High tech small game hunting

mitch_mckee · 03-22-2008, 03:07 PM

Instead of tricking out our .22's with modern, high tech glass, how about going hunting for little critters with very basic stuff for a challenge and self improvement?

For example, leave the fancy 10-22 and take a single shot bolt squirrel hunting.
Get a .32 cal. black powder squirrel gun.
Hunt small game with your favorite .22 pistol with iron sights.
Stalk woodchucks with your pistol! (NOT EASY!)

Point being, it's fun to build basic skills with a .22 using low tech sighting and simpler guns. Instead of building the gun to cover our lack of skill, we can train our skills up by challenging ourselves.

After all, unless food is the issue, who really cares how many squirrels or rabbits we come home with? I think it is more interesting sometimes to come home with just a few, well earned.

HAWKEYE50 · 03-22-2008, 03:25 PM

I agree with you, that's why I shoot a muzzeloader. Or if your a puritan on the definition, INLINE. Except for sightin, I shoot standing without support.

webs · 03-22-2008, 03:46 PM

I agree Mitch and until these old eyes started failing did everything that you mentioned.Now I am happy to make clean kills with the needed magnification of scopes.Man,its hell to get old (lol).

elmer fudd · 03-22-2008, 04:17 PM

ya i agree but the one thing is that i couldnt hit the broud side of a barn with a pistol so i use rifles

mitch_mckee · 03-22-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmer fudd

ya i agree but the one thing is that i couldnt hit the broud side of a barn with a pistol so i use rifles

Ah, young man, there is the challenge! Learn to shoot squirrels with a pistol!

After all, misses are just lessons learned and .22's are cheap! Just think, if you get good enough at it, you have the possibility of feeding yourself in the wilds just about anywhere in the world with a weapon that you can just hang on your belt.

P.S. I'm a (somewhat) old fart and I'd never hunted tree rats with my .22 Ruger MKII until about 5 years ago.

CZer · 03-22-2008, 06:07 PM

I tried season before last with open sights, and I really enjoy shooting more this way, but my eyes won't allow it anymore. A scope is a must now!

mitch_mckee · 03-22-2008, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CZer

I tried season before last with open sights, and I really enjoy shooting more this way, but my eyes won't allow it anymore. A scope is a must now!

Have you tried aperture (peep) sights lately?

They have given me a bit longer to use irons.

CZer · 03-22-2008, 07:10 PM

No mitch I haven't, but I said last spring (but still didn't do it) I was going to put some on my 10/22. The Tech Sights 2000 (I think that was the name) is highly rated and made just for this rifle. But I can't even focus on a squack 20yds away sitting still anymore unless he's in the wideopen & bright light. I used to be pretty good with open sights though. A good scope & rest is enough challenge for me anymore!

ArkansasHunter · 03-22-2008, 07:19 PM

I wobble so much when I'm aimmig scopes,iron sights don't matter I'm prolly going to miss the squirrel anyway !
I hit a buzzard one time shooting at a squirrel, when the buzzard came spireling down it bustted out a mans windshield going down the highway that was near by.
A.H

mitch_mckee · 03-22-2008, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

I wobble so much when I'm aimmig scopes,iron sights don't matter I'm prolly going to miss the squirrel anyway !
I hit a buzzard one time shooting at a squirrel, when the buzzard came spireling down it bustted out a mans windshield going down the highway that was near by.
A.H

LOLOL!!! Come on now, did you 'fess up to teh driver?

elmer fudd · 03-22-2008, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitch_mckee

Ah, young man, there is the challenge! Learn to shoot squirrels with a pistol!

After all, misses are just lessons learned and .22's are cheap! Just think, if you get good enough at it, you have the possibility of feeding yourself in the wilds just about anywhere in the world with a weapon that you can just hang on your belt.

P.S. I'm a (somewhat) old fart and I'd never hunted tree rats with my .22 Ruger MKII until about 5 years ago.

ya ive been trying to get better at it i mean i just need LOTS of practice

mitch_mckee · 03-22-2008, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmer fudd

ya ive been trying to get better at it i mean i just need LOTS of practice

yes it does but if you keep at it you will get good.

The tree shall shudder with frightened squirrels every time you load up yer shootin' iron.

7mmremmag1995 · 03-22-2008, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitch_mckee

yes it does but if you keep at it you will get good.

The tree shall shudder with frightened squirrels every time you load up yer shootin' iron.

or they will laugh lol

ArkansasHunter · 03-22-2008, 09:29 PM

mitch I was kidding about hitting a Buzzard LOL !!!...A.H

elmer fudd · 03-22-2008, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7mmremmag1995

or they will laugh lol

they do but they are so stupid they waited until i got my rifle

mitch_mckee · 03-22-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

mitch I was kidding about hitting a Buzzard LOL !!!...A.H

OK, but still funny.

