Marmots, 17 HMR, 50 yards, ethical?

It is a big plenty if you shoot them in the vitals.

It’s a lot more fun with a 22-250 or something that will turn them inside out. (Red mist) But it will work. They will start getting away after 100 yards or so. That’s my experience with similar animals and a 17 hmr.

52gr Vmax at about 3800 does the trick nicely to 400 before they quit misting.

Plenty good.

The wife and I shot many coons that were the far side of 20 lbs. 50 feet was a long run. You just can't full length ,from the rear, that size with the 17 gr. bullet. Broadside or standing up works great.

17HMR works wonders on NC groundhogs. Quick kills.

I have shot larger vermin farther than 50yds with my 17HMR with good results

We used to cull woodchucks ( another member of the marmot family; Marmota Monax ) on a small meadow on my buddies land. Most of those were taken at 50 yards or less with a 22 LR. Only caveat was that we had to do head shots for a quick, humane kill before they escaped back underground to their dens wounded where they would often die a slow painful death. Never used a 17 HMR but if you get too many that escape with a body shot just aim for the head to stop them in their tracks and avoid the wounding / torturing aspect.

I've used .22LR (Rem blue box match) to 175 yards for woodchucks, taking head/neck shots. I have to reservation taking the same shots with my new Savage M93 .17 HMR. But I will stick to head/neck shots.

Geno

I have killed animals over 100lbs with a 17. With the 17 HMR headshots are incredibly easy and highly recommended.

The Savage that I had in 17 HMR did a job on armadillos and groundhogs out to 150 yards. I don't think that a Marmot is any tougher.

The 17 HMR is one of my favorites. I think all the rabbits I've hit with it have been DRT as was the last ground hog I shot with it. It's also great on raccoons. I use heavy bullets though; 20 grains! LOL.

I've found accuracy falls off after 100 yards so I don't shoot much further than that.

Grumulkin said:

I've found accuracy falls off after 100 yards so I don't shoot much further than that

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's been my experience too. My 17 HMR explodes starlings in our current bushes about 30 yards from our rear deck. But starlings in our wild apple tree, which is just over 100 yards from our rear deck, are generally safe - especially if the wind's blowing, which is pretty much all of the time in this part of Idaho.

Exploding Starlings.... What a comforting thought. I really dislike starlings.

It's a fine headshot gun for what you want-and you should be able to head shoot 'em all day long at 50 yards or less. I used .22 LR on woodchucks out to that distance-Hit 'em in the head, they're dead.

Entropy inspired me to search out an old picture from the old woodchuck culling days. It's a digital picture of an old snapshot that I now have here on the computer. An old Mod. 67 Winchester single shot 22 LR with a head shot woodchuck. Forgot the yardage but it was somewhere in the 30-50 yard range.

entropy said:

Hit 'em in the head, they're dead.

Click to expand...

So for the OP I'd bet that it would work well on Marmots also.

Nice shot!

Hit em in the chest and lay em to rest.

I've killed 100s of prairie dogs with 17 HMR and they go down hard. I can't imagine marmots, though bigger, would be much different. 50 yards should be easy to head shoot them. If I had that same challenge, however, I would use my 22 Hornet just to be sure...35gr V-Max bullet at 3000 fps...WHOP!!

22 Hornet's a sweet little cartridge...... It used to be my go-to woodchuck cartridge when I couldn't get within 22 LR head shot range. Still would be except I no longer have access to some of those areas. I'm sure the OP would enjoy it on marmots and I'm still wondering how well a 17 HMR would work on 'em at those ranges because I've never even fired a 17 HMR, (seen some that were nicely accurate, though). Anyone use a 17 HMR on marmots? or woodchucks?.... Inquiring minds want to know. Here's another of the old digital picture of a snapshot pictures ( not as sharp as the original) off the computer here of a Savage 23D 22 Hornet with a good honest 100 yd. (at least) woodchuck... From the culling operations my buddy and I used to do on his meadow... One shot...... One 'chuck.....

I have a .17 HMR (CZ-455) that is superbly accurate out to 100 yds. and just beyond. I have a fair amount of experience with it now and while I don't know how 'tough' (or not) Marmots are...I would have to think the cartridge would be marginal with anything other than head/neck shots.

Yes, I know folks have killed Coyotes and such with them and some folks would have you think they are the Hammer of Thor on varmints, but that hasn't been my experience. And yes, I've tried all types of ammo.



IMO the practical limit (at distances 100 yds. and less, preferably less) is SMALL raccoons and the like. Even then I've had more 'crawl offs' than I would like... with well placed thoracic shots.

IF you can confine shots (consistently) to the head, then yes...you can quickly dispatch larger vermin...but the risks of making a poor shot on a small and often moving target (head) must be considered if ethics mean anything to you.

UPDATE................ Still looking for those with 17 hmr experience on the woodchuck / marmot family of critters. I'm still apt to believe the head shots would do the trick humanely at 100 yds. and less. When doing head shots on woodchucks I always wait until they stop moving.... They're usually feeding and every couple minutes stop to look around and if need be, stand up to see above the high grass they're in. They'll stand up straight and just swivel their head around and that was my cue to drop the hammer on them. There must be a few more 17 hmr shooters out there...... and if so..... any experience with anything of the marmot family?

Okay the facts IME. On rocky Mountain Yellow Bellied Marmot, Whistlepigs, Rock Chucks or what any name you choose to call them (Marmots around here) The 17HMR does well at 50 yds on body shots or head shots. The ones I have shot die quickly though not instantaneous like with my 22-250 and 55gr V-Max. At 100 yds the little pill kills but not nearly as much tissue destruction. They die but not as humane as a real varmint center fire by any means. Also at 100 yds they have a wind factor that disrupts precise shots. Does not take much of a breeze to get the pill off target and at that distance it needs to be ON TARGET. With my V-Max loads a hit to the edge of the head or say a standing shot in the shoulder it means certain death with HUGE tissue destruction. Using a 17 it means a slow death. The plus side is the 17HMR is accurate with the right ammo for your gun (as any rimfire) and it is cheap and I don't have to reload. With all that said I sold my 17 and use my CZ452 with CCI Stingers if it will be up close and go to my 22-250 for anything approaching 100 yds and beyond.

22250Rem said:

UPDATE................ Still looking for those with 17 hmr experience on the woodchuck / marmot family of critters. There must be a few more 17 hmr shooters out there...... and if so..... any experience with anything of the marmot family?

Click to expand...

Lots of .17 HMR owners with experience. If you are not already a member or just want to browse the posts, please join us here:

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=15

I would look through both the .17 forum and the hunting section.

You might find more of what you are looking on the above mentioned rim-fire site.

Good luck on your hunt.