squirrel/small game hunting

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Rebel9793

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Anyone a fan? Went out this morning and limited out on grey squirrels with the ol' .17hmr. Took a buddy of mine with me an he was amazed that I was able to hit squirrels at 50-75 yards with it. What is your choice of firearm for squirrel and small game?
 
Last squirrel I shot was just yesterday.

A bully red squirrel that's been dominating all the grays here at the house.

A 45yd. shot with a Rem. .22 bolt action rifle strategically bench rested on the toprail of the deck. Even though he was bullying the gray squirrels he would have probably lived if I had not caught him chewing on the tractor seat in the barn last week. :mad:
 
Although I love my Marlin 60, it's proved to be a little too picky with ammo so my go-to is the Remington Viper. That thing will eat up anything, but it seems to be most accurate with HV 40gr. ammo. I've always liked the Yellow Jackets but they seem to wander around a bit out of that rifle, especially out at 50 yards and more. I've got a Centerpoint muzzleloader scope on it (yeah I know it's a little odd), and together they make a nice little combo for getting rid of problems and small game hunting.
 
Shortwave, I would have shot him as soon as I seen him munchin on the tractor seat.

12, Nothing like an old .22 or shootin those furry little guys. Normally I take a .22 bolt action or my .22 pistol but I got my .17hmr this summer and though I would try it out....It rocks :D Head shots only though haha.
 
12, Its a very fun caliber! accurate as can be too. Ive got the Marlin 917vs bull barrel and I can put 7 shots down range an cover them with a dime at 200 yrds. Made $20 today on a bet that I couldnt hit a black bird at about 250 yards....BDC reticle for the win :D
 
Shortwave, I would have shot him as soon as I seen him munchin on the tractor seat.
Click to expand...

Yea, that fast little sucker made a fool outta me for a couple days darting in and out of the barn grabbin walnuts. He just happened to pause at the wrong time. :D
 
Wyosmith, Never been much into black powder but it seems interesting for sure. Same thing goes for the AR's. A buddy of mine has a a few in different calibers but I still fall back to my old bolt action huntin guns. Just the way I was raised haha. Nothing wrong with an AR, Just not my cup of tea.

Shortwave, Had one of those today! Chased him around a big ol oak tree for 15 minutes tryin to pick off a shot but he wouldn't stay still. Finally as I stepped back an sat down for about 2 minutes an he made the biggest mistake...He came out an off went his head ;)
 
Leaf on I use 20 gauge, leaf down and nice day 22 pistol, after it gets to be long sleeve and heavy coat weather its my old Savage single shot 22 rifle.
 
I use a 77/22 with the premium CCI ammo. I am not a huge fan of stingers but I love the Velocitors. I also used a Henry Golden boy until it was out of my truck.

I save the bulk stuff for shooting cans and such.

I also find a 12ga with cheep target loads and a full choke work well (as long as you are not going to be eating or skinning them).
 
Marlin 917v .17 HMR

It does the job, and it is a very fun caliber to shoot. This rifle shoots so well that I plan to keep it forever. Population control
 
Deja Vu, With your 12ga try putting your bead about 2 inches in front of there nose...That's the way I shoot them when using a shotgun and it dont tear them up to bad, just the head.

Alex, that makes two of us!
 
Here in kansas we eat quite a lot of squirrel and rabbit, my 3 year old daughter is so accustomed to watching me clean and cook game that she once tried to put the cat on a lit grill (cat is fine). I have taken countless rabbits with several of my .22s but my favorite by far is my old mossberg m47a with fine iron sights. The thing makes bunny eyes all day. My backup for dense brush is my henry lever action .22. I've even taken them with my 10mm glock but they didn't make it to the freezer. Even a 12ga with 4/7 mix makes it out from time to time, but nothing beats a fresh snow and a dead accurate .22
 
I carry my Mossy 12 gauge pump for early season woods stomping when partridge are also on the menu.

When horseback it's the Buckmark.

Later season with snow the scoped 10/22 gets the call.

All of the above is subject to "flavor of the day" infatuation which may also include the SR40c or BH .44 Special (ground shots only).

Today at work I was pondering a week long out of state squirrel hunting vacation.
 
Traditionally my homebrew 10/22 has gotten the call but lately I've been toting my Winchester 1300 12ga. with 22" WinChoke barrel and a varity of loads. Never know what I'm gonna run into and it's good for bunnies to flyin stuff to coyotes.
 
Squirrel and rabbits?

I hae a little Browning Grade 1 take-down autoloader from 1969 with a 4X Redfield scope that is really fun gun to use.....
 
Shot one about an hour ago out of a pecan tree. About 65 yards with the .17 HMR. Didn't move a step.

I can't remember the last one that I shot at that I missed or that the bullet failed to kill the squirrel right away. The little 17 grain V-max is very effective against them.

Have to buy some hollow points, I think they do a little better against the crows.
 
Alex, Try the CCI TNT rounds...they're devastating. They shoot good but do too much damage on squirrels to eat them. I shoot the Winchester 20gr XTP.
 
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