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The gauge or a .22 for squirrel

I know a guy that has an O/U with a .22 mag up top and a 12 gauge on the bottom. It's a heck of a fall turkey gun because it can reach out a bit or you can jump shoot them with the scattergun. I'm sure someone makes a .22/20 gauge that would be great for squirrels.

Me, I say skwerls were just made to hunt with a scoped .22.
 
Vtbow said:
Can;t we just leave it at "If you're a good shot, .22, if you need some help, choose your gauge?" ;)
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My daddy raised me not to pick on folks that wasn't fit to fend for themselves, so I'll take the high road. :)

Seriously though, I don't understand why every other small, fast animal gets hunted with a scattergun, but folks are so heck-bent on rifles for squirrels. I can reach out and touch them at 60 yards, which is about as far as I feel comfortable taking a shot at one with a scoped, bolt-action rifle in field conditions. I've shot enough rimfire sillouette matches to know how I stack up against the average Joe in field positions, and I respectfully call BS on all the Daniel Boones out there nailing headshots with pappy's iron sight Sear's special.

Squirrels are not known for sitting still while you find a tree to rest against, estimate trajectory, and verify said trajectory is clear of limbs. A shotgun lets you pop off a round offhand during a brief pause in movement, and doesn't mind if there are a few oak twigs in the way. A shotgunner will get 5 shot opportunities for every one a rifleman gets.


Pellets do not ruin meat on ducks, dove, or quail. Why do they magically do so on squirrels? Unless you dead-center one at close ranges, it's a non-issue. A misplaced rimfire round, on the other hand, will make a mess you don't want in your game vest.

A shotgun is an objectively superior killer in the eastern woodlands. I like my 452. But saying it's a better choice is like saying a recurve is more effective than a crossbow. It just isn't so for 99% of scenarios.

I understand (and enjoy) smack talk, but a rifle is a handicap, and I don't understand handicapping yourself on a squirrel hunt. I like to get out there, ramble around to my heart's content, hit a call, and bounce from squack to squack. When I find one, I aim to kill him quickly and move onto the next one. I like the feeling of a loaded down game vest, and like a good stew or plate of fried quarters even better. I'm usually done and frying them in bacon grease by the time my wife rolls out of bed on a Sunday morning.

Not trying to be difficult, I'm just passionate about it, and get agitated hearing the same old wrong information ad nauseum from people that admittedly haven't squirrel hunted in decades or do it once a year. It's like listening to a guy talk about killing deer off a feeder sitting in his grandaddy's ladderstand. If that's what you like to do, more power to you. But it's not the "best" way to do things.

Anywho, ya'll know I love y'all!
 
I'd rather debate broadheads for squirrels. I don't think a rage can penetrate squirrel ribs. Not to mention most mechs are flying out of tune. Passthroughs on squirrels are essential. I'd go with a coc single bevel with bleeders forged from meteorites.
 
d_rek said:
shotgun or .22... but for the love of god don't shoot them with a .17hmr unless you want to ruin most of the meat.
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LoL, I've never cared much for squirrel head anyway! Head shot only with the 17.
 
Vtbow said:
yeah, I gerw up with a vintage 870 featherlight .410 . the thing was money. My father ran into a hard spot after losing his job and sold it--for a lot--when I was like 16. HE(and I) regret it to this day. I have a 870 supermag 12ga and its pretty much a POS, but a good duck gun to beat the hell out of. the finish sucks, it jams, the parts are burred, but it does seem to go baang everytime and hit what Im aiing at. I had a mid 70's 12gauge wingmaster that I gave to my father a few years ago and that was a MUCH MUCH nicer gun.

I have an immaculate Ithaca featherlite 12ga as well, that is a totally different story. work of art, slick as snot, fine tuned machine...would love to find one in 20.
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I have a featherlite in 12 and 20 :D. Both passed down from my grandfather.
 
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Nutterbuster said:
My daddy raised me not to pick on folks that wasn't fit to fend for themselves, so I'll take the high road. :)

Seriously though, I don't understand why every other small, fast animal gets hunted with a scattergun, but folks are so heck-bent on rifles for squirrels. I can reach out and touch them at 60 yards, which is about as far as I feel comfortable taking a shot at one with a scoped, bolt-action rifle in field conditions. I've shot enough rimfire sillouette matches to know how I stack up against the average Joe in field positions, and I respectfully call BS on all the Daniel Boones out there nailing headshots with pappy's iron sight Sear's special.