Sooner Shooter · 03-22-2008, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

I wobble so much when I'm aimmig scopes,iron sights don't matter I'm prolly going to miss the squirrel anyway !
I hit a buzzard one time shooting at a squirrel, when the buzzard came spireling down it bustted out a mans windshield going down the highway that was near by.
A.H

Good one AH That story reminds me of watching Saturday Night Live years ago when they had the Liars on. Yeah! That's the ticket! I was in a boat fishing not long ago and had a pellet gun with me at the time shooting at some high flying geese directly above me and and you know what almost hit me? I guess you could say I knocked the crap out of one of them! That one is true! Keep em coming AH they're funny. SS

jaeger · 03-23-2008, 12:07 AM

Went to my brother in laws last year in MI. I took my browning buckmark just for the heck of it. I just happened to be small game season up there and so I took a shot at it. Only killed 2 rabbits but man what a blast. Wasted more ammo and really came to appreciate my 10/22.

SwedeSteve · 03-23-2008, 01:39 AM

As my eyesight fades, I still take a Ruger Mk I into the fields. My Dad could hit a squirrel with his H&R 22lr pistol at distances I would miss with my Savage M24 22/.410! I tried to recreate that with my son, and only managed to kill a running squirrel lifting his 22 singleshot scoped rifle with one hand, with a sandwhich in the other, and dropping it at about 30 yards! Pure luck obviously, buthe still tells the story! LOL

andrew cochran · 03-24-2008, 09:15 AM

I like simple guns for squirrel and rabbit hunting. It does add a challenge, however unless you depend on food from your hunt it is more fun.

03-22-2008, 03:07 PM	#1
mitch_mckee Banned Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 1,086	High tech small game hunting Instead of tricking out our .22's with modern, high tech glass, how about going hunting for little critters with very basic stuff for a challenge and self improvement? For example, leave the fancy 10-22 and take a single shot bolt squirrel hunting. Get a .32 cal. black powder squirrel gun. Hunt small game with your favorite .22 pistol with iron sights. Stalk woodchucks with your pistol! (NOT EASY!) Point being, it's fun to build basic skills with a .22 using low tech sighting and simpler guns. Instead of building the gun to cover our lack of skill, we can train our skills up by challenging ourselves. After all, unless food is the issue, who really cares how many squirrels or rabbits we come home with? I think it is more interesting sometimes to come home with just a few, well earned.

03-22-2008, 03:25 PM	#2
HAWKEYE50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: HOLLY MI Posts: 128	I agree with you, that's why I shoot a muzzeloader. Or if your a puritan on the definition, INLINE. Except for sightin, I shoot standing without support. __________________ "KEEPIN MY POWDER DRY"

03-22-2008, 04:17 PM	#4
elmer fudd Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: pheasant country USA! Posts: 1,407	ya i agree but the one thing is that i couldnt hit the broud side of a barn with a pistol so i use rifles __________________ spur hard, shoot straight, party hardy!

03-23-2008, 01:39 AM	#19
SwedeSteve Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: AnchorTown, Alaska Posts: 6,167	As my eyesight fades, I still take a Ruger Mk I into the fields. My Dad could hit a squirrel with his H&R 22lr pistol at distances I would miss with my Savage M24 22/.410! I tried to recreate that with my son, and only managed to kill a running squirrel lifting his 22 singleshot scoped rifle with one hand, with a sandwhich in the other, and dropping it at about 30 yards! Pure luck obviously, buthe still tells the story! LOL __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

03-24-2008, 09:15 AM	#20
andrew cochran Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Little town in ARKANSAW! Posts: 1,470	I like simple guns for squirrel and rabbit hunting. It does add a challenge, however unless you depend on food from your hunt it is more fun. __________________ Just an old hillbilly, who can shoot real good!

03-22-2008, 03:46 PM	#3
webs Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 209	I agree Mitch and until these old eyes started failing did everything that you mentioned.Now I am happy to make clean kills with the needed magnification of scopes.Man,its hell to get old (lol).

03-22-2008, 06:07 PM	#6
CZer Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Harlan, KY Posts: 43	I tried season before last with open sights, and I really enjoy shooting more this way, but my eyes won't allow it anymore. A scope is a must now!

03-22-2008, 07:10 PM	#8
CZer Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Harlan, KY Posts: 43	No mitch I haven't, but I said last spring (but still didn't do it) I was going to put some on my 10/22. The Tech Sights 2000 (I think that was the name) is highly rated and made just for this rifle. But I can't even focus on a squack 20yds away sitting still anymore unless he's in the wideopen & bright light. I used to be pretty good with open sights though. A good scope & rest is enough challenge for me anymore!

03-22-2008, 07:19 PM	#9
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 9,872	I wobble so much when I'm aimmig scopes,iron sights don't matter I'm prolly going to miss the squirrel anyway ! I hit a buzzard one time shooting at a squirrel, when the buzzard came spireling down it bustted out a mans windshield going down the highway that was near by. A.H

03-22-2008, 09:29 PM	#14
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 9,872	mitch I was kidding about hitting a Buzzard LOL !!!...A.H

03-23-2008, 12:07 AM	#18
jaeger Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 236	Went to my brother in laws last year in MI. I took my browning buckmark just for the heck of it. I just happened to be small game season up there and so I took a shot at it. Only killed 2 rabbits but man what a blast. Wasted more ammo and really came to appreciate my 10/22.

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