.17hmr too much for squirrel?

[Guvnor]

I have a .17hmr and I was thinking of going squirrel hunting with it. But is this round too hot for squirrel? I want to preserve as much meat as possible. I would stick to taking headshots only.

Whice bullet choice would be best? The Vmax, hp, fmj, or gamepoint?

Thanks for the help!

 

[HunterBear71]

17hmr is excellent squirrel medicine, Guvnor. Try the 20 gr CCI fmj.

 

[MCgunner]

I'd rather shoot .22 short or LR myself. I've even used CB short for the quiet. Works great to 30 yards. LR works great to 50 or even beyond if you can connect. I have a .22 mag and consider it a mite too much for squirrel, but it can be used. I mean, shoot solids to save meat if you shoot for the body. Don't take much to kill 'em. A .177 spring gun is fine to 30 yards. The mentioned solid should work best in .17. A hollowpoint would be a bit destructive, I'd think.

 

[blackops]

I purchased a HMR about a 1 ½ years ago…I haven’t shot my 22 since. I have a heavy barrel on mine and let me tell you it’s a squirrels worst nightmare out to 150yds. I use the Hornady V-Max and they are excellent. I tried to put up a picture on this post of the last squirrel I shot in the head at 90yds, but couldn’t figure it out. By the way could somebody help me in that department?

 

[MCgunner]

Go advanced, look down to "mannage attachments" and click on that. A menu will come up to allow you to find and select the file. It ain't tough to do.

 

[blackops]

McGunn, thanks for the help and implying that I am an idiot. lol just joking. Thanks seriously. Here is the picture. Kind of graphic, but I’m just trying to show you what an HMR really does. At the given range it also indicates what kind of range/accuracy you can get.

 

[Weedy]

Awww, that's just a flesh wound.

 

[MCgunner]

Dayum, definitely shoot for the head. Body shots are out.

Me, I haven't squirrel hunted with a rifle in years. I like an accurate .22 handgun. But, I stay inside 50 yards.

 

[HunterBear71]

Blackops pic illustrates why you might want to consider the fmj's.

 

[blackops]

Dayum, definitely shoot for the head. Body shots are out.

hahaha I prefer a quick kill.

Hunter,

what really are the fmj's going to do? You would think either way you’re going to inflict major damage with the HMR.

 

[HunterBear71]

Blackops, that is some good shooting. The fmj will not expand and the hole will be about the size of a .17 round. For you, with head shots, it isn't going to be any appreciable benefit.

 

[MCgunner]

The idea is to get to EAT the squirrel. You might not be able to make a head shot. Don't take a .300 win mag to kill one of the things, ya kow. My old pump up Benjamin took a many of 'em when I was a kid before I got my first .22.

 

[HunterBear71]

I hear you, MCgunner. A pump-up crossman has probably accounted for as many squirrels as anything. But, the question was from someone who already has a .17 and is simply looking for the proper bullets.

 

[JohnKSa]

I would stick to taking headshots only.

Not a big fan of splattering neural tissue all over the place given the concerns about prion diseases. There have been a couple of cases of prion disease in humans believed to be related to consuming squirrel brain.

Just something to consider.

 

[blackops]

hunter, thanks many different cartridges have been through it in order to achieve the accuracy it has. I found in the end hornady was the right one. I'm a decent shot, but the gun and the cartridge have a lot to do with the head shots. Also I guess the FMJ's aren't really going to much for me.

 

[wade rigsby]

are you gonna eat em. if not then anything from 17 to 50 cal will do just fine. these little suckers around here need killin bad. if I could i would set up land mines. they are destroying neighbors homes by diggin through the roofs and outside walls. when ever I can I kill em. so no 17 is not too much

 

[blackops]

are you gonna eat em. if not then anything from 17 to 50 cal will do just fine. these little suckers around here need killin bad. if I could i would set up land mines.

HAHAHA ooooh wade that was probably one of my hardest laughs from any thread I've read. Little guys runnin the land where you live now and your a little bitter about it huh? lol The ranch I hunt on used to have them by the hundreds. The land owner asked me to take care of the problem. I learned my rifle + scope and became somewhat an artist with my HMR. The coyotes ate very well for a month. It was kind of good to because It brought them closer to the ranch then they usually run and they became the next target.

 

[stevelyn]

Dayum, definitely shoot for the head. Body shots are out.

Yup. I've shot a few tundra squills with mine and it pretty much turns them inside out.

 

[Bad Hammer]

I have a Marlin 917VS that has accounted for several dozen squirrels taken out of the back yard.
Head shots, all of them. Within 100 yards it's way too easy.
20 grain Hornady XTP.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, I'll stick to my .22 pistols shooting solids. I do eat the little buggers, hate wasting meat, and I prefer a little more challenge in my hunting. I've been kinda stuck on handgunning game for a while, now, as rifles just get to be too easy. I ain't quite good 'nuf with a bow to try that, yet. LOL Some guys bow hunt 'em. But, I'll stick with bigger targets for the stick and string. I'd just wind up losing a lot of expensive arrows. And, I always wondered what they'd do if they stuck one to a tree too high to get at. LOL

But, with that .17, were it me and I were hunting with it, yeah, I'd use solids because I like to eat squirrel. I can remember a lot of shots where I only had part of a body around a tree trunk and took a body shot and knocked 'em down. .22 solids don't do much damage. Even a .22LR in hollowpoint messes up more meat, don't blow 'em up like THAT, but is destructive of edible meat for the stew pot.

Wonder if you could "bark" a squirrel with that .17?

 

[Bad Hammer]

Wonder if you could "bark" a squirrel with that .17?

I don't know......never had to....just shoot 'em in the head at distance.
Just be patient and they'll look at 'ya sooner or later.
I'll save the "barking" for the muzzle loader.

 

[DeepSouth]

are you gonna eat em. if not then anything from 17 to 50 cal will do just fine. these little suckers around here need killin bad. if I could i would set up land mines.

Just get a cat.