# Killing with a Head Shot or a Body Shot????



## diggity

Every one seems to have their own idea as to what the best way to score a confirmed kill, I am just curious to see how many actually prefer one over the other. Is it better to score a clean head shot with a rifle or a body shot? :sniper: :jammin:


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## Fordman900

Def a head shot more challenging and dont take the chance of ruining the meat


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## gray squirrel

i try head or frunt sholder wat gun are u shooting


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## spank

head wont mess up the meat :sniper:


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## ParkerBoy

the best way to kill squeirll is a 220 swift to the head :beer:


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## gray squirrel

i think he was saying if u hit it in the pocket it will mess up the meat


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## Bore.224

I shoot center mass with a good hollow point bullet. Turn his guts to soup but don't destroy much meat. Head shots can be difficult under field conditions!


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## sugerfree

head shot for sure, sudden death, and it's not running too far.


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## Architect414

When ever it's possible I take the head shot. Thats the way to go, sudden death, and no wasted meat.


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## Sweetnutts

Diggity I think you will agree with me in that only a true hunter will take the clean kill with a head shot. There is just no excuse, if you can not take a clean, one shot one kill, you are just waisting ammo. For all you pretender "hunters" out there, if you even think of taking a body shot with a rifle, you better take your sorry @$$ to the range and learn to sight in a gun, then learn to shoot, then maybe go and learn to hunt!

Wasted meat, or a inhumane shot, if you kill it you best grill it, body shots taint good meat. Take your pick, either way a clean head shot knocks them dead every time with NO suffering.

Period End of Story!!!


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## Bore.224

Sweetnutts are you under the impression most hunters take head shots? Do you know what happens if you blow the animals jaw off and it runs away?? Do you have any real world hunting experiance cause it sure sounds like you are full of it! Do you think well placed body shots do not kill and if so are you that unexperianced.

Good advice does not need the scoolyard bully undertone you first POS post had.

Good luck and may you learn from this site, In my opinion their is allot of good advice around here so enjoy.

Aim just behind the front shoulder centered on small game and squeeze they will be Dead right their "DRT" a head the size osf a walnut that is moving around is a bad choice of shot placement.


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## weasle414

I agree with Bore.224 for the most part. Most of my shots on small game and large game alike are for right behind the shoulder. BUT on rabbits, that's not always the best. I dunno why, but every time I hit one behind the shoulder it takes off and I never find it. But the nice thing about them is, they usually sit still to try and make it seem like they aren't there, when I get in good range, I pop off a neck shot. Right behind the brain will drt. I've never lost a rabbit from this method and the good thing about the neck is, if you aim too high, you miss and there's no injured rabbit, if you hit too far in the heads direction, you're going to more than likely take a shot to the brain. Too far towards the body can be tricky sometimes, it all depends on the angle, most of the time they get a good hard shot to its spine, though.

But again, most shots should be taken right behind the shoulders in "the kill zone." It's simply the largest area on most animals that kills humanely and can usually be hit, unless they're quartering away in some cases.


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## diggity

I am surprised that more people until now aren't posting options on this one. I am in an agreement with the nutts guy and a disagreement, I prefer a .22 head shot on a squirrel. 
Bore, I am not sure why you would take a shot with a rifle at an squirrel or a rabbit on the move, unless its really close. I personally don't enjoy kills of close range, I enjoy long distant shots. All in the head. When we clean our kills we don't eat any of the head meat, so I am not spoiling any of the meat.

Granted, every one prefers their own methods, no need to get nasty or belittle anyone on their methods, I was just asking head or body, hoping to hear " I kill ___ animal with ____ gun and shot them in the __ and this is why..


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## Sweetnutts

('uke:')[


> Bore.224"]Do you have any real world hunting experiance cause it sure sounds like you are full of it! Do you think well placed body shots do not kill and if so are you that unexperianced.quote]


I can't see you being any older then 15, maybe 16. I have been hunting small game, Squirrels, For many years. I eat what I kill, as a hunter should. I don't pretend to know all when it comes to the game, but I can tell you this, when I put the cross hairs on the head, it hits everytime, there is no soup of the meat, there is no gut shot suffering, there is running away, there is however BRAIN MATTER ALL OVER THE TREE IT WAS ON.

Further more, why in the world would you think of shooting at squirrel while its on the run, with a rifle. Please, stop watching those out door specials with big game hunts, this is nothing more then a tree rat. One shot one kill is all it takes, nothing more. I am just not on the same level as of thought, I believe, no I know, .22 3-7 scope, match rounds can shoot 1/2 inch groups, at 50-65 yards all day long. That is a gray squirrel head shot, in a tree, or on a stump, either way, I can tell you what it had for breakfast that day!


