big man

What is the best gun to use for squirrels?
What kind of load?

Squirrel Master

There is no best gun for squirrel. Or best gun for any game for that matter. It's all in what you prefer. I use a 22. and 12 guage. All depends in the mood I'm in, if I want it to be challenging or just a quick hunt and easy meal. Is this your first time hunting squirrel? If so, try shotgun first, any guage will do. I'm about to go myself. I'll be using my 12 guage today. Don't have much time so this will be a quick and easy hunt, for me that is. Squirrel hunting is my favorite. I don't know why but it just is. I know a lot about squirrels, skills, tactics etc. I stalk them only. You get to see more game and find new areas. Oh yeah, the load....That depends on your gun. Say for my 22. Kimber, It's shoots best with CCI stingers. Buy a few different name brands and try shooting all them. That will tell you what load is best for your gun. Anything else let us know.

Squirrel Master

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swampchopper

I hunt squirrels I think forever I can remember. The past few seasons I have been using my Mossberg 835 Ulti Mag 12 guage pump shotgun, with a 28 inch barrel. I am shooting 2 3/4 inch shells out of it, hi power #4's. I have my full choke screwed in it right now, with all the leaves and also my shots are good piece a way sometimes. Everyone ask me why such a heavy load for squirrels. One thing I dont like a cripple, and second it gets out there and reaches for them long shots that other people say you cant make with a shotgun and drops them dead on arrival. Before I got my Mossberg, I have hunted with my Winchester automatic 12 guage, using the same loads with the same effect. I switched to the Mossberg when I started turkey hunting. It came with 4 different chokes, so it is now my all around gun. Any way that what I shoot them with, and another thing, it dont messed them up to bad at all.
Swampchopper

sour01

.22 with a 4x scope is the way to go. Does not scare other nearby squirrels. You can take longer shots. It does not damage as much meat. And it is more of a challenge. I have used both shotgun and .22 and I am sold on the .22.

Squirrel Master

I've got a question. Ive been reading everyone posts on here about hunting squirrel. They say when you shoot a shotgun while hunting squirrel in the woods, it scares the other squirrels away. I've come to the conclusion that its maily false. I just got back from squirrel hunting with my 12 guage mossberg 835 u-mag. I got 3 of them, all within 30 minutes, in the same exact area. They didnt run away for an hour or so. As soon as I got in the woods, I heard one barking, faintly, it was windy, he was about 30 yards in front of me, I shot him dead, then no more than 5 mintues later, another one, shot him too, then third one. I even shot 4 times in a row on the second squirrel because he was running. Then I saw one up in the tree, after all them shots, and got him too, with 3 shots. Pretty damn thick in their still. Ive been going thru this all season so far. Sure there are some squirrels that hide for a while or haul ass outa there till things calm down, but its not like they skip the country or somthing. And another thing about not shooting the first squirrel you see, why not? Its no different than what I just mentioned. Just because you shoot doesnt mean your not going to see any more squirrels. If you dont shot on the first squirrels you see, that very well could be the last squirrel or shot you see or have the rest of the day. And yes it has happened to all of us. Including me. Take every shot possible, you see a squirrel, take him out. Dont wait for other squirrel in the area to come out. Their already out, your just not seeing them all at one time. Last month, I had 4 squirrels in the same tree, I shot one of them, killed it, then the other squirrel came down the tree and started barking at me along with another one shortly after. They can care less about how many times you shoot in the woods. They want food. Shooting is not going to keep them from eating. I see this year after year. I know im not the only one seeing this. Do you all agree?

Squirrel Master

swampchopper

I agree with the Squirrel Master. Very well said.
Swampchopper

Squirrel Master

Anyone going to comment on this question?

Squirrel Master

mauser06

any gun you can hit something with will take a tree rat(squirell)some days i take the 22 and give myself a challenge others its the 12 ga pump or semi and a modified with 2 3/4 6 or 7 1/2....or some days i will bust out the ole single shot 20 ga shooting 3 inch mags with copperplated 6's....squirell master i agree...me and my dad hunt within 100yds of eachother moving after ever 30-45 mins moving about 50yds or so...and when one of us shot it usually makes another squirell give itself away! i wounded one once and when my dad shot he cam crawling down the tree so i had to run away from the treee and shot it! i duno how he was in the same tree i was leaning on but it was him....full of copper 6's...within a 500yd range moving as we do we always get about 6-10 together...i dont think shots effect them much...they recieve no pressure at all except us at one spot we hunt(the one i described how we move) and thats the one we hunt alot because its close to home...maybe if htey recieve heavy pressure it might effect them but rat hunting isnt all too big for the most part...

propmahn

i have second thoughts about using the 22 sometimes because if the shot is up a tree then i dont really like throwing 22s up at him for fear that they land on someone, but the chances are so low, the population density per square mile is less the 250 people, but it still pauses me sometimes

propmahn
you can never have too many guns