What's your favorite squirrel shot?

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Spartan

Spartan

Member
Jan 18, 2020
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USA
This is by far my favorite shot in the pic below. Squirrel vertical on the face of the tree. It's all upside for me.

  1. Provides the biggest kill zone.
  2. Most forgiving in the vertical if my range estimate is off if woods walking. Just aim for between the shoulders. Could be 10 yds or 50 yds, pellet is in the kill zone.
  3. Instant anchor due to spine damage.
  4. Not possible for the pellet to damage the hind legs or backstrap meat.
  5. Tree provides guaranteed back stop.
  6. Anchored. Every time.

What's yours? I know a lot of people like the head-on shots.

squirrel-tree.jpg
 
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Your favorite is a good one, if it is presented. For other situations I've tried through the shoulders and head shots.
Through the shoulder, if you get both shoulders, just tips them over with very little movement afterwards. If you don't get the offside shoulder, they run some distance. That means, when shooting in the backyard, they may run on to the neighbors property. That's not desirable to me. In the woods, it could mean a lost squirrel. I have only used this with .22, 16-18gr.@~900 fps. Have not attempted with .177.
So, I switched back to headshots. They may flip and flop, but don't bounce far enough to cross the line and easier to keep track of in the woods. Side headshots may or may not cause the dance. Frontal head shots have a high percentage of low after shot activity. Caliber is irrelevant.
Center of the chest with a 65fpe, .25, collapses them on the spot. :)
 
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I’ve been squirrel hunting since 1980 and have had every conceivable kind of shot at them. My favorite is definitely the same as Spartans. My second favorite is when they are balled up in their nibbling stance. I never go for the head unless I have no choice. Once or twice a year I’ll catch one peeking at me and have to zap him in the noggin if I feel its next move is to flee.
 
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Vetmx said:
I’ve been squirrel hunting since 1980 and have had every conceivable kind of shot at them. My favorite is definitely the same as Spartans. My second favorite is when they are balled up in their nibbling stance. I never go for the head unless I have no choice. Once or twice a year I’ll catch one peeking at me and have to zap him in the noggin if I feel its next move is to flee.
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Any reason you avoid head shots ?
 
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Right now, simply hitting the little buggers at 100 yards, both recent one's were an inch or so behind the front legs, one was a heart/lung, blood out of its mouth. JSB. 33.95gr @ 905fps at muzzle. I don't even try for a head shot, have to avoid ricochet's.

I'm having an issue with my Raptor being consistent I think it's a tuning issue, or something is very loose.
 
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PCP_Addict said:
Any reason you avoid head shots ?
Click to expand...
Blowing something’s nose or jaw off if it moves a little as I squeeze the trigger is just not my thing. The vitals on animals are way bigger than the brain and give more leeway for the part of hunting we can’t control, the animals free will to move at any time. Just my person hunting ethics. Not preaching. Have to add that disclaimer in 2024 so nobody gets offended.
 
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In the 70's you could get one at a gas station pump if the wind blew just right...
But times have changed.
No Fences..

But seriously, a BB from my crosman 760 (no scope) worked just fine at about 20 yards right behind the ear while one was basking on a fence line.
My .25 pcp's damn near blow's their heads off at 35 yards..
.22 break barrels work just fine too.
 
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Vetmx said:
Blowing something’s nose or jaw off if it moves a little as I squeeze the trigger is just not my thing. The vitals on animals are way bigger than the brain and give more leeway for the part of hunting we can’t control, the animals free will to move at any time. Just my person hunting ethics. Not preaching. Have to add that disclaimer in 2024 so nobody gets offended.
Click to expand...

I agree. I will do head shots when close in at a feeder with known distances and the squirrels having limited movement while eating. But anything else and I prefer body shots. Which seems to be more often these days. Higher power guns (maybe 35fpe and above), the body shots clean to the vitals actually seem to be more effective, especially with expanding pellets, and much bigger target area. Also not preaching, just sharing my approach. Both methods have their advantages depending on situation. Lower power guns, head shots do seem to be more effective at quick kills.
 
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If a squirrel was 100 lbs id never go into the woods , as you could never kill them.
No other animal has a will to live better. I’m sorry all you Carlos Hathcocks shooting a R7 at 60 yards.
NOPE.. .177 ey Al o rear into noggin .. if not they run off either die or shoot them next week with a lodged pellet in their meat. I dispise .177 lower than 15 ft lbs and own one. The same 12 ft lb .22 will dispose of them faster As wound channel is bigger and power transfer is much more severe.
I’m a break barrel guy so 80 yard shots are not my norm. PCP IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT GAME

Rarely do I shoot body shots ,if I miss the head it’s gone. If I body shoot them they still run dead to nest or out of reach.
 
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I like vertical shots fine but I prefer it when they are in a ball up on a limb having a snack. Seems like less chance they will move and everything is available. Where I hit them is becoming more gun/fpe dependent for me. I've mainly just taken the shot I felt the most comfortable with but I lost one with my 18-19 fpe 177 and it always seems to take a little longer for them to drop with it and my similar fpe Prod. I will probably limit myself to head shots or really good angle chest shots. With my 32 fpe 22 or my 25s, any angle to the vitals seems to work fine. Any solid hit and they drop essentially instantly.

I did not loose them but the only two squirrels I shot with my P35-25 when it was tuned to 32 fpe that ran at all were hit in the front of the chest and the pellet was found under the skin behind a rear leg. They did not run far but they ran. I've seen some bear hunting reports of maulings with bears shot in the front of the chest - I think it is a bit questionable for DRT results.
 
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HogKiller said:
Right now, simply hitting the little buggers at 100 yards, both recent one's were an inch or so behind the front legs, one was a heart/lung, blood out of its mouth. JSB. 33.95gr @ 905fps at muzzle. I don't even try for a head shot, have to avoid ricochet's.

I'm having an issue with my Raptor being consistent I think it's a tuning issue, or something is very loose.
Click to expand...
HK, What gun are you using? S7
 
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I've never hunted squirrels with airguns, twice in Alaska I hunted them with blowguns, thatw as a challenge. But given that I hunt iguanas 5-6 days a week. And am familiar with the anatomy and reactions from different shots. If ai were to use a .177 which mine are anywhere from 22-30fpe I would use slugs for head shots and spine shots, and extreme hunter pellets for side or quartering vital shots.
 
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