Shot Placement for mounting a Squirrel

deerslayer303 · January 23, 2012, 05:09 AM

All this squirrel talk has got me wondering. I have a BIG beautiful Fox Squirrel hanging around the house. And I've often thought of taking him to have a full body mount done on him. Now I hunt squirrels with a copper plated bb, and most times shoot for the chest. But its still a projectile and being as it is only .177 it still leaves a good hole depending on the angle. So my question is, If I decide to take him out and being it would be a full body mount (read all the hide used) What would be the best shot placement? How good are taxidermist at patching? I mean I have a few Deer mounts, but they don't have to use the area where the shot was placed on them.

Lee McNelly · January 23, 2012, 05:29 AM

for the limb timber

nate45 · January 23, 2012, 05:38 AM

I don't know if you can do it, but right in the eye with a pellet, or CB cap might work. Or if you shot him right behind the shoulder, the taxidermist may be able to patch it, or position the shoulder so it covers the hole up.

I've got some big Fox squirrels that live in my yard too. They usually hang out in and around the black walnut trees. I saw a really big one just last evening. I also saw two deer in my back yard yesterday evening. An eight point buck and later a doe. I see deer all the time in my front and side yards, but the back yard has a wooden privacy fence. It is about 60 yards long and 40 yards wide and I leave the back gate cracked open. Last spring a doe was nursing a fawn back there, pretty neat.

bacardisteve · January 23, 2012, 06:04 AM

Used a 308 only dont shoot him directly. Wait till he is on the side of the tree and put one an inch above his head. It works dont know if its the wood splinters that get em or the concussion but you will have a dead tree rat fur intact.

deerslayer303 · January 23, 2012, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Used a 308 only dont shoot him directly. Wait till he is on the side of the tree and put one an inch above his head. It works dont know if its the wood splinters that get em or the concussion but you will have a dead tree rat fur intact.

Its Probably a Myocardial infarction. LOL I just may try that.

huntinaz · January 23, 2012, 08:55 AM

I had a taxidermist contact me to save squirrel pelts of our Abert Squirrels and ship them to him. He told me to shoot them thru the ribs, or use a shotgun. I sent him 3 squirrels shot thru the ribs and he said that was perfect. If you mess up the head with a head shot, the mount isn't going to turn out to well...

Gunplummer · January 23, 2012, 09:34 AM

I did that one year I hunted in West Virginia. Used a .410 shotgun aand had no problems.

warbirdlover · January 23, 2012, 09:48 AM

I was going to say a shotgun. Just don't use buckshot!!

#5's should work fine.

BRE346 · January 23, 2012, 10:00 AM

Long ago when I was a kid I'd read about hunting squirrel with a .22.
The kid's dad would give him the rifle and a bullet and say "Go shoot supper."
When the kid got better, dad would say "Save the meat, hit him in the head."
When the kid got really good dad would say "Hit the tree right under his heart and we'll have the whole squirrel."

dabluesguy · January 23, 2012, 11:39 AM

Squirrels must have weak hearts.

terry56 · January 23, 2012, 02:18 PM

410 is what I've used in the past.

farmerboy · January 23, 2012, 02:43 PM

Shotgun with 7 1/2s.

Wild Bill Bucks · January 23, 2012, 03:54 PM

Shoot him in the butt, then have him mounted sitting down.

Pahoo · January 23, 2012, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Shoot him in the butt, then have him mounted sitting down.

Gees, why didn't I think of that?? ... Why ???
The only time I ever had a squirrel mounted, was when I shot a pure black one. Blacks are not as common around here as Grays and Fox. I had him mounted like he was coming down a limb and head up. I do remember shooting him in the chest and the results were pretty good. Later, one of my Nephews made a mistake of taking it to his biology class. Well, the mistake was not in taking it but chasing the girls with it, down the hall. .....

I was lucky to get that critter back. Funny part is that I figured that was what he might do. ....

Be Safe !!!

