifle in 17 HMR simply went "ga-ga" when he was allowed to shoot "our" 17 HMR Rifles! He literally and seriously tried to BUY one of my other friends Rifles - on the spot - there in a Gopher field! To say he was impressed with the 17 HMR would be a significant understatement!

A CZ Rifle in 17 M2 caliber (with Leupold 4.5x14 variable scope) was along on the trip and I "took a turn" with it as did we all. My impressions were - sensationally accurate (trigger job done on this rig) and impressive kill rates - under 100 yards. Past 100 yards it was a tough go for this tiny, pipsqueak of a cartridge! The four of us usually shot together (and one day there were five shooters!) and we "scared" a lot of Ground Squirrels into secretive behavior (for the most part) when they were under 100 yards distance from us, our vehicle and our benches! It was a tough tour of duty for the 17 M2 and I do not think I will be investing in this caliber for my Gophering needs. I will say this, I took off on my own once with this 17 M2 Rifle and it did excellent duty as I walked through a cultivated field by myself - on Varmints that were not as distant as when we all shot from one spot.

Luck was with us for our shooting days weather wise, as it is now gray, windy and cold here in SW Montana! My friends went home this morning (left at 0600 hours) and they all remarked that they could not have been happier with our Hunt.

I was the third (of four) Hunters yesterday to declare - I could shoot no more!

I was "sated"!

I had more ammo but no more desire.

We all "spotted" for the last Hunter, and waited for him to become "sated"! We even loaded clips for him as he shot non-stop for nearly an hour! I am sure he killed at least 150 Gophers in that last hour alone!

I had my thumb click counter along for tallying exact numbers - but was simply to overwhelmed by all the shooting, wind gauging, clip loading, Lasering, spotting, cajoling and camaraderie going on to use it. Far in excess of 3,500 Gophers are no longer eating the ranchers crops, due to our "efforts" - of that, I am certain!

I am sated!

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

Bear;

There you have it, independent confirmation.  See what you're missing?  Is attending a batchelor suicide all that important?

900F

Aaaahhhh..... I went out this afternoon and whacked about 90 more Ground Squirrels! The season is definitely early and on!

Yee-haw!

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

I hope to get that way tomorrow. I am heading up to Calgary to visit a friend and she said the gophers are everywhere on her land.

I am going to spen Fri afternoon and Sat shooting those Canadian gophers.

bob

BobR: Best of luck there north of the border! It was beautiful here this afternoon (Thursday) in SW Montana, with not much wind. Great shooting conditions!

Take lots of ammo!

Be safe!

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

Well, it is Saturday night in Strathmore, Alberta.

I spent about 5 hours today whacking early season gophers. It was about 38-40 degrees with a pretty steady wind of 15-20 mph with gusts up towards 30-35mph.

Cold, you betcha, but I didn't drive 4 hours to twiddle my thumbs.

I got out there about 10am, overcast and grey skies. I had access to a full section to hunt in. I concentrated in a small corner of the section this time. There was an irrigation ditch running down the side of it, and the vermin love living there. The field is riddled with gopher holes. If there is one gopher, there is 1000.

Because of he wind, temp it started off slow. But a few popped their heads up off and on. I was taking shots from 30 feet to 150 yds. I was amazed. The 17HMR is quite the round for these guys. I tried to get the wind at my back for the long shots. One thing the 17HMR is not fond of is a stiff crosswind, but, it will handle it in a pinch. Anything at 100yds or less was minimally effected by the wind, which surprised me. A couple of inches of holdoff was all I ever needed.

The effect of the 17gr 17HMR Hornaday bullet on the thin skinned rodents was devestating. Many of the gophers were eviscerated by the terminal performance. It was bang, thwop, and not even a twitch. I didn't take pictures, but all you have to do is imagine a gopher with a larg gaping exit wound with his insides on the outside. 

I used a couple of methods. I used the truck as a windblock and just waited for many, then I would walk the fence lines and back through the field. Both worked well, when doing the walk, I would just stand still near some burrows and soon I would be rewarded with a gopher coming out to take a look. While walking they would also come out of burrows a little ways off.

In the 4-5 hours I was out there I shot 57 gophers. Not a huge amount, but respectable. About one every ten minutes or so. Occasionally I would get a couple lined up from near to far and take them in order.

The gun I used was a Marlin 917V, with a 4 round detachable mag. I would shoot and top it off right away, which worked very well. It is topped with a BSA Sweet 17 scope, which worked as advertised, It is clear and has ample power for any shots you want to take. While doing the walks I paced off the ranges for the BDC portion of the scope, which worked as advertised. My only complaint is the bull barrel on the Marlin, it does get heavy after a few hours.

The longest shot I took today was about 150 yds (paces). It hit a tad low, but still made him DRT, flipped him butt over head and he didn't move. That was a cross wind shot and I held off about 1 body width.

All in all, it was good day, I am sun/wind burned, I got some good shooting in learning the new gun and its capabilities.

I think I will come back up in about a month.

bob

BobR: I wish the weather would have been better for your Hunt! But like you said you did pretty well and you had lots of fun - obviously!

I agree with your endorsement of the 17 HMR - in most all of the ranches I Hunt Ground Squirrels, only rimfires are welcome, and I have made shots out at and just past 200 yards, many times, with the 17 HMR!

I think its just the right size cartridge for these Varmints!

Good for you sticking it out during the wind and cold!

I saw a Fox, not 100 yards from my sun room windows, earlier today, he was Hunting Ground Squirrels - he made 7 stalks (all out charges!) that I saw before he went out of sight. He was unsuccessful on all of them. But he did come up with a mouse as he slinked along between charges. I was watching through my 12 power Nikon binoculars and he held the mouse in his mouth a long time before gulping it down.

The Ground Squirrels ALL stood very tall as the Fox approached them - then they darted down into their burrows at the last second when the Fox got close.

It was a hoot to watch. The Fox looked VERY healthy though and well fed. Its fur was still radiant looking and no slippage as yet!

The VarmintWife would have my butt if I shot one of her Fox's! She loves to watch them as well while they are Hunting or just lounging in the sun.

Oh well back to the loading room. Serious "Prairie Doggin" is just around the corner.

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy