Shot Placement On Foxes With a .17HMR

[TheFoxer]

Hi guys,
Some of you will know that I have recently purchased my first .17HMR. I regularly shoot foxes with my .223 using 55gr Hornady V-Max which is obviously a lot more forgiving than a little .17. I am just looking for a little advice from people with experience with this calibre on ethical shot placement on foxes. I'm sure some people would say it's only a fox but I believe it's our duty to dispatch an animal as humanely as possible and I always try to do so. So if you guys could tell me what would be the safest shot, side chest, frontal chest, neck, head etc.

Thanks,

Chris

PS. Also received my Leupold VX-2 6-18x40mm today. I had paid 400+ euro and it was imported from the USA and the Irish Government then slapped 125euro VAT on it. What a shower of w*nkers!Grrr

[Buffy Vampire Slayer]

Hi guys,
Some of you will know that I have recently purchased my first .17HMR. I regularly shoot foxes with my .223 using 55gr Hornady V-Max which is obviously a lot more forgiving than a little .17. I am just looking for a little advice from people with experience with this calibre on ethical shot placement on foxes. I'm sure some people would say it's only a fox but I believe it's our duty to dispatch an animal as humanely as possible and I always try to do so. So if you guys could tell me what would be the safest shot, side chest, frontal chest, neck, head etc.

Thanks,

Chris

PS. Also received my Leupold VX-2 6-18x40mm today. I had paid 400+ euro and it was imported from the USA and the Irish Government then slapped 125euro VAT on it. What a shower of w*nkers!Grrr

i don`t and will never condone fox shooting with any rimfire calibre
so in a nutshell,don`t and use the .223

[plugg]

Hi guys,
Some of you will know that I have recently purchased my first .17HMR. I regularly shoot foxes with my .223 using 55gr Hornady V-Max which is obviously a lot more forgiving than a little .17. I am just looking for a little advice from people with experience with this calibre on ethical shot placement on foxes. I'm sure some people would say it's only a fox but I believe it's our duty to dispatch an animal as humanely as possible and I always try to do so. So if you guys could tell me what would be the safest shot, side chest, frontal chest, neck, head etc.

Thanks,

Chris

You have just started a huge argument mate

My take is there is no ethical shot on a fox from a .17HMR unless its 100 yards or less straight in the head or the chest. The weather conditions should also be still and dry.

There are people who will disagree with what I have said but I know VERY experienced shooters, some of them on here, who have got rid of their HMR because it simply wasnt doing the job efficiently enough.

Ive never owned an HMR and never will, IMO its a rabbit gun or sitting crows/pigeons and nothing more.

[Buffy Vampire Slayer]

the HMR is a cracking,fast,flat flying,hard hitting (as far as rimfires go) round
but it is not a round that is a 100% chest shot killing calibre and that is why and rightly so most authorities will not give you fox with this or any other rimfire round.
centrefire all the way for me and i can honestly say i`ve never had a runner

[TheFoxer]

I knew as soon as i posted it'd stir the pot. I do not intend it to be a foxing rifle but on my land when out clearing up rabbits or corvids I often come across foxes and as a poultry farmer I don't want foxes around my pens. I have taken many foxes with my 22lr over the years and haven't lost one but I only take them over bait or if I encounter them in 50-60 yard range. I will only take a shot if I feel comfortable with it and am confident that it will do the job that is why I went and asked advice on proper shot placement as I often use bait points on my property to get foxes into a safe position to shoot them.

Again I don't intend to use this as a foxing rifle but more if the situation arose and it was the only tool at disposal what would you recommend.

[plugg]

I knew as soon as i posted it'd stir the pot. I do not intend it to be a foxing rifle but on my land when out clearing up rabbits or corvids I often come across foxes and as a poultry farmer I don't want foxes around my pens. I have taken many foxes with my 22lr over the years and haven't lost one but I only take them over bait or if I encounter them in 50-60 yard range. I will only take a shot if I feel comfortable with it and am confident that it will do the job that is why I went and asked advice on proper shot placement as I often use bait points on my property to get foxes into a safe position to shoot them.

Again I don't intend to use this as a foxing rifle but more if the situation arose and it was the only tool at disposal what would you recommend.

The situation will dictate mate, but head or chest shots from as little distance as possible.

[Buffy Vampire Slayer]

I knew as soon as i posted it'd stir the pot. I do not intend it to be a foxing rifle but on my land when out clearing up rabbits or corvids I often come across foxes and as a poultry farmer I don't want foxes around my pens. I have taken many foxes with my 22lr over the years and haven't lost one but I only take them over bait or if I encounter them in 50-60 yard range. I will only take a shot if I feel comfortable with it and am confident that it will do the job that is why I went and asked advice on proper shot placement as I often use bait points on my property to get foxes into a safe position to shoot them.

Again I don't intend to use this as a foxing rifle but more if the situation arose and it was the only tool at disposal what would you recommend.

hide up a tree with the gun and when the fox walks underneath jump on it and then beat it to death with the butt
you may want to remove the scope but leave the moderator on (for more leverage) if you take my advice on this method
let me know how you get on

[tisme]

I shot one on Tuesday with a 17hmr as I came across it while rabbiting. It was 30 yards in front of me and I placed the bullet in its chest, front on. I only shot it as it was 50yards from my chickens. It done the job.
In the past I have shot one at 100yards and had to put another on in. It was a head shot between the eyes and just seemed to stun it. I now make it a rule of less than 50 yards and chest shots only and only if I have too.

