Predators & Small Game
Okay, this may seem like a stupid question, but how do you get started squirrel hunting? I've never done it. Is a .22 good enough? or should I use a shotgun? do you just sit down and wait for them? what about calling? seems like I'm surrounded by them when I'm sitting on a deer stand, but figure that when I actually go out to hunt them, I won't see a single bushytail! what's the best way for a beginner to kill a few??? and if I'm lucky enough to do that...then what??? how do you cook the little rats???
thanks!
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When i first started out actually shooting at game(11), I actually missed more with the 20 gauge. I just didnt grasp the concept that you still had to aim. Went from getting 1 outa 4 with the scattergun to 4 outa 4 with the .22. I will always reccomend that anyone starting out start with the .22.
20 gauge works....but I think .410 is a better option for youngsters. With a .22 they will learn to miss tho. Hunting isnt as fun if you never miss =]
Just starting out a shotgun is the way to go, especially if your a youngster (20 ga.), if your not proficient with your 22 you will miss alot, and a youngster needs to hit and kill the squirrels the first year or so , so they will like hunting.
If you have a problem with the shot in the squirrel, back up and shoot further away from them.
I like to hunt around Hickory tree's in October, Red Oak and Pin Oak tree's in November and December, on windy days squirrels will be mostly on the ground, clam day's they will be up in the tree's feeding.
I like walking about 25 yards and sitting down for 20 or so minutes, then moving on 25 more yards, usually you will get one or two at every sitting, or at least here one barkig nearby and you can then put a stalk on them.
The way I like to cook squirrel is to cut them up into quarters, then season to taste, flour them, brown on each side, then put them into a pressure cooker with water, onion and a few potatoes, after about 30 minutes of cooking I let the cooker cool then it's Supper TIME!
David H.
The pellets are exactly why i normally dont use a shotgun. Have to be extra careful while cleaning to remove the lead.
One bad thing about hunting them with a shotgun is that the pellets can get stuck in the body and if you arent careful you might bite down on a piece of led, so if you do choose to use a shotgun be conscience for that.
I use a .22 for squirrel and dont have a problem with missing. In my opion, if you need to use a shotgun for squirrel you need to shoot more targets with the rifle. UNLESS you happen to wander upon a bushytail while rabbit or upland hunting, then by all means take it with the scattergun.
Hi...
A shotgun for squirrels...?? Good grief man...can't you see them over the sights on your .22...??
A .22 (or even smaller) caliber short is more than adequate for any squirrel.
A little hint for squirrel hunters: is the squirrel on the opposite side of the tree...where you can't see it? Just tap the tree with a rock, and he'll come into your sights...!!
Good luck.
["...I've shot a few squirrels with mine and a couple of them hit the ground in more than 1 piece."]
I've used my .17HMR with the standard 15 or 17 gr. Hornady XT ammunition and have never had a squirrel fall to the ground in pieces. I think it's a great round that's accurate and makes for an extremely clean kill.
I'd be interested in knowing what kind of ammunition you're using with a .17HMR that's making your squirrels explode into pieces and giving you those kind of results...?
.22 is all i hunt the tree rats with i use remington hollow points and they do the job
I sit in a blind next to a deer feeder filled with corn. I wait for the squirrel to come and shot it with a .22. My friend walks around and shots them with a shotgun.Hope this helped.
dogs work great, and I'm not saying go out and get yourself a high-end dog- myself I have a Australian shepherd/ border collie mix....She's an amazing hunter, she works hard to please and an overall great companion!
thank you
He is an illustrated instructional link for an easy squirrel cleaning method.
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/small-game/how-clean-squirrel
Easiest way I know only I don't dip the squirrel in the water first.
Good Hunting.
later,
charlie
can any one refer me on field dressing a squirrel i was gonna go hunting September 18th
22. is a great rifle to use. You can just walk around and shoot em.
You can try calling them or you can use dogs and tree them.
Nice tip Big O I do that too.
