How Do You Hunt Squirrels?

[Big John 50]

I prefer to walk/stalk w/o a call and always use my dad's .22--purchased used in 1946. The scope on top is a 1960 vintage 2.5x 3/4" tubed scope. Some might call this a classic small game rig. It'll print 1.5" groups at 50yd even today.

If I see 5 tree climbers four of them make it to the stew pot. I like an Italian dressing marinade followed by 1hr at 350 degrees.

20 - 30 yds is a common shot, I'm comfortable with this .22 out to about 60--hold on the pointed ear tip and gravity pulls down enough to solve my holdover.

 

[dogbuster0006]

Usually in position by a few min after daylight and I'll wait at a good hotspot. There's one group of oak,walnut and hickory trees on a friends farm were we almost always limit out. Once we've killed a few there or the action begins to die down we will slowly stalk through the woods to other stands of hardwoods we've found them in the past. We used a canoe for the first time this yr had permission to hunt several farms along the river. This was the fastest and easiest way to the productive areas. Usually we run .22 rifles more of a challenge, we are old enough that's what we are after fun..lol Back in the day we would use shot guns and/or a combination of the two so we had most situations covered. The first two pics were from a solo adventure had my limit in about 2 hrs sitting under the same group of trees. I brought out the old .410 I used it to kill my first squirrels man yrs ago and couldn't resist. The second one is the type of shot I try to make every time aim at the eye, aim small miss small...lol The last pic is from me and a buddy a few days later started to rain on us we called it early that morn. The 10-22 has a trigger job and a 1.5-6x nikon monarch, the 77-22 has a 4x leupold and a trigger job both will shoot one ragged hole if i do my part the best group from the bolt action was ten rounds i could cover with a cigarette butt... The gunsmithing was done my yours truly

 

[basset]

First thing in the mourning and in early evening i bring my granson my dog and 410 makes for a great time

 

[hunterbob]

First thing in the mourning and in early evening i bring my granson my dog and 410 makes for a great time

How can you beat that? It don't get no better.

 

[wvmountainhick]

I squirrel hunt quite a bit and much prefer to be out very early in the morning or about 2 hours before dark. As for calls and other stuff, it's not needed. The dog does the hard part by finding them. All I have to do is figure out what limb they are on and take them down. When the leaves are on we use shotguns because they are hard to support until they start to time out. When the leaves drop we can the rifles. I like my Ruger's so one of them tend to travel with me be it bolt or one of the autos. As for shotguns, rem 11-87 20 ga or win sx2 12.

 

[hunterbob]

Yep, squirrels are my favorite and rabbit too. I have always used a shotgun for those. Venison hhmmmm too. Matter a fact I just got through eating some fine venison stakes for supper. My Dog Littlebear loves it too, raw or cooked , don't matter to him. Ya have to give him some cause he won't quit barking until you do. Littlebear aint very big, but he'll go into a bear fight with a awitch knowin he's gonna loose.

 

[Railroader82]

I've hunted them Stalking slow or sitting down. We normally start hunting them at the end of August in Kentucky and first of September in Ohio. First we find buckeye trees and their favorite hickory trees. You stalk to the hickories and set up close when ya get there. At first we use shotguns cause of the leaves. We move on to the 22 later. Archery season fires up for deer middle of September so the worst thing you can do is bushytail hunt cause you will definitely see a really nice buck within 25 yards. Dad taught us how to hunt through bushytail hunting. Shotguns we fire off hand and 22 rifles the same unless there's a handy tree. Sometimes ill take shooting sticks.

 

[hunterbob]

Well Rairoader82 , I would love see somebody shoot like that. I talked to an ole boy that told about two brothers he went squirrel hunting with once. He said they used 22 rifles , and point shot every squirrel. He said it was quite amazing to see. I wondered just how many shots they had to take to get that good.

 

[Railroader82]

I'm not as good as Dad. I once saw him shoot an ol' gray squirrel running up a tree with an open sighted 22. I must've been about ten! I remember it like yesterday (31 now). Unfortunately I don't have the time I once had to shoot. I miss the simplicity of shooting close range with an open sighted 22. I love killin squirrels when they're in them hickories! Tons of fun! I like using a shotgun too.

 

[hunterbob]

I'm not as good as Dad. I once saw him shoot an ol' gray squirrel running up a tree with an open sighted 22. I must've been about ten! I remember it like yesterday (31 now). Unfortunately I don't have the time I once had to shoot. I miss the simplicity of shooting close range with an open sighted 22. I love killin squirrels when they're in them hickories! Tons of fun! I like using a shotgun too.

Yup back in the old days my Dad could shoot too. I saw him nail a woodchuck at 200 yards that was running for its hole. Open sights , a standing shot. I guess he had a lot of practice with an M-1 in 43 and 44 to shoot like that. LOL He never let me get a 22 , so I used a shotgun and we raised beagles and trained them for rabbit hunting. He liked a 410 and always shot from the hip.

 

[Railroader82]

HunterBob, sounds like your Dad is your role model hunter too! Awesome! I bet that woodchuck never seen that one coming! The other woodchucks probably packed up and moved after that incident!

 

[grizz1874]

I like Butcher, prefer to hunt them with air rifles, especially the airforce like of guns, of which i have a closet full. i stalk or sit, depending on conditions

 

[hunterbob]

I like Butcher, prefer to hunt them with air rifles, especially the airforce like of guns, of which i have a closet full. i stalk or sit, depending on conditions

Oh yeah , that is fun... I have hunted like that a lot... just find a stump and sit ,,,after a few minutes they will come out... but I always use a shotgun

 

[Old Hickory]

I'm sure glad I'm not the only one after the squirrels. I hunt with pistol and rifle only.

Stalk and sit is the only way to go unless someone comes up with a better plan.

I jumped on the .17 HMR bandwagon as soon at they hit the market after many years of .22 hunting. The HMR works great but is now a safe queen.

Then along came the .17 WSM and of course, I had to grab one. The WSM is the FINAL SOLUTION for squirrels. No crawl-off cripples, to say the least. Of course, head shots are a must, especially with the 20gr fodder I use. My rifle is a first generation Savage BMAG and is a great rifle.

I also ambush varmints while squirrel hunting, such as feral animals and coyotes. The WSM has proven very terminal and better than the HMR.

Last but not least, I also always carry my Browning BuckMark .22 for sneakers, the close squirrels that suddenly pop up too close for rifle scope focus.