Dispatching Wounded Animals

[jthrelf]

I had a situation squirrel hunting yesterday where the animal did not die immediately after being shot. I had to finish him off with my knife and that wasn't instantaneous either. Like all ethical hunters I want the quickest and cleanest kill possible, but things won't necessarily always go that way. I still feel terrible about it and want to figure out a corrective practice.

To dispatch a wounded animal I assume you'd have to use something otherwise legal as an arm for hunting that animal. So that could mean a centerfire revolver at close range to the head for a deer, or a rimfire revolver for small game. But the special regulation areas do not include any handguns for legal hunting.

It just seems like ethics don't line up with the game laws in this situation.

Who carries a revolver for this purpose? What does everyone do in the situation of a wounded animal? Any comment for special regulation areas specifically?

Thanks.

[Marcus99]

Just shoot it again with whatever rifle or shotgun you're carrying, generally in the head. Sometimes with birds and stuff I'll just step on their head.

[MARINE DIVISION TWO]

Stomp its head ! Quick and humane !

[jthrelf]

Just shoot it again with whatever rifle or shotgun you're carrying, generally in the head. Sometimes with birds and stuff I'll just step on their head.

Ok that makes sense for a deer. At the time yesterday I didn't want to blast a squirrel point blank with a 12 gauge.

Stomp its head ! Quick and humane !

In retrospect I should have done this. I will know now for next time. Thanks

[Qtrborecrazy]

With wounded birds we just wring their necks. Tree rats would get another 22 to the head. Get yourself a 410 for the squirrels.

[streaker69]

Did you try hitting it?

[KatesDad]

Stomp its head ! Quick and humane !

Thats what I have done in the past. Quick and relatively painless.

[RBELARDI]

I generally grab it by the tail and smash it off a rock, I know it sounds bad but it works to dispatch quickly,

[Badger Tuff]

If you have to use a shotgun get a 410 otherwise a 22 is all ya need for Squirrel and try to head shoot them with the first shot. But if ya have a bad hit and we all have at some time or another, any of the above methods mentioned will work. And you can carry a manual operated revolver for hunting. There is some small 22 revolvers made by different gun companies that are a good choice for dispatching a wounded animal. I would use a 22 short hp round to the head for that task.

[MARINE DIVISION TWO]

Thats what I have done in the past. Quick and relatively painless.

For the stomper !