.22,410,12gauge,or even 20gauge I use em all
.22 will work fine, practice first. Then "head- shots".
6phunters got it, as do several others. Nice "bait",mantlerman. I'll have to give this a try!
Good luck and good hunting out there.
Oh I've been chasing them for over 35+ yrs. and it's NEVER lost it's thrill, oh you can send the tails to MEPP'S bait company and get free spinner baits.
hunting with a .22 cal. is lots of fun but near populated areas it can be dangerous shooting upward into trees.so lots of times i' [shoot c b rounds which is a lot like using a hi powered pellet rifle.Since early season hunting coinicides with early buck rubs i'm prescouting for deer and stand place ment and usually see lots of squrriels. sometimes i'l make a loud kissing smack sound and the squrriels answer giving up thier location.moving slowly u can hear them cutting on nuts as pieces fall through the canopy onto the ground.after awhile you will reconize the different sounds they make like whistles and growls and other such chatter.try imitating them sometimes in city parks for hilarious results,
HILAWZ45, so true. The fastest way to get squirrels around you is to sit in a deer stand. They will scold and harass you til you almost can't take it, they disappear when you decide you'll take out the next one that shows up. Then you scare the deer off that you hadn't seen bedded down a short distance away with the one shot you take. Anyone else had this happen?
I have found that my two favorite guns to take into the woods to hunt squirrels are both .22's one s a ruger 10/22 all weather model with a red dot sight and the second is my browning .22 semi-auto pistol. Both are very accurate and a pleasure to hunt with. I like to slowly amble through the woods, pausing to allow the woods to get their rhythm going and locate and harvest my fair share.
I think over the years , the best method to draw squirrels is to set up a deer stand..expect to harvest the grand daddy deer of the woods..and instead get harassed by squirrels all morning long. LOL
I have often thought of a decoy deer stand patent to fool squirrels.
I started squirrel hunting when I was 4 years old, 60 years ago. Dad started me squirrel hunting with a pump up pellet gun and graduated me to a .22 rifle.
I now hunt squirrels with a .17 HMR and of course, go for head shots. The benefits of using the .17 is the gained accuracy and range over a .22.
A hunter/shooter should learn to shoot small and stay with it if the student is going to learn to shoot properly.
Another important skill for any type of hunting is patience and quiet stalking skills.
Tracking is also a paramount skill and is almost a lost art nowdays. If you don't know how to track, learn how to and pass it on down to our new generation of hunters. There are more hunters nowdays that have poor or no tracking skills than hunters that are skilled trackers.
get a50 round clip for your 22 and shoot um up
i agree with web7 i hunt with a 22
My first hunting experiences came squirrel hunting. It's great for beginners and little kids because it gets them exposed to the outdoors and makes them observe nature and their surroundings. A few things that I found helpful is to always be looking ahead and at the tree tops. Squirrels will bounce on the limbs to get the nuts to drop and can make quite a bit of noise doing so. However, birds sometimes do the same thing. This is why it is more difficult to hunt squirrels when it is very windy.
We always try to find hickory or oak trees - woods that are thick with these can hold quite a few squirrels. When hunting move as quietly as possible from tree to tree, keeping your eyes up as you move. Don't go too fast or you're bound to miss seeing some. If you’re not seeing any, sit down for a little while (sometimes even take a nap) and let the woods settle down for a little while.
A .410 or 20 gauge is great for beginners. As you get more experienced, try to make shots next to trees so that you can move to a .22. With the shotgun, make sure you are aiming for the head or all you’ll be doing is eating lead with your supper. (That’s why the .22 is preferred).
Hope this helps, good luck! Let us know how it goes for you!
In many cases a 12 gauge can be overkill, a buddy of mine shot one and all we found were bits of the back legs and tail. A .22 LR is more than adequate for squirrels. At camp pellet guns were enough to do the job.
it all depends on how big the person is if your about 10 a 410 is great but if your 14 or older a 12 gauge will work just to get started, but once you get started a 22 is as good as it gets
I have never shot one with a .17 I've always used a .22 or a shot gun. I was just told they work really well so now I know not to use a .17
If you want to keep the meat I wouldn't use a .17 HMR. I've shot a few squirrels with mine and a couple of them hit the ground in more than 1 piece.