Logan9885 · January 23, 2012, 04:36 PM

Simple....get a box trap and put some loose corn or p-nuts in it. Then take him for a swim in the creek........no holes, no blood, no problem

warbirdlover · January 23, 2012, 05:07 PM

Sitting in my blind (in an oak tree woods) half the hundreds of squirrels in there are black.

AndersonG22 · January 23, 2012, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Simple....get a box trap and put some loose corn or p-nuts in it. Then take him for a swim in the creek........no holes, no blood, no problem

HAHAHAHA, that's messed up.

Cascade1911 · January 23, 2012, 05:31 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

What Anderson said but without the "HAHAHAHA"

deerslayer303 · January 23, 2012, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Shoot him in the butt, then have him mounted sitting down.

LOL, Thats funny right there.

On another note, I saw him again this morning, sitting up on my 4X4 Post corn cob feeder, man he is a bigon! But pretty as hell! I drank my coffee and watched him devour that corn cob. I just may leave him alone.

Rembrandt · January 24, 2012, 06:37 AM

These were not butt shot, but they do make for some nice mounts....the reading squirrel is a favorite of kids and women.

Irish B · January 24, 2012, 08:55 PM

Set up an electrified squirrel feeder. Quick kill and no damage to the hide!

Cornbread · January 24, 2012, 09:02 PM

See if you can buy one of Rembrandt's ?? Then you can shoot yours any where you want...

rumrunner · January 24, 2012, 11:31 PM

shotgun with 7 1/2 or trapping. drowning works great, or if that bothers you use a 110 connibear. stick a cob of corn right on the prongs. quick and easy

chewie146 · January 25, 2012, 12:51 PM

My brother in law did a squirrel for my dad. It's an Aberts, so it's a bit smaller than a fox. I used #8 shot with a cylinder choke, and it left very small, widespread holes. The squirrel turned out great. It's at full draw on a GI-Joe-sized compound.

JACK308 · January 28, 2012, 10:40 AM

My fox squirrel was shot in the shoulder no mess or tear.

January 23, 2012, 05:09 AM	#1
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,652	Shot Placement for mounting a Squirrel All this squirrel talk has got me wondering. I have a BIG beautiful Fox Squirrel hanging around the house. And I've often thought of taking him to have a full body mount done on him. Now I hunt squirrels with a copper plated bb, and most times shoot for the chest. But its still a projectile and being as it is only .177 it still leaves a good hole depending on the angle. So my question is, If I decide to take him out and being it would be a full body mount (read all the hide used) What would be the best shot placement? How good are taxidermist at patching? I mean I have a few Deer mounts, but they don't have to use the area where the shot was placed on them.

January 23, 2012, 05:29 AM	#2
Lee McNelly Junior member Join Date: June 9, 2011 Posts: 325	go for the limb timber

January 23, 2012, 05:38 AM	#3
nate45 Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,746	I don't know if you can do it, but right in the eye with a pellet, or CB cap might work. Or if you shot him right behind the shoulder, the taxidermist may be able to patch it, or position the shoulder so it covers the hole up. I've got some big Fox squirrels that live in my yard too. They usually hang out in and around the black walnut trees. I saw a really big one just last evening. I also saw two deer in my back yard yesterday evening. An eight point buck and later a doe. I see deer all the time in my front and side yards, but the back yard has a wooden privacy fence. It is about 60 yards long and 40 yards wide and I leave the back gate cracked open. Last spring a doe was nursing a fawn back there, pretty neat. __________________ "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."- Thomas Jefferson ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ (>_<)

January 23, 2012, 06:04 AM	#4
bacardisteve Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2006 Location: West virginia Posts: 653	Used a 308 only dont shoot him directly. Wait till he is on the side of the tree and put one an inch above his head. It works dont know if its the wood splinters that get em or the concussion but you will have a dead tree rat fur intact. __________________ Kill em all and let God sort em out! USAF

January 23, 2012, 08:55 AM	#6
huntinaz Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2010 Location: az Posts: 1,332	I had a taxidermist contact me to save squirrel pelts of our Abert Squirrels and ship them to him. He told me to shoot them thru the ribs, or use a shotgun. I sent him 3 squirrels shot thru the ribs and he said that was perfect. If you mess up the head with a head shot, the mount isn't going to turn out to well... __________________ "When there’s lead in the air, there’s hope in the heart”- Hunter’s Proverb "Feed me, or feed me to something. I just want to be part of the food chain." -Al Bundy

January 23, 2012, 09:34 AM	#7
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	I did that one year I hunted in West Virginia. Used a .410 shotgun aand had no problems.

