Yesterday myself and my good friend and Varmint/Big Game Hunting buddy Ben went on a long days Hunt for the wiley Ground Squirrel!
This was a challenging and rewarding Hunt. The grass in the area we travelled to is getting a bit deep. The Ground Squirrels were out in abundance! It set a new record high temperature (83) in the area we were Hunting. The snow laden peaks beyond our shooting fields nearly blinded us as we scanned for Ground Squirrels. The grass depth helped save literally hundreds of the ravenous little crop crunchers! The new batch of pups of the year were out in droves and were about 2/3rds full size! Shooting was non-stop! Or should I say AIMING was non-stop! The grass hid the Varmints much of the time when they were on all fours feeding. When they stood up it was a race to get them in the scope and get off a non-jerked shot before they went back down to feed and were again hidden by the grass crop. It was like a gigantic game of Whack-A-Mole with the Varmints popping up and down about as quick as one can say it!
I had along my beloved Ruger 77/17V with Weaver 15x (KT-15 Model) in 17 HMR and my trusty Deluxe Ruger 10/22 with heavy long Lilja barrel and Simmons 4x12 scope. My friend Ben had along his favorite Clark accurized Ruger 77/22V with Leupold 3.5x10 scope and his new this spring Ruger 77/17V in 17 HMR with Leupold 10x scope.
Along with the new found warmth of the day it was also windless! Shooting (aiming?) was sublime! I went through my normal 100 rounds with my 17 HMR (Remington ammo) during the day and at least 300 rounds of 22 LR (Federal Hollowpoint 525 bulk pack ammo). Ben does not keep track of ammo shot, he shoots from a bulk container that holds many hundreds of rounds of his favorite ammo (in his 17 HMR he prefers the Hornady V-Max's and the 22 LR ammo he uses is the Remington H.P. bulk pack stuff).
Tons of wildlife was seen including REALLY pregnant Antelope does and Mule Deer does, Bald and Golden Eagles, Hawks, a Coyote, one Moose and lots of Whitetailed Deer.
The beveridges of the day were provided by myself - on ice -of course! Sunny Delight was the morning choice then Dr. Pepper, Coca Cola and Red Mt. Dew for all of mid day and then for a day capper at the end of our shoot we sat in the shade of the VarmintMobile and drank two of the coldest MGD's ever drank!
What a day!
No equipment problems at all just target acquisition and shooting!
They are predicting TORNADOES for eastern Montana tomorrow (June 5th)! The weather this late winter and spring has been most unsettled here in my SW corner of Montana! The VarmintWife is just now on her third planting of flowers in our planters! The first two plantings froze out as recently as 6 days ago!
I hope the PD Hunters over east do not have twisters to contend with!
Aaaahhhh..... spring Colony Varminting! Its the best!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The general hunting season finally reopened in CT after a month of only allowing turkeys with beards as game. I stopped in to see the farmer where I go the most often and he was grousing about the trees being cut on his line. Another millionare has started building and it's spoiling his view and my backstop as well.

I suggested planting a row of hemlocks or spruce along the property line. The trees are being cut to get a view for the new house and he was concerned about being sued. When I got back from a hunt on his land across the highway he was riding his tractor back from that property line so while looking for the maybe rabid racoon he wanted me to shoot in his barnyard I waited for him. When he got back he told me that they had cut a few trees on his side. He was livid. It seems that he is going to be growing Christmas trees.

I saw seven deer including a buck in velvet, two turkeys a muskrat and some of the usual birds. There are no woodchucks left to hunt here. About the only thing to hunt here is coyotes. Woodchucks used to be the best rifle shooting. Coyotes are way more hunting.

I had a nice long walk, maybe two miles and it was good.

Yesterday afternoon, my babysitter called unexpectedly and offered to take the kids for the evening. No arguement there!!! So I grabbed the 25-06 and left for my favorite farm, found the fields were cut and bailed the previous week, the soybeans where only about 4" high, the corn was about the same height.... it was perfect for seeing the ground hogs. I shot 3 and missed 1. The 75 gr V-Max in the 25-06 performed in excellent fasion. The only problem was I couldn't get a shot at more than 250 yds.... no hogs presented themselves at the farther ranges.... not yet.

It was a very good first day in the field for ground hogs.

Mike Elmer: Good for you and the 250 yard shots on the Ground Hogs! That is nothing to sneeze at!
It seems that this year my long planned Praire Dog and Ground Squirrel Hunts have been all getting postponed due to bad weather! I have been on many Ground Squirrel all day Hunts but they were also more often spur of the moment Hunts!
Get a 400 yarder for me! Soon!

DMCI*: What a great place to shoot you have there! Great backstop and good grass! Good for you!
Now for those fantastic pictures of your spot and your swivel bench and set-up! How cool!
That Cooper is just beautiful sitting atop your bench and rest there by the range finder!
I have the $175.00 version (copy)of that top o the line bench of yours! I have another bench that I use when Hunting certain areas where you can not drive on the grass - it has large wheelbarrow wheels on the front leading edge of the bench top and you simply flip it over onto the wheels and it glides along behind you into the field as you pull it. A good bench sure helps with the percentage hits bottom line!
Your 95% hits is an attribute to the amazing little 17 HMR and your shooting! Good for you!
I have been running about 75% to 80 percent hits with my Ruger 77/17V this spring. It has a Weaver 15X scope on it. I use the Remington ammo in mine where I see you use the Federal?
That "valley" you shoot in I bet helps hold down the wind and wind gusts I bet that helps in your high percentage of kills also!
Most all of my spots are much more flat and suceptible to wind. Even then that 17 HMR speeds to the Varmint so quickly that doping the wind is easy for me.
Thank you for the great pictures!
That does it I am getting a computer friendly camera!
Also what brand/model is that scope!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thank you VarmintGuy. This is a pic of the field I like to sit and watch (although I didn't get any shots on that particular hill that day).

I'll be back there as soon as I can!!!

The ground squirrels your shooting seem like a ton of fun, provided you pack enough ammo!!! I would love to bring my .223 out there for some action shooting at those rascals!!!

Well, today I finally got my first 300+ yd shot on a groundhog with the 25-06 this year... Oh my my!!! I should have brought the camera!!! I ranged him at 344 yds, I held the cross hairs right on top of his head, and squeezed her off. When I went to look at him, the top half of his head was missing!!! I thought that bullet was supposed to drop about 3", but it only dropped about 1/2 inch. I was able to see him just fall back through the scope, then I heard the old thwack as the bullet hit.

I do love that 25-06.