Actually a .22 mag is entirely too big to shoot squirrels.I would recommend a .22 or .17 HMR, but for begginers i would start them out with a .410 or .20 guage shotgun
actualy a .22 is all you need but for begenners or someone that needs shooting practice a shotgun is ok.
when i hunt all i use is a 22 and it always does the job. i am 15 and have been hunting squirrels for five years and have always used a 22. if you are a good shot thats all you need. the best ammo i have found are the federal copper plated hollow points... they are very accurate and they have great expansion.
when you cook them i like to have squirrel pot pie. just make chicken pot pie and substitute the chicken with squirrel.
when i hunt all i use is a 22 and it always does the job. i am 15 and have been hunting squirrels for five years and have always used a 22. if you are a good shot thats all you need. the best ammo i have found are the federal copper plated hollow points... they are very accurate and they have great expansion.
when you cook them i like to have squirrel pot pie. just make chicken pot pie and substitute the chicken with squirrel.
a 22 is big enough but a 22 mag will work if you use full metal jackets just sit & b quiet a dog can help you find them a lot of times & just cook em like a rabbit
The woods that you hunt should have some mast trees - oak, hickory, walnut, etc. Take a 20 guage and shells with shot sizes no bigger than 6. If a squirrel spots you and runs off, your chances are better with a shotgun. Lean against a tree and wait. The squirrels will be moving again soon after you get there. They have short memories if you stay absolutely still!! If there's no action in 20-30 min., still hunt your way to another area not far off. And be still when you get there!! Keep your ears open.
After you harvest a couple, take care when skinning them. Try not to get squirrel hair all over the meat. It's hard to get off. But if you do get some, take the time to get it off. Squirrel meat is one of the best meats available to a hunter. Throw 2-3 squirrels in a crockpot with 1-2 cups of beef broth and let it cook all day until the meat and bones fall apart like a chicken would do. Let cool a little and take the meat from the bones, shredding it. Put the meat in a pan and add BBQ sauce to the consistency of your liking. Heat and serve on burger buns. You'll be hooked.
Hunt ethically and save some for me.
The night before the hunt take a tupperware bowl mix unsalted peanuts, beans, carrots and peanut oil and put it in the fridge over night. Set it about 15 feet away from where you'll be sittin and wait with plenty of camo.
I don't think that you need to start with a shotgun.I think the a good gun might be a 22. or even a pellet gun could work.I also believe that if you sit over a bait pile could work.I have killed tons of squirrells over a bait pile of corn,beans,lettuce or even meat.
I forgot about a recipe... Put a little cooking oil in a pot and dredge the squirrels in flour. ( quarter the squirrels) Brown the meat and then take out of the pot. Add onions, bellpeppers and some minced garlic. Once the onions and bellpeppers are withered down, add the squirrels back into the pot and let it get hot. Then add hot water to the pot but be careful...it will spew a little. This will make the gravy. Add as much water as you want gravy. Cook until the gravy is boiling. Serve over rice and enjoy
You will have the best time you ever had in the woods when you squirrel hunt. I've been hunting them since I was 6 years old and have never grown tired of it. To get started I would recommend using a 12 or 20 guage with #6 shot high brass. A shotgun will give you a better opportunity for a shot when stalking. The areas I hunt are usually around some type of water source. The land around a creek or pond will produce trees that are more appealing to squirrels. Make sure you use good camo including a facemask. The tactic I have the most success with is to get in the woods early, 30 mins before the sun comes up. Find a good tree and sit down and be still. Once the sun comes up they will come out to eat. Shoot a few and keep sitting. After about and hour or so after daylight, start walking in one direction SLOW. 5-6 steps and look in the trees and on the ground. Listening will be your greatest friend because squirrels make a lot of noise when they are moving around on the ground. But keep in mind to take only a few steps at a time. If a squirrel sees you first, your chances of getting him are slim and none. Good sunny days are the best times to hunt. I almost never see anything when its very windy. Good luck and happy hunting