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## rednek

Sweetnutts


> but I can tell you this, when I put the cross hairs on the head, it hits everytime


every time uhh. i have been shooting since i was 4 and i still dont get head shots everytime. stick with behind the shoulder on big game and body shots on the small game and you will never go wrong.



> I can tell you what it had for breakfast that day!


i know when i can tell what it ate thats usually when i shoot it in the gut not the head.


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## Sweetnutts

*******


> i have been shooting since i was 4 and i still dont get head shots everytime


 ':eyeroll:'
What are you shooting with, an air rifle, Shotgun or a .22?
.22 Lr ammo can kill over 100 yards out with a head, I have done it. So has others in hear, I have read it. Yes, every time, I put those cross hairs, on the target, its dead! NO suffering, NO running, DEATH.

Generally a five foot spray of Brain and Blood from the point of hit.

For the record, I don't hunt big game, nor do I have any interest to, No patience for them. I enjoy the instant gratification of the tree squirrel where I can tag one with in 15 minutes of finding a spot, Make it back to camp and drink a Scotch, and eat my trophies all before sundown!


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## rednek

so your telling me you have never miss a shot. 100yrds on a squirrel at his head with a 22.


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## weasle414

Boy I wish I could hit a squirrel in the head at 100 yards. I think it's funny that you say you get 1/2" groupings at 50 yards but then at 100 yards, how far out can the bullets be from where your crosshairs are? And you say you never miss? Wow, I sure do wish I was you... must be great living in a world where you can step out the back door and shoot a squirrel out to 100 yards and have a good meal every time.


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## Bore.224

Sweetnutts I will reply to what I could understand from your last post

1. I never said I was shooting at a squirrel on the run or even a squirrel for that matter, but the head is usually moving around so what I am saying is the opposite shoot for the area least likley to move.

2. What do outdoor special's have to do with this, and do you even claim to know my TV habits or is this something else you pretend to know about?

3. Then their was something about match ammo and what the animal had for dinner#$%#$$ WHAAATTT

4. You are Wrong about my age as well as I am 38 years and have been hunting and shooting since 1980.

Diggity long range shots at the heads of squirrels do you have a range finder and a .204 ruger and define lomng range!!??


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## rednek

Sweetnutts


> .22 Lr ammo can kill over 100 yards out with a head, I have done it. So has others in hear, I have read it. Yes, every time, I put those cross hairs, on the target, its dead!
> 
> Generally a five foot spray of Brain and Blood from the point of hit.


i would love to see a 40gr bullet at 100yrds have a 5foot spray. :eyeroll: 
im not sayin a 22 cant make 100yrd shots. growin up thats all i had to play with. and i was makin shots at that distance and father but i didnt hit every shot i took


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## rednek

Bore.224


> is this something else you pretend to know about?


 :rollin: :rollin: :rollin:


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## diggity

Bore.224

Please don't put me on the hit list with nutts, after all his name says it all. I am not here to argue or tell stories frankly its just not worth the time to argue against some ones opinion, every one is entitled to one and I can respect that, but I am not lier, if you don't believe me, thats fine, that would be your opinion.

I can only go by what I have done and learned over the years. I use an old Mossberg .22 rifle, with a Leupold 3-7 scope. I love that gun with that scope. I posted that story in the .22lr ammo page a while back, its a true event. http://www.chuckhawks.com/lapua_22_ammo.htm looking forward to Trying this ammo this year, hoping to hitting flies at 45 - 50 yards out after that we will push back to 65- 80 yards out.

All it takes is some beer and some time dialing the optics. I am not a great Nimrod, nor will I claim to be, however it amazes my family members when they go to see that shot from ridge to ridge where I took out the brains of one lucky squirrel that day. No range finder, based on property maps, its about 110-115 yards.

Long range shots for me 50- 80 yards out. Unless there is a lot of tree foliage, then its odiously close shooting kills. Yes the .22 can do that believe it or not.


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## greenhead61

I kill squirrels with 12 ga. 3.5 BBB's out of a patternmaster choke tube. That way I dont have to worry about aiming for the head or body. I get it all in one. And I dont have to worry about wounding any squirrels!! :rollin: :rollin: :rollin:


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## Sweetnutts

Please don't insult me digity, you probly are a lier, Its SWEETNUTTS.

Matched .22 rounds will deliver 80 - 100 yard hits. all day long.

Make all the coments you wish, its true, if it can be seen it can be killed.

Waaah I cant kill with head shots, Waahh I have to hit in belly..

Please, like I said before, learn to sight in a gun. Learn to shoot, Learn to hunt...


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## rednek

> Please, like I said before, learn to sight in a gun. Learn to shoot, Learn to hunt


your just full of it. your the one sounding like your 12


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## neb_bo

go back to nutville. its idiots like you that make hunters look ignorant. i dont know if you think people are stupid enough to believe some of the **** your writing, or if you realy dont know what your talking about. and if your dumb enough to handle firearms while drinking, maybe nobody will have to listen to you for long.


