Favorite Squirrel Getter

webs · 09-02-2007, 10:26 PM

What is your favorite weapon of choice for Squirrel hunting.

JohnRaven.exe · 09-02-2007, 10:56 PM

My Tomahawk! Or my 22.

rondog · 09-03-2007, 12:33 AM

Never hunted squirrels, never been anyplace where there's a lot of them. But I have an old Remington single-shot .22 with a cheapo scope on it, and that thing's deadly accurate, IMO. The grandson and I were shooting water-filled cans and plastic soda bottles yesterday, and he couldn't believe I was blasting the caps off the bottles at 30 yards, without knocking them over. That rifle would be my choice, my brother gave it to me for Christmas in 1966 or so, when I was around 10, and it was his old rifle from when he was a kid. He's 16 years older than me, I'm 51 now, so that gun's been around awhile. I shot some nice, tight groups with it yesterday.

Mooseman684 · 09-03-2007, 01:17 AM

I use 12 ga. with 7-1/2 shot, since I live near a highway and they get up in 40 ft trees so I don't give em a chance...Tree Rats....I hate em but it gives me a target Rich Environment !

Rich

rookie1129 · 09-03-2007, 02:11 AM

my remington 788 with a 45gr cast bullet.

Big Dog · 09-03-2007, 04:51 AM

When younger, I used my old 20 gauge Noble pump, then the 16 gauge Remington 870. Now, I prefer my old Mossberg M146 twentytwo rifle. It's more sporting and does less damage to the meat.

webs · 09-03-2007, 09:58 AM

I first started hunting Squirrels as a young boy with a Stevens .410 double barrel.I hunted with dad back then and can remember taking many 5 squirrel limits with that little shotgun.I always shot high brass #6 shot out of it.Later in life I made the transition from shotgun to .22 caliber rifles and to this very day still enjoy hunting Squirrels with a good .22.I own many .22's but my favorite is a Savage Arms Mark 2 btvs.It has a 3x9x40 scope on it and shoots 36 grain CCI mini mags accurately.The past few years I have been hunting with a 17 mach 2 made by Savage Arrms.It is a Mark 2 F which has the bull barrel like the btvs Savage .22 caliber rifle I mentioned earlier.I find that for me I am able to make steadier off hand shots with the bull barrel rifles.My favorite Squirrel getter is the 17 mach 2.It shoots a .17 caliber 17 grain poly tip bullet a little over 2000 f.p.s.My rifle has a 3x9x40 scope on it and sighted dead on at 25 yards is dead on at 100 yards.It has a mid-range trajectary of only .7 of an inch which is very flat for a rimfire rifle.The only draw back to this rifle is that it is critical that good shot placement be made.Head,neck and broadside ribcage shots are the rule and any shots hitting leg, backbone or guts will cause extensive damage and can cause loss of edible meat.I don't shoot any shots I don't think I can make.I feel comfortable shooting shots in the 40 to 80 yard range and have made some shots nearing the 100 yard mark with this rifle.When the leaves are off and the woods are open I hunt with this rifle most of the time but I have a hard time not using my .22 some,after all they are also great Squirrel Getters.

smokey · 09-03-2007, 06:53 PM

I use a thompson classic 22 or a ruger10/22 with all the bells and whistles. Either one will make eye shots

jerry · 09-03-2007, 07:05 PM

Tough one.
I like to give all the guns some love.

Iv'e used extensively..........870 12 Ga, Rem Model 31 16 ga, Wards single shot .410 bore, Stevens 20ga SxS, Ruger 10/22, Rem 514 single shot .22 cal, Winchester Sx2 (usuallly combined with early goose and dove season, multi purpose)

For me, it's just bei'n in the woods. I use every gun I can as part of the justification process. Use 'em or loose 'em.

Oxford · 09-03-2007, 07:14 PM

Recently squirrels have been eating many of the ripened tomatos in my garden. I finally had enough of this...so borrowed a small live animal trap and have caught six during the past two weeks.

So...the situation is this...Should I 1) relocate them? or 2) kill them?

