Have you ever lost your small game?
 

UGH!

I couldn't find my fox squirrel today after I shot him twice with the 22! I searched for over an hour and it made me sick because I know I hit him but couldn't locate him! I even went back and searched again and still could not find him!!! :s6:

I called dad and he says sometimes it happens. He said I made the effort and did my job in trying to search for him. I still feel so bad! Dad said they usually hide under leaves or rocks and pass away...

Have any of you lost your small game after shooting it?

I've had squirrels make it into brush piles after falling from the tree, it's the dark side of hunting, sometimes you don't find what you know you've hit. You gave it your best try and that's more than some guys would do. I've had a couple grouse that hit the ground and made their way under a brush pile as well, those things can be sneaky at times too. Props for looking as hard as you did.

it happens sometimes that is part of it. you learn from your mistakes, you become more aware shots and the terrain where your game may fall or go to. you searched a lot more than most people would have.

I wanted to recover it soooo bad! It really did make my gut hurt just knowing I couldn't find it! *sigh*

Thanks guys.

When I was 15 years old.
One time sticks in my mind, I shot a squirrel, it dropped on the ground.
Then when I got to the tree, it was gone.
So I started walking back, and forth, getting closer every foot.
And about 10 minutes, I stepped on it.
There it was, burried in the leaves.

If it happens again, just walk back and forth where you saw it fall.
Every foot, thats how I used to find the squirrels, that dissapeared, after the shot.
In a grid type pattern, if you do this most times you will find it under the leaves.

I hope this helps.

Good Luck.

jrbsr

Ava,where did you hit the squirrel??Knock on wood,i've either killed um clean with 1 shot,wounded them and made another shot killing it,or missed clean.Never lost a squirrel i hit.But i know it will happen 1 day!!!!!!!!!!Dangit!!!!I've only hunted 1 time with my 22 this year,killed 2 that day,i guess i got spoiled on the 17hmr,0-70 yards=DEATH!!!!!!!!!

I believe I shot him in the neck/head area or atleast I tried! :rolleye0011: When I hit him, he rolled on the ground a few times, got up and scurried away! I looked again yesterday evening and couldn't find him. I doubt he'd be any good if I found him today because it's been warm here, 65*-70*.

Sorry to hear that. Sounds like you gave it a good hard look. It happens to the best of us :s4:

That happened to me bout a week ago,only i had my mossberg 500 410,so im walkin the side of a hill,i see 1 bout 30-35 yards away,POW!!!!,ran off.Thought i missed,about 10 mins later i see him fall from a tree,so i walk over to him,about to grab his tail,he JUMPED UP!!!!!!!Ran bout 20 yards away still on the ground,just staggarin around,POW,click,click,POW!!!Killed him stone dead that time!!!!

i lost the biggest gray i ever shot in my life. i shot him in the back with the 22 he ran a lil ways then stopped and rolled. i went to get him...NUTHIN! i looked forever but i couldnt find him. Its happend a few times to me.

Oh man, that sucks!

I'm done looking for the buggar. I looked and looked and looked. He hid pretty good. I sure hope it doesn't happen again or atleast for a looooong, long time. :sad:

Is there any trees, with a knot hole in it?
I have had squirrels to go in knot holes.
I remember the first squirrel I shot.
It was on the top of a chicken wire fence.
I held up my brand new, Iver Johnson, 12 ga Single barrel shotgun.
I shot, and it hit it on the hind end.
It jumped, and one of its rear legs pulled off, and ran since I had a single barrel.
I couldn't get off another shot to quik.
After that there was a three legged squirrel running around the woods.
I never got another shot at it.

So that migh have happened to your squirrel

JMHO

Good Luck on the rest of the squirrels.

jrbsr

This is where I've been hunting. This patch here is kinda wide open and leads to two trails or walk ways. The river would be positioned right behind me.



Almost looks like a beach and that is certainly what we call it! :D


This is where I lost him! I was off to the left on the trail, shooting towards the first leafy small tree there and he ran around this area and I lost him.


This is the 22 LR I was using when I lost him...

