You can hunt squirrel with them. Just go for head shots or use a less explosive ammo. Like the TNT or 20 grn XTPs instead of the Vmax ammo.

They were really intended for small varmints like gofers, ground squirrels and small woodchucks though. You could also take fox and some take coyotes with them as well.

I target shoot and do pest control with mine. If you wanted to squirrel hunt the HM2 would have been a better choice.

Check out rimfirecentral, we talk about the 17 quite a bit over there.

Paul