Nutter KIA???

[mariodesmo]

Well, I placed a shot right on a nutter’s head that was up a tree, as he was barking at me. Saw him fall into the tree/shrubs and I heard a commotion going on in there.  I was surprised because I saw him get hit in the head and fall, but didn’t expect to hear all the commotion in a shrub below the tree.  Also, I didn't see him hit the ground or leave the area, so I thought I would lay low for a few minutes and look at the shrubs for any movement or sounds.

After about ½ hour of waiting to see some movement or hear some sounds, there was nothing but quiet.  I went out to the tree/shrub and as I approached, I saw a large area of blood splattered on the ground.  Then all of a sudden, a nutter jumps out to another shrub/tree.  It looked like the scene from Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase,  where sounds are heard coming from the Christmas tree, and when Chevy looks into the tree, a squirrel jumps out.  Anyway I couldn’t believe my eyes;  there he sat on a tree as we stared at each other.   I looked at him and couldn't see any damage or bleeding,  I was  really stumped by now because I knew I had hit him in the head!  Then the nutter takes off running away from me, full trot.   I follow a ways, now just curious, and he just keeps on going on his merry way towards some houses, so no more shooting.

I couldn’t find a blood trail anywhere from the little fella running away, and now I'm really stumped!   How could this guy be running around with no damage or bleeding?   Then I go back to the area under the rear shrub where he should have hit the ground.   And there is the fresh blood splattered on the ground.   Also LOTS of blood stains of running blood on the shrub branches as well.  If  you look at the size of the stains, it's obvious that was fast flowing/pumping blood too.

So I assume the nutter I followed must have been playing decoy to get me  away from his buddy who was shot up, and bleeding in the shrub.   I never saw the second nutter when I spotted the one up the tree, before taking the shot.   And I scoped him for a good 5 minutes before I had a good shot

Anyway, here are pics of the blood on the tree/shrub...   I assume that little sucker bled out and died and is probably hidden deep in the tree/shrub somewhere. I have not been able to find him anywhere.  Something will get him tonight for sure, we have opossums, raccoons, and feral cats as well.

[BenjiHunter]

You had two squirrels in the same tree and one got hit.
Great story!

[Bicycleman]

About 99% of the time when there are multiple squirrels in a tree, I don't get more than one - and I don't always get one!


I am guessing the one that left the blood behind is dead where it fell.  That much blood is often an indication of a fatal head shot.  Well done.

[amb5500c]

Like the others, I subscribe to the multiple squirrel theory. The shot squirrel is still there somewhere. Maybe in a hole or he could have made it back up the tree on the back side, (out of your sight) and could be laying up in a fork, or otherwise hidden. If hit bad enough, he'll die there. But you'd be amazed at the punishment a squirrel can survive and just go on like nothing ever happened.
Richard

[dk1677]

Like the others, I subscribe to the multiple squirrel theory. The shot squirrel is still there somewhere. Maybe in a hole or he could have made it back up the tree on the back side, (out of your sight) and could be laying up in a fork, or otherwise hidden. If hit bad enough, he'll die there. But you'd be amazed at the punishment a squirrel can survive and just go on like nothing ever happened.
Richard

  x2 They are tough critters

[mariodesmo]

Yea, thanks for the comments fellas.

There is a lot of blood there, I tell ya.  I would be very surprised that he could have
survived that hit, with all that blood loss.  Unless, of course, he's now a walking dead nutter!
 

I agree, I think he's still up there in a branch fork, or hanging from his toe nails, just out
of sight.  Dead as a door nail...  I'll keep looking for him, and some of the leaves are starting
to turn and dry out, maybe I'll be able to find him up there once some leaves fall.

[Bicycleman]

Tough, you say:  This one was taken in January, 2015.  In that area, I had hit a squirrel the previous season during and afternoon hunt; and it hid from me up in the branches until dark.  I figured it would die that night or the next day.


When I cleaned it, I found this CPHP.  I am the only person hunting this area with a pellet rifle and I didn't hunt with CPHPs during the 2014-15 season.  That pellet was from the previous season.

[PBguns]

Tough, you say:  This one was taken in January, 2015.  In that area, I had hit a squirrel the previous season during and afternoon hunt; and it hid from me up in the branches until dark.  I figured it would die that night or the next day.


When I cleaned it, I found this CPHP.  I am the only person hunting this area with a pellet rifle and I didn't hunt with CPHPs during the 2014-15 season.  That pellet was from the previous season.

That was one tough squirrel!

[LeadBreakfast]

Tough, you say:  This one was taken in January, 2015.  In that area, I had hit a squirrel the previous season during and afternoon hunt; and it hid from me up in the branches until dark.  I figured it would die that night or the next day.


When I cleaned it, I found this CPHP.  I am the only person hunting this area with a pellet rifle and I didn't hunt with CPHPs during the 2014-15 season.  That pellet was from the previous season.

Wow, that is one tough bugger! I have always been impressed with their durability too.

I was demoing my Condor on squirrels for a friend once, purely for pest elimination purposes. I took a shot that entered and exited the entire body cavity lengthwise. The squirrel fell 50' from the tree, then began climbing back up. Another through and through shot took him down for good. Upon autopsy, the insides were absolutely destroyed, but he kept on going...

Of course, with a perfect shot, this is not a consideration, but I certainly did not lack for caliber or power there and still he kept going. Amazing.

[Bicycleman]

Head Shots are usually considered the preferred kill shots.


Well, during the last Spring Squirrel Season, the Fox Squirrel that bit me had been dropped with a clean head shot at a distance of about five yards (Discovery .22 with JSB 15.89 gr)  I didn't skin out the head to check on the entry and exit wounds because the head went to the lab to be tested for rabies.  Some are very difficult to stop; and this one was not the only head shot Fox Squirrel that didn't stop until additional action was taken.  Their tenacity is something to be admired, maybe!?!


After the doctor visit, Tetanus shot, 150 mile round trip to the lab and lab fee, I feel confident in say that this was the most expensive squirrel I ever killed. 

[Matt15]

Head Shots are usually considered the preferred kill shots.


Well, during the last Spring Squirrel Season, the Fox Squirrel that bit me had been dropped with a clean head shot at a distance of about five yards (Discovery .22 with JSB 15.89 gr)  I didn't skin out the head to check on the entry and exit wounds because the head went to the lab to be tested for rabies.  Some are very difficult to stop; and this one was not the only head shot Fox Squirrel that didn't stop until additional action was taken.  Their tenacity is something to be admired, maybe!?!


After the doctor visit, Tetanus shot, 150 mile round trip to the lab and lab fee, I feel confident in say that this was the most expensive squirrel I ever killed.

I always wack the squirrels over the head with a stick before I pick them up. Last year I was happy I did that when I went to pick up a dead squirrel. I poked it with the gun muzzle and it jumped up in the air and made it 5 yards before I shot it again.

[Bicycleman]

I always wack the squirrels over the head with a stick before I pick them up. <--- That is what I do now.

[Atchman2]

Isn't that a video game "Whack a Squirrel"?