Long Range Squirrels

[Old Hickory 45]

If you want something that is as quiet as a 17HMR but good for head shots to 300 yards, try a 22 Hornet. Loaded with 12.6 grains of Lil'Gun, 40 grain Vmax or Sierra Blitzking in WW brass with a Fed small pistol primer. Will shoot well under an inch at 200 yards.

Target aquares are 1/2" on a side.

My brother Charlie agrees with this very much.

 

[Old Hickory 45]

The beauty of long range squirrel hunting is we are well outside of the squirrels' comfort zone and easy shots are afforded. The see us but are not alarmed. ( Insert big smile here).

 

[Old Hickory 45]

I had a 6.5X-20X on my .17 WSM but it was not good for close shots so I replaced it with a Burris 3X-9X and is a great improvement.

 

[trustyrusty22]

If you want something that is as quiet as a 17HMR but good for head shots to 300 yards, try a 22 Hornet. Loaded with 12.6 grains of Lil'Gun, 40 grain Vmax or Sierra Blitzking in WW brass with a Fed small pistol primer. Will shoot well under an inch at 200 yards.

Target aquares are 1/2" on a side.

How are you finding squirrels at 300 yards?

 

[isaaccarlson]

Squirrels are not hard to find. They move around like crazy.

 

[Dean2]

How are you finding squirrels at 300 yards?

Combination of using the rifle scope and a Leica crf. They stick out pretty good. Gophers are about 6-8" tall by 3-4" wide. You can see them with your bare eyes well past 200 in short grass. I would think tree squirrels would be just as visible and I presume no one would be imprudent enough to be shooting squirrels that are in trees at 100 to 200 yards.

 

[trustyrusty22]

Combination of using the rifle scope and a Leica crf. They stick out pretty good. Gophers are about 6-8" tall by 3-4" wide. You can see them with your bare eyes well past 200 in short grass.

So you're looking on the ground not in the tree tops? I've always looked up for them.

 

[isaaccarlson]

I see them on the ground a lot when they don't know I'm there. They only go up when they feel threatened.

 

[Dean2]

So you're looking on the ground not in the tree tops? I've always looked up for them.

I think the whole point these guys are making is to shoot regular red and black squirrels on the ground when they are gathering food and doing it far enough away that they aren't spooking the squirrels back up the trees.

 

[Old Hickory 45]

I have shot squirrels at 200 yards with my Savage BMAG .17 WSM. Of course, that is after most of the tree leaves are dropped. It's hard going right now with such heavy cover for them.

 

[dudley13]

A friends Cold bore shot … been setting trail cam off all the time last couple weeks.. won't be a problem now..

 

[wv270wsm]

A friends Cold bore shot … been setting trail cam off all the time last couple weeks.. won't be a problem now..

Holy crap

 

[Old Hickory 45]

Am reviving this thread. Our squirrel season closed and I ordered another squirrel rifle, a Savage A1 .17 WSM Sporter early last month. It is on back-order.

I was laid up the last month of season due to a fall during hunting 12/24.

 

[isaaccarlson]

Ours is closed too. We wanted to get out and hunt more, but figured we'd let them have some babies to get the population up first. When we hunt aquirrels, it isn't hard to clean out a woods, so we have to be careful how often and how many we take. I know people say you can't shoot too many, but we definitely can.