Ground Squirrels

[Carl]

    Here’s something that sounds like a lot of fun – shooting ground squirrels (there are other names for these critters, I’m sure).  I think this is mostly an East side adventure and also very popular in Oregon. 

I’m thinking about a weekend trip, anywhere.  I’ll go wherever they are; I’m just not sure where that is.

I’ve heard some farmers are willing to let you shoot them because they destroy banks of irrigation canals, and they’re also a problem in vineyards.

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be very grateful.  I’m just starting my research on this, so I don’t know yet if there is a best time of year for this or not.

I do have some .22LR bullets saved up for this! 

Thanks,
Carl

[JohnVH]

whistle pigs!  They are FUN!!!

[Heredoggydoggy]

A good place to go is the Enterprise Oregon area.  My buddy and his son (who loves shooting those little rats), and I are talking about a trip down there this month (march).  They start going into hibernation about mid-july, and venture out again at the end of February to forage for food when their stores are starting to run out.  Farmers and Ranchers down there hate them so bad that as long as you are not endangering their stock, they are glad to let you shoot them on their property.

[Carl]

I guess you need an out-of-state license, right? 

[buckfvr]

I dont usually see them til about 65 degrees.....full sun.  It is usually windy early on, so we opt for .22wm.  It is a great time for sure,  I just stocked up on Hornady 30gr v-max.  There are plenty on public land, just have to find right mix of trees and meadows......Other than that, its almost like askin where we hunt deer.   

[Southpole]

Yeah, you may have to wait until some warmer weather in a few months. 

[Carl]

Other than that, its almost like askin where we hunt deer.   

Oh NO!!      I didn't know it rose to that level - please forgive me.  

But seriously, I wouldn’t ask for any spots people put time and money into finding.   

I really didn’t think many people were after these critters.

I’ll study up on what sort of terrain they like and approach it that way.

[Heredoggydoggy]

I guess you need an out-of-state license, right? 

No, at least we never bother getting one... we are always on private property.

[Wanttohuntmore]

How difficult is it to get access to shoot rats?  My dad and I have been talking about going to central Oregon for this, but would only have about 4 days to spend. Don't know how much door knocking would be necessary.  We'd probably use 17hmr and 22's mostly, and a few longer shots with the 223's and 22-250's.  might be fun for my young son to cut his teeth behind the rimfires.   

[buckfvr]

Look for their mounds along field edges and near creek edges, along the roads......heck at times its hard not to run them over as they lay on the roads to warm up early on......One clue........west end of Addy/Gifford road, between the top, and hwy 25.  THis is all private, but I do see some squirrel shooters time to time.  Almost everyone has stock in their pastures, so rimfires would be advisable, and I know in some cases, if you know the land owner, it makes it much easier......I dont hunt there, but I can tell you there is uncountable squirrels there.....the same can be said for virtually anywhere that looks remotely similar.   

[Heredoggydoggy]

How difficult is it to get access to shoot rats?  My dad and I have been talking about going to central Oregon for this, but would only have about 4 days to spend. Don't know how much door knocking would be necessary.  We'd probably use 17hmr and 22's mostly, and a few longer shots with the 223's and 22-250's.  might be fun for my young son to cut his teeth behind the rimfires.   

Just knock on doors and tell them you'd like permission to shoot squirrels.  I doubt that you will ever get turned away unless the farmer has livestock in the field.  But at the same time, you may get info on where you CAN shoot them!

[WaltAlpine]

I don't know anybody in Washington, but in Oregon and Northern CA, we had hay ranchers give us thousands of .22 rounds to go out into the fields and shoot.

[Carl]

I hear a lot of folks talking about Oregon.  Do most people go there, or is WA good too?   

[Carl]

Thanks, Buckfvr. Good advice.

I'll try and find such places. I would love to take some kids (1 at a time) to do this. It would be a great introduction to hunting and offer lots of opportunity to teach them safety.

When my son comes to visit from college, I know he would have a blast.

Thanks again to everyone,
Carl

[Heredoggydoggy]

Central Washington,  alfalfa fields adjacent to rock buttes.

Your'e talking about Rockchucks.  Different animal than Ground Squirrels.

[Jburke]

Central Washington,  alfalfa fields adjacent to rock buttes.

Your'e talking about Rockchucks.  Different animal than Ground Squirrels.

Different animal, still a pest though!  You can also find them in orchards a lot of times

[Heredoggydoggy]

Central Washington,  alfalfa fields adjacent to rock buttes.

Your'e talking about Rockchucks.  Different animal than Ground Squirrels.

Different animal, still a pest though!  You can also find them in orchards a lot of times

Yes, they can be fun to shoot too, but unless it's a Damage Control situation, I like to wait until June to give momma rockchuck time to wean the pups. 

[Carl]

June, huh?

[Heredoggydoggy]

June for Rockchucks in the wild--March, April, May for ground Squirrels.  June & early July OK for Squirrels, but it's pretty hot by then.  By mid-July the Squirrels are plugging their holes and going into hibernation.

