BMAG. The new .17 WSMs in 20 and 25 grain are devastating to the wee critters.
Well anybody who has ever hunted them enough can relate to times they somehow made it back to their hole
after being gutted by a shot. They arent refered to as (pasture grizzleys) for no reason.
As for eating them, i'll take your word that with enough sweet baby rays they might taste pretty good.
But id also bet it might alter the taste of lots of things.
I dont know yobuck. Aint many many moved far from my 22-250. Even being gut shot. Maybe 2:50 disappeared
Some years back I was granted access to hunt woodchucks on a small property with houses nearby. I look up some light .223 loads from James Calhoun with 40 grain varmint bullets. These loads were quiet but were very accurate and effective. Bullets were probably going 2500 fps.
For the OP, I think you chose well. Stick with the WMR. For a 2.5 acre lot, it's hard to beat, but know that even the WMR will bounce bullets a LONG way on a miss. There are some varmint bullets available in some brands, and would be a good choice for you. Even then, I would take head shots, unless you do not care if the crawl back in. I shoot ground squirrels with the 22 RL and the WMR. Never had one move with the WMR, but once in a while one crawls back in the hole when gut shot from a LR, but as long as they die I don't care, just want them dead.
Ghogs are a whole nuther story, and can be tough critters to anchor. Like I said, head shots do it.
I have killed many many of them with a 22LRHP when I was a kid on the farm. I have even killed them with a cresant wrench thrown from a tractor, a little later I tried my 300 Weath. with 110 Sierra Hp and it did a very respectable job. Just like any other animal it takes a shot in a kill zone to dispatch them with the least amount of pain to them.
I would keep the 22 mag over the 17HMR any day and twice on Sunday. I had marlin twins one a 22 mag that absolutely devastated jack rabbits. The other a 17 that I kept reading about and being told was way better than the 22 mag ever thought of being. Truth be told the jack rabbits were just as dead but not dispatched with near the authority of the 22 mag and 40gr maximag HP's. I had more runners with the 17 than even standard 22s. The only coyote I shot with one was at about 35 yards and it ran off to never be found. I have never been impressed with the 17 with either 17gr bullets or the 20gr offerings. Both rifles shot well under half inch groups at 50 yards with their preffered ammo so I can't even say the 17 was more accurate as others claim as well. This is my experience with both calibers others may have completely different results and opinions.
My Savage 93 22 WMR is accurate and lays swuirrels and rabbits and crows down out to 120 yards. With the 30gr Hornady vmax its on at 50 and 100. Its my golf cart farm gun, and it dispathes beaver and yotes and hogs. I have never seen a woodchuck where I live!
I agree with Stop on the 17 also. My buddy brought one over to show me how much "better" it was than my 22WMR and went home unhappy!
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