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## weasle414

Consider the following:



Sweetnutts said:


> Please, like I said before, learn to sight in a gun. Learn to shoot, Learn to hunt...


I'm not trying to pick a fight but that statement makes me need to ask a few questions.
A) If a gun is sighted in perfectly, is it guaranteed to make 100 yard shots, hitting the brain which is only about yeh wide | |?
B)What does it take to "learn to shoot"? "This is the trigger, pull it back after pressing this button. Make sure there is an animal in that metal tube thing when you look into the glass!" ?
C)Any idiot can blunder thru the woods and shoot squirrels, so maybe you have yet to learn to really hunt?



> I don't hunt big game, nor do I have any interest to, No patience for them. I enjoy the instant gratification of the tree squirrel where I can tag one with in 15 minutes of finding a spot, Make it back to camp and drink a Scotch, and eat my trophies all before sundown!


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## rednek

Sweetnutts


> No patience for them. I enjoy the instant gratification


theres your answer


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## Fordman900

Well i just have this to say hunting big game is way different from small game and so much more rewarding in my opinion so who cares if u have to wait a little bit longer than you do for other game and as for the patience problem having just a little bit will get u a long way


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## sugerfree

sugerfree said:


> head shot for sure, sudden death, and it's not running too far.


when I said this, I was talking about ground squirrels, I don't know if you guys know what they are, but they live in the high desert in oregon and they are no larger than a rat. Now I can hit them with a .22 lr at 100 yards, no way can I hit them 100%, nor do I claim to. you pretty much have to attempt to shoot them in the head every time, because sometimes that's all they stick out of their hole. The thing I don't like doing is shooting at them, knocking off a leg, and watching them run off to their hole. For them, it's either me or the poison, I know the farmer well that's property I hunt on and I know his methods of killing them.

Please don't give 15-16 year olds stereotypes, I'm 16 and I try to not look like an idiot all the time.

http://pinkrabbitsays.typepad.com/photo ... rel_3a.jpg


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## Sweetnutts

> B)What does it take to "learn to shoot"? "This is the trigger, pull it back after pressing this button. Make sure there is an animal in that metal tube thing when you look into the glass!" ?


See that is exactly where you are wrong, you DON'T pull a trigger, you gently squeeze a trigger. Pulling results in flinching and barrel movement, hence you needing a big target to aim at!!

It is amazing, this is really just a simple action, again it all comes down to dialing in the scope. Then learning to shoot. Controlling heart beats, adjusting for winds and waiting for the positioning of the prey. 
I don't shoot at everything I see, I wait for the shot, I don't force it!

That would be the learning to hunt. You are right, any knuckle head can stomp around in the woods, and kill them, this board is proof!!



> I am not a great Nimrod, nor will I claim to be,


You are a Nimrod Digit, what could a city boy from NJ know about shooting a rifle, let alone killing those squirrels that walk up to your trash while you are taking it out.

Weasle, diggit, Bore, 
ne_bro, if this is the really positive opinions, that are "informative" please, spare me the insults, I have no time for your rants. 


> if you realy dont know what your talking about. and if your dumb enough to handle firearms while drinking, maybe nobody will have to listen to you for long.


':eyeroll:'
So what you are saying is you never had a drink after hunting? OK, sure! More importantly what does that have to do with GUNS?????


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## neb_bo

yes, i do have my share of the drink, after the hunt when the guns are unloaded, and in the case. this has everything to do with guns, as it is a basic rule of firearms safety, which you must understand before calling yourself a marksman. ive seen enough firearm accidents without alcohol involved, and if i never witness another accident, it wont be soon enough. if you dont have enough respect for firearms not to handle them safely you shouldnt handle them at all. and id like to learn how to control involuntary muscles like my heart. im not a negative person when im around intelligent people.


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## sugerfree

you have no time for them, and yet you come up with dim witted comebacks to everything they say?


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## Fordman900

Nutts you are an idiot drinking and handling guns is stupid a few drinks after your all done is fine but not while hunting theres a reason there is a law against drinking and driving and guns are just as dangerous if not more so :evil: :evil: :evil:


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## squirrel sniper101

nutts NJ isnt all city.we all know the process to shoot or we wouldnt hunt at all i really think your the one who is a dimwhitted inmature "know it all" you seem to know everything.and the people who you are insulting,you should be getting the info from!!!!!!


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## Bore.224

Nutts... What kind of rifle do you use? Do you use open sights or a scope and if you use a scope what kind? Do you use shooting sticks or do you make all of these seemingly imposible shots offhand?? You say you make 80-100 yard head shots with match ammo and implied we are all crybabys for not doing so. At the range that you claim we should all go to learn how to shoot " what range do you zero your rifle in at"?

