It's January and I'm Going Ground Squirrel Hunting

Eric M

Eric M

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I'm headed down to Vegas for this year's SHOT Show. Afterwards, I'll be heading to Northern Nevada to go after badgers and Belding's Ground Squirrels! Since I hunt alfalfa farms, the landowners appreciate me hitting them early in the year. In years past, the squirrels haven't appeared until February. But, temps have been in the 50s for a couple of weeks, so I'm going prepared! The CZ .20 Ackley Hornet and Winchester XPert 17WSM should be getting a good workout!

The earliest ground squirrel I've taken here in Idaho is January 5th. Even as warm as this winter has been, it was raining the first week of 2026.

Any guesses on how many we'll get?
 
Hopefully you get a couple hundred. Idk really I've never had the chance to shoot those so I'm not good at the numbers available.
But as long as the suns shinning I'm sure you'll have targets.
Ive shot PD in MT after shooting my Mule deer.
It was 19° out but the sun was shining and they came out for some 223 pistol fun.
Good luck, shoot straight!!
 
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Eric M said:
I'm headed down to Vegas for this year's SHOT Show. Afterwards, I'll be heading to Northern Nevada to go after badgers and Belding's Ground Squirrels! Since I hunt alfalfa farms, the landowners appreciate me hitting them early in the year. In years past, the squirrels haven't appeared until February. But, temps have been in the 50s for a couple of weeks, so I'm going prepared! The CZ .20 Ackley Hornet and Winchester XPert 17WSM should be getting a good workout!

The earliest ground squirrel I've taken here in Idaho is January 5th. Even as warm as this winter has been, it was raining the first week of 2026.

Any guesses on how many we'll get?
Click to expand...
Let's see, last year was over 1500, so this year should be 200 because nothing under 200yds.
 
Eric M said:
I'm headed down to Vegas for this year's SHOT Show. Afterwards, I'll be heading to Northern Nevada to go after badgers and Belding's Ground Squirrels! Since I hunt alfalfa farms, the landowners appreciate me hitting them early in the year. In years past, the squirrels haven't appeared until February. But, temps have been in the 50s for a couple of weeks, so I'm going prepared! The CZ .20 Ackley Hornet and Winchester XPert 17WSM should be getting a good workout!

The earliest ground squirrel I've taken here in Idaho is January 5th. Even as warm as this winter has been, it was raining the first week of 2026.

Any guesses on how many we'll get?
Click to expand...
Have a safe and great shoot, Eric!
 
We used to have a lot of badgers in some areas here in SE Iowa but something really cut down their numbers. I killed one by accident when I hit it with my patrol vehicle. I had two close encounters with them without having to shoot them while on duty.
 
I've had friends hunting the desert here in Idaho, ambushed by a badger. He said it grabbed his pant leg. I didn't witness that, but I did see him jumping around like a frog on a hot skillet. He shot the badger in the face three times with a 22lr before it died.
 
M_Strohmeyer said:
I've had friends hunting the desert here in Idaho, ambushed by a badger. He said it grabbed his pant leg. I didn't witness that, but I did see him jumping around like a frog on a hot skillet. He shot the badger in the face three times with a 22lr before it died.
Click to expand...
Hard telling about that badger. It also could have been rabid.
 
Here is my longshot on a badger. It was 697 yards. I shot it with my Upriver Precision Arms Howa Mini-Action build in .22 GrendARC (.22 Grendel chamber). I was using Hornady 75 grain Match .22ARC factory ammo. This ammunition has been extremely accurate in this rifle, but only after I resize the factory ammo's C.O.A.L. for consistent ogive bullet depth, for consistency. It is topped with an MTC Optics riflescope. It also has a Jard, Inc Howa-Mini trigger. Lastly, it is in an MDT chassis. Otter Creek Pulonium-K suppressor.

697-Yard-Badger-22-Grendel.jpg
 
Well, my last badger can't compete with 697 yards like Eric's. The last one for me was nailed with my Kimber CDP .45 with the Kimber Target Conversion aboard. CCI Mini-Mag HP at a whopping 35 yards.



The badger prior to that was shot at 226 yards with my custom M700 Pac-Nor 11-twist 204 Match using a modified reamer from Todd Kindler's Match design and a 39gr SBK DRT.

1770853143648.jpeg

The first one above was snarling and baring his teeth just prior to the shot. Didn't wait for him to charge! :o
An angry badger is nothing to fool with!
 
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