Blunts vs broadheads for squirrel

[Jerry Gille]

I have bowhunted squirrels 27 times since the Illinois opener on August 1 - after work almost every night on public and private ground.  I have yet to take a shot at a squirrel on the ground this season.  That will change as the mast drops but is definitely not the case in the early part of the season.  I do not hesitate to take a shot in a tree as I don't hunt anywhere where that arrow dropping is a concern.  I lose or break close to 200 arrows a year chasing squirrels and won't even bother looking for them unless I see them fall right next to me.  My gear has been designed for this style of hunting.

If you are not concerned about where the arrow drops and not concerned about losing the arrow, why wouldn't you shoot up in a tree?  If you are concerned about such things then squirrel hunting might not be much fun for you.

[frank bullitt]

Exactly said on your first post, Jerry Gille!            

Serious Squirrel Bowhunter!

[LBR]

I believe squirrel was Mr. Jerry Pierce's favorite animal to hunt with a bow.  He would cut a notch in a field point and epoxy injector razor blades--no telling now many squirrels he killed.  The only one I've killed with a bow and arrow was taken with an Ace Hex-Head blunt (perfect double lung..squirrel was DRT)...that being said, I won't even hunt rabbits with anything other than broadheads or at least a small game head with blades.

[Ron LaClair]

Some good heads for squirrels

 

[LBR]

Next to last, from left to right, was Mr. Jerry's preferred squirrel medicine.  I've got a few of them around here somewhere...

[Squirrel Hunter]

I've shot a lot of squirrels over the years with a lot of different heads. I've been disappointed in the results from some blunts, but I have never, ever, lost a squirrel hit with an HTM rubber blunt on a moderately heavy (550 gr or more) wooden arrow. Another benefit is that they bounce off, rather stick in, trees. They are all I have used for the past 10 years or so. Mostly I use a 60lb longbow, but I think they would still work well with lighter equipment.

Broadheads always work. I've never used field points but have an experienced squirrel hunting friend who loves them.

[canopyboy]

Originally posted by RIVERWOLF:
Squirrels  ain't nothin' but a ball of muscle wrapped in buffalo hide !

That's been my experience. While I've had mixed results with various blunts/hammers/small game heads, I haven't lost one I hit with a broadhead yet. I have lost a couple of broadheads though...

I have hit squirrels in the butt with HTMs that did not seem phased at all. I have been hunting squirrels and bunnies and pheasants with bows since I was in grade school, I have killed a lot of game with blunts, HTMs and bludgeons.  I have killed quite a few with free three blade broadheads as well.  We cut notches into the hi-precision heads to make them more effective on small game. The vitals on small game are small.  We occasionally lost game hit with sharpened broadheads.  9/16" blunts are legal for turkeys in Iowa, I think other states as well, I had extreme doubts about this, so I called to get to the bottom of their reasoning.  The person that I talked to had stats of the testing and lots of information.  He was very insistent on its effectiveness.  Crossing over from his logic with large blunts to squirrel hits.  You hit a squirrel in the butt with an HTM you may give it a bad day, but he will live to tell about it.  Change that hit so something more than a glancing butt hit, the squirrel is dead. Make that glancing butt hit a sharpened broadhead, you are still not going to stop the squirrel, but you have given that squirrel much more than just a bad experience, more than likely a life ending gash. Was it Saxton Pope that wrote that the shocking power of a blunt seemed more effective than a broadhead on small game?  It will always be part of the game, you still need to hit them right for the cleanest possible kill.  Saying all of this, I did get another free six hi-precision heads this week.  I hope to get a pheasant or two with them.

[Zbone]

I totally concur with Squirrel Hunter and rubber blunts... Have killed squirrels with Judo points, field points, and broadheads and all needed a chase to pursue... So far I've only managed to hit one with a rubber blunted flu-flu, hit him in the chest and killed him graveyard dead, barely even kicked... I was shocked and impressed... I now carry a rubber blunted flu-flu all times afield...

[Charlie Lamb]

All "squirrels" across the country are not created equal.

[Charlie Lamb]

All "squirrels" across the country are not created equal.

[two4hooking]

Amen Charlie. Our greys here will laugh off rubber blunt. May as well spit at them.

Ball of muscle wrapped in a buffalo hide...yup!

[frank bullitt]

Yes Sir!

We have the toughest meanest biggest and smartest squirrels in the country here, the mighty fox squirrel.  They laugh at danger.  I asked my son how many squirrels he shot on the Hughes farm the year that we lost our extra doe tags and he decided to lengthen his hunting time by not filling his deer tag early.  He said, 18 squirrels 5 rabbits.  I asked him how many he hit and not recover, "None, that's a stupid question. You have a new squirrel point you want me to try? I'm going after wood cock this year."  He used steel blunts for some and Saunders bludgeon screw ins for the rest.