I’m staying on the squirrel/small game kick with this post for two reasons. One, it’s just plain fun to pursue small game with an appropriate hunting implement. Two, I had an experience last week while in the squirrel woods that provides a striking lesson for gun hunters of all stripes.
That first point doesn’t need much explaining. Between the crisp, clear weather of early in the week and the light, misty rain that’s currently keeping the leaves quiet underfoot, this is a great time to be moving about in the woods. Especially if you’re looking for protein of the sporting variety. This is the time of year to cut out from the office, plan for very early mornings, or simply use some of the vacation days you didn’t take advantage of in July. Gotta use them while they last.
But enough about priorities; on to the second point. While hunting a favorite tree rodent spot at Pater Wildlife Preserve near Hamilton, I scored a hit on a good sized female Fox squirrel. It took an hour of creeping through honeysuckle while she played “bump on a log” in a succession of tree crotches, but I finally got the position I wanted – a quartering-away shot that skimmed the left foreleg on its way to a quick-kill vitals impact.
Pass-through shots are nothing new to squirrel hunters. In fact, I was confused when I collected the squirrel and couldn’t find an exit wound. Upon skinning that night’s dinner, I found the reason:
Left to right: Crosman field hunting pointed tip, Crosman Premier hollow point, Premier hollow point after impact
I recently switched from the hunting point to the hollow points, and the pellet I pulled from below the squirrel’s skin confirmed that I made a good decision. Pointed pellets can do the job, but I’ve noticed that they often exit as clean as they enter. This suggests little deformity and a greater possibility of wounding game if the shot is off.
The hollow points, on the other hand…the image speaks for itself. I’m confident the shot would have been a quick kill with either shape, but that mushrooming, jagged edge that flares out sure gives one an added measure of security.
We, as respectful, dedicated hunters, owe it to our quarry to deliver a quick, decisive kill with the first shot. For an archer, that means using scalpel-sharp broadheads that draw blood with the least pain. For gun hunters, unless you need the big-game penetration delivered by a monster, flat-nosed round (and let’s face it – how many of us have tens of thousands to drop on an elephant hunt in this economy?), a hollow point makes a lot of sense.
I’ve heard that hollow points can be finicky in wind. But in my experience, switching from field points to hollow points in a .177 springer air rifle (a type notorious for its sensitivity to pellet choice) did little to affect my accuracy. Maybe I’m just getting better at the range, but I shot tighter groups with Crosman Premier hollow points than I did with comparable Crosman field points.
I suspect that scaling this experience up to a larger pistol or rifle would yield similar results. At typical Ohio hunting distances with calibers appropriate for local species, hollow point bullets or pellets are certainly worth your consideration.
