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Thread: Squirrel with the Savage 25

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    Johnch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    NW Ohio
    Posts
    3,505

    Squirrel with the Savage 25

    My lady has been using my 32 S&W H&R single shot to hunt squirrel with me
    So I cut a 70 gr Flat nose , plain base mold for the 25 Hornet Savage model 25
    I put a Tasco WorldClass 3-9 X 40 on it , sort of over sized for the rifle ... but I had it and it works well when hunting groundhogs
    1 Grease grove design .... sort of based off the looks of the Lee 358 - 158 - RF
    But it drops a .260 - .261 70 gr plain base bullet out of a range lead that is slightly harder than WW
    I size the bullet to .260 and use a 50-50 lube
    Pushed to 950 FPS with 2400 .... nice as it less crack or BOOM than when I shoot faster loads

    Groups great to about 100 yards , but at 150 yards it starts to keyhole .... LOL I don't plan on hunting squirrel at that range

    This morning it was calm and even above freezing
    So I grabbed the rifle and ammo
    I hunted in a woods I have permission to hunt 3 miles from home , more of a 150 yard wide and 3/4 mile long tree line
    Maple , White Oak and Beach are most of the trees on the end I started at
    White Ash WERE a large part of the trees at the far end , but most of them are dead and are getting cut for lumber and fire wood

    I parked in the driveway next to the barn and walked 3-400 yards to the woods down a nice grass lane ... why I hunt there , mud lanes are a mess to walk on now with the snow just melted
    At about 8 AM I was standing just into the edge of the woods looking for squirrel
    When a Coopers hawk flew through the woods , it got the first squirrel of the morning

    So I just waited and enjoyed the woods coming alive
    Maybe I had to wait 10 min till I saw a nice fox squirrel on the side of a maple tree 30 or so yards away
    I put the crosshairs on its head and that fast the first squirrel was mine

    I moved 50 or so yards farther and waited , not 5 min latter another fox squirrel was chattering at me from a 2" tree not 10 feet from me and about eye level

    LOL I want a tree as a back stop for the bullets , so I took a step to the side and bagged #2
    I am sure it had no clue it was in trouble till it was to late

    I went next to a large maple tree and skinned the first 2
    Wiped my hands off , stepped back around the tree and could see 3 more squirrels on the ground with in 50 yards finding nuts .... This is why I hunt this woods .... help the land owner and I am the only one that can hunt there

    Shot #3 and 4 with in the next 10 min
    6 is the limit , but I didn't want or need any more
    So I skinned those 2 and headed home

    This evening I had squirrel stew from 1/2 of one of the squirrels , cut them all up and I put the rest in the freezer

    I couldn't sleep again , so I am up early LOL
    So I will head out to the marsh and see if the ducks want to play

    John
    Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
    And I carry a LOADED Hell Cat

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    2,794
    Nice hunt story, kind of makes up for not getting out myself! Could you post a picture of the 25 hornet? I keep thinking I want a 25 or 270 Ren. Don’t know why, can’t hunt with cf here, but I have a need...
    “You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos

  3. #3
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Northern Indiana
    Posts
    94
    Congratulations John, nicely done. I once hunted a woods that was a huge bowl, with dry leaves knee deep. You couldn't get closer to a squirrel than 100 yards. I harvested 5, all head shots, with a Model 700 BDL, .243, loaded with 75 grain hp's over 30-31...…….robin

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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