Author Topic: Snake shot on squirrels? (Read 2558 times)

1marty · « **on:** February 07, 2007, 03:43:02 PM »

I live in NY State and this year I have a grey squirrel(s) in the attic. My wife called in experts to trap it/them humanely but the little
#%&!!!**%^ hasn't cooperated. I hit one with my Gamo air pistol but I guess I probably wounded it. My wife (a tree hugger) now wants me to kill it. I was thinking of using my Rem 870 with 00 buck or my 7-08 remington but I'm afraid of damaging the roof. All kidding aside someone told me to use CCI snake shot in my 22LR 10/22. Has anyone had any experience with this shot-will it kill a squirrel?
HELP!

wncchester · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2007, 04:07:25 PM »

I tried .22 snake shot on some squirrel-size attic rats a few years ago. Didn't work. I think it would IF I could have gotten close enough. Couldn't get less than maybe 20 feet and the shot just ticked 'em off. Not that I minded that, but it didn't get rid of the rats. Poision did. Would that work on your varmits too? Might save the roof if it did!

joshco84 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2007, 04:28:54 PM »

i shot a coon in a live trap with one (22lr) about a foot away and all it did was make him madder than all get out. It was all that was in the truck at the time and i figured it would be plenty at that range, i was wrong and had to go to the house and get regular 22 shells.

josh

buffermop · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2007, 06:18:29 PM »

I had the same problem with a squirrel in the house. Got the varmint cornered in my son's bedroom and took him out with a well placed shot in the head from my air rifle.

slab12 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2007, 12:45:58 AM »

Why not try some super colabri 22 ammo no powder just primer to propel the bullet.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2007, 01:59:22 AM »

slab12 beat me to it, a Super Colibri will not quite penatrate a 3/4" pine board and will be safe to use in your attic, as usual be sure of your backstop, do not shoot if there is a window behind your squirrel target of course. I have shot over 250 squirrels in my back yard using these and up to about 20 yards they are absolutely deadly with head shots, upper body shots work also. If you cannot get the Super Colibris the regular Colibris will work also just a little less powerful. Buy a box or 2 of 50 and shoot a few to sight in your rifle at the expected range and then simply and permanantly remove the problem, once and for all. They are quieter than a BB gun!!! That is the reason I started using them on the problem squirrels in our back yard in the first place. At first they were just raiding the bird feeders, then they started chewing things up and trying to get into the birdhouse. Then they were trying to get into the house. No more....the problem has been solved and not one nieghbor was aware, except the 2 who were doing the same thing at thier house!!!....<><....

mikedb · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2007, 03:15:07 AM »

Quote from: slab12 on February 08, 2007, 12:45:58 AM

Why not try some super colabri 22 ammo no powder just primer to propel the bullet.

+1 I took out a chipmunk one of the cats dragged into the basement with this ammo.

1marty · « **Reply #7 on:** February 08, 2007, 03:30:24 PM »

I'll give the Aquila a "shot". If, that doesn't work I may need to go to hand to hand combat (mano y mano) with this little rodent.

gustmouse · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2007, 02:06:53 AM »

I had the same problem for years until this year since I have 2 cats that patrol my roof and this has kept the squirrels out of my attic. But before that no matter what I did they would find a way in by chewing and scratching. So over the years I've shot about a dozen and killed most with 22 CB longs. The ones I hit in the head died pretty quick but the ones I shot in the body had a chance to live an other day! They are a pretty tough animals. I never shot one in the attic. But any I noticed coming off the roof was targeted and shot when I was able to get a good clean and safe shot. The CB long will ricochet easily! But head shots from 3-15 yards worked well with the CB long.

S.S. · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2007, 07:12:59 AM »

Don't use the colibri ammo in a long barreled rifle. I have had them stick in the barrel.
Moving through the rifling really slows these low powered loads down a lot.
The Super Colibri made it out but didn't have enough energy left to make it to the target
about 20 yards away. with an 18 inch barrel they do ok but the colibri velocity was only
375 fps. The Super Colibri was 425 fps. This was 12 inches from the muzzle. Bare in mind that
a Red Ryder BB gun's velocity is just about 400 fps. Much better than a Snake load, but accuracy is paramount with these tiny cartridges. Bait a rat trap with peanut butter and let it solve your
problem for you. A wounded or poisoned rodent can get into some pretty hard to get to places to die. Then they just sit there and stink.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2007, 08:40:05 AM »

1marty · « **Reply #11 on:** February 09, 2007, 06:05:07 PM »

you're right-I went to the local gun store to buy a box of ammo and he said it was too dangerous to shoot the Aquila out of a 22 rifle. I think I'll buy some rat traps and try to shoot them with my gamo air pistol too.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2007, 02:37:23 AM »

Thats the trouble with people that just repeat rumors or only state what they have read and have never used them or don't speak from a LOT of expierence 1marty. they are usually wrong. But good luck with your rat traps....<><....

wink_man · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2007, 11:59:39 AM »

Forget the 22's, rat traps, etc. Who has time to try to stalk a squirell in the attic, or have your wife have a canary if you get him in a rat trap and have to finish him. Go to your local sporting goods store, and buy yourself a #110 Conibear trap, dab peanut butter on the prongs and leave it up in the attic, it won't take long, and you won't have to worry about finishing him off.

