.357mag vs. 12ga CHIPMUNKS

roy reali · February 10, 2007, 12:41 PM

There is an area out here with a healthy population of chipmunks. I want to help reduce its population. I need help in deciding which firearm to use.

I can use a .357 magnum or a 12 gauge shotgun. I want to make sure that I do not cause the little critters to suffer. I figured as long as the shots are kept within 20 feet the handgun should do. I suppose a load of three inch, two shot from the shotgun might do at the same distance.

These chipmunks are tough little critters. I have seen them barely flinch when hit multiple times with a .444 Marlin. I guess shot placement has a lot to do with it.

Blacktail_Slayer · February 10, 2007, 12:44 PM

Is the shotgun fixed choke? If it is modified or full, or if you can get different chokes, just go with one of those and a 2 3/4 load of upland shot, or if you really wanna reach out there just use a turkey choke with upland shot.

FrontSight · February 10, 2007, 01:31 PM

I've shot a few w/ 12 and 20 guage shotguns, at CLOSE rage, and won't do it anymore. Not a bleeding heart liberal by any means, but the little suckers really suffered bad, crawling away with their guts hanging out. Tough little guys, that turned me off to it.

roy reali · February 10, 2007, 03:06 PM

If you really want to see a battle, look at a fight between a coyote and a chipmunk. If the coyote is smart he'll have two or three of his buddies around to help. But one-on-one, it is a toss up.

Capt. Charlie · February 10, 2007, 04:26 PM

Quote:

If the coyote is smart he'll have two or three of his buddies around to help. But one-on-one, it is a toss up.

Mean little suckers indeed! There's a video presently floating around the Web that, had I not seen it, I wouldn't have believed it. It's fairly decent close-up video of a chipmunk eating a mouse! I know that squirrels will sometimes eat baby birds, but prior to that, I never thought there was even a tad of carnivore in a chipmunk.

keita · February 11, 2007, 01:06 AM

357 mag. anywhere close to center mass should lead to no suffering, but that's pretty hard to do.

With a shotgun, it's hit or miss....

I've been squirrel hunting with 17HMR and 22LR. I make it a point to get a head shot usually around 15-30 yrds, and there is absolutely no suffering.

VUPDblue · February 11, 2007, 02:03 AM

I thought maybe we weren't on the same page as to what exactly a chipmunk was. Then I watched the video, and yep, they are exactly what I was thinking about. 12ga or .357? Isn't that a bit of overkill? I shoot them all the time with my .22 and have very rarely, if ever, needed a second shot, yet it was said that they could take a .444 Marlin and keep on goin'? I have seen them hit with a 12ga loaded with #6 shot and there was darn near nothing left of the little guy.

oldbillthundercheif · February 11, 2007, 03:30 AM

I would like to see you try to hit a chipmunk with your .357, that much is certain. You are either a hell of a shot or confused...

You are talking about the small, striped rodents that never seem to sit still for very long, yes?

If you really have encountered zombie chipmunks that can survive rifle rounds to the torso I think you need to call the CDC and start aiming for their heads. We need to get this epidemic under control. I would hate to see my city's squirrels, rats, and lizards replaced with indestructable chippies.

For clarification, do your critters look like this

or this

or this?

oldguy52 · February 11, 2007, 09:31 AM

Wow Roy...the 357 may be a triffle small on something that tuff..Better to use the 12 w/OO buck to be on the safe side. As for the 444, while I can't say for sure, I've heard on chipmunks to shoot for the shoulder to break'em down, othewise they charge and no one wants that to happen! Imagine the front page of the local paper..."Hunter Mauled by Chipmunk!"

rem33 · February 11, 2007, 10:53 AM

We usta sit at lunch and feed chipmunks tid bits. Some times they will get to fighting over pieces, they are ornery little critters. Made interesting entertainment, fights could become quite vicious.

Hey Roy, that new/old 25-20 will work great...

banditt007 · February 11, 2007, 07:44 PM

I'm REALLY hoping we are all kidding here.

kickshot85 · February 11, 2007, 08:55 PM

wowww. . .

roy reali · February 12, 2007, 12:54 AM

Who is kidding?

Baseball players are hitting more homeruns then ever. Football players are bigger and stronger then ever. More and more women are being anatomicaly enhanced. Doesn't it stand to reason that animals are changing too?

skeeter1 · February 12, 2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

I can use a .357 magnum or a 12 gauge shotgun.

I'm going on the assumption that you're just kidding around. A .22 will turn a chipmunk inside out. Heck, even a decent pellet gun will do the job.

Fremmer · February 12, 2007, 10:07 PM

I used to use the .308 Win, but I had a couple of times that I didn't get full penetration, even when I tried FMJ rounds. So I switched to the .45-70, and they usually go down dead-right-there.

Usually....

Molly · February 12, 2007, 10:48 PM

I couldn't even try to count how many I have killed with a pellet gun. I have shot them so dead so instantly that they've clung to the tree right where they stood, and then stayed frozen there until they rotted.

