SHOOTING GROUND SQUIRRELS, HELPING RANCHERS IN MODOC COUNTY, CA
The Belding's Ground Squirrel is a well-established, very much disliked pest in northern CA areas like Modoc County. Sometimes mistakenly called a prairie dog, Beldings live in communities and can destroy a pasture in no time. They love alfalfa. Modoc County, up near the borders of Oregon and Nevada, is loaded with fields torn up by these "squeakers," a name they earned by the whistling, squeaking sound they make.
Native to the northwestern United States, the Belding's ground squirrel range covers northeastern Oregon and part of Washington, north California, southwestern Idaho, north and central Nevada, and northwestern Utah. These animals are most abundant at higher altitudes, occurring in alpine and subalpine meadows.
They also inhabit sagebrush flats, brush/grass habitats, and cultivated areas at lower elevations. Ground squirrels are largely restricted to open areas with enough fresh vegetation and water. They do not live in dense forests, tall grasses, rocky slopes, or thick shrubbery, as they cannot watch for predators. In addition, they do not prefer grass that is too short, as they cannot hide from predators.
Stacie and I love to eradicate these critters for ranchers in the area. We shoot .22s sometimes, but usually our weapon of choice is a .17 HMR varmint round. Non-lead, of course, in California. Stacie shoots a Savage Model 99, and I shoot a custom Ruger Model 77. Typically, we like close-in shots (less than 100 yards) to ensure a clean kill. But we do stretch out on calm days to longer distances.
What is really cool is that this whole area is full of predatory birds like hawks and Bald Eagles. They eat what we shoot!
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