LRH - Ground Squirrels - .177

Muddyboots

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Feb 7, 2013
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Michigan
Yep, way too much time on hands but trying to keep ground squirrels from tearing up flower beds, veg garden etc. Traps just don't seem to work on them. Tried smoke bombs and it was like Caddyshack all over again. The hole would be uncovered and burnt out shell of bomb out on ground. Almost like they were sitting back in their hole inhaling and getting high on them.

So broke out an older Beman that was top of their line years ago, great adjustable trigger that breaks nicely, nice wood stock, checkered, and I had this really old Tasco 6x20x40 in basement that I bet is 30+ years old. It went on rifle, has parallax adjust down to 50 ft. So broke out cross sticks and my new Leica RF 2800 😂😂 . Started using the Gamo Raptor PBA at 5.4 gr and they were almost 1300 thru chronograph😂 and boy do they hit those critters hard. So this morning, I shot one according to my Leica at 67 yards with it! Took one "warning" shot to give me a better hold off my Bog Pod cross sticks and smoked him when he was standing up looking for that "bee" that just went over his head! Also been trying the Gamo Redfire at 7.8 grains that hit much harder but at longer ranges really drop off. I guess their "BC" is just not "high" enough even though they are heavier pellet. I do use them 25 yards and in since they do fine there and clearly hit much harder.. Wind is absolutely HUGE factor so I wait to really calm mornings when they seem to be quite active.

SO now I am getting LRH fix in yard and got to say this is really good practice with cross sticks, trigger control and sight picture management on my property. I live on 5 acres out in country so this is not an issue for neighbors and in fact getting "requests" to "remove" same critters from their place.

My wife just shakes her head with chronograph being used for different pellets, using impact targets for sight in, Bog Pod sticks, Leica and me pulling stalks off around house. I have to say, this has been quality shooting time while trying to maintain some isolation at this time. We have some health issues that are critical so we need to be much more vigilant than most would be at this time.

So now I am shopping for "better" high performance pellets and found a few sites dedicated to air guns which was absolutely fun to scroll through. I see some new opportunities to consider for nuisance raccoons and chucks that can be taken out with larger caliber air rifles. Dang this could get real expensive just because of PITA ground squirrels!
 
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Great writeup sir!! If you're looking for recommendations--probably oughtta' ask Roynidaho below. Check out his hooked on airguns thread--this guy knows his stuff.
 
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