Check your scope.I shot at 1 a few days ago,bout 50 yards away with my 17 hmr.He was on the ground,all i could see was his head/chest,i put the crosshairs right behind his shoulder,BOOM!!!!!!!!Walked down there,no blood nothin.I knew it was a clean miss.The next morning i went out with the 12 gauge,killed 2 that morning,midday i checked the scope on the 17hmr,@50 yards,it was hittin 2''high and 2''to the left.Its dead on now at 50 yards.Went out that evening,killed 2 more!!!I would have told you to check your scope on the 22,earlier,i didn't know if it was scoped or had iron sights.Hope this helps

Well, I shot a beer can a good 20-30 yards away and made it jump into the air. I don't think it's the scope.

My brother says it's harder to shoot with a 22. He had a hard time hitting them last week with that gun when we went out. <it's his gun> I'm about ready to just go with a shot gun! He says he could hit'em all day long with a shot gun but started using the 22 for a challenge.

I dunno. I'm tempted to just say screw it and use a shot gun.

Don't get worked up about finding that squirrel, you did your best, and the very worst thing that will happen is you provided an easy meal for a hawk or buzzard, bobcat or a coyote or other critter if he made it to the ground. It isn't a waste at all, something will use it, it is only lost to you. Them other critters that may find and eat that free meal can probably use the break from hunting anyway.
So don't ever feel bad for losing a meal for yourself once in a while, knowing that the food that didn't make your table, helped feed others. I shoot em as treats for my dogs, but once in a while one sticks in a tree or something, a natural occurrence, and I figure nature needs it for something else, and leave it if it is too hard to get. I used to get upset too but it really doesn't matter to me now, if I do my best and still lose an animal. It's nature taking it's coarse, just go with it.

I've lost 2 or 3 squirrels over the years either from not finding where they drop, or from them getting stuck high up in the tree. I hate it when it happens, but it isn't very often.

Where on the beer can did your bullet hit???My rule for squirrel huntin is,if you can hit the BACK of the can with a 22lr,17 hmr,you have a good squirrel gun.With the 22lr,25/30 yards,17hmr i like 50 yards.With a shotgun,if you can put a fairly even pattern with the can standin up right,your good to go!!!My 410,i limit my shots to 30/35 yards,12 gauge,about 40 yards.

I killed 10 or 15 b4 i started hunt'n with a rifle.Its alot more challenge with a rifle, than a shotgun.

Certainly sounds like you made a good faith effort to recover your Squirrel. You should feel good about that. Like the others said, if you shoot at enough Squirrels, you'll lose one occasionally. If you enjoy hunting with the rifle, stick with it. Don't fool yourself into believing you can't lose them with a shotgun. :wink:

(I only read the first page so I'm not up to speed with all comments)

But you can pretty well rest assured that that little critter is still going to contrinbute to the natural order of the food chain.

Some creature will sniff it out and have a free meal. Don't worry about it bud.

Now if it were waterfoul thats a little different - they're harder for predators to get to if you drop them in the water and don't find them (unfortunately it still happens)

Thanks guys. You sure do know how to make a gal feel better. :arms: :D

I was out with my boy this evening shooting up cans. I was hitting them so maybe I just wobble a bit free handed. I had the gun resting on a branch. I will get better though. I was also shooting the 20 guage. GOD! I love that gun! I don't need a rest for it though! :D I told DH I want to buy me a shot gun! Maybe a 16 guage.

I'm making a trip with my son and nephew this Saturday. We're going up the mountain for squirrel and rabbit. I love sitting in the woods with them! :cool2: Maybe we'll come home with our limit! :devil: I'm hoping my boy can shoot a few too! :D

Not tryin to make you buy a 12 gauge,but its what id get,i have a stoeger 2000,full choke,shootin 1 1/4oz 6shot,iv killed um at 40 yards!!!!!!

Go ahead, twist my arm off! :D

WHAT!!!!!!Im 5'11 170lbs,i can shoot it just fine with 3'' 00 buckshot!!!!!!HAHAHA!!! If your small framed,keep shootin your 20 gauge,what kind of 20 ga do you have??Its not ALL that bad with #6.Just hold it tight!!!!!!!

It's my dad's first shotgun that his dad bought him. I was shooting 7 1/2 out of it yesterday just for fun. I love that gun! :D The gun says Pardner Model SBI 20 gauge 3" FULL. Here's a pic.



He also gave me a 16 gauge to use this past weekend. It's a Savage Model 220A 2 3/4" barrel with a bag of 6 shells. This gun put me on my keester at 10 years old. Dad and my brothers' thought it'd be funny and told me not to hold it up against my shoulder tight. Not too funny. It scared the crap outta me and it's a big reason why I didn't want to get into shooting with them now that I think about it. I haven't shot it since so it's been 20 years but I'm gonna giv'er another go tomorrow! :D Those dipwads!