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You will have the best time you ever had in the woods when you squirrel hunt. I've been hunting them since I was 6 years old and have never grown tired of it. To get started I would recommend using a 12 or 20 guage with #6 shot high brass. A shotgun will give you a better opportunity for a shot when stalking. The areas I hunt are usually around some type of water source. The land around a creek or pond will produce trees that are more appealing to squirrels. Make sure you use good camo including a facemask. The tactic I have the most success with is to get in the woods early, 30 mins before the sun comes up. Find a good tree and sit down and be still. Once the sun comes up they will come out to eat. Shoot a few and keep sitting. After about and hour or so after daylight, start walking in one direction SLOW. 5-6 steps and look in the trees and on the ground. Listening will be your greatest friend because squirrels make a lot of noise when they are moving around on the ground. But keep in mind to take only a few steps at a time. If a squirrel sees you first, your chances of getting him are slim and none. Good sunny days are the best times to hunt. I almost never see anything when its very windy. Good luck and happy hunting
The woods that you hunt should have some mast trees - oak, hickory, walnut, etc. Take a 20 guage and shells with shot sizes no bigger than 6. If a squirrel spots you and runs off, your chances are better with a shotgun. Lean against a tree and wait. The squirrels will be moving again soon after you get there. They have short memories if you stay absolutely still!! If there's no action in 20-30 min., still hunt your way to another area not far off. And be still when you get there!! Keep your ears open.
After you harvest a couple, take care when skinning them. Try not to get squirrel hair all over the meat. It's hard to get off. But if you do get some, take the time to get it off. Squirrel meat is one of the best meats available to a hunter. Throw 2-3 squirrels in a crockpot with 1-2 cups of beef broth and let it cook all day until the meat and bones fall apart like a chicken would do. Let cool a little and take the meat from the bones, shredding it. Put the meat in a pan and add BBQ sauce to the consistency of your liking. Heat and serve on burger buns. You'll be hooked.
Hunt ethically and save some for me.
I have found that my two favorite guns to take into the woods to hunt squirrels are both .22's one s a ruger 10/22 all weather model with a red dot sight and the second is my browning .22 semi-auto pistol. Both are very accurate and a pleasure to hunt with. I like to slowly amble through the woods, pausing to allow the woods to get their rhythm going and locate and harvest my fair share.
I think over the years , the best method to draw squirrels is to set up a deer stand..expect to harvest the grand daddy deer of the woods..and instead get harassed by squirrels all morning long. LOL
I have often thought of a decoy deer stand patent to fool squirrels.
it all depends on how big the person is if your about 10 a 410 is great but if your 14 or older a 12 gauge will work just to get started, but once you get started a 22 is as good as it gets
My first hunting experiences came squirrel hunting. It's great for beginners and little kids because it gets them exposed to the outdoors and makes them observe nature and their surroundings. A few things that I found helpful is to always be looking ahead and at the tree tops. Squirrels will bounce on the limbs to get the nuts to drop and can make quite a bit of noise doing so. However, birds sometimes do the same thing. This is why it is more difficult to hunt squirrels when it is very windy.
We always try to find hickory or oak trees - woods that are thick with these can hold quite a few squirrels. When hunting move as quietly as possible from tree to tree, keeping your eyes up as you move. Don't go too fast or you're bound to miss seeing some. If you’re not seeing any, sit down for a little while (sometimes even take a nap) and let the woods settle down for a little while.
A .410 or 20 gauge is great for beginners. As you get more experienced, try to make shots next to trees so that you can move to a .22. With the shotgun, make sure you are aiming for the head or all you’ll be doing is eating lead with your supper. (That’s why the .22 is preferred).
Hope this helps, good luck! Let us know how it goes for you!
