Squirrel Hunting

[Redskinsfan]

The savage model 24 is the finest of the tree rat guns. 20 or 410 under 22 or 22 mag. You have the best of both worlds at the flick of a button. Scope it low power and you can use the scope on the shotgun without a problem.

I just use a 22 handgun or my model 39a rifle almost always for tree rats. I have no sling on the rifle so the pistol comes along most of the time. easier to carry and I can do well with it but it is not your average 22 pistol.

I can't find a holster for it so I use an old laptop bag. An apple something to drink a tree rat call and the pistol. Easy to walk around with and light weight. That pistol can shoot very well.

Very nice looking Buckmark! I am sure that will shoot a nice tight group. With that handgun there should be no need to drag anything else along. I think a laptop bag is a good idean, the bag will protect the gun while in the woods, you would not want to unnecessarily ding that nice stock.

Terry

 

[davedolli]

About anything will work, a Savage model 24 of some sort, is great, then you have a shotgun and a .22 rifle.

Dave

 

[Redskinsfan]

About anything will work, a Savage model 24 of some sort, is great, then you have a shotgun and a .22 rifle.

Dave

I formerly used a model 24 Savage for squirrels, I believed it was the best choice for the job, but time caught up with me and then I had to wear glasses, bi-focals. I had to then look down the sights differently making it very awkward for me to use the model 24, so I sold mine to buy my son a Browning BPS for Christmas.

Oh well, now I use one of eight different guns, whichever tickles my fancy at the time. Shotgun, rifle, handgun and even a muzzleloader in.32 is what I use.

 

[davedolli]

I formerly used a model 24 Savage for squirrels, I believed it was the best choice for the job, but time caught up with me and then I had to wear glasses, bi-focals. I had to then look down the sights differently making it very awkward for me to use the model 24, so I sold mine to buy my son a Browning BPS for Christmas.

Oh well, now I use one of eight different guns, whichever tickles my fancy at the time. Shotgun, rifle, handgun and even a muzzleloader in.32 is what I use.

I still have a Savage 24 in .22/.410, but I am in the same situation as you, so I find myself using lots of optics on my firearms. lol

Dave

 

[mjblazor]

I have a brand new CZ 452 Military trainer I can't wait to use on squirels.

 

[TJJ]

I often go shotgun early in the season (when the leaves are providing cover for the bushy tails) and then switch to 22 later.

Have fun and good luck!

 

[BEBOATS]

A 12 Ga. with no 5 shot always worked well for me especially when
hunting in a good thick woods. You will find you dont have a clear shots
with squirrels setting and cutting on something and a lot of them will be
moving pretty fast. If you are in a woods that have fox squirrels (Red) then a .22 will work pretty good they are easy to get but the little
fast grays can get to be difficult. A lot of times you cant get a good clear shot at one cutting out on the end of a branch and leaves blocking a clear shot that is where heav load no 5 shot come in handy you can shoot through them and one or two shot will bring it down.

 

[Tactical Dave]

.22 cal pellet rifle.

 

[410 Guy]

a good 22 rifle for after the leave fall and a H&R 410 shotgun for when the leaves are on.

 

[Ter]

In my youth I spent many a day in the squirrel woods with a bolt action 410.

 

[srad]

.17hm2 is the absolute best I've found; a remarkable, accurate round for squirrel but you have to take head shots only unless you want to trace copper shrapnel through the meat.

After that my preference is .22 with the most accurate rifle-to-round match up I can find.

If you haven't visited it, you really should go over to rimfirecentral.com and read up on Squirrel Hunters! The Tree Kind! forum. Register on the site and search "squirrel" on the hunting forum. There are some legendary squack hunters over there... patience being one of em.

 

[tmattern]

.17 HMR faster than a .22 and flater shooting. I hunted for years with a .22 and shot alot of squirrels with it, but one I shot with a .17 HMR there was no going back!

 

[indyjoe]

.17 HMR faster than a .22 and flater shooting. I hunted for years with a .22 and shot alot of squirrels with it, but one I shot with a .17 HMR there was no going back!

As long as you only make head shots. Otherwise, it probably tears up the meat.

 

[longbarrel]

this will be my first year of squirrel hunting. I'm pretty excited, just not quite sure what rifle or shotgun to use. Give me some suggestions please..

single shot .410 only until the leaves start coming down, which should be early like September, then I would use any rimfire that you feel good and comfortable with.

 

[trapperDave]

22 mags thru my ruger single six

 

[Redskinsfan]

There are many choices for squirrel hunting, which is still my favorite time in the woods. I have used .22s both long gun and hand gun; .22 magnum rifle;.32 caliber muzzle loader; and shotguns in 12, 16, and 20 gauge. I bought my first .410 bore shotgun this year and I intend to use it for squirrels some this fall. All of the above are good choices, but there are more good choices too, such as the .17 caliber rimfires.

As far selection goes the intended range and game is a consideration, I have noticed that the fox squirrel can be very tough and a shotgun is only good at pretty close range and a .22LR must be well placed such as in the head or chest cavity. I have inadvertently hit fox squirrels with gut shots with a rifle because I did not adequately lead them while they were running, one fox squirrel took three hits to its mid and lower body and was still moving at high speed, a hit to its chest ended it all finally.

 

[snapping turtle]

I hunt tree rats when I am out and about scouting deer mostly. For years I used a 22 mag lever rifle because that is what I had and it worked really well. Yes fox types will run and get away if you do not choose a good shot selection.

Now the grays are a bit harder to score on because they never seem to stop for anything and travel farther.

I now have a nice pair of walking boots for still hunting. I use a 22 pistol (A long barreled one) and a shooting stick for them to give them half a chance. Even with that setup if I can get a clean rest I can nail them out at 50 yards. Seldom do I have to normally just to the top of the tree. Also if you have a pair of binoc's that helps find them when you spook them.

 

[nvb]

any .22 will do the job. scopes make things easier

 

[kboom524]

I have a 10/22. I've always been paranoid about having a scope because sometimes you have to raise, point and shoot as fast as you can. Sometimes you lose your target when you try to spot it through the scope that fast. Does that make sense? Or maybe I'm just paranoid i don't know.

Been hunting squirrels for over 30 years, have never had to make a snap shot at a squirrel. Always take my time and wait for a good shot. If you are patient and wait your shot will come. If you think you will be making snap shots take a shotgun, 20 gauge works well. My son has a bolt action .410 that works very well for squirrel. I have a few 22 rifles I hunt with. My first rifle was a Marlin 60, still hunt with it sometimes. Also hunt with a 10/22 every now and then. My go to rifle most times is a 77/22 with a 3-9 scope. I prefer a scoped rifle when leaves are still on the trees. When leaves start dropping I will sometimes go to a iron sighted rifle, or if I really want a challenge a iron sighted handgun. If you need someone to hunt with, I live in New Haven, let me know and we might be able to hunting together some morning.

 

[42769vette]

i think your problem with scoped rifles revolves more around the scope being the wrong size for the appliciation than the fact that the rifle is scoped