Is it me, or are squirrels TOUGH! (pics)

[frassettor]

Holy Cow  I thought I seen it all from these little fellas! Over the last 2 weeks or so I have been trying to get a few for the freezer. So far I shot 3, lost 1 after my small game head came out of it and it took off running  .

Today I thought about doing something a little different and try using a broadhead on them thinking it would save me a little "leg work" running after them and "bonking" them on the noggin....WRONG! I shot this little bugger with a Zephyr Sasquatch and he still managed to crawl 15 or so yards and hide in my wood pile..I had to end he suffering when I got up to him. Im extremly happy with the small game heads that Ted@Raptor made me, they do a great job! But no matter where I shoot them they seem to "get out of dodge" pretty quickley after the hit. Except for head shots (which are TOUGH) to do, have you had the same results? Im including a few pictures of my squirrels I shot..Sorry about the last one, I didnt have someone here to take a picture of it before it was cleaned..So tell me your experiences with these "iron willed" animals.

The small game head I normally use...
     

My first one from the last 2 weeks
     

The "bloodtrail" from the broadhead hit squirrel.
     

All cleaned up..
     
     

[freeman]

They take a lickin and keep on tickin.... That's for sure.

[Whitetail Chaser]

I shot a squirrel with a Zwickey Delta and sliced off the back 6 inches of his tail.  He ran off, and I walked out there to find a 6 inch piece of tail laying on the ground.

To top it off, I saw him again a few weeks later.  I let him go at that time 'cause I figured he was just one lucky squirrel.

Brett

[JEFF B]

LOL!!!! those are hard little buggers to and i have still yet to get one maybe next year. good shooting btw.

[jacobsladder]

much tougher than bunnies...thats for sure!!!!

[frassettor]

Originally posted by HO'NEHE JEFF:
LOL!!!! those are hard little buggers to and i have still yet to get one maybe next year. good shooting btw.

Get your running shoes on Jeff  

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by jacobsladder:
much tougher than bunnies...thats for sure!!!!

For sure.

[Kenkel]

Tough as nails!!  I hit one square in the screws at 15 yds last evening with a Ace hexhead and as he laid there motionless I thought I would just wait awhile and hope for a deer.  I saw him scramble after about 20 seconds and run off.  The chase was on but I couldnt catch him, I have found that If you dont hit'em in the head they will not die easy if at all.

[vtmtnman]

I punched one behind the shoulder with a hex head and it didn't go anywhere...and before that I punched one behind the shoulder with a judo and it didn't go anywhere either.The hex head went in one side but not the other and the judo didn't even go though the first side!Just strecthed the skin though the ribcage and hit vitals.

Red squirrels on the other hand,I'm not so lucky with them.

[frassettor]

If anyone wants a great recipe for squirrel pot pies please feel free to PM me, I have a great one we make!    

[cacciatore]

This one didn't go too far.

[Kevin L.]

There's a reason God didn't make squirrels weigh 50#. You'd need a .375H&H minimum for them if He did. Ounce for ounce, one of the toughest critters I know of.

[Ian johnson]

i seen one run a little ways even after i hit him with a full choke 12ga high brass no.4s so when i shoot them with arrows i like to have something sharp on the end of the arrow versus blunt

[Jerry Wald]

I just shoot'em with judos and they have to drag the arrow - they don't go too far then

Jer Bear

[Mike Most]

I try and shoot them in the head or they eat the arrows. The do like to chew on wood arrow shafts.

[Brian Krebs]

Squirrels are tough; kinda like groundhogs. That is one fat squirrel frassettor - yum  

[frassettor]

Originally posted by Mike Most:
I try and shoot them in the head or they eat the arrows. The do like to chew on wood arrow shafts.

I did have one destroy one of my ADs! Their jaws are strong  :eek:

[Bob Barnes]

I have good luck with 190g Ribteks too...  
Bob

[sweeney3]

When I was a kid I THOUGHT I had killed one with a full choke .410 and number 4s.  NOPE!!  That sucker waited untill I picked him up and ambushed me!  Made sausages out of my arm up to the elbow!  I couldn't get rid of him fast enough.  

These days, they are still among my favorite critters.  I have got a couple with my recurve this year.  Once was a clean quick shot in the head.  The other required some legwork and a follow shot.  I dislike that, but I did get him in the freezer.  I've just gotten to the point lately where I don't try further than about a ten yard shot at them with anything because they are so quick to jump an arrow and resuslt in a tough hit.  Even then, it's not a guarantee.  And I use head that will penetrate and combine some type of cutting and impact force.  I started off with blunts and judos and never got one.  Just had some sickening hits.  I try and stake them to a tree or the ground now.  Very, very tough little animals.

[Killdeer]

This is an arrow that I hit a grey squirrel with. You can see that the blood goes at least as far as the end of the footing. The shot was broadside at 15 yards or so.

 

This is the business end.

 

I shot the squirrel and he fell from the spruce tree. Then he scrambled up the trunk of a dead spruce that was leaning against the first tree. I ran over to get a shot, and he slipped into a small hole.

I tried getting up to it, almost got there, but had no way to convince the squirrel to vacate, and after beating on the trunk a few times, sat down to marvel and document the experience. So I took the pictures.

As I was taking the pictures, I heard a noise. I looked to the side. There was the squirrel, at fingertip length, looking at me. I could see that he was telling me that this was a dangerous place, and I would be wise to leave forthwith. Either that, or he was mocking me for the ineffectual hunter that I am.

I threw down my glasses and camera, grabbed my bow and two arrows, and watched him gain the far side of a tree as I ran for him. I made some great leaps! But it was all for naught, as he disappeared into a hole at the base just before I got there. There was a drop of blood smeared on the wood. I said something.

I tried twisting it out, but it only climbed higher up the hollow trunk. I am sure it died in there. I felt horrible. I committed to broadheads then and there. And then, the next day, I got my chance.

Squirrel, out on a limb. Close. CE Carbon Express, footed, BIG Magnus flying hatchet on the front. Unloseable hot pink and yellow fletching on the back. Perfect shot! The squirrel disappeared, as did my arrow, and although I looked for the next two weeks, I never saw either again.

I sure do appreciate the beauty of a .22 rifle.
Killdeer