Rockchucks and Ground Squirrels in Washington

Loki_762

New member
Anybody know when we should start seeing these little suckers coming out? I have my .17HMR all sighted in for the ground squirrels, and I am working on a .223 load for the 'chucks. I am very eager to get out there and do some varmint hunting, but I am unsure of when their hibernation period ends. Will the unusually warm weather we have been having bring them out earlier, or will they come out when there is more vegetation to eat? Anyone got any info they care to share?
Thanks,
Loki
 
Hi, Have seen a few sage rats. Also half a dozen diggers near the house and bird feeder. Tried to get the crosshairs on one today, will have to try tommorrow.
 
i wish we had greydiggers around here. seems like they would be alot of fun. maybe i should stock greydiggers and prairie dogs on my property!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Tripod, what part of the state are you in? I currently live on the West side of the state, but lived in Ellensburg for several years. I still have family over there, and when I go to visit, I hit the canyons around there to shoot sage rats. Are you near here, or are you in a different part of the state? What do you shoot them with?
Loki
 
I saw my first ground hog feb 12th shot my first graydigger the same day have killed only one since but I havent really been out much there is also a colony of sage rats along the road I live on too many houses to shoot but theyve been out for some time.anyone have any ideas where to get in on some good sagerat hunting??
 
Hey all,
Been shooting rats off and on for about 2 weeks now. Got permission to prowl around on 500 acres of orchard and wine grapes.
Last year they had so many that they tried flooding them out with a tank of water and a hose.
I'm using an old model 42 Winchester .22 bolt action. It's older than I am but it'll take out a typewriter dot at 50yds.
Troubl is, they're in the middle of pruning right now so I have to be really careful about where I shoot.

I hear that the chucks are out now also but that's from people that have them on their land and won't let anyone shoot them because they think they're cute. Idiots.

Anyone know how to make a sagerat call?
 
Oh, whistle pigs! In our neck of the woods the chucks usually start to appear in March. But, with this warm weather they are likely already out. Have heard of sightings already.
 
Loki, I'm in Selah also. It's harder to find snow than squirrels this year. Just took the snow plow off the truck, actually used it a couple quick passes down the drive this year.
 
Well hot dog! Looks like a lot of people have seen some - time for me and my guns to head East for a weekend! If any of you Central/Eastern Washington fellows need any help thinning the populations out, just give me a holler. I am always willing to help out when sage rat shooting is involved!
Loki
 
I guess I am just ignorant. I've only lived here since last January. I though one had to drive to Burns, OR to shoot squirrels? I juts saw a guy I was going to book with at a Sportsmans Show and pay him $200 a day to shoot squirrels. I was expecting a 10 hour drive south. I would guess most or all of the squirrels are adjacent to agricultural land (private) and not in substancial numbers to warrant a knock and talk shooter ???

Also ground hogs, rockckucks, pot bellies or whatever, are all marmots. I thought they were protected in Washington. I know we have some over here in the xtreme NW Cascades, but I don't think the wool socked hikers would appreciate a 300 Ultra sizzling across an alpine meadow. Any clarification on what is and isn't legal for marmots in WA.

Also, willing to pay cash in some amounts for squirrel shooting less than 10 hours away. Just craving trigger time in this northern Kalifornia sewer...........
 
Only hoary (there is another name, but I forget what) and olympic marmots are protected. Th more common yellow belly (marmossa flaviventris?)is not. I spent several hours one day looking all that up as well as how to identify them as I thought the same thing. Basically the two protected types are either found on /arround mt raineer or up high in elevation. I wonder where I put all the things I cut and pasted into a document, as my recollection of the details is gone. A trip or phone call to the fish and game office will straighten you out though.
 
Quote:
I have my .17HMR all sighted in for the ground squirrels, and I am working on a .223 load for the 'chucks.


Nice to see someone out there that knows the limitations of the 17HMR!!! LOL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Jesse Jaymes,
Probably the best way to determine what kind of marmot you are looking at is to figure out which side of the Cascades you are on. If you are on the west side, they are protected. However, if you are in the east side of the state, especially someplace with sheer rock cliffs or rockslides, you are looking at yellow-bellied marmots, also known as rockchucks. You can shoot these. Now, if you are looking for ground squirrels, just find some canyons around Yakima, Natches, or Selah, and you will find sage rats. Depending on which part of NW Washington you live in, you are 3 to 4 hours away at the most, as opposed to 10. Just got to get out there and look. Good luck!
 
I drove past a big rock pile this afternoon and must have counted 10 or more just sitting around or running from one hole to another.
I know the owner and he's one who thinks they're "cute"

I can only hope that he thinks of me this summer when they all trot over to his lawn and garden when the pasture is dried up and dead.
 
sage rats are diffrent than grey diggers(ground squirrels)at least where I come from they are.A sage rat is more of a golpher type varmint no more than about 6" tall,a grey digger is a ground squirrel and about twice as big JB
 


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