1marty · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2007, 04:38:53 PM »

After shooting it once with snake shot last night and my air pistol the @#$^%& is still up there. It seems to avoid every trap. I hired a "professional" critter ritter and after 2 weeks his traps didn't work either. I'm going to try to shoot it with a regular 22 as long as he's on the west side of the attic (no neighbors in that direction). If, they doesn't work then I guess I'll have to adopt him and make him or her part of the family. Probably leave all my money to it since my kids don't deserve it.

calvon · « **Reply #15 on:** February 11, 2007, 05:00:29 PM »

A number one Victor trap, with some peanut butter spread on the trigger, and placed in a joint of stove pipe, will catch just about any woodrat. They like to run in tunnels and they like peanut butter. Anchor the trap chain to something the rat can't drag off, set the trap, and go someplace and be quiet for an hour.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2007, 02:44:07 AM »

1Marty, do yourself a favor and don't put a hole in your house. Forget what that salesman told you about .22 Super Colibris and buy a box, I am wondering if he did not have any so he told you that in an attempot to sell you something else, like .22 snakeshot which is very expensive compared to Colibris. I have shot over 250 squirrels and a few crows with them out of several different makes and models of .22 rifles with no problems. As with any gun or ammunition you must always be aware there are no bore obstructions from a squib load but they work and they work well. I the odd event that one does stick in a rough barrel it is a simple matter to just bump out that little 20 grain soft lead projectile with a .22 caliber cleaning rod. I am really fed up with the many so called "experts" that offer opinions and suggestions with no expierience, yes they may have heard it or read it somewhere (it's on the box) but in real life they work and they work GREAT... If you still feel you must listen to these "experts" who offer suggestions with no expierience to back up thier words I at least suggest you buy some .22 CB caps, the long CB caps are easier to handle than the shorts. The CB caps are less powerful than regular .22 longs, they may still penetrate your roof or walls but there is less chance they will. I wish I were near there I would come over and shoot that little buggar for you with a .22 Super Colibri and make a believer out of you....best of luck on your squirrel safari....<><....

by the way I have better luck accuracy wise out of a fouled barrel. Shoot at least 3 or 4 to find out where they are hitting at the range you might expect to shoot and then don't clean the gun until after you dispatch that little critter to wherever dead squirrels go. The first 1 or 2 shots from a clean barrel always seems to be a flyer, then they settle down and shoot well....<><....

Please try it and let us know how everything works out...............

Keith L · « **Reply #17 on:** February 12, 2007, 04:48:23 AM »

I agree with MSP. You are going to want to sight in the gun with this new ammo anyway, so if you shoot and there is no apparent hole in the target try a rod down the barrel to make sure the projectile made it out. It will take a few to get the range anyway, and by then you should get confidence in the ammo.

I have never seen that brand around here. I will have to check.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2007, 07:33:36 AM »

The Colibris and Super Colibris are manufactured by Aquila....<><....

1marty · « **Reply #19 on:** February 20, 2007, 03:59:51 PM »

Well this is the final report; the animal was going nuts last night running around the attic. Wife told me to get up in the attic and don't come down until it was dead. Took my old 22 winchester model 77 my Dad gave me 50 years ago and put a cci snake shot in it. When I opened the attic and shined the flash light in, there was a big grey squirrel about (give or take) 10 yards away just staring at the light. I shot for the head. It jumped flipped over and died. I'm thinking of taking a picture of the squirrel and me and mounting it next to the picture of the 10 pointer I shot several years ago.
Wife was appreciative I finally killed it but is still opposed to hunting.
Thanks for all the advice.

Zen900 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 20, 2007, 05:14:29 PM »

Quote from: 1marty on February 20, 2007, 03:59:51 PM

Well this is the final report; the animal was going nuts last night running around the attic. Wife told me to get up in the attic and don't come down until it was dead. Took my old 22 winchester model 77 my Dad gave me 50 years ago and put a cci snake shot in it. When I opened the attic and shined the flash light in, there was a big grey squirrel about (give or take) 10 yards away just staring at the light. I shot for the head. It jumped flipped over and died.

You held the light and the gun at the same time?

Keith L · « **Reply #21 on:** February 21, 2007, 12:27:24 AM »

When mounting that squirel are you going to use a head mount or a full body mount?

1marty · « **Reply #22 on:** February 21, 2007, 12:59:19 AM »

held light and rifle at same time-not a difficult shot at that range
haven't decided whether to eat it or stuff it.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #23 on:** February 21, 2007, 04:34:07 AM »

A great end to a long journey 1Marty, thanks for sharing it with us, congratulations. How about a picture when it's mounted....<><....

buffermop · « **Reply #24 on:** February 21, 2007, 04:37:15 AM »

Had birdfeeder problems with the little critters. Knocked down one feeder and emptied the other. That is a thing of the past thanks to my Daisey Powerline 1000. Don't need snakeshot , just a well placed headshot.

S.S. · « **Reply #25 on:** February 21, 2007, 08:19:19 AM »

I assume by this...

and this....

"Thats the trouble with people that just repeat rumors or only state what they have read and have never used them or don't speak from a LOT of expierence 1marty. they are usually wrong. But good luck with your rat traps....<><.... "

That you are refering to me ?

<>< ( I assume that this is a Christian symbol) Hmmmm .. False witness brother.. you know
absolutely nothing about my experiences with these rounds. As for the rest, Enough said I
guess.

TrenchMud · « **Reply #26 on:** February 23, 2007, 08:12:09 AM »

Those colibri rounds will sure stick in the barrel of a Winchester model 67 !!!
Had to poke it out with a skinny wooden dowel. A couple of them taught me my lesson. I use CB's instead. The Super Colibri is a lot of fun out of my single six though. Pretty accurate out to about
20 yards. As for snake shot, I have never shot a squirrel with one but I have taken out some snakes
that were a lot heavier than squirrels with them.

Slowhanddd · « **Reply #27 on:** February 23, 2007, 01:46:07 PM »

Got to be a good one.Dave

1marty · « **Reply #28 on:** February 23, 2007, 03:53:11 PM »

I wasn't going to post anymore but wow; if, that was in my attic I would have used my win 300 mag. Where was that critter shot? Field dressing it must have been some job.