Northern California Ground Squirrel Hunting

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bigheadted

Member
Jan 14, 2018
71
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Nv, United States
Hello, 

For 45 years or so I have read about the squirrel shooting in Northern California. I moved North of Sacramento about 70 miles back in 2003 and still have not been there. 

I wrote the Chamber of Commerce in a community up there who has a squirrel roundup for info. 

Do any of you Airgunners ever go there to shoot them ? If so can you share some information and where is good places to shoot and such. Not looking for someones favorite place just somewhere where I can go Zot a few hundred of them. Probably take my trusty 10/22 along with my PCP and NP rifles.

Anyhow thanks for any info you may to choose to share
 
Was a favorite pastime of mine,I just went up the hill,then had to go a couple of miles...I live 65miles south of Sacramento....lots of farms ,sheep and cattle ranches,we ask the owners and it usually is ok,plus we go dove hunting in they are in season.....ranchers do not like the ground squirrels because of the holes they dig....

Since this has been going on for such a long time it is hard for a "newbie"to get permission...so in that event you may need to go to a gun show or a nearby rifle range and seek out people that can help you or put up some adds....which you have done here....I shoot not too far from Grizzly Island.....

Good luck 


















 
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If your talking Extreme Northern California ( AKA Alturas & vicinity ) .... Yup going for years and putting the smack down on Belding Ground Squirrels.

Until such a time as you can make contacts with some of the better ranches your left with shooting those who make there names & locations known around town.

While one can shoot Air guns, it generally is limited to morning hours before the winds pick up and in the open spaces of the area inside 75 yards.

Time of year ( All late winter to early spring ) Soon as snow moves out. Will dictate how successful you will be on closer targets. Soon as these come out of hibernation the adults go on a breeding frenzy which only lasts a few weeks, then the females Den up and have there litters not to be seen for a month or so. Major population on the surface drop during this time. then give or take early to mid May the little ones come out of the borrows in mass numbers ... this is the time it is truly NUTZ where in a good field you can shoot AS FAST as you can load & acquire a target. 400-500 squirrel days are not uncommon for the Air gunners & those with .17 HMR's. A week or so after the little ones get out the females reemerge cautiously and can be found laying low and generally around the borrow entrances. By July it slows way down and not worth the effort to make the long trek up there.

My personal best for 3 days ( 2 days arrival and leaving of @ 5 hours each and one full day in the middle being @ 20 hours of field time is a tad over 1000 Killed squirrels with @ 20% more shots that missed.



Yes for those who live here and can make a few trips and get one of those day/s ..... EPIC is an understatement and what you read is indeed for real !
 
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I went with the boys last spring. I had the .25 Marauder shooting 25.4 JSB (deadly), the 10/22 shooting Remington HP and the TC Contender in .223 carbine. The TC has a muzzle break that completely eliminates muzzle flip so the “red mist” was clearly visible. The .25 is not tuned and 16 shots is all I can expect before a fill so the Benjamin tank was in the bucket. (We shoot HFT format for squirrels...) The .25 velocity port screw started moving CW on its own so speed dropped off considerably so I retired it. The Contender was a bit of overkill but I could reach way out there with it always making sure of my background before touching off. The best was my highly modified 10/22. I touched off about 900 rounds in 1.5 days and it too has a brake so the bullet strike was visible. There were several three-four shots taken at a similar amount of squirrels. If I go again, the .25, .22 and the .177 Marauders will all make the trip as either one is enough for the Belding Ground Squirrels til, as Scott said, the wind comes up. Then I will break out the 10/22. I try and get to Wyoming every year for prairie rats where we shoot a bit further using our .22-250s. I can say that shooting the Beldings at the much closer ranges with lower powered tools is just as much fun. A shorter drive too.😉
 
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Great info !! I hope the Chamber of commerce has some maps or ranches to contact !! 

I am going for sure this year, shot PDs for years and any other vermin I could with powder burners from the trusty 10/22 to 45-70. My favorite was turning them to vapor with Calhoun Double HPs from the swift or 22-250 and once tried some 70 grainers in the 25-06

Fun times now want to shoot the Air rifles and maybe .22
 
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Yo Ted,

Keep in mind people go up that way all spring to shoot squirrels, not just the weekend of the Round-Up. You sign up for the event, and even then, they limit the entries to 100 guests or so. But those seats fill up fast. If you decide to go, call Sandra, Surprise Valley Chamber Secretary at, 530-640-2626. She can suggest some names and places that are more than happy to let you hunt. 

Leonard
 
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Yo Ted,

Keep in mind people go up that way all spring to shoot squirrels, not just the weekend of the Round-Up. You sign up for the event, and even then, they limit the entries to 100 guests or so. But those seats fill up fast. If you decide to go, call Sandra, Surprise Valley Chamber Secretary at, 530-640-2626. She can suggest some names and places that are more than happy to let you hunt. 

Leonard
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Absolutely .... Mid week hunts far & away have the least pressure and also may allow permissions that on weekends would be otherwise not available or offered.

Those in our group never go up during the round up in Surprise valley... before & after yes.

I
 
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I live in northern California, about 1hr30min north or sac. When I go squirrel hunting, I bring my 12g shotgun. Cause wild squirrels in the woods and not like city squirrel where they will sit still for you to take a shot. They are very wild, and will run the moment they see you. They won't stop. Even with a shotgun it's hard to get a shot before they run off out of views. I doubt you can get a shot on wild squirrels with a airgun. Typical day I would see about 8-10 squirrels, but only get like 1-2 shots using my shotgun. They are fast and smart. Lucky to get 1 squirrel on a day of hunting.
 
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I'm not in N. Cali but we have tons of the Belding ground squirrels around Central and NE Orygun. April, May and early June until the grass gets too tall is the best time. Right about now when the snow starts to melt they come out and play on the snow. I may take my .204 and make some red spots this weekend.

Wade and I have been using .22 Marauders for the last 7-8 years because you can get so much shooting in without scaring the poor things. Last time we had 250 confirmed kills in about 5 hours. Doubles were not uncommon and our longest confirmed hit was 111 yards. A full grown adult is about the size of a 20oz. soda bottle.

I feel the king of ground squirrels guns is a .204 Ruger. 32 grains at 4000fps does a number on them! We both use suppressors so with the light bullet and extra muzzle weight the recoil is very low so you can watch them blow up. 
 
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A friend of mine and I shoot ground squirrels out of Macdoel CA. Just south of Dorris CA . The ground squirrels are in the thousands. I use a .22 FX Gladiator he uses a Hatsan .25 cal. All I can say is take plenty of air and pellets. Have good chair and shooting table and let the fun begin. We shoot at a Organic Alfalfa ranch. They welcome hunters because they can't use poison to control the squirrels. A couple of hundred kills in a day is normal.
 
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