January 23, 2012, 09:48 AM	#8
warbirdlover Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2009 Location: central Wisconsin Posts: 2,324	I was going to say a shotgun. Just don't use buckshot!! #5's should work fine.

January 23, 2012, 10:00 AM	#9
BRE346 Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2011 Location: Victoria, TX Posts: 158	Old story Long ago when I was a kid I'd read about hunting squirrel with a .22. The kid's dad would give him the rifle and a bullet and say "Go shoot supper." When the kid got better, dad would say "Save the meat, hit him in the head." When the kid got really good dad would say "Hit the tree right under his heart and we'll have the whole squirrel." __________________ Ancient Airman

January 23, 2012, 11:39 AM	#10
dabluesguy Member Join Date: August 3, 2011 Location: Eastern Orygun Posts: 91	Squirrels must have weak hearts.

January 23, 2012, 02:18 PM	#11
terry56 Member Join Date: January 12, 2012 Posts: 19	410 is what I've used in the past. Last edited by terry56; January 23, 2012 at 03:03 PM.

January 23, 2012, 02:43 PM	#12
farmerboy Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,343	Shotgun with 7 1/2s.

January 23, 2012, 03:54 PM	#13
Wild Bill Bucks Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2005 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma, Next door to Sasquatch Posts: 1,266	Shoot him in the butt, then have him mounted sitting down.

January 23, 2012, 04:36 PM	#15
Logan9885 Member Join Date: January 28, 2011 Posts: 81	Box Trap Simple....get a box trap and put some loose corn or p-nuts in it. Then take him for a swim in the creek........no holes, no blood, no problem

January 23, 2012, 05:07 PM	#16
warbirdlover Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2009 Location: central Wisconsin Posts: 2,324	Sitting in my blind (in an oak tree woods) half the hundreds of squirrels in there are black.

January 23, 2012, 05:31 PM	#18
Cascade1911 Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2011 Location: Dutchess County, NY Posts: 450	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ What Anderson said but without the "HAHAHAHA"

January 24, 2012, 06:37 AM	#20
Rembrandt Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2002 Posts: 2,108	These were not butt shot, but they do make for some nice mounts....the reading squirrel is a favorite of kids and women.

January 24, 2012, 08:55 PM	#21
Irish B Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 359	Set up an electrified squirrel feeder. Quick kill and no damage to the hide! __________________ If a man hasn't found something worth dying for, he isn't fit to live

January 24, 2012, 09:02 PM	#22
Cornbread Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2012 Posts: 103	See if you can buy one of Rembrandt's ?? Then you can shoot yours any where you want... Last edited by Cornbread; January 25, 2012 at 05:54 PM.

January 24, 2012, 11:31 PM	#23
rumrunner Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 28	shotgun with 7 1/2 or trapping. drowning works great, or if that bothers you use a 110 connibear. stick a cob of corn right on the prongs. quick and easy

January 25, 2012, 12:51 PM	#24
chewie146 Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2010 Location: New Mexico Posts: 853	My brother in law did a squirrel for my dad. It's an Aberts, so it's a bit smaller than a fox. I used #8 shot with a cylinder choke, and it left very small, widespread holes. The squirrel turned out great. It's at full draw on a GI-Joe-sized compound.

January 28, 2012, 10:40 AM	#25
JACK308 Junior member Join Date: July 10, 2011 Posts: 377	My fox squirrel was shot in the shoulder no mess or tear.