The Squeaks are out!

[ClaimJumper]

Went to No. Ca. today and shot 80+ rds (60+ squirrels). Kind of slow but got 3 new ranches to shoot. This was the least amout I had ever shot but considering the weather and winds
it was a GREAT day..

[Bodei]

I thought they would be out early, but this is ridiculous! I really need to step up my reloading.

[Captqc]

Man oh man! I'm getting the shakes!!!! I'm going to get the Cooper out of the safe and cuddle. I can't wait for my first trip. Gary

[Bodei]

LOL early Christmas present!

[csand]

Same thing here in SW Idaho. I went out last weekend to break in a new barrel Cooper put on my 17AH. After a little shooting and scrubbing and getting on target I couldn't take it anymore. I don't know what kind of groups this barrel shoots but it will hit most squirrels at 100-150 yards with 11.5-12.2 grains of powder.

My brother told me not to shoot my breeding stock. No worries, there's only about a billion of these things around here!

[Bill K]

I thought they would be out early, but this is ridiculous! I really need to step up my reloading.

It is ridiculous Bodie, but I saw two out up Smoke creek way the other day. A late snow/freeze will most likely put them back down for a few more weeks. But THEN>>> Bill K

[ClaimJumper]

We were just on a "scouting" mission and not only did we gain some new ground/pivots but the farmer asked us to start early. I was the perfect day. 25 degrees with wind chill and the squirrels were stupid if you know what I mean. It seemed like every hawk and eagle in Modoc county was there.

[Rick in Oregon]

They're sure NOT out here! Day temps in the teens, tonight is predicted to be 3*F, and -2*F tomorrow night. The ground is still frozen, so the little buggers can't dig in it......yet.

Enjoy that early shooting, but remember you're shooting females that are carrying future targets right now........

[RAMOS]

Man, I hear ya on the weather Rick! I was REALLY hoping we were done with the 'bitter' part of Winter. Funny thing is, our two cats have started hauling pocket gophers in. Hard to figure as our ground is like cured concrete right now. Better hunters than their master, I suppose.

[Bill K]

They're sure NOT out here! Day temps in the teens, tonight is predicted to be 3*F, and -2*F tomorrow night. The ground is still frozen, so the little buggers can't dig in it......yet.

Enjoy that early shooting, but remember you're shooting females that are carrying future targets right now........

Exactly why I passed on shooting these two, that I did see.. I will wait a tad longer. Bill K

[RAMOS]

My will power is a little weak. I let myself shoot the first squirrel, the first rock chuck and the first sage rat I see each year. Then they are off limits until I see the young ones running around. Coyotes, badgers, porcupines, skunks, crows do not get that courtesy extended to them.

[ClaimJumper]

but the farmer asked us to start early.

If you allow these pests to breed uncontrolled you are not helping the farmers and are not part of the solution to their problems. The reason they allow us to shoot at all is population control. The going rate for Alfalfa is $250+ a ton, in some areas 4,000 ft. and above they get 3 cuttings per year, 2-3 tons per cutting. 250X6=$1,500+per acre. Left uncontrolled they will breed to 100+ per acre per field. That type of population is (target rich) great shooting but poor economics for the poor farmers. If you have had any farms you have shot in the past "fold" or go under look in the mirror and ask yourself if you ethically did your best to assist these farmers or not. I actually have farmers in the Klamath basin calling me to shoot when they see pests.

The bottom line is we can't eliminate these pests or exterminate them only slow the inevitable disking of their fields, which results in $ more labor, planting, lack of crop while young plants mature.

So if you want to "hug mother squirrels" you are not among the majority of shooters I know.

[RAMOS]

ClaimJumper, proper management is totally dependent on location/species/crop. In your' situation, eradication (dream on) would be the ideal solution for the farmer/producer. Where I live, the populations are low enough that the economic impact is nil. No way could I clean them out but, I could seriously mess up our shooting for a few years and, really upset friends and neighbors who also enjoy pulling the trigger. In our area, by far, the greatest economic impact is from deer, elk and antelope. Believe me, if I had fields with 1,000's of rodents in them, my approach would be the same as yours. I don't think anyone here is stepping on your toes. Just sharing what it is like in each of our own specific locations. Keep shooting and, keep sharing the stories.

[Rick in Oregon]

So if you want to "hug mother squirrels" you are not among the majority of shooters I know.

"Hug 'em" Don? H3LL, I want to LAUNCH 'em!

Given what you were asked to do, I'd be doing the exact same thing. My rancher buddies tell me crop loss stories from the rats that always make my jaw drop. One fellows ranch I shoot usually estimates his annual crop loss due the rats at $200K. 'Nuthin to sneer at for sure.

I do however have to be in the "chuck hugging" mode here though on some of the smaller horse ranches I'm asked to shoot. I usually only hit them twice a year after the young are out in mid-April, and sometimes even let them have a pass one year to bring the 'stock' back up to shootable numbers. Shamelessly selfish, granted, but it keeps me in targets on these smaller ranches that don't have an unlimited number of student rodents studying for flying lessons. As long as the ranchers are happy, I'm happy.

Enjoy those winter rats. I for one, sure am looking forward to the spring warmup and having fun with Skippy myself. Gonna be cold below zero here tonight......spring can't come soon enough for me!

[ClaimJumper]

"Hug 'em" Don? H3LL, I want to LAUNCH 'em!

That's funny right there....

I have launched some already and exploded them also. Thanks to Rick's advise I got my first 11 twist 204 a couple of years ago.. Now I have 3 of them.

I was breaking in a new one yesterday along with a new 22-250 ia and as you know "overkill" is my middle name. new favorite load,
22-250 ai
Nosler Brass
Fed Match std.
Hornady 53 V-Max
Varget (near max load from Nosler's 7th)
3900+ fps super load not unlike a good 204 with 32's

That Farmer in No. California (Larry) told me about his Brother in Burns Or. Area with 29 Pivots! how could I resist not shooting. I now have more fields than time.

"Happiness is knowing the Barred Owl is Eating the Spotted Owl and environmentalists are watching Nature take it's course"

Don