After thinking these options over about two seconds I chose option 2 because I'm really ticked off at them for wiping out my tomatos.(ha) Since I live in an urban area where shooting guns is against the city ordinance...and I've observed some of my other neighbors firing pellet rifles at varmits, I decided to use my Wally Mart special, 1000 fps lever action pump rife to kill those rascals. The key is to shoot them in the head because the other parts of their hide seems to be really tough to penetrate. About four pellets to the head and they're done for.

Midas · 09-03-2007, 07:22 PM

My favorite squirrel getter is a NEF Pardner 12 Gauge, or a Crosman .177 Pellet Rifle

Dierte · 09-03-2007, 07:49 PM

Started out using a .410 single shot. I'll use my savage bolt action .22 for the rest of my life, or atleast until I master the ancient art of stick and whistle hunting.

Zen900 · 09-03-2007, 09:38 PM

The 22LR is a perfect squirrel round. 16ga is good too but the 22LR is maybe the most perfect ammo ever made. You don't need high powered 22 ammo either cause you're aiming up into the air at squirrels. You don't want the bullet to travel very far if you miss.

Big Dog · 09-04-2007, 04:51 AM

Just bought another old Mossy Twentytwo rifle last Friday - took her to the range Monday (Labor Day). Woohoo! She's a tack driver. 16 round tube. Another 'squirrel rifle' - once I modify a scope mount to fit her.

At close range, the Aguila Super Colibri (primer-only) loads work great for squirrels. One shot - one kill, if you get him in the noggin.

Very quiet in a bolt rifle.

ArkansasHunter · 09-04-2007, 08:01 AM

from age 7 to 21 I hunted squirrels with my very first gun and it was a Sears Robuck
singleshot 20ga. shot gun.

At age 21 I bought a Remington 870 Wingmaster 12ga. 30'' barrel that I totaly hate even today.......

I won a Remington 870 Express 12ga. In a sales contest. That is the best Squirrel hunting shot gun I've ever hunted with yet. I love this plainjane shotgun !

I can't wait to try out my new Mossberg 930 12 ga. w/24'' barrell on squirrels.
I patterned it Saturday and it's appears it's going to be an excellent Turkey and Squirrel gun.

I also own a Remington 1100 3'magnum w/ 30'" ventalated rib barrel I, only shot a few times that is so pretty I don't want to mar, ding, scratch it up so it's been resting in my gun cabinet for 30 years...A.H

ezearln · 09-04-2007, 08:15 AM

.22 either my Ruger 96, or my rossi pump zero meat damage and helps keep my shooting skills up LOL !

ssfeldjager · 09-08-2007, 02:13 PM

22LR or 17HM2

Lng Rng · 09-08-2007, 03:35 PM

I like my Savage .17 HMR with 20 grain Gamepoints, or my Remmy 552 Speedmaster .22

Dan22 · 09-08-2007, 08:59 PM

shotgun. Bought it used for 12 bucks and it was the most natural pointing gun I ever used.

My brother had a Mossberg .22 Auto that was also very accurate and dependable.

Haven't shot a squirrel since the fifties but they were sure good eating. I skinned them and soaked them in cold water overnight. My mother would cook them for me while my sister looked at me like I was some kind of ogre for shooting a poor squirrel.

Funny how people will go out to a steak dinner and talk about how cruel hunters are. They should go to a slaughterhouse and see how the cows are done in.

ArkansasHunter · 09-08-2007, 09:22 PM

Dan22 I had a revelation boltaction 410 I let an old farmer talk me into trading a 410 singleshot for it. I don't know if Marlin or Mossberg made it but it turned out to be a pretty good shot gun.
I recall it had a pretty nice hardwood stock with plenty of pistol grip and the butt was man size too.
I gave it to nephew of mine years later and years later I think he pawned it to buy Crack...He's in prison now serving 17 years with 14 more to go..LOL..A.H

09-02-2007, 10:26 PM	#1
webs Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 255 Images: 3	Favorite Squirrel Getter What is your favorite weapon of choice for Squirrel hunting.

09-02-2007, 10:56 PM	#2
JohnRaven.exe Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 219	My Tomahawk! Or my 22. __________________ The right to own guns is the right to resist tyranny.

