Marmots, 17 HMR, 50 yards, ethical?
- Thread starter bikemutt
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Varminterror
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I've found the 17HMR to be ethical for such small game at much farther than 50yrds.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Just my opinion, but adequate skill in hitting a vital spot makes the use ethical. Unethical would be shooting and just hoping for a proper hit.
Loyalist Dave
Member
True but the ammo chosen sometimes plays a part. A body shot on a squirrel with lead round nosed by be mortal, but not quickly lethal, eh?
LD
CaptTripps
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I shot a fox with a .17HMr once, at about 100 yards, it dropped it right where it stood, and it was a big fox too. Ive shot plenty of rabbits with one, never had one get away. I think you are okay with your setup.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Dave, you're nit-picking. 
Many and many a mortally hit but not yet dead animal has had the hunter do some sort of coup de grace.
Many and many a mortally hit but not yet dead animal has had the hunter do some sort of coup de grace.
Flintknapper
Member
Dave, you're nit-picking.
^^^^^^ Absolutely,
Another thing to consider:
'Rabbits' tend not to be tenacious of life.
I've shot some number of rabbits with my .17 HMR and all of them dropped pretty much stone cold dead. Switch to squirrels and 'most' were dispatched well enough...though a few (solidly hit) managed to crawl a distance.
Raccoons, even small ones...in my experience are MUCH tougher than rabbits, about 75% have been down for the count right there (well placed thoracic shot) but I have had some crawl off as much as 40-50 yds.
I have no idea where Marmots fall on the 'toughness scale', but I have my doubts that 'rabbits' are a good indicator of what to expect.
Rabbits, Bobcat and Gray Fox...all 'give up ghost' pretty easily. Certain other Varmints and Small Game, not so much.
But I have noticed one trend. Targets hit at distances of 75 yds. and in... acted as if they were hit hard. At 100 yds. and beyond is where things can get dicey depending upon what critter you are after. Light bullets shed velocity and energy quickly. The average 17 gr. pill @ 100 yds. will have lost about 25% of its muzzle velocity and 44% of its energy.
Stretch it out to 200 yds. and it has lost fully 70% of its muzzle energy. Of course, what is important are the velocity and muzzle energy at point of impact (on target). So...it is well to know what that figure is before we go afield.
With over 55 years of hunting experience I am well aware that in terms of importance 'Accuracy' comes FIRST and 'power' second. Ideally, we want both.
Loyalist Dave
Member
Dave, you're nit-picking.
Art there is a difference between coming up on the animal when down, and having to finish it, vs. the animal has a wound that will cause eventual death, thus allowing it to escape the hunter [which was the point], and in the example of the squirrel, that means it gets back into a den where it cannot be retrieved to die a while later, perhaps a good while.
Not nit picking at all.
LD
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Well, gets us back to shot placement, doesn't it? I figure that people who post here are generally well above in skill level as compared to the "every now and then" hunter. Regular practice, frequent hunts. Knowledgeable.
Look at your own Post #26.
Look at your own Post #26.
Loyalist Dave
Member
I'd agree....,
But it's not those folks that need the help..., its the new fellows who come here and only read up and perhaps post not a reply but merely a question. They may easily fall into the "every now and then" category, or perhaps the "never tried this type of hunting before" group. N'est-ce pas?
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Hoxviii
Member
Dave, you're nit-picking.
Some of us don't like "getting our hands dirty" and have a certain respect for life. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with dispatching an animal or the person that does; some people just prefer the animal drop like a wilted bunch of broccoli when hit.
I have no input on 17HMR vs marmot, but will echo a lot from up thread. Marmot vs .22LR HP head/neck shot within 50 yards and they just drop. 50-100, they drop, but with much less authority. With a .22 I've headshot a marmot using a LRN and he dropped, but when I went to retrieve the body 20 minutes later, there was a blood trail and a path into the tall grass, and a 20 yard walk to the body.
It's shot placement plus ammo selection, but so long as you're carrying the energy of a .22LR at 50 yards with the 17HMR at whatever range and hit your target, you should be good for a quick drop after the shot.
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