ground squirrel preparation

[LDP]

So here I sit waiting for the weather to turn so the ground squirrels will come up and I read and watch the people lucky enough to have ground squirrel activity already with mixed emotions of envy and a smile and congrats for their efforts and hits on target I have enjoyed those posts but at the same time im getting edgy and salty waiting for the first signs of activity in my area. So I decided to get things in order so I started putting the .25 mrod thru its paces. I decided to get it sighted in for 70 yds and I have been practicing the scope cam. Heres a pic from today with my sight in shots @ 70 yds. The two shots on the right were my first two shots and they landed 1" to the right of my poa. So I adjusted the scope to the left. The two shots on the left landed exactly at poa. They are only two two shot groups but they tell me this Mrod is going to be very accurate and deadly on the ground squirrels this year.


The last thing to do is get the S510 out and double check its zero and play with the scope cam on it a little. With any luck I will have video of some ground squirrel shooting very soon

[BenjiHunter]

Yeah, you're ready.
Good luck with the hunt, Leland.

[HunterOne]

Nice shooting Leland.  I was thinking to change my zero to 75 yards as well.  Good luck with the start of your season.

[LDP]

Thanks guys. T I felt like there was no reason to not set my zero out farther since my shots at ground squirrels are all longer range. They can be tough to get a shot on when they dont sit still very long and adding in trying to video tape and use a scope cam I dont want to have to work out allot of drop. I want it as quick as possible for shot setup up so I can make sure everything else goes as planned.

[Tater]

You're ready to rock.


I must admit, when I read the thread title I thought "On no! He's cleaning ground squirrels to eat!"

[LDP]

You're ready to rock.


I must admit, when I read the thread title I thought "On no! He's cleaning ground squirrels to eat!"

LOL I never even thought about how the title sounds but I can see how you would think that. I guess there are some who do eat them. Im not that hungry.

[GD Giles]

I shot a few rounds at a target at 83 yards and that was a challenge. I bet I wasn't even 50% on those shots. Zeroing at 75 is wayy down the road for me, if ever. Are ground squirrels just that skiddish that you can't get closer? Does the terrain/habitat prevent you from getting closer?

[LDP]

I shot a few rounds at a target at 83 yards and that was a challenge. I bet I wasn't even 50% on those shots. Zeroing at 75 is wayy down the road for me, if ever. Are ground squirrels just that skiddish that you can't get closer? Does the terrain/habitat prevent you from getting closer?

For my situation the terrain isnt an issue. In my areas I shoot the ground squirrels seem to set 50 yds as a comfortable distance to start to offer shots. So I setup in a field where the largest concentration of holes are 65 yds and farther. The closer holes pop up here and there but the squirrels that are 70+ yds feel confident and offer the most shot opportunities. Using quiet pcp rifles works out great cause even the closer ones don't hear the noise so they dont go down and stay down. Shooting ground squirrels with a .223 or other centerfire rifles 300+ yds is the norm. The squirrels also start to stay hidden because of the noise of the rifle.

[nappyman]

Yep, looks like your ready to tear some heads off with those shots👍  Looks to me your ready or near ready to enter the (100+yard club) with those shots, wish you well

[LDP]

Thanks nappyman. I already have multiple 100+ yd kills on starlings that I made with the first pcp I bought. That was a gen1 .25 Mrod. I think this gen2 might be more accurate than that one was. When I make the first 100+ yd shot with this Mrod it will be on video

[LDP]

I was driving to a possible perm for ground squirrel removal today with Mike and on the way back we spotted several ground squirrels standing on mounds If the weather holds out this next week during work we will go over to a perm we have a couple fields down from work and see if there is activity there. With a little luck we might get our first ground squirrel kills of this year and hopefully some good video