09-03-2007, 01:17 AM	#4
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,678 Images: 2	I use 12 ga. with 7-1/2 shot, since I live near a highway and they get up in 40 ft trees so I don't give em a chance...Tree Rats....I hate em but it gives me a target Rich Environment ! Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

09-03-2007, 07:05 PM	#9
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 10,884 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 1	Tough one. I like to give all the guns some love. Iv'e used extensively..........870 12 Ga, Rem Model 31 16 ga, Wards single shot .410 bore, Stevens 20ga SxS, Ruger 10/22, Rem 514 single shot .22 cal, Winchester Sx2 (usuallly combined with early goose and dove season, multi purpose) For me, it's just bei'n in the woods. I use every gun I can as part of the justification process. Use 'em or loose 'em. __________________ I'm a down home back woods redneck

09-03-2007, 07:14 PM	#10
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 13,023 Blog Entries: 4	Recently squirrels have been eating many of the ripened tomatos in my garden. I finally had enough of this...so borrowed a small live animal trap and have caught six during the past two weeks. So...the situation is this...Should I 1) relocate them? or 2) kill them? After thinking these options over about two seconds I chose option 2 because I'm really ticked off at them for wiping out my tomatos.(ha) Since I live in an urban area where shooting guns is against the city ordinance...and I've observed some of my other neighbors firing pellet rifles at varmits, I decided to use my Wally Mart special, 1000 fps lever action pump rife to kill those rascals. The key is to shoot them in the head because the other parts of their hide seems to be really tough to penetrate. About four pellets to the head and they're done for. __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

09-03-2007, 12:33 AM	#3
rondog Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 1,335	Never hunted squirrels, never been anyplace where there's a lot of them. But I have an old Remington single-shot .22 with a cheapo scope on it, and that thing's deadly accurate, IMO. The grandson and I were shooting water-filled cans and plastic soda bottles yesterday, and he couldn't believe I was blasting the caps off the bottles at 30 yards, without knocking them over. That rifle would be my choice, my brother gave it to me for Christmas in 1966 or so, when I was around 10, and it was his old rifle from when he was a kid. He's 16 years older than me, I'm 51 now, so that gun's been around awhile. I shot some nice, tight groups with it yesterday.

09-03-2007, 02:11 AM	#5
rookie1129 Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: south Louisiana Posts: 50	my remington 788 with a 45gr cast bullet.

09-03-2007, 04:51 AM	#6
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,219	When younger, I used my old 20 gauge Noble pump, then the 16 gauge Remington 870. Now, I prefer my old Mossberg M146 twentytwo rifle. It's more sporting and does less damage to the meat. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

09-03-2007, 09:58 AM	#7
webs Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 255 Images: 3	I first started hunting Squirrels as a young boy with a Stevens .410 double barrel.I hunted with dad back then and can remember taking many 5 squirrel limits with that little shotgun.I always shot high brass #6 shot out of it.Later in life I made the transition from shotgun to .22 caliber rifles and to this very day still enjoy hunting Squirrels with a good .22.I own many .22's but my favorite is a Savage Arms Mark 2 btvs.It has a 3x9x40 scope on it and shoots 36 grain CCI mini mags accurately.The past few years I have been hunting with a 17 mach 2 made by Savage Arrms.It is a Mark 2 F which has the bull barrel like the btvs Savage .22 caliber rifle I mentioned earlier.I find that for me I am able to make steadier off hand shots with the bull barrel rifles.My favorite Squirrel getter is the 17 mach 2.It shoots a .17 caliber 17 grain poly tip bullet a little over 2000 f.p.s.My rifle has a 3x9x40 scope on it and sighted dead on at 25 yards is dead on at 100 yards.It has a mid-range trajectary of only .7 of an inch which is very flat for a rimfire rifle.The only draw back to this rifle is that it is critical that good shot placement be made.Head,neck and broadside ribcage shots are the rule and any shots hitting leg, backbone or guts will cause extensive damage and can cause loss of edible meat.I don't shoot any shots I don't think I can make.I feel comfortable shooting shots in the 40 to 80 yard range and have made some shots nearing the 100 yard mark with this rifle.When the leaves are off and the woods are open I hunt with this rifle most of the time but I have a hard time not using my .22 some,after all they are also great Squirrel Getters.

