cant hit anything.

[IM391]

Use copperplate hollow points for squirrels. I call them DDT(Drop
Dead Twice. Holding any gun off-hand(standing straight up) without a bench is difficult. Find something to lean against or rest the stock on when hunting. Practice that at the range too. Look at where your gun is hitting; dead on or a little high and that's how you should shoot the tree rats. I aim high on the shoulder or neck and my gun shoots high, so I get head shots most of the time. Finally hold your breath and SQUEEZE the trigger when you shoot.

 

[JackSprat]

We always used hollow points on squirrels too.I always like my rifles lined up dead center,but my Dad always lined up all his to shoot just a frogs hair to the left,because he pulled a little to the right offhand..Also having a rimfire scope will make head hunting easier,paralax can be a big factor especially when shooting up in trees,because you really can't get a proper weld...I've shot a lot in the ribs,and it's deadly with hollow points.You may shatter an arm,but at least you have the head,and a squirrel brain is a tasty morsel.

 

[Dr T]

I agree with the post that it is not uncommon to be able to shoot well from a bench but not well in the field. And I also agree that the only cure is A LOT of practice. I have noticed that my field marksmanship has been going downhill for the last couple of years.

Ideally the practice will all be done with the hunting rifle, but things are rarely ideal due to cost, noise fatigue from high power rifles (even with hearing protection), and available facilities.

Personally, one of my major issues is trigger and breath control. I work on it by plinking on reactive targets. And, my favorite guns to practice with are revolvers with barrels 4 1/2 inches or less. (Specifically, a S&W 617 with a 3 inch barrel and adjustable sights, a Ruger LCR in 22 lr, and a Ruger Single Six in 22 WRM with 4 1/2 inch barrel). Before next hunting season (if all goes well with weather, etc.), I want to put over 500 rounds through these. I will start with shooting the 617 and Single Six single action until I have the trigger and breath under control to my satisfaction, and then move to double action. My plinking is done at between 20 yards and 50 yards--not a whole lot of hits, but you feel you earn the ones you get.

Then I will move to the rifle range for polish.

It may not work for every one, but has worked well for me in the past. And, it is sort of fun.

 

[caribou]

Most folks using a range actually KNOW the range distance they are shooting at a target(paper) but out in the country, Animals are hard to range in and make the appropriate compensation. Do this on flat ground coverd in snow and its a real talent to call the range correctly the first shot.

Little squirrels and Seals, etc that look the same as the larger adults can make that a tricky prospect because the length/height/range is very difficult to estimate if the animals general size is variable....


Also, paper dosent move, and an animal can move after youve pressed the trigger, with lock time and time to target for the bullet at long range, what you may have pulled the trigger on might have moved a foot to the left by the time the bullet gets there.

Wind, day light, comfort of shooting, a bench can be a much different shot stance than Prone or standing.

And in my experiance where I live, on treeless open Tundra, hunting Caribou, the first shot might be at a still standing animal but EVERY shot afterward is at a moving away from me animal, and the stance, lead and compensations are all out the window and instictive shooting starts, much like taking a shot at a flying goose.

For sure Animal targets and paper targets are not the same shooting.

 

[MrWesson]

Just don't shoot mine

I don't get the tree rat/squirrel hatred I hear out and about. How miserable do you have to be to hate a squirrel lol?

 

[TimSr]

How accurrate is the .22 rifle/ammo combo at the ranges you are trying to shoot it?

 

[entropy]

It may just be that your focus goes to the animal instead of your crosshairs. If you shift your concentration who knows where you may be shooting. Or possibly lack of follow through after you pull the trigger. I see hunters make this mistake all the time. Drop the gun from their cheek before the bullet has left the barrel....gotta see if they hit the deer. Very bad mojo. You must follow through.

Learn the anatomy of the animal you are trying to shoot, and aim accordingly. Get so you can mentally picture the organs you should be aiming at superimposed on the body of the animal, and aim at them. (There are paper targets made for this) Aim small miss small. Many novice deer hunters make this same mistake; they see brown, and don't focus on the target area.

I don't get the tree rat/squirrel hatred I hear out and about. How miserable do you have to be to hate a squirrel lol?

I don't hate them; they're delicious! And good practice for deer season.

 

[Poper]

Aim small miss small. Many novice deer hunters make this same mistake; they see brown, and don't focus on the target area.

As my father used to say, (he passed in '06) "Shoot the cross hairs, boy, not the critter!"

 

[Axis II]

How accurrate is the .22 rifle/ammo combo at the ranges you are trying to shoot it?

savage mark 2 cci standard 3-9-40 scope I can put the 10shot clip in the red bull on a dirty bird target at 50yards.

 

[Axis II]

one thing I think im doing is not concentrating on let the trigger break. im so caught up in the hurry up and shoot it I think im slapping the trigger. a good shooting/hunting partner told me this the other day.

now just have to figure out how to shake that!

 

[murf]

dryfire.

murf

 

[brewer12345]

This seems like a trigger/trigger control issue to me. I have a stock 10/22 that shoots OK at the range, but in the field I could never hit anything with it when it mattered, especially without much support/rest. After missing an easy 30 yard shot on a rabbit last year, I bought a fancy aftermarket target trigger for as much as the rifle cost me. All of a sudden I can hit stuff in the field with it very well.

Spend some time shooting in field positions rather than with a solid rest. You will get the hang of it quickly, I suspect. FWIW, I do get excited every time I see my prey and can line up a shot. Learn to master it along with your field position practice.

 

[Sniper66]

Practice your trigger pull.....squeezing off shots at the range off sand bags. Try to focus your attention on the trigger pull. After shooting that way for maybe a dozen shots, switch to shooting by holding a shooting stick, either sitting or standing with your usual walking stick. Then shoot another dozen shots from the sand bags. Do this a number of times switching back and forth and add shooting positions as you think of them. The goal, when practicing this, is trying to duplicate the trigger pull even time. Do this enough and you develop muscle memory that you will not really be aware of and the habitual trigger pull will occur in every circumstance. You may have developed a bad habit and will need to learn a new good habit. I use this method when I practice and am surprised how one's discipline can erode and bad habits grow where erosion occurs. You find it necessary to wait for the shot rather than taking impulsive shots. Using these methods, I rarely hit squirrels anywhere but in the head. Don't give up. Keep practicing, but make the practice purposeful and focused. Good luck and have fun.

 

[ontarget]

One method I use for practice is to dry fire at images on tv. I once heard that the images on the screen change every 4 seconds or less. I try to get a target in the crosshairs and get the shot off before it disappears. You need to be honest with yourself and call your shots when doing this method but it works for me.