Woodland walk

[Redgum]

Well, I have spent 3 or 4 mornings in my highseat over the last few weeks and the deer have been keeping their heads well in the cover. As I sit there contiplating life the grey squirrels come down to hiss and growl at me ( probably why the deer are not coming out) cheeky little varmints, they get up close but even with 3 foot of mature oak as a back stop it seems a bit of a waste of a 243 round to stop their noisey banter.

Enough is enough, and along with the nagging of the landowner I decided to put Mr squirrel on top of the hit list this morning. Armed with the .17hmr I sat in wait, normally I would see 5 or 6 running around the base of the trees from the highseat, but dispite a beautiful morning not a squirrel in site. Time to go back to ground level and track em down, it wasnt long before I spotted a grey fluffy tail sticking up from the base of a oak tree about 80yds away.There are alot of acorns on the ground after all this wind,ideal for bringing the squirrels down.

The 17hmr is such a cracking little round and ideal for this type of work, the little CZ nessled snuggly between the sticks, crack, one very dead squirrel with rather a big hole in it. I walked on a little further and notice movement behind a hazel coppice barely 30yds away, at first I thought it was a muntjac, but no, a bit too red for that.

Once again the 16inched barrelled CZ was back in the sticks, slowly a very cautious vixen crept out from behind the hazel,once she was totally clear in my sights I squeezed the trigger,death wasnt instant, she managed about 5 yds but was stone dead when I got to her. The 243 is the rifle I normally use for fox's but the .17hmr does the job well at closer ranges,especially when your after rabbits or in this case squirrels.

 

After an hour I had shot a further 3 squirrels so with the fox is was a very successful vermin hunt. With the sun shining brightly and walkers with dogs making the most of the morning it was time to head for home, and my thought for today , I must come out with the hmr more often.

[Wiltsmark]

Well done fella, good write up and a good read

[kevinbird]

great reading and well done

[The Duncan]

Well done; its always nice to here someone is getting results. I couldn't help but think though (as I always hit the greys with a 12fpe air rifle) that nailing a squidge with a 17hmr is like hitting a pheasant with a bazooka!

[wildfowler.250]

Nice read! Would love to give that a go but we,(fortunately) don't have any greys around where I live. I have to say the HMR is a nice wee round for vermin!

 

 

[Redgum]

Well done; its always nice to here someone is getting results. I couldn't help but think though (as I always hit the greys with a 12fpe air rifle) that nailing a squidge with a 17hmr is like hitting a pheasant with a bazooka!

It makes a bit of a hole in them but very humane, if your used to 12fp air rifle go and put a tennis ball out at 150yds, thats how far you can shoot em humanely(for me anyway)with the .17hmr.

[The Duncan]

It makes a bit of a hole in them but very humane, if your used to 12fp air rifle go and put a tennis ball out at 150yds, thats how far you can shoot em humanely(for me anyway)with the .17hmr.

Done it!

Lots of elevation!!!(and quite a few shots!) And a still field

Could you hit a grey squirrel at 150 yards with an .17HMR?

Edited November 27, 2010 by The Duncan

[mikee]

i was sat in a high seat on wednesday thinking i wish i'd taken the 22 aswell as the 243, at least i could have had a few squizzers, good shooting mate

 

mikee

[The Duncan]

i was sat in a high seat on wednesday thinking i wish i'd taken the 22 aswell as the 243, at least i could have had a few squizzers, good shooting mate

 

mikee

I see you've the CZ in .22lr as well as in .17hmr. Why the two? I have the CZ.22lr and use it happily to 80yards ish, normally 50-60 yards though on bunnies mostly, but it depends what comes along within reason (and humane ability).

[Redgum]

I see you've the CZ in .22lr as well as in .17hmr. Why the two? I have the CZ.22lr and use it happily to 80yards ish, normally 50-60 yards though on bunnies mostly, but it depends what comes along within reason (and humane ability).

The .22lr is a great work tool, with subs its very quiet and have zeroed at 75yds, shooting out to around 90yds for head/neck shots. Why the .17hmr, well its a great tool in its own merit,it shoots pretty flat out to 150yds(well alot flatter than the .22lr). At night when range isnt easy to estimate you just put the cross hairs on the rabbits head and you will kill it. Its a much debated topic, 22lr or .17hmr but owning both I wouldnt part with either unless I had to, I have it on my license for fox for occasions when 243 isnt ideal and the little .17hmr round normally fragments when hitting the ground( but not always) so less tendancy to ricochet than the .22lr. And its extremely great fun.