09-03-2007, 06:53 PM	#8
smokey Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NC Posts: 101	I use a thompson classic 22 or a ruger10/22 with all the bells and whistles. Either one will make eye shots

09-03-2007, 07:22 PM	#11
Midas Troll B' Gone Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Springdale, Arkansas Posts: 3,807 Images: 2 Blog Entries: 6	My favorite squirrel getter is a NEF Pardner 12 Gauge, or a Crosman .177 Pellet Rifle __________________ "Recoil lasts for a second, gravity lasts forever"

09-03-2007, 07:49 PM	#12
Dierte Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 51	Started out using a .410 single shot. I'll use my savage bolt action .22 for the rest of my life, or atleast until I master the ancient art of stick and whistle hunting.

09-03-2007, 09:38 PM	#13
Zen900 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 701	The 22LR is a perfect squirrel round. 16ga is good too but the 22LR is maybe the most perfect ammo ever made. You don't need high powered 22 ammo either cause you're aiming up into the air at squirrels. You don't want the bullet to travel very far if you miss.

09-04-2007, 04:51 AM	#14
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,219	Just bought another old Mossy Twentytwo rifle last Friday - took her to the range Monday (Labor Day). Woohoo! She's a tack driver. 16 round tube. Another 'squirrel rifle' - once I modify a scope mount to fit her. At close range, the Aguila Super Colibri (primer-only) loads work great for squirrels. One shot - one kill, if you get him in the noggin. Very quiet in a bolt rifle. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

09-04-2007, 08:01 AM	#15
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 10,709	from age 7 to 21 I hunted squirrels with my very first gun and it was a Sears Robuck singleshot 20ga. shot gun. At age 21 I bought a Remington 870 Wingmaster 12ga. 30'' barrel that I totaly hate even today....... I won a Remington 870 Express 12ga. In a sales contest. That is the best Squirrel hunting shot gun I've ever hunted with yet. I love this plainjane shotgun ! I can't wait to try out my new Mossberg 930 12 ga. w/24'' barrell on squirrels. I patterned it Saturday and it's appears it's going to be an excellent Turkey and Squirrel gun. I also own a Remington 1100 3'magnum w/ 30'" ventalated rib barrel I, only shot a few times that is so pretty I don't want to mar, ding, scratch it up so it's been resting in my gun cabinet for 30 years...A.H Last edited by ArkansasHunter; 09-04-2007 at 08:06 AM.

09-08-2007, 02:13 PM	#17
ssfeldjager Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 6	22LR or 17HM2

09-04-2007, 08:15 AM	#16
ezearln Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Hill Country Posts: 3,175	.22 either my Ruger 96, or my rossi pump zero meat damage and helps keep my shooting skills up LOL ! __________________ "You can have my Freedom when I'm done with it!"

09-08-2007, 03:35 PM	#18
Lng Rng Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 944	I like my Savage .17 HMR with 20 grain Gamepoints, or my Remmy 552 Speedmaster .22

09-08-2007, 08:59 PM	#19
Dan22 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Central Florida Posts: 395	I started out hunting squirrels with a Mossberg .410 bolt Action shotgun. Bought it used for 12 bucks and it was the most natural pointing gun I ever used. My brother had a Mossberg .22 Auto that was also very accurate and dependable. Haven't shot a squirrel since the fifties but they were sure good eating. I skinned them and soaked them in cold water overnight. My mother would cook them for me while my sister looked at me like I was some kind of ogre for shooting a poor squirrel. Funny how people will go out to a steak dinner and talk about how cruel hunters are. They should go to a slaughterhouse and see how the cows are done in.

09-08-2007, 09:22 PM	#20
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 10,709	Dan22 I had a revelation boltaction 410 I let an old farmer talk me into trading a 410 singleshot for it. I don't know if Marlin or Mossberg made it but it turned out to be a pretty good shot gun. I recall it had a pretty nice hardwood stock with plenty of pistol grip and the butt was man size too. I gave it to nephew of mine years later and years later I think he pawned it to buy Crack...He's in prison now serving 17 years with 14 more to go..LOL..A.H