[turkey slayer]

Rockchucks are out in East Wenatchee shot 2 on Monday

[wence5]

Well, I'm an old Oregon native that moved to Washington, so here is what I know. You will need to go to central and eastern Oregon. Prineville east to the boarder and all the way south to California. Christmas Valley, Crane Prairie, Burns, Enterprise, Klamath basin are all good areas to go. I would say your best bet is to take the time and do some door knocking, but there is getting to be a cottage business of charging to hunt sage rats, but I think you might find some ranchers willing to let you hunt on there lands. They are a hoot to shot, and you will get addicted. BTW, they are out as early as February, so now is the time to make those contacts. Good luck.

[wence5]

I forgot to mention, you will need a out of state license if you plan on hunting on public lands.

[CastleRocker]

Going to go down to K. Falls area when I get off work in the morning.  We went a couple weeks ago and there were a few rats and some rock chucks out.  In an hour or so of shooting, we only got a dozen or so chucks.  Too much range and wind for my 50gr. 223's.  The two shortest shots we had were still over 250ys., most were twice that.  Still a lot of fun!   

Didn't keep track of the rats.  Only went through five boxes of HMR and I didn't pop a cap with the 22's as the wind was whipping both days we shot.

[mountainman]

Enterprise and Joseph Oregon. Stay at the Ponderosa inn. Go in the local bar and try their big Porterhouse. Bring a couple cases of Washington apples for trade/payment, and ask around. Maybe check out the buffalo ranch north of town? Go to the truck repair shop north o the ranch to ask for permission. yes, way too much fun!

[CastleRocker]

Back from the "killing fields".  I'm actually glad I don't live in the same area that we hunted.  I'd have to get a second job just to afford ammo!  Now I'm very glad I stocked up last year.   

Wife's longest run offhand was 7 consecutive, distances from about 35yds to 77yds.  Her farthest was a 206 yard sage rat.   Took her two "warning shots" before connecting, but that's still a looonnnng shot in that wind with a 22lr.  She said she held right at six mils of wind.  It's amazing how long it takes between the sound of the shot and the SMACK of impact to get back to the shooter.   

For those of you who have never done it, I would advise you never, ever go.  If you like to shoot, this is a real addicting sport.  The alfalfa and grass fields are getting tall enough that by the end of the week the shooting will be pretty much done until after the first cutting.  At least where we were. 

Got some good long range Rock Chuck shooting in with the big rifles as well. 

Looking forward to the next time!!!

[iusmc2002]

I invited a fellow Hunt-WA member over to park his camper on my property while in pursuit of spring bear in the Huckleberry GMU.  He hasn't had any luck with the bears yet, but my geriatric neighbor called and said that the ground squirrels that are tearing up his field were out and about, and would I mind coming over?  So Danny and I went over.....

Danny only has his bear rifles, so he was nailing them with a .350 Rem Mag and a .375 Win.  Distances were around 100 meters, +/-.  We ended up with 10, Danny had 7 1/2 and I got 2 1/2    (He hit one, but I was quicker on the reload and finished it off, so we counted it as half for each of us.  I think he was being nice to his host since he was outshooting me hahahaha)  All in all, it was a good couple hours.  We got some trigger time in, and helped out my older neighbor, who was very grateful!

[hunting4sanity]

They are fun little guys to hunt, but not everyone lets you shoot at them.  I saw some the other day on a place that allows no shooting, I was messing around with a new spotting scope I bought so I was trying to take pics through the spotter, I looked farther over to the side and saw the 'Whistle Pig Inn.'  I'd like to have gotten a look at them through a scope with crosshairs.

[havoc1300]

Spray Or is also good for sage rats. He shot hundreds on Wed. ONce the grass gets taller they get a little hard to see.

[Heredoggydoggy]

They are fun little guys to hunt, but not everyone lets you shoot at them.  I saw some the other day on a place that allows no shooting, I was messing around with a new spotting scope I bought so I was trying to take pics through the spotter, I looked farther over to the side and saw the 'Whistle Pig Inn.'  I'd like to have gotten a look at them through a scope with crosshairs.

Those look like a bunch of juveniles.  The older ones get more brown on them as they get older, like the ones in usmc2002's pictures.  the young'uns are mostly gray.  cool pictures!

[Carl]

 Great pictures, hunting4sanity.   

I have yet to make it out 

[BOWHUNTER45]

thats always a good time 

[iusmc2002]

Great pictures, hunting4sanity.   

I have yet to make it out 

Danny and I drove around outside Hunters, on Hunters-Springdale Rd and some roads off there, found a field that was FULL of holes and ended up getting permission to shoot for 2.5 hours.  Danny got 6 with a .22 and I got 4 with the .243 because I SERIOUSLY underestimated the range!  I was thinking 150-175 meters, when I lazed it, one of the shots I took was just over 300    The wind was pretty crazy, but that was no excuse for firing 29 rounds and only having 4 confirmed kills.  3 others were wounded, but I never did find them.  the 75gr VMax just seem to eviscerate those little things!