We had a very mild winter last year, and our squirrel population in our state has exploded.
Its to the point of looking out and being able to count 5 within 150 yards just by looking around is not unusual. We have a grove of about 30 pecan trees and between the squirrels and crows they will eat most of the crop these trees produce.
Some of them have even decided to take up residence inside our walls. When I was taking this picture I heard one scurrying around inside the wall. Picture is a hole they chewed through the drywall in a bedroom.
Because of these problems, they make pretty good target fodder. Out west they have prairie dogs. Here we have tree rats. This is one shot with .17 HMR. It's missing arm was found about 8 feet from the squirrel. Range was probably around 50 yards for this one.
Needless to say but the little 17 caliber rimfire hits with precision and with devastating force. This is a little bit more destructive than typical, but they all end up just as dead.