To kill a squirrel, you must understand the physics of penetration, how to apply it, and how much energy is needed. There are several ways to penetrate and different weapons are used for the purpose. Different methods will achieve different levels of penetration. It is recommended to use a strong odor as this will keep the squirrel away. A foot-pound equals 12 inch-pounds. To kill a squirrel with a foot-pound, the penetration force should be at least twelve inch-pounds.
Table of Contents
.22 LR
Using.22 LR energy to kill squirrel is one of the best ways to eliminate these creatures. The energy of the bullet will bounce off of the squirrel’s body like a pachinko ball. As a result, you’ll have to move slowly and quietly. In addition, you must be patient when you’re hunting squirrels to get the kill. If you use the right shotgun ammunition, you can also kill the animal with a shotgun.
The 22LR is a popular round for hunting in other countries, and many hunters grew up using it for small varmints like squirrels. However, the energy of the round differs between different rifles. It’s always a good idea to zero your rifle before hunting. A rounded pellet will hit the squirrel hard, but it doesn’t have the penetrating energy of a shotgun.
.17 HMR
When using a rimfire cartridge, such as a.17 HMR, the bullets move much faster than shotshells, causing real damage to the squirrel. A bradley.22 WMR blew out the squirrel’s shoulders and hindquarters, and the rimfire bullet caused similar damage. When using rimfire ammunition, however, it is crucial to connect on headshots.
While the speed of flat-shot shooting is generally better, a headshot is also a good option. Headshots can mitigate meat damage, but this isn’t always possible when squirrels are perched in trees. In such situations, it’s best to use a fast flat shot. However, in many cases, the squirrel’s head won’t move. Instead, shoot for the head.
Using a rimfire cartridge, such as the snout, is a great way to kill a squirrel quickly and easily. Its 17-grain ballistic tip travels at 2,600 fps, pulverizing much of the squirrel’s meat. This round is also much easier to reload than a traditional rifle cartridge. However, it’s still a good idea to test the round first.
.22 WMR
While airguns have many benefits when it comes to killing squirrels, they aren’t always the best choice. Here are a few tips to help you find the right caliber to kill the rodents:
A good rimfire cartridge will blow out the head and shoulder areas of a squirrel, resulting in a large amount of tissue damage. If you are trying to kill a squirrel with a rimfire cartridge, the most effective way is to make a head shot. This is because rimfire bullets move faster than shotshells. It is imperative to connect on a headshot. Once you’ve connected, the body will crumble.
Another good squirrel gun is the Harrington & Richardson Pardner. Ruger, Marlin, and Tanfoglio introduced the 22 WMR rifle to the market. Other companies now produce these rifles. You can find a variety of options online, such as the Remington Model 597, Excel Arms Accelerator Rifle, and Savage arms A22 magnum. Aside from that, 22 WMR rifles are also more powerful than their counterparts, and some of them can reach nearly two thousand feet of muzzle energy.
.22 Bleeder
You’ve probably used a slingshot or airsoft gun to scare away a squirrel, but a bb gun can do the same thing. Trying to shoot a squirrel with a real bb gun is an absolute fool’s errand. Squirt the squirrel with a squirt gun won’t kill the squirrel, but it will definitely make it move away.
A good quality air rifle is very accurate and will cleanly dispatch a squirrel. Look for a good trigger and muzzle velocity over a thousand feet per second. If you can hit a quarter-sized target at 30 yards, you’ll likely be able to dispatch a squirrel. A.22 Bleeder can drop a squirrel in a single shot, but a BB gun will probably do a better job.
If you don’t mind spending a little more, there are air pistols that are capable of cleanly killing squirrels. Just be aware that most air handguns are not designed for squirrel hunting, and may not have the horsepower you need to produce a clean kill. But the Woods Walker air pistol delivers 15.5 foot-pounds of energy at 700 fps and feeds from the same auto-indexing circular magazine as the Marauder series. A rear-mounted bolt will help you manipulate the pellet to kill a squirrel cleanly.
How much energy does it take to kill a squirrel?
It requires about one joule of energy to kill a squirrel.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
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