That 20 gauge is full choke,shoot it at 30 yards and 40 yards,let me know how she shoots.Git a 17 HMR,you'll really be happy to blast away squirrels and rabbits at 70+ YARDZ!!!!

7 1/2 is fine for squirrels,with it being full choke see how it shoots with 6 shot.I like #6 better than 7 1/2,with my 12 gauge with high brass #6 with a full choke,its very rare i have to shoot 1 twice.My 410 with 7 1/2,almost all ive killed with it,had to shoot um twice.The 17 HMR is still my favorite squirrel gun.You could almost shoot 1 in the foot and kill him!!!!!!!!!!!BAH,HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

It holds a pattern well if that's what you want to know. It's a very nice gun IMO! :biggrin: I'd of taken a pic of the pop can I shot at the other day but my son threw it away before I could take one. It was full of holes after being shot at about 30-40 yards with 7 1/2.

If I feel like it, I'll go out this evening with two pop cans, 6 and 7 1/2 shot and take pics to show you. Hopefully the rain will have quit! Maybe I'll see a difference too. Although I can't remember if I killed my first one with 6 or 7 1/2 shot. :o I shot her 3 times though! :D

I do have the 17 HMR on my wish list too! :cool:

For squirrels, I am a .22LR fan myself. I have an old Winchester bolt action with iron peep sights and I would not sell that gun for all the money in the world!! It is a squirell killer. One thing that no one mentioned on this post was whether or not you were using hollow point bullets or not. When I first started hunting squirrels years ago I just bought a brick of those target rounds and was wondering why the squirrels would still run off after shooting them. One of my friends told me to use hollow point bullets when hunting and I found that it really did make a difference. Since you were neck/head shooting that squirrel I would bet that you just glanced off him and stunned him just a bit and he was able to run off and hide from you. Usually a head/neck shot will drop them in their tracks!!

Well, I'm planning to hunt by myself tomorrow after I get our boy off to school and hubs is going to get our girl off to school so I can get out early and I'll use hollow points. I did not use a hollow point when I shot that squirrel and he got away.

Let's hope I see a damn squirrel tomorrow. I'm starting to think they are extinct around here! :mad1: Goodness gracious! It's rediculous!!! :rolleye0011:

Good luck to ya. I bet you see a big difference with the hollow point .22 bullets. The target rounds just shoot right through the squirrels where as the hollow points will do more damage and usually drops them in their tracks. I have a deer stand where there are tons of squirrels all around me making all kinds of noise. All I hear all day long are acorns being munched!! It sometimes drives me nuts. I will have to remember to do some squirrel hunting after the deer season ends in Jan.

I knew it would happen!!!!!lost 1 yesterday,i was walkin along,seen 1 up in a oak tree,brought the 17 up,missed,chambered another shell,he had his head in a hole in a tree,put the crosshairs behind his shoulder,POW!I killed him but hes still stuck in the tree!!!!!I dont feel all that bad cuz iv already killed 35!!!I hate it that i killed him and couldnt use him for nothin!!!!!!!pisses me off

Least we won't pressure you for a recovery... unless of course you can climb trees! :D

Sucks, I know!

Funny story while I was out this morning... Didn't see a squirrel in sight but was blessed to see a 4 point buck come in from behind. I was sitting on a log and looked behind my right shoulder and saw him coming into the woods, not even 25 yards from me. I just sat there, heart pounding. <I know, my heart pounds alot with these encounters> :D He walks down and even closer. He made a left and was then right in front of me, staring and smelling my way, he was so close, I could see his nostrils flare! I just sat there, didn't move or hardly breath and wondered if I should scare him off? Then I yelled at him to get outta here! I'd of liked to have seen what he'd of done on his own but was a bit afraid he'd get too close or agressive with me.

I thought it was pretty cool.

Chances are you did one of two things. Shot his nose/jaw off or hit him dead in the eye. I had a problem a few years ago with some cheap 22 shells that would hit the eye and stop. Ever since that I have been shooting 22 stingers. They open up really good on head shots. Good luck!

Once I shot a gray squirrel in a tree watched him hit the grown and take off running.
I trailed the blood for about 5 feet found a lot of blood then nothing
Still drives me crazy