[TheFoxer]

hide up a tree with the gun and when the fox walks underneath jump on it and then beat it to death with the butt
you may want to remove the scope but leave the moderator on (for more leverage) if you take my advice on this method
let me know how you get on

Haha yeah thanks. That was so helpful but I do know where you guys are coming from, I knew when I bought the rifle that ti was not a strictly fox calibre and I don't understand why "experienced" foxshooters would buy a .17HMR are as their foxing rifle in the first place and were disappointed with the results. That's just stupid I have my .223 and it nails foxes at 300 yards. That is the rifle I would choose every time when going out after foxes alone. However, during the spring when i'm doing my rounds I take a few bunnies for the pot and few corvids whenever they're grounded and I often see the occasional fox which needs to be taken out of the equation.
And I don't know how that comment that no rimfire can be used for taking out foxes as the .22wmr has definitely enough juice to kill a fox outright. In close range scenarios a low velocity 22lr to the brain drops them on the spot and a high velocity anywhere vulnerable will kill. After all, if you can't hit a rabbit somewhere vital than you can never hope to hit a fox which presents a much larger target. Before centrefires became more attainable the 22lr was used to kill many foxes and has over it's history claimed more foxes than anyother calibre I dare say. It is still just as capable. Pest control companies still opt for the 22lr especially for use in towns due to its versatility. The limited range of a rimfire should encourage better fieldcraft which should be combined with the knowledge of how to maximise the potential of your rifle. Rimfire's offer a vital platform especially for younger person's to learn the importance of fieldcraft and how to master your calibre.

[plugg]

hide up a tree with the gun and when the fox walks underneath jump on it and then beat it to death with the butt
you may want to remove the scope but leave the moderator on (for more leverage) if you take my advice on this method
let me know how you get on

Haha yeah thanks. That was so helpful but I do know where you guys are coming from, I knew when I bought the rifle that ti was not a strictly fox calibre and I don't understand why "experienced" foxshooters would buy a .17HMR are as their foxing rifle in the first place

I wouldnt have imagined them buying one as a foxing rifle, but perhaps as gap filler between a .22LR and a CF for quarry at middle distance after hearing all the hype about the wonderful .17HMR with bells, whistles and capable of killing marauding Red deer at a metric mile.

Quite simply, the HMR was binned by a lot of them because other than it not being able to take marauding Reds at 1600m, nor having bells and whistles and the hype was pretty much unfounded. Notwithstanding that, the foxes that they did shoot at either ran and died of horrific injuries, or the wind blew the tiny round way off target or quarry needing more than one shot. They are rabbit guns of which they are very good at taking...Except when its windy!

[Yessir]

I don't know how anyone can condone shooting a rabbit at up to say 35Y with an airrifle but not shoot a fox at say up to 50Y with a Rimfire .

I wondered how we could compare this sort of stuff, can we do it by comparing the rifles energy with the weight of the animal?. How would the ratios compare out of the above two examples I wonder...

I would do it, and just not be an idiot about it, such as by taking pot shots at stupid ranges in poor conditions.

[247sniper]

Just a though fella and guys, why not chop your HMR in for a .22 Hornet, especially if you reload, will be nearly the same price as HMR to reload for but with 3x+ the power and performance, you could use it as your bunny and walk about vermin gun and if foxy turns up you have the right tool for the job

O and they moderate well too.


Steve.

[Stinkfoot]

I agree that it can be frustrating when out shooting bunnies with a rimfire and a fox appears within easy range. But sometimes you've just got to resign yourself to the fact that you've brought the wrong rifle with you and Charlie will have to wait until another day. You wouldn't consider shooting a fox while out bunny shooting with an air rifle, would you?
I found myself with this same dilemma recently and spoke to my FEO about it. The result of the conversation was that I now have a slot for WMR, conditioned for fox, on the understanding that I only use it on Charlie if he offers me the easiest of close range targets. I'm very happy with this arrangement and would never go out looking for a fox with this calibre.

[leadpig]

common sense and distance are the two things needed
a hmr will flatten a fox at 50 yards,but past 100 you may only wound it,it is not a dedicated fox calibre but adequate for opportunistic foxes at close range

[Bushdog]

Before I start, I will say I have never shot a fox with my HMR. This is all therefore theoretical, and you must take it or leave it.

It seems to me that the issue with .17 HMR is not one of power, but of bullet construction for adequate penetration on bigger animals like a fox.

At 2500 fps muzzle velocity, a sufficiently heavy and well-constructed bullet will penetrate as well as anyone could ask for (e.g. .375H&H, .416 Rigby, .470 NE all travel 2200-2600fps) but the little lightly constructed HMR bullet (esp. the VMax) is likely to upset and blow up before it can penetrate far enough, if it hits a solid bone on the way in.

I met a PH in Zimbabwe who used to hate American hunters turning up with .300 Win Mags and lightly constructed Silvertip bullets for the bigger plains game like eland because of the same effect - bullets would blow up near the surface, causing a superficial, not instantly fatal wound. I suspect the same thing is happening in a scaled-down way with HMR and foxes.

If this is the case then the advice only to shoot foxes at close range may not be helpful as velocities at closer ranges would remain higher, meaning that the chances of bullet break-up before penetration would be higher.

I wish there was a 25-30 grain soft-point bullet option at 2200 for the HMR - I reckon that would be excellent for foxes at close - moderate range.