best caliber for gopher/ground squirrel

marlin60

marlin60

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I've been trying to get in an Alberta 'hunt' of gophers/ground squirrels for a few years. Looks like this May should work for Southern AB.

Is .22lr enough. I have an overscoped Marlin 60 (Nikko Stirling 4-12x42).

I'd like to get an HMR for this trip (perfect excuse).

How does the hunt go anyway? Do you move around a lot?
Walk all day? Set up at various spots for an hour, and then move on?

What is the typical shot range?

Thanks.
 
I'd say .416 should be the minimum as alberta ground squirrels are tough and better to be overgunned than under.....:D

.22LR is the staple out here. Shots are typically sub 50 yards. Walk around pastures...sit and shoot for a while then walk again. A .17HMR can make it a lot more fun though. It allows you to sit longer in one spot anyhow.....lol If you need an excuse, then yes, the .22LR is a very poor choice and the HMR is then only suitable choice! :D
 
A 17hmr is the ultimate gopher gun but I prefer a .204 as can do longer distances and can pop a coyote if one appears. Typically one finds and area of holes and pop them as they emerge and stand up looking around. The .204 is a blast. Im looking forward to using some of the Barnes varmint grenades. The ordinary .204 makes them do a dance. Im hoping that the grenades makes gopher pizza.
marlin60 said:
I've been trying to get in an Alberta 'hunt' of gophers/ground squirrels for a few years. Looks like this May should work for Southern AB.

Is .22lr enough. I have an overscoped Marlin 60 (Nikko Stirling 4-12x42).

I'd like to get an HMR for this trip (perfect excuse).

How does the hunt go anyway? Do you move around a lot?
Walk all day? Set up at various spots for an hour, and then move on?

What is the typical shot range?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
I second the 17 HMR.

Since you already have a .22 the natural progression is the 17 hmr. Depending on the gophers you are shooting you can spend all day just walking and shooting at them at less than 50 yards. However if they have been regularly shot they will be cautious of you and the range will extend. Get a 17 HMR and a bipod and you will be good to 150 yards.

Also using a vehicle or atv will allow you to get closer, I assume that farmers and ranchers use them all the time in the pasture so the gophers don't view it as a threat.

I would recommend a call such the KC Gopher call from Lockhart Industries (do a google search to get thier website). It will get them to sit up and look around so you get a better shot.

Welcome to the addiction, I hope you have good weather when you are out.

Gopher shooting is my premier hobby, this winter I am building a shooting bench, getting a new .204 barrel, just installed a Rifle Basix trigger, and beginning a new load for the long range shooting.

Spring can't come soon enough
 
Had a 17HMR, shot abour 500 gophers with it before I sold it in disgust and bought a 204. I can shoot the 204 reloads for the same $ as the overpriced 17 stuff and actually do some damage.

surfclod, freakin awesome video, I just got a bushnell scopecam that I am going to mount on my 204, should be a blast (pun intended)
 
We do not hunt gophers in Alberta! We shoot em! Depending on the area you get permission to shoot, I would bring a .22 LR and a center fire such as a .223. When gophers are plenty, you pick and choose the range you wish to shoot. Shoot safe! Enjoy!
 
If you really want it, get the hmr. I don't have one, but I'll never talk someone out of buying another gun.

the .22 rimfire is pretty good all around though, and long bombing gophers is really fun. You might have to walk the bullet up with a few shots, but seriously, its a blast.

You can walk about doing it, or get a nice area, use a bi-pod, and long bomb. If you have a mildot scope, hold over is a breeze.

You can shoot them from as close as right in front of you( for the young dumb ones) out to 160 or 170 yards. Did I mention I miss a lot of these shots??:D

I see someone mentioned a gopher call a few posts up. I have a gopher whistle I bought from Peavey Mart, and the stupid thing seems to work!
 
