Hunting Maybe a daft question but I need to get it out of my head…..

[Northumbrian]

Like most, I do miss shots wondering “ how in the hell did I miss” …. But in most situations I don’t have an issue…..
However, on Squirrels im struggling with a certain gun, .25 cal Lyra K with a Alpex lite on top.
Gun is accurate, now issues, However, when im on a grey im missing……going for head shots ( at 25yds) and as of yet, nothing wounded, just complete misses.
Question is ( and don’t laugh) is a nervous greys reaction time fast enough to react to sound, before a relatively slow traveling pellet gets to target ? ….. hence the miss.
Like I say I need it out of my head….. cheers all

 

[Mjd237]

Could just be a case of "Deer Fever" Or in this "Grey Squirrel " Fever.

 

[Meal Dot]

I have been shooting rats recently at difference distances. To be certain, I placed target cards at the distances I shoot. Holdover and holdunder are not what most people would think and all the shooters I have asked got it wrong. Try doing the same, shoot a dot on card at the distance you hunt. It may tell you what is going on. Good luck!

 

[Furry Tail]

I always check zero on every outing with dots on card, I find it helps me a real lot, but I do know what you mean, with .177 ive just missed squirrel completely

 

[Northumbrian]

I have been shooting rats recently at difference distances. To be certain, I placed target cards at the distances I shoot. Holdover and holdunder are not what most people would think and all the shooters I have asked got it wrong. Try doing the same, shoot a dot on card at the distance you hunt. It may tell you what is going on. Good luck!

Done that….. and the gun is on the money

 

[Northumbrian]

I always check zero on every outing with dots on card, I find it helps me a real lot, but I do know what you mean, with .177 ive just missed squirrel completely

Am lucky enough to be able to zero at whatever distance at home, I also zero to suit situation…. Off sticks, bag or whatever situation I will be in and always before I go out in the field.

 

[mitch21]

Could be a case of excitement, I still get it after 50years, I have an AA 200 which is a laser,but still happens, that's what makes this sport so addictive,
Good Luck mitch21

 

[John Pembroke]

Are the squirrels at a fairly high point in the trees? If so you may need to pick a leaf or something at that height and target practice on that to get the correct mildot for that aim point.

 

[HWHunter]

If your anything like me, I used to snatch the trigger when I was aiming at bunnies, I think it’s excitement. I try to remember to take up the second stage trigger and now it’s rare I miss…… the odd flier from time to time though.

 

[Nuggs]

Yep .. had complete misses for no apparent reason ..couldn’t possibly be me
Steep angled shots will need to be aimed slightly lower than you would do at level

 

[Audi Swift]

As said up in trees or almost on level ground, feeder?
Up high you need to aim lower, practice where you intend the pellet to land.

 

[shotaholic]

Like most, I do miss shots wondering “ how in the hell did I miss” …. But in most situations I don’t have an issue…..
However, on Squirrels im struggling with a certain gun, .25 cal Lyra K with a Alpex lite on top.
Gun is accurate, now issues, However, when im on a grey im missing……going for head shots ( at 25yds) and as of yet, nothing wounded, just complete misses.
Question is ( and don’t laugh) is a nervous greys reaction time fast enough to react to sound, before a relatively slow traveling pellet gets to target ? ….. hence the miss.
Like I say I need it out of my head….. cheers all

To answer your question, yes, a nervous grey squirrels reaction time is quick enough to dodge a pellet. A .25 calibre pellet is travelling relatively slowly and will take a relatively long time to travel 25 yards (I'm assuming sub 12 ft lb). One of the reasons I don't use .22 anymore on rats is because I've witnessed too many times rats having enough time to pull back into a hole on hearing the shot - I kid you not. At first I thought no way can a rat react that fast, but trust me, it can and it does. Like you, I originally thought how the hell did I miss that, but closer examination of whatever was behind the rat showed the pellet hit exactly where the rats head was.

 

[Tiny Teg]

I’ve had this with rats as well! I had spent the afternoon zeroing, so knew the gun was on target, yet as soon as I pulled the trigger.. gone in a flash. But not this one!!

 

[Northumbrian]

Could be a case of excitement, I still get it after 50years, I have an AA 200 which is a laser,but still happens, that's what makes this sport so addictive,
Good Luck mitch21

I know what you mean, and I’m trying to make sure it isn’t that….I’m hitting greys quite regularly with pcp .177 .22 and often with a .22 rammer…..but as yet the .25 dropped a grey !

 

[Northumbrian]

Are the squirrels at a fairly high point in the trees? If so you may need to pick a leaf or something at that height and target practice on that to get the correct mildot for that aim point.

No, it’s a easy as it gets really shooting off a wall from a bag at a flat distance of 25 yards ( must have dropped at least 100 over the last few years from this spot.)

 

[Northumbrian]

As said up in trees or almost on level ground, feeder?
Up high you need to aim lower, practice where you intend the pellet to land.

Level ground of a wall 25 yards to feeder,

 

[OldStock]

Sub 12 .25 is going to be the slowest from trigger to target, so although it should be rare, if prey timing is at all marginal, .25 is going to show it up.
I record footage whenever I can, including the zero check shot, after a miss.
Review footage, slow it and zoom (Shotcut makes that easy), with that size of pellet it should be possible to see it a fair part of the way.

 

[Lurker]

Ive had small rabbits which are lightning fast duck down and pellets which over their head when using a .177. I cant imagine its even half a second from trigger pull to pellet impact but they are so quick.

Are you shooting the squirrels when they are relaxed and feeding?

Ive had the odd time where I get excited and snatch the trigger. This for me always results in the barrel coming up and resulting in a miss.

 

[Northumbrian]

To answer your question, yes, a nervous grey squirrels reaction time is quick enough to dodge a pellet. A .25 calibre pellet is travelling relatively slowly and will take a relatively long time to travel 25 yards (I'm assuming sub 12 ft lb). One of the reasons I don't use .22 anymore on rats is because I've witnessed too many times rats having enough time to pull back into a hole on hearing the shot - I kid you not. At first I thought no way can a rat react that fast, but trust me, it can and it does. Like you, I originally thought how the hell did I miss that, but closer examination of whatever was behind the rat showed the pellet hit exactly where the rats head was.

Thanks for that… I’m not cracking up !! you know I had similar on the rats recently using a .22, the amount I had going back into holes was unreal. 2 weeks ago I started us a .177 Vixen and I was suprised to be taking out so many more in the same area.

 

[Northumbrian]

Sub 12 .25 is going to be the slowest from trigger to target, so although it should be rare, if prey timing is at all marginal, .25 is going to show it up.
I record footage whenever I can, including the zero check shot, after a miss.
Review footage, slow it and zoom (Shotcut makes that easy), with that size of pellet it should be possible to see it a fair part of the way.

Good idea, will record shirts in future, I’ve done that at night on the rats and learned quite a bit about technique etc