Squirrels are not known for sitting still while you find a tree to rest against, estimate trajectory, and verify said trajectory is clear of limbs. A shotgun lets you pop off a round offhand during a brief pause in movement, and doesn't mind if there are a few oak twigs in the way. A shotgunner will get 5 shot opportunities for every one a rifleman gets.


Pellets do not ruin meat on ducks, dove, or quail. Why do they magically do so on squirrels? Unless you dead-center one at close ranges, it's a non-issue. A misplaced rimfire round, on the other hand, will make a mess you don't want in your game vest.

A shotgun is an objectively superior killer in the eastern woodlands. I like my 452. But saying it's a better choice is like saying a recurve is more effective than a crossbow. It just isn't so for 99% of scenarios.

I understand (and enjoy) smack talk, but a rifle is a handicap, and I don't understand handicapping yourself on a squirrel hunt. I like to get out there, ramble around to my heart's content, hit a call, and bounce from squack to squack. When I find one, I aim to kill him quickly and move onto the next one. I like the feeling of a loaded down game vest, and like a good stew or plate of fried quarters even better. I'm usually done and frying them in bacon grease by the time my wife rolls out of bed on a Sunday morning.

Not trying to be difficult, I'm just passionate about it, and get agitated hearing the same old wrong information ad nauseum from people that admittedly haven't squirrel hunted in decades or do it once a year. It's like listening to a guy talk about killing deer off a feeder sitting in his grandaddy's ladderstand. If that's what you like to do, more power to you. But it's not the "best" way to do things.

Anywho, ya'll know I love y'all!
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:) I knew that would push your buttons, it was really just for fun.

I"ll throw my reasoning out there, and I admittedly dont go "squirrel hunting"--I"m more of an opportunist, hence the majority I have shot with a hand gun while working in the woods.

I'm gong to preface this by saying I'm not trying to be cocky--and quite frankly I believe I'm a pretty mhumble person, but here we go:) The last woodcock I shot with my shotgun I peppered. Literally, it was like I hit it with every single pellet, there was nothing left--it was almost comical. IT was a poof, feathers everywhere. I did find a beek...

Personally, I have more control and precision with a .22--and we're going to talk rifles here. I skied biathlon extremely competitively national and internationally for a long, long time(one of my buddies I used to train with became the first American to ever win a world championship). I used to shoot at least a brick of federal match a day. I dry fire trained every night. I was shooting an Anshutz 1827 fortner with peep sites, 50m. groups were dime sized at most, prone and offhand. This was after skiing say 5-10 Km, and shooting the entire magazine in less than 45 seconds. Game doesn't have to stand still for very long when you are used to aquiring your target, controlling your breath and body and squeezing off rounds at that rate and accuracy level. I have much less time shouldering a shotgun. I"ve killed a bunch of ducks, woodcock, partridge, etc, but I'm not that guy shooting skeet, splitting the clay and then hitting the other pieces. A .22 rifle is pretty much an extension of my body.

Would I potentially take more opportunities with a shotgun? maybe. would I be any more accurate? No.

I honestly think this does come down to personal preference, experience, location.

Sorry @Nutterbuster not trying to argue, I know all your info and beliefs are based on your experiences, and are squirrel hunting experiences, which are more applicable than mine. But put me in the woods, shooting at a small target that's not flying, and I am MUCH more comfortable with a good .22. If I was out more and aggressively hunting squirrels, that would probably change since I take your experience and opinion extremely seriously I would pay very special attention to opportunities and missed opportunities and as well as trade offs/etc.
 
fbwguy said:
LoL, I've never cared much for squirrel head anyway! Head shot only with the 17.
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I did a squirrel contest two weekends ago and my partner was using his shiny new henry golden boy .17hmr (damn nice rifle) but it about blew them in half. Couple of those squirrels could only save the legs on.
 
d_rek said:
I did a squirrel contest two weekends ago and my partner was using his shiny new henry golden boy .17hmr (damn nice rifle) but it about blew them in half. Couple of those squirrels could only save the legs on.
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You definitely want a head shot with a .17. I’ll take mine occasionally when I have longer shot opportunities, mainly hunting out of a fixed deer stand on a field edge. I call it revenge hunting.
 
ImThere said:
I have never heard this before. I love my 835 but usually people are just the opposite. hate the mossberg and love the remy
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Yea the action is chunky and I had to really polish the chamber to prevent shells from getting stuck. The double extractor on the Mossberg is a nice feature as well as the top safety.
 
And now I’m going squirrel hunting for a couple of hours, I’ll report back later.
 
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