(I only read the first page so I'm not up to speed with all comments)

But you can pretty well rest assured that that little critter is still going to contrinbute to the natural order of the food chain.

Some creature will sniff it out and have a free meal. Don't worry about it bud.

Now if it were waterfoul thats a little different - they're harder for predators to get to if you drop them in the water and don't find them (unfortunately it still happens)

Thanks guys. You sure do know how to make a gal feel better.

I was out with my boy this evening shooting up cans. I was hitting them so maybe I just wobble a bit free handed. I had the gun resting on a branch. I will get better though. I was also shooting the 20 guage. GOD! I love that gun! I don't need a rest for it though! I told DH I want to buy me a shot gun! Maybe a 16 guage.

I'm making a trip with my son and nephew this Saturday. We're going up the mountain for squirrel and rabbit. I love sitting in the woods with them! Maybe we'll come home with our limit! I'm hoping my boy can shoot a few too!

Not tryin to make you buy a 12 gauge,but its what id get,i have a stoeger 2000,full choke,shootin 1 1/4oz 6shot,iv killed um at 40 yards!!!!!!

Go ahead, twist my arm off!

WHAT!!!!!!Im 5'11 170lbs,i can shoot it just fine with 3'' 00 buckshot!!!!!!HAHAHA!!! If your small framed,keep shootin your 20 gauge,what kind of 20 ga do you have??Its not ALL that bad with #6.Just hold it tight!!!!!!!

It's my dad's first shotgun that his dad bought him. I was shooting 7 1/2 out of it yesterday just for fun. I love that gun! The gun says Pardner Model SBI 20 gauge 3" FULL. Here's a pic.



He also gave me a 16 gauge to use this past weekend. It's a Savage Model 220A 2 3/4" barrel with a bag of 6 shells. This gun put me on my keester at 10 years old. Dad and my brothers' thought it'd be funny and told me not to hold it up against my shoulder tight. Not too funny. It scared the crap outta me and it's a big reason why I didn't want to get into shooting with them now that I think about it. I haven't shot it since so it's been 20 years but I'm gonna giv'er another go tomorrow! Those dipwads!

That 20 gauge is full choke,shoot it at 30 yards and 40 yards,let me know how she shoots.Git a 17 HMR,you'll really be happy to blast away squirrels and rabbits at 70+ YARDZ!!!!

7 1/2 is fine for squirrels,with it being full choke see how it shoots with 6 shot.I like #6 better than 7 1/2,with my 12 gauge with high brass #6 with a full choke,its very rare i have to shoot 1 twice.My 410 with 7 1/2,almost all ive killed with it,had to shoot um twice.The 17 HMR is still my favorite squirrel gun.You could almost shoot 1 in the foot and kill him!!!!!!!!!!!BAH,HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

It holds a pattern well if that's what you want to know. It's a very nice gun IMO! I'd of taken a pic of the pop can I shot at the other day but my son threw it away before I could take one. It was full of holes after being shot at about 30-40 yards with 7 1/2.

If I feel like it, I'll go out this evening with two pop cans, 6 and 7 1/2 shot and take pics to show you. Hopefully the rain will have quit! Maybe I'll see a difference too. Although I can't remember if I killed my first one with 6 or 7 1/2 shot. I shot her 3 times though!

I do have the 17 HMR on my wish list too!

For squirrels, I am a .22LR fan myself. I have an old Winchester bolt action with iron peep sights and I would not sell that gun for all the money in the world!! It is a squirell killer. One thing that no one mentioned on this post was whether or not you were using hollow point bullets or not. When I first started hunting squirrels years ago I just bought a brick of those target rounds and was wondering why the squirrels would still run off after shooting them. One of my friends told me to use hollow point bullets when hunting and I found that it really did make a difference. Since you were neck/head shooting that squirrel I would bet that you just glanced off him and stunned him just a bit and he was able to run off and hide from you. Usually a head/neck shot will drop them in their tracks!!