February 10, 2007, 12:41 PM	#1
roy reali Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2005 Posts: 3,248	.357mag vs. 12ga CHIPMUNKS There is an area out here with a healthy population of chipmunks. I want to help reduce its population. I need help in deciding which firearm to use. I can use a .357 magnum or a 12 gauge shotgun. I want to make sure that I do not cause the little critters to suffer. I figured as long as the shots are kept within 20 feet the handgun should do. I suppose a load of three inch, two shot from the shotgun might do at the same distance. These chipmunks are tough little critters. I have seen them barely flinch when hit multiple times with a .444 Marlin. I guess shot placement has a lot to do with it.

February 10, 2007, 03:06 PM	#4
roy reali Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2005 Posts: 3,248	Versus Coyotes If you really want to see a battle, look at a fight between a coyote and a chipmunk. If the coyote is smart he'll have two or three of his buddies around to help. But one-on-one, it is a toss up.

February 11, 2007, 02:03 AM	#7
VUPDblue Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2005 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 1,981	I thought maybe we weren't on the same page as to what exactly a chipmunk was. Then I watched the video, and yep, they are exactly what I was thinking about. 12ga or .357? Isn't that a bit of overkill? I shoot them all the time with my .22 and have very rarely, if ever, needed a second shot, yet it was said that they could take a .444 Marlin and keep on goin'? I have seen them hit with a 12ga loaded with #6 shot and there was darn near nothing left of the little guy. __________________ Silencers have NEVER been illegal !

February 11, 2007, 10:53 AM	#10
rem33 Junior member Join Date: March 31, 2006 Posts: 1,528	We usta sit at lunch and feed chipmunks tid bits. Some times they will get to fighting over pieces, they are ornery little critters. Made interesting entertainment, fights could become quite vicious. Hey Roy, that new/old 25-20 will work great... Last edited by rem33; February 11, 2007 at 04:20 PM.

February 12, 2007, 12:54 AM	#13
roy reali Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2005 Posts: 3,248	Kidding? Who is kidding? Baseball players are hitting more homeruns then ever. Football players are bigger and stronger then ever. More and more women are being anatomicaly enhanced. Doesn't it stand to reason that animals are changing too?

February 10, 2007, 12:44 PM	#2
Blacktail_Slayer Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2006 Posts: 224	Is the shotgun fixed choke? If it is modified or full, or if you can get different chokes, just go with one of those and a 2 3/4 load of upland shot, or if you really wanna reach out there just use a turkey choke with upland shot.

February 10, 2007, 01:31 PM	#3
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	I've shot a few w/ 12 and 20 guage shotguns, at CLOSE rage, and won't do it anymore. Not a bleeding heart liberal by any means, but the little suckers really suffered bad, crawling away with their guts hanging out. Tough little guys, that turned me off to it.

February 11, 2007, 01:06 AM	#6
keita Member Join Date: December 15, 2006 Posts: 32	357 mag. anywhere close to center mass should lead to no suffering, but that's pretty hard to do. With a shotgun, it's hit or miss.... I've been squirrel hunting with 17HMR and 22LR. I make it a point to get a head shot usually around 15-30 yrds, and there is absolutely no suffering.

February 11, 2007, 03:30 AM	#8
oldbillthundercheif Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2006 Location: New Orleans Posts: 2,450	I would like to see you try to hit a chipmunk with your .357, that much is certain. You are either a hell of a shot or confused... You are talking about the small, striped rodents that never seem to sit still for very long, yes? If you really have encountered zombie chipmunks that can survive rifle rounds to the torso I think you need to call the CDC and start aiming for their heads. We need to get this epidemic under control. I would hate to see my city's squirrels, rats, and lizards replaced with indestructable chippies. For clarification, do your critters look like this or this or this?

February 11, 2007, 09:31 AM	#9
oldguy52 Member Join Date: December 25, 2005 Posts: 32	Wow Roy...the 357 may be a triffle small on something that tuff..Better to use the 12 w/OO buck to be on the safe side. As for the 444, while I can't say for sure, I've heard on chipmunks to shoot for the shoulder to break'em down, othewise they charge and no one wants that to happen! Imagine the front page of the local paper..."Hunter Mauled by Chipmunk!"

February 11, 2007, 07:44 PM	#11
banditt007 Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2006 Posts: 694	I'm REALLY hoping we are all kidding here.

February 11, 2007, 08:55 PM	#12
kickshot85 Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2007 Posts: 127	wowww. . .

February 12, 2007, 10:07 PM	#15
Fremmer Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2005 Location: Nebraska Posts: 3,482	I used to use the .308 Win, but I had a couple of times that I didn't get full penetration, even when I tried FMJ rounds. So I switched to the .45-70, and they usually go down dead-right-there. Usually....

February 12, 2007, 10:48 PM	#16
Molly Member Join Date: January 19, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 66	I couldn't even try to count how many I have killed with a pellet gun. I have shot them so dead so instantly that they've clung to the tree right where they stood, and then stayed frozen there until they rotted.