I started squirrel hunting when I was 4 years old, 60 years ago. Dad started me squirrel hunting with a pump up pellet gun and graduated me to a .22 rifle.
I now hunt squirrels with a .17 HMR and of course, go for head shots. The benefits of using the .17 is the gained accuracy and range over a .22.
A hunter/shooter should learn to shoot small and stay with it if the student is going to learn to shoot properly.
Another important skill for any type of hunting is patience and quiet stalking skills.
Tracking is also a paramount skill and is almost a lost art nowdays. If you don't know how to track, learn how to and pass it on down to our new generation of hunters. There are more hunters nowdays that have poor or no tracking skills than hunters that are skilled trackers.
HILAWZ45, so true. The fastest way to get squirrels around you is to sit in a deer stand. They will scold and harass you til you almost can't take it, they disappear when you decide you'll take out the next one that shows up. Then you scare the deer off that you hadn't seen bedded down a short distance away with the one shot you take. Anyone else had this happen?
I forgot about a recipe... Put a little cooking oil in a pot and dredge the squirrels in flour. ( quarter the squirrels) Brown the meat and then take out of the pot. Add onions, bellpeppers and some minced garlic. Once the onions and bellpeppers are withered down, add the squirrels back into the pot and let it get hot. Then add hot water to the pot but be careful...it will spew a little. This will make the gravy. Add as much water as you want gravy. Cook until the gravy is boiling. Serve over rice and enjoy
when i hunt all i use is a 22 and it always does the job. i am 15 and have been hunting squirrels for five years and have always used a 22. if you are a good shot thats all you need. the best ammo i have found are the federal copper plated hollow points... they are very accurate and they have great expansion.
when you cook them i like to have squirrel pot pie. just make chicken pot pie and substitute the chicken with squirrel.
If you want to keep the meat I wouldn't use a .17 HMR. I've shot a few squirrels with mine and a couple of them hit the ground in more than 1 piece.
hunting with a .22 cal. is lots of fun but near populated areas it can be dangerous shooting upward into trees.so lots of times i' [shoot c b rounds which is a lot like using a hi powered pellet rifle.Since early season hunting coinicides with early buck rubs i'm prescouting for deer and stand place ment and usually see lots of squrriels. sometimes i'l make a loud kissing smack sound and the squrriels answer giving up thier location.moving slowly u can hear them cutting on nuts as pieces fall through the canopy onto the ground.after awhile you will reconize the different sounds they make like whistles and growls and other such chatter.try imitating them sometimes in city parks for hilarious results,
.22 will work fine, practice first. Then "head- shots".
6phunters got it, as do several others. Nice "bait",mantlerman. I'll have to give this a try!
Good luck and good hunting out there.
Oh I've been chasing them for over 35+ yrs. and it's NEVER lost it's thrill, oh you can send the tails to MEPP'S bait company and get free spinner baits.
I don't think that you need to start with a shotgun.I think the a good gun might be a 22. or even a pellet gun could work.I also believe that if you sit over a bait pile could work.I have killed tons of squirrells over a bait pile of corn,beans,lettuce or even meat.
when i hunt all i use is a 22 and it always does the job. i am 15 and have been hunting squirrels for five years and have always used a 22. if you are a good shot thats all you need. the best ammo i have found are the federal copper plated hollow points... they are very accurate and they have great expansion.
when you cook them i like to have squirrel pot pie. just make chicken pot pie and substitute the chicken with squirrel.
actualy a .22 is all you need but for begenners or someone that needs shooting practice a shotgun is ok.
22. is a great rifle to use. You can just walk around and shoot em.
You can try calling them or you can use dogs and tree them.
Nice tip Big O I do that too.
He is an illustrated instructional link for an easy squirrel cleaning method.
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/small-game/how-clean-squirrel
Easiest way I know only I don't dip the squirrel in the water first.
Good Hunting.
later,
charlie
Just starting out a shotgun is the way to go, especially if your a youngster (20 ga.), if your not proficient with your 22 you will miss alot, and a youngster needs to hit and kill the squirrels the first year or so , so they will like hunting.
