Morning HMR Rock Chuck Walkabout

[Rick in Oregon]

The local 'weather-talker' promised a nice sunny day today, so it seemed like a good idea to take my Anschutz 1517HB 17HMR for a walk to see if any rock chucks were out sunning themselves on their favorite rock pile. It turned out to be a very good idea....for me that is, not so much for the chucks. :wink:

I was greeted by the east slope of the Cascade Mountains in the morning sun, and both sage rats and chucks out and about. Each rock pile you see potentially holds a family of chucks. Each pile visible through the junipers is usually populated well.



It didn't take long to score on a chuck on each rock pile. I usually only take one per pile to ensure there's enough left to continue their romances. When using the 17HMR, head shots are a must, as body hits usually result in the chuck slithering back down some rock cave. Headaches prevailed today.....



Collective rock chuck headache:



Looking across a meadow at a long, low rock pile that always has chucks basking in the morning sun. I'm estimating that in all the years I've shot this place, I've probably taken over 50 chucks just off this one rock pile, as there's chuck dens the entire length of the outcropping. Pretty much a 'chuck condo' as it were.



On the way home from this mornings fun, this little guy was peeking out of his den on a hillside, not 400 yards from the homestead. I stopped the truck and grabbed the camera with a 200mm lens aboard and shot him out the window.



He's safe 'n sound. I like being able to see the local guys and keeping them safe, as it works as my personal "chuck barometer", as if these guys are out, it's safe to say his country cousins are also out enjoying the springtime too. Selfish motives, I know. All in all, it was a good morning to be out 'n about with a rifle.

 

[450AK]

Gotta love those 1517s. I broke mine in last week.

 

[itchyTF]

Looks like a great place and beautiful scenery.

 

[bloc]

Thanks for the report, and I love the pictures.

As luck would have it, I have an Anschutz 1517 DHB myself, a gift from my wife for our 50th anniversary (a HUGE surprise . . . she conspired with my shooting buddy to surprise me, and boy did they!). I love that rifle. I put a Nikon 4-16 Monarch on it, and I hit a ground squirrel at ~180 yards with this combo a couple of weeks ago.

Now, I haven’t shot any ‘chucks with mine, but I have shot a ton of ground squirrels in the Klamath Falls area. (Most fun you can have with your cloths on!) But if I get a chance at a ‘chuck with it, I’ll sure take your advice (head shots) as gospel.

 

[jpx2rk]

Great pics, looks like it was a good day all the way around, 'cept for some chucks. LOL thanks for posting.

 

[Phil]

Always a little jealous of your posts Rick.......

Keep up the good work.

Phil.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Thanks for the kind words you guys; always appreciated.

450AK: Looks like yours is also working as advertised. Nice job and a nice healthy rock chuck too.

bloc: Be sure to take your camera on your upcoming chuck adventure!

Phil: There's a good cure for that......grab a favorite rifle and jump in the truck, head for the outback. (I know it's getting further and farther away every year though, right?)

Next time out for rock chucks, it will be with my Cooper M38 in 20VT with the aid of the "varmint stake".



Springtime = Rifles, chucks and fun!

 

[Shaggy357]

Good job. Was in that area a couple of weeks ago shooting chucks long range with the 6.5x284 pistol. Don't rely on any stores on that side of the cascades to have any ammo. Bi-Mart in KFalls had some 17HMRs so I picked up a few there. No 22LR seen in any of the stores I visited in KFalls, Bend, etc. Wish I was still out there.....saw a few chucks north of Redmond and toward Mt. Hood. Would have loved to take the time to pull out the 17HMR, but had to come back to reality...i mean work.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Thanks, Shaggy....sorry you could not find rimfire ammo while here. I just sent you a PM with some very good news for next time you're in the area. You just gotta know where to go.......

 

[370bc]

Thanks for the kind words you guys; always appreciated.

450AK: Looks like yours is also working as advertised. Nice job and a nice healthy rock chuck too.

bloc: Be sure to take your camera on your upcoming chuck adventure!

Phil: There's a good cure for that......grab a favorite rifle and jump in the truck, head for the outback. (I know it's getting further and farther away every year though, right?)

Next time out for rock chucks, it will be with my Cooper M38 in 20VT with the aid of the "varmint stake".



Springtime = Rifles, chucks and fun!

Nice canon! What is your longest shot/ group size or critter you have hit with that set-up?
Thank you.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Nice canon! What is your longest shot/ group size or critter you have hit with that set-up? Thank you.

