how tough are starlings

[Muppit]

        well we all miss once in a while and while i hate to  say it it does happen.  i also would like to say that i have started double taping starlings because it seems like even when you hit them they up and walk away,fly away run away you name it they seem to find away to getaway even when wounded. today i had an opertunity to take out a starling and it was feeding like crazy no distraction was going to stop this guy he was payin no attention at all to anything but the nutty suit cake. i loaded up the titan and to my amazment did not have to rush a shot aimed center mass and squeezzed the grtIII nice any easy  and sent the cphp sailing at its target, THWAK lites out no movement at all as i reloaded my ag. still no movement. walked out to get my prey and took one look and whent what no way, and by the way my wife stole my phone so i didn't have a camera to take a pic which really stinks cuz you all would have loved it. ok back to my starling, this guy was missing the entire top of his head no feathers no skull how he survived was amazing but the fack he was dooing well remarkable. i cant believe these things are that resiliant to suvive an injury like that is beyond me. happy hunting .......dave

[dk1677]

I guess that's the zombie in 'em 

[MountainMan126]

I shoot a fair number of them with my PC77 and was taking the HOSPs at 8 pumps. I figured logic would have it starlings are larger, so I went with 10 pumps got a runner, up to 12, another runner. I did a bunch of reading on here, seems to be a fair amount of talk on over-penetration with birds, so I backed off to 8 pumps for starlings on the next 5, all quick clean kills, no running, no squawking, just fall straight down.
If I get another runner at 8 I will switch to a heavy flat nosed pellet like the Super-mag or similar for a bit and see what happens.

Ethan

[fperez0209]

I've hit them with my S200 in 177 using wadcutters and when I've gone out to pick them up they are still alive.I have to use my Walther P99 compact to double tap them.Tough little critters.

[HUNter95]

i have never had a problem, hear/lung shot or a head shot with my .22 crosman 800x puts them right to sleep


                         Dave

[goodland]

I had that problem with a few of my center mass shots. They just didn't do the trick
So I waited for headshots. Let me just say like  the Pringles commercial once you"pop"
you can't stop

[gamo2hammerli]

I aim for center mass with those guys....and usually they just flop down dead (Most likely the pellet scrambled some of their organs).  A few have taken a shot....all pass-throughs and still flew off for a good 15+ yards.  They're twitchy birds to start with, and their adrenaline keeps them going until they run out of air...or bleed enough to send them into shock.

In three years I've had two wing draggers that managed to get away from me.

[oldpink]

I hit them in the head or up high in the chest with my .22 Gamo CFX with gas ram.
They rarely go more than about three yards, and usually take two steps and flop over stone dead.

[lillysdad621]

i also found that a slowish .22 in the chest does the trick better than a .177 passthrough at higher velocities. but the fact that it took such a wound and still kikced around is testament that a pest is design to survive... i have had success shooting my airsporter in .22 shooting hobbies at 565 fps... out to 30 yards, chest shots dont just hit them... it pushes them back a bit. but they do not live more than a couple of seconds...

[Mebits]

Amazing.

[Muppit]

i'm shooting a titan 177 wonder if the wadcutters would do a little more damage then the hollow points obvoeuislly they will slow faster on impact and possibly do more damage. any thoughts to this.........dave

[sawtoothscream]

of the few i have taken with the 2260 only one dad instantly.  most where pretty much dead but needed one more, even thought he shots were about perfect.  deffinatly more tuff then chipmunks

[dust]

if you are shooting short distances, why not turn a flat nose backwards

[MountainMan126]

if you are shooting short distances, why not turn a flat nose backwards

The skirt is meant to expand and seal against the inside of the barrel for best accuracy and consistency. If you measure most pellets I think you will find the nose slightly smaller than the skirt making it easier to load the right way as well. 

[Bullit]

if you are shooting short distances, why not turn a flat nose backwards

I'd think that accuracy could suffer as well....I could envision tumbling pellets catching the wind with that tail exiting the barrel first....not a good responsible hunting quality.

[Bullit]

Muppit,
Have you tried any of the softer lead pellets.  I know the Crow Magnums are a little pricey, but they do well for me.  I trust them to 30 yards.
I also find the JSB Exacts actually expand as well or more than the harder lead Gamos  and Wally CPHPs. And the JSBs are more accurate for me.

[r1derbike]

.22 Predators, man.  KABOOM!

Lights-out! Man, that's a lot of bird pieces to pick-up!

Charles

[HUNter95]

i have to re-comment on this, today i was in the yard and i saw a starling. it gave me a broad side shot, so i out one right through the top part of the wing, im using gamo rockets in .22 and it has no problem going through. once it hit the floor IT KEPT RUNNING! i was in total aw and proceeded to put a follow up shot in its spine which dropped it dead. these little things are built ford tough


                          Dave

[Bullit]

Location...Location...Location

[Mebits]

Broadside is tough to avoid a runner. Aim high on the back but back from the wing.