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.22 LR as your primary firearm. Walking and shooting is common. Old fat guys just shoot from the truck (don't bother with the legality arguments, heard them all, we do things the way we do things). For longer ranges, I would go with a centerfire, reloads for economics, but not a big one. 22 Hornet or K Hornet, 222 or 222 Mag or 223. If you will be using factory ammo, go with the 223 due to cost. Bring beer money. - dan
 
22 250 not big enough for deer or dogs should work for squirrels. 50gr vmax @4200 fps, should take the wind out of their sails.

Note: if going with .22lr get the pink one, their cute.
 
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.22LR is your best choice. I mean gophers aren't that bright, so you can easily get into range. Other than that, I would lean toward a CF calibre (.223, .204, or 22.250) Great for distance, and the impact aerobatics make it all worthwhile. Sure the HMR splits'em like a banana, but the pink spray makes it all worthwhile.

I have never been a fan of the HMR's. $12-$14 for 50 non reloadable rounds is stupid. At least with a .22LR the premium ammo is $6 max.

My .02

Hakx
 
dan belisle said:
.22 LR as your primary firearm. Walking and shooting is common. Old fat guys just shoot from the truck (don't bother with the legality arguments, heard them all, we do things the way we do things). For longer ranges, I would go with a centerfire, reloads for economics, but not a big one. 22 Hornet or K Hornet, 222 or 222 Mag or 223. If you will be using factory ammo, go with the 223 due to cost. Bring beer money. - dan
Click to expand...

When I was out in Manitoba this last summer, I was invited out for a first time ever gopher hunt with a farmer friend and his young daughter and one of her visiting girl friends.
My buddy did the driving( on his own land) and me and the girls were in the back of an old 60 something Chevy pick-up.

The girls did almost all the shooting at ranges of 5 yds to about 40 yds.

The 12 yo had already shot a turkey and a deer with her dad, and thought gophers were more fun than big game.

The kids had a blast and really liked shooting them, and talked of hunting for days after.. .

I was designated the 22 lr reloader and spotter, while the girls were having the greatest time shooting.:)
 
I think 2 rifles are best. For sure a 22 LR, and then a milder centerfire like a 17 Rem, 204,222, or 223. Like almost everyone has already mentioned, 22 LR is "the" gopher round, but it's fun to blow the little buggers up too with something with a little more power and range.
 
I vote for the hummer

I would encourage you to try the 17 hmr. My buddy introduced me to this caliber a few years ago and I really prefer it over the 22lr for a couple of reasons. Accuracy and spectacular impacts on ground squirrels. We get set up on bipods to reach the real potential of these rifles which is approaching 100 % kills out to 150 yds. Beyond that bullet drop and windage adjustments make it tough. We have quite a competition going, seeing who can make the most consecutive kills. Ammo cost at about 25 cents per round may seem prohibitive but it makes for even more incentive to not waste them.

The .204 is a caliber which intrigues me but until I take the plunge into reloading it doesn't make sense for me, either for gophers or coyotes. I use a .22-250 in the winter for coyotes and will sometimes take this along shooting gophers just to try a few long ones.

That's my 2 cents.
 
I had a 17HMR and also sold it after just over 500 rounds, through mine were mostly at the range. My reason was also ammo costs. .22lr is certainly a good start and you'll probably do most of your gopher shooting with that, but a .223 or .204 would be sweet too.. and if you reload is the same price as .17HMR ammo, but way more gun.
 
Cummins4x4 said:
Had a 17HMR, shot abour 500 gophers with it before I sold it in disgust and bought a 204. I can shoot the 204 reloads for the same $ as the overpriced 17 stuff and actually do some damage.

surfclod, freakin awesome video, I just got a bushnell scopecam that I am going to mount on my 204, should be a blast (pun intended)
Click to expand...

X2... I can load 222 rem ammo for less that 17 HMR...and crank the little buggers well pat 200 yards.
 
22LR. It's what I was introduced to gophers with when I was a young guy, and it's what I still use. Ammo is CHEAP, and I've had afternoons of shooting off 500+ rounds. Anything bigger/faster is just a waste of good money/powder/lead.
 
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