370bc: I'm assuming you're referring to the pic of my 20VT and not the subject 17HMR. If so, from memory I'd say my longest shot with the little Cooper 20VT was off my BR Pivot from the side of a low rise, looking down into a 480 acre patch of alfalfa heavily populated with ground squirrels. I connected on a squirrel at a lasered 509 yards and wrote about that event in Varmint Hunter Magazine in an article on the 20VT.

This is that little hill that I like to set up on that gives a good view into the alfalfa. My Cooper 20VT on the bench.



The rifle has shot groups in the ".1's", but is a steady .25" shooter with it's pet load. It's become my favorite sage rat and rock chuck rifle.



Todd Kindler hit a home run when he designed the 20VT back in 1995, bugged me for years to build one. Once I finally did get one (slow learner), I kicked myself in the butt for not building one sooner, and got the expected "I told you so" routine from him too.

 

[F224]

What bullet are you using for RockChucks in the 17HMR? I have had good accuracy with both the V-max and the 20gr XTP in my Blaser R93 17HMR barrel.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

What bullet are you using for RockChucks in the 17HMR? I have had good accuracy with both the V-max and the 20gr XTP in my Blaser R93 17HMR barrel.

I'm using Hornady 17gr Varmint Express V-Max. It shoots under MOA, usually right around .7" aggregate in this rifle, sometimes a bit better. Good enough for head shots on chucks out to my own imposed limit of 150 yds.

 

[40xmike]

Rick,
I recognized the scenery! Looks like the perfect day. My son-n-law's family has a cattle ranch in the Bend area, and we manage the chuck population on that.
I've become a 20 VT fanatic myself.
Thanks for sharing your hunt and pic's,

-Mike

 

[370bc]

370bc: I'm assuming you're referring to the pic of my 20VT and not the subject 17HMR. If so, from memory I'd say my longest shot with the little Cooper 20VT was off my BR Pivot from the side of a low rise, looking down into a 480 acre patch of alfalfa heavily populated with ground squirrels. I connected on a squirrel at a lasered 509 yards and wrote about that event in Varmint Hunter Magazine in an article on the 20VT.

This is that little hill that I like to set up on that gives a good view into the alfalfa. My Cooper 20VT on the bench.



The rifle has shot groups in the ".1's", but is a steady .25" shooter with it's pet load. It's become my favorite sage rat and rock chuck rifle.



Todd Kindler hit a home run when he designed the 20VT back in 1995, bugged me for years to build one. Once I finally did get one (slow learner), I kicked myself in the butt for not building one sooner, and got the expected "I told you so" routine from him too.

With the single rod in the ground support or off of the portable table.
I was wondering about the rod setup.
509 is a great shot from anywhere! Prone, laying on concrete!!

 

[Rick in Oregon]

With the single rod in the ground support or off of the portable table. I was wondering about the rod setup.
509 is a great shot from anywhere! Prone, laying on concrete!!

370bc: Thanks, that was one very unlucky squirrel. Been at this for a tad over 50 yrs now, so with all that 'sperience, once in a while I actually do hit something.

Nuthin' special, but the contraption you're referring to is what I've termed my "varmint stake". It's just something I whipped up in the shop out of scrap material, but serves its purpose very well, now having used it for five seasons of chucking.



Like I said.....simple but effective. Old motorcycle handlebar grip, some fuel tubing for the cradle, seat screw from a BMC chopper, and both square and round light gauge steel tubing.



Feel free to copy any way you'd like.

 

[370bc]

370bc: Thanks, that was one very unlucky squirrel. Been at this for a tad over 50 yrs now, so with all that 'sperience, once in a while I actually do hit something.

Nuthin' special, but the contraption you're referring to is what I've termed my "varmint stake". It's just something I whipped up in the shop out of scrap material, but serves its purpose very well, now having used it for five seasons of chucking.



Like I said.....simple but effective. Old motorcycle handlebar grip, some fuel tubing for the cradle, seat screw from a BMC chopper, and both square and round light gauge steel tubing.



Feel free to copy any way you'd like.

If you can pop a squirrel at 509 yards with that, you are doing something!
I can hit stuff from prone and a bipod or a table, but not that stake I wouldn't think. I guess i could try to make one and see.
Thx 4 the pics.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

If you can pop a squirrel at 509 yards with that, you are doing something! I can hit stuff from prone and a bipod or a table, but not that stake I wouldn't think. I guess i could try to make one and see.
Thx 4 the pics.

370bc: That particular shot at the lasered 509 yards was not made using my varmint stake, but from my BR Pivot Lite portable field bench from that little hill shown in the above photo. The shot utilized my Sinclair front rest and a Protektor rear bunny-ear bag.....pretty much a BR setup and rock steady. Still an unlucky squirrel though.