You say you put your crosshairs on the head and its dead everytime? Do you do this at 15 yards , 50 yards, 80 and 100 yards ....Please tell me because I really want to learn!!!


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## diggity

> You are a Nimrod Digit, what could a city boy from NJ know about shooting a rifle, let alone killing those squirrels that walk up to your trash while you are taking it out.


NUTTS
Yes I am from Nj, and NO I don't hunt here. I don't understand why you would be so negative to others in here. After all, I believe that there is a lot of usefull knowlage in this place. Killing with a shot to the head or to the body is a personal preference, WHY CANT YOU RESPECT THAT? How can you be so closed minded to listen to others opinions in this matter? How can you accuse others you haven't even met of "Being Real Hunters" 
How can you post and act as if you are the only one who has shot a .22?
Please do us all a favor and go away.
You have your beliefs FINE I acknowlage them, but for the love of god, stop trying to jam them down my throat with yours, with name calling insults. I have read other posts from bore, this guy is full of usefull knowlage, how can you just write him off as a 16 year old, and for that I have seem some great advise from some teenagers.

I don't profess to be the great Nimrod, but thank you for the complement, look it up in your ignorance you might learn something from a "City Boy"


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## Sweetnutts

Look at this pic of the Squirrel, the shoulder to body is no bigger then the head, so what is the problem?

Dig you are right, I guess I am just that good, or every one else is just lacking the skills in here to do a simple shot.

Thank you all for the confirmation on that.


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## rednek

Sweetnutts


> Dig you are right, I guess I am just that good, or every one else is just lacking the skills in here to do a simple shot.


GROW UP! your just cocky little brat. im willing to bet that your just a cityslicker that has never touched a gun let alone ever shot one. if you are truly a hunter than you wouldnt be talkin how perfect you are. everybody makes mistakes while hutnin, your no different.


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## LAtrapper

well im 16. and idk if im just self-assured but im pretty sure im not an immature idiot kid who calls himself a "hunter". please stay away from the stereotypes because all they do is fuel the fire for this stupid argument. :eyeroll:

and yes, please inform me how you shoot a .22 lr at 100 yards and hit your target everytime by putting the crosshairs on his head and then do the same at 50 and closer. if im not mistaked a .22 lr isnt the fastest shooting gun and falls a good deal.

Teach me almighty Nutballs. :beer:


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## Fordman900

Yes tell us your secrets oh great one everyone bow your heads hear comes the perfect hunter :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


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## LAtrapper

keep your distance though, i hear he shoots a mean mile long shot with a .22 lr.


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## weasle414

Sweetnutts said:


> Look at this pic of the Squirrel, the shoulder to body is no bigger then the head, so what is the problem?
> 
> Dig you are right, I guess I am just that good, or every one else is just lacking the skills in here to do a simple shot.
> 
> Thank you all for the confirmation on that.


But the brain is about the size of a fricken pee on squirrels. You can't just hit anywhere on the head and kill something, you have to hit the brain to make a quick, humane kill. The brain of a squirrel is about the size of a dime or a penny, the size of the lungs and heart are about the size of the whole head. Wrap your brain around that.


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## sugerfree

Sweetnutts said:


> Look at this pic of the Squirrel, the shoulder to body is no bigger then the head, so what is the problem?
> 
> Dig you are right, I guess I am just that good, or every one else is just lacking the skills in here to do a simple shot.
> 
> Thank you all for the confirmation on that.


wow, this is your sixth post? You really contribute alot to this website. I thank you.


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## sugerfree

LAtrapper said:


> keep your distance though, i hear he shoots a mean mile long shot with a .22 lr.


that's the word on the street.


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## squirrel sniper101

lol


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## squirrel sniper101

you know maybe he thinks 10 yards can be 100 yard i mean cmon no difference right :lol:


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## sugerfree

squirrel sniper101 said:


> you know maybe he thinks 10 yards can be 100 yard i mean cmon no difference right :lol:


well, come on, that's a given. obviously he is stretching something about his story.


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## Fordman900

He may think hes a "HUNTER" but he needs to learn how to judge distance better :roll:


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## rednek

maybe the reason he never misses is that he feeds them and waits till there 1 or 2 steps from the end of the barrel then has a robot arm platform he mounts the gun on then pushes a botton to shoot it


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## Squirrel_Hunter_Gray

Definitely a head shot for the reasons mentioned above.


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## neb_bo

let it lie. i think he gets the point.


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## R y a n

This thread has now run waaaaayyyyy overboard kids.

Enough. No personal attacks or you will be outta this sewing circle.

I would also suggest to use only one account when posting. Yes this means you.

LOCKED.

Ryan


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