If you have a problem with the shot in the squirrel, back up and shoot further away from them.
I like to hunt around Hickory tree's in October, Red Oak and Pin Oak tree's in November and December, on windy days squirrels will be mostly on the ground, clam day's they will be up in the tree's feeding.
I like walking about 25 yards and sitting down for 20 or so minutes, then moving on 25 more yards, usually you will get one or two at every sitting, or at least here one barkig nearby and you can then put a stalk on them.
The way I like to cook squirrel is to cut them up into quarters, then season to taste, flour them, brown on each side, then put them into a pressure cooker with water, onion and a few potatoes, after about 30 minutes of cooking I let the cooker cool then it's Supper TIME!
David H.
The night before the hunt take a tupperware bowl mix unsalted peanuts, beans, carrots and peanut oil and put it in the fridge over night. Set it about 15 feet away from where you'll be sittin and wait with plenty of camo.
a 22 is big enough but a 22 mag will work if you use full metal jackets just sit & b quiet a dog can help you find them a lot of times & just cook em like a rabbit
Actually a .22 mag is entirely too big to shoot squirrels.I would recommend a .22 or .17 HMR, but for begginers i would start them out with a .410 or .20 guage shotgun
In many cases a 12 gauge can be overkill, a buddy of mine shot one and all we found were bits of the back legs and tail. A .22 LR is more than adequate for squirrels. At camp pellet guns were enough to do the job.
i agree with web7 i hunt with a 22
.22,410,12gauge,or even 20gauge I use em all
thank you
Hi...
A shotgun for squirrels...?? Good grief man...can't you see them over the sights on your .22...??
A .22 (or even smaller) caliber short is more than adequate for any squirrel.
A little hint for squirrel hunters: is the squirrel on the opposite side of the tree...where you can't see it? Just tap the tree with a rock, and he'll come into your sights...!!
Good luck.
I use a .22 for squirrel and dont have a problem with missing. In my opion, if you need to use a shotgun for squirrel you need to shoot more targets with the rifle. UNLESS you happen to wander upon a bushytail while rabbit or upland hunting, then by all means take it with the scattergun.
I have never shot one with a .17 I've always used a .22 or a shot gun. I was just told they work really well so now I know not to use a .17
get a50 round clip for your 22 and shoot um up
can any one refer me on field dressing a squirrel i was gonna go hunting September 18th
dogs work great, and I'm not saying go out and get yourself a high-end dog- myself I have a Australian shepherd/ border collie mix....She's an amazing hunter, she works hard to please and an overall great companion!
I sit in a blind next to a deer feeder filled with corn. I wait for the squirrel to come and shot it with a .22. My friend walks around and shots them with a shotgun.Hope this helped.
["...I've shot a few squirrels with mine and a couple of them hit the ground in more than 1 piece."]
I've used my .17HMR with the standard 15 or 17 gr. Hornady XT ammunition and have never had a squirrel fall to the ground in pieces. I think it's a great round that's accurate and makes for an extremely clean kill.
I'd be interested in knowing what kind of ammunition you're using with a .17HMR that's making your squirrels explode into pieces and giving you those kind of results...?
One bad thing about hunting them with a shotgun is that the pellets can get stuck in the body and if you arent careful you might bite down on a piece of led, so if you do choose to use a shotgun be conscience for that.
When i first started out actually shooting at game(11), I actually missed more with the 20 gauge. I just didnt grasp the concept that you still had to aim. Went from getting 1 outa 4 with the scattergun to 4 outa 4 with the .22. I will always reccomend that anyone starting out start with the .22.
.22 is all i hunt the tree rats with i use remington hollow points and they do the job
The pellets are exactly why i normally dont use a shotgun. Have to be extra careful while cleaning to remove the lead.
20 gauge works....but I think .410 is a better option for youngsters. With a .22 they will learn to miss tho. Hunting isnt as fun if you never miss =]
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