Varmint Shooting this weekend

[Calif. Hunter]

I've been loading up a bunch of .223 for this coming long weekend. My buddy, my brother and I are going to try a new spot for some varmint hunting, particularly ground squirrels. We're going to Carrizo Plains National Monument, managed by BLM. I haven't been there, but have heard good things. With the recent rains, I'm hoping for green grass and lots of sage rats.

 

[Tom]

Good luck! I'm going out to the lease, by the Pecos river. I'll take my varmint call and 22-250. I'll do some work there, but varmint hunt some too.

 

[Doug]

Have fun fellas. Bring back some pictures and a few stories to share with the rest of us.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

I leave in just a few hours now. By this time tomorrow, I'll be killing stuff!

 

[ELKCHSR]

Well how'd you do???

 

[Calif. Hunter]

The varmints at Carrizo Plains National Monument are well-educated. The ground squirrels all ran for coveras soon as they heard a motor or human voice or metallic click. The jack rabbits generally busted out of cover 100 yards from you, and never stopped as long as they were in sight. There was one group of jacks that busted cover 150 yards in front of me, ran over the crest of the canyon 300 yards away and kept going. One did stop at about 400 yards. I ended up shooting two jacks - one with a .22 mag revolver and one with my .223. My brother shot one jack rabbit with his .223 and my buddy never even took a shot. The rabbits we did shoot we saw before they spooked (a lot of glassing for two measly jackrabbits, but it was good practice!).

We only saw one coyote, a big one on private property. I'll post a picture later of the jack I got with the revolver.