# Tough squirrels



## Prototype.x (Jun 16, 2014)

I was out a few days ago cutting some natural and looking for some small game to take when I stumbled upon a thorn apple tree with a nice Y in it so I stopped to cut it. I was roughly halfway through the branch when I saw a Gray Squirrel, I had a beater sling that I usually bring on the trap line with me. I stopped and shot the Squirrel, hurling it from the tree. I was walking over to Squirrel to claim my prize and when I got about three yards away sucker jumped up and ran back up the tree. I tried to hit him again but he jumped in some pine trees before I could shoot. I was furious that it got away. I was wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else ?


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

I swear I hit one clean upside the head, as evidenced by its roll out of the branch it was on, but instead of falling to earth, it grabbed on to the branch below, & hid in the nook for some minutes (with no clear shot) prior to bolting away. They're tough, man...


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## Rookie1234 (Dec 23, 2013)

I've hit one with a 680fps 177 air gun hollow point form my air gun in the head fell about 20 feet to the floor before running an addiction 30 feet tough little.. Aren't they


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## Rookie1234 (Dec 23, 2013)

Additional


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## D.Nelson (Feb 20, 2014)

Yesterday. Dropped him like a brick, blood and everything in the snow. Got up and scurried up the tree before I could get through the thick brush. I felt terrible and frustrated.


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

D.Nelson said:


> Yesterday. Dropped him like a brick, blood and everything in the snow. Got up and scurried up the tree before I could get through the thick brush. I felt terrible and frustrated.


Yeah, my incident had me feeling like quite the twát, too. I mean, it was a HEADSHOT! That just isn't supposed to happen. If I'm shooting squirrels, I go overboard with the ammo; having something scurry away injured is completely unacceptable.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

I edited your title. Please do not try to defeat the Nanny filter.


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## D.Nelson (Feb 20, 2014)

Agreed, made me reconsider the .36 lead. It was a headshot too, as thats all I could see of him. Guess its .40 lead / 7/16 steel or bigger from now on.


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## Alfred E.M. (Jul 5, 2014)

*As a kid in Minnesota, I launched a hail mary shot from about 80 yards at Mr. Bunny sitting at the edge of the woods. My marble knocked him flat. Stunned, I ran downhill and standing over him, there's a look in his eye that sez 'you pr!ck' ... and he jumps up and runs away. Years later, I hit a possum in the ribs with a 9/16 hex nut as he's truckin' down my block wall. He gave me the same stink eye, and kept on going. *


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## Aefr (Jul 20, 2014)

Those are the breaks man. Its happened to me many times. Ive seen them drop over a hundred feet only to see them bounce off the ground and disappear in a another tree. It seems a clean kill is never a sure thing. If I down a squirrel, I RUN up to it for that reason. my cousin picked one up by the tail after popping it with 1/2in steel and it gnawed his thumb and got away! They have to be tough. It might be fun for you but its their life.


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## D.Nelson (Feb 20, 2014)

I got bit this year as well haha, she was fiesty, glad nobody else was there. After she bit me, I instictivly flung my hand and she flew up and landed on my backpack, I took it off and luckily she was really dazed and was able to give her a thump in the head. I felt bad, but I also laughed to myself about how ridiculous it must have looked.


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## Prototype.x (Jun 16, 2014)

D.Nelson said:


> Yesterday. Dropped him like a brick, blood and everything in the snow. Got up and scurried up the tree before I could get through the thick brush. I felt terrible and frustrated.


Same happened to me


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## Nicholson (Sep 25, 2012)

What size ammo are you guys using with these escape stories?


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## Aefr (Jul 20, 2014)

Seems like all kinds


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## Rick O'Shay (Dec 3, 2014)

It really hurts when it is a Rag Horn Bull Elk.. We seen him go down watched him play dead .....smoked a cigarette and walked across the draw. We found where he WAS and then tracked pinky nail size blood drops until dark. It snowed a foot that night and had school all day .NEVER DID FIND HIM....I haven't shot a bull since then...

IT HAPPENS you feel bad but don't lose sleep, only you know how ethical you hunt, anyone that judges you for lost game either doesn't hunt or they lie about how perfect they are.


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## oldstevie (Dec 7, 2013)

a fast dog usually brings things to a speedy humane conclusion so i usually have mine along .

squirrels do some strange things , like run down the tree onto the ground when remaining in the tree gets too risky from shots fired at them .

again the dog is ready for this .


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## Nicholson (Sep 25, 2012)

oldstevie said:


> a fast dog usually brings things to a speedy humane conclusion so i usually have mine along .
> 
> squirrels do some strange things , like run down the tree onto the ground when remaining in the tree gets too risky from shots fired at them .
> 
> again the dog is ready for this .


yup, I always have my little terrier with me, I hate losing spruce grouse, if needed my dog runs over and holds it down till I get there


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## Ole Man Dan (Dec 18, 2013)

Prototype.x said:


> I was out a few days ago cutting some natural and looking for some small game to take when I stumbled upon a thorn apple tree with a nice Y in it so I stopped to cut it. I was roughly halfway through the branch when I saw a Gray Squirrel, I had a beater sling that I usually bring on the trap line with me. I stopped and shot the Squirrel, hurling it from the tree. I was walking over to Squirrel to claim my prize and when I got about three yards away sucker jumped up and ran back up the tree. I tried to hit him again but he jumped in some pine trees before I could shoot. I was furious that it got away. I was wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else ?
> 
> Yep, Squirrels are pretty tough, unless you hit the head, they get over the shock and tree on you again.


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