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Old November 13, 2006, 09:42 PM   #1
22-250boy
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Squirrel huntin'

ive seen some squrriels around my deer stand this year and i think after deer season is over im gonna hunt some squrriels. I was thinkin about usin my remington 1100 LT20 guage. Is that the best gauge to use on squrriels or should i use the 12 guage. And whats the best way to clean a squrriel. please help. pictures of cleaning a squrriel would be the best. i was even thinkin about gettin the 22 hornet or the 17Hmr out, which caliber or guage is the best and most fun. i may even kill a couple rabbits. I am going to do this when rabbits and squrriels are in season and i am going to eat them. Ive heard there pretty good eatin. The 22 hornet and 17 hmr both have scopes.
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Old November 13, 2006, 09:49 PM   #2
Rembrandt
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Ruark said to "Use Enough Gun".....but that was African game. The ones you mentioned seem like "too much gun" for squirrels.....22 Long Rifle should be adequate.
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Old November 13, 2006, 09:49 PM   #3
BPMACMAN
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http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/basichuntingboo...9&NavPath=C151


this should help,
full of how to's on dressing and fixin all kinda game....
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Old November 13, 2006, 09:52 PM   #4
TomG160
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For a rifle, most people will probably recommend a 22LR. I have a 17HMR and would like to try it on squirrels. If you use the .17, be sure to buy ammunition that holds together better than the ballistic tips. I have heard about and seen some destroyed squirrels when using the ballistic tipped ammunition. Speer's TNT bullet should do...
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Old November 13, 2006, 09:58 PM   #5
C Philip
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12ga for squirrel? Don't you want to have some left over to eat?
I'd go with a .22lr, more than enough for squirrels and good for rabbits. It's much more available and much cheaper than .17 so that's a big plus. I'd only go with the .17 if you were planning on hunting them at ranges over 75-100 yards where the accuracy and flatter trajectory of the .17 will help.
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Old November 13, 2006, 10:03 PM   #6
whiskey
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Cleaning them
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums...d.php?t=152385

.22LR to shoot them. If you don't have one the .17HMR will work. Just shoot them in the head if you want to eat them. You will not "blow" them up, but you will ruin some of what little meat is there.
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Old November 13, 2006, 10:03 PM   #7
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Step-by-step for field dressing Squirrels

Dip Squirrel in water. Scrape off fur at base of tail and cut through tail leaving it attached to the back skin.
Extend cut up back.
Cut around flanks.
You can pull the skin off beginning at either end.
Here the skin is pulled over the forelegs first.
Reverse the squirrel, pull the fur over the hind legs and cut off the head and feet.
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Old November 13, 2006, 10:05 PM   #8
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I use a .22 lr. I try for headshots, so it really doesn't matter what I use. Even a .22 HP will tear up a squirrel so it's best to shoot them in the head.

After you get good at it, a scope sighted rifle is almost too easy. Try it with iron sights to put a little challenge back into it. I usually hunt them with a .22 pistol, nowdays.

I haven't used a shotgun for small game, other than birds, since I was a kid. I don't like biting down on shot, and a shotgun can really mess a squirrel or a rabbit up at close range.

Squirrel and dumplin's -- YUM

Have Fun
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Old November 14, 2006, 01:53 AM   #9
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I use a lot of stuff .22lr,.410,12ga its just what I feel like using.


For cleaning what I do is soak the squirrel in water and make sure the fur is very wet.Then I take a very sharp knife and start on the top of the head and cut all the way to the tale(it works better if you remove the tale first).Then go right in the middle of the squirrel and pull the skin off to the sides all the way around the squirrel until you get get your fingers between the skin and the "belly" of the squirrel.Then get a piece of pipe or a strong stick and insert it between the skin and the "belly" of the squirrel.Then stand on both ends of the pipe and pull on the body of the squirrel and the skin should come off pretty easy.


I can try to get some pics of cleaning method if anyone is interested.


Here are the squirrels I shot today.








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Old November 14, 2006, 06:26 AM   #10
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+1 for 22LR

If pictures are good, how about video? John, my 70+ yr old co-worker swears by this method:
http://members.localnet.com/~nickdd/Mr.SQUACKS_0001.wmv

Oh yeah, head shots only with 22LR, open sights. It doesn't "count" if it's not a head shot. He's old school.
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Old November 14, 2006, 10:34 AM   #11
Trip20
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This thread has a great description and color photos of each step.

I prefer .22lr or .17hmr and headshots only.
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Old November 14, 2006, 05:54 PM   #12
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I took a few out that kept giving my stand away when I was there. Pesky red squirls.. 13 guage isnt all that bad at a bit of distance. I was just getting rid of them and used #4 bird but it didn't mangle them that bad at 30 ft or so... Not sure if I'd want to go anysmaller in shot size, wanna be able to easily pick any bb's out when you gut them. A .410 makes it a bit more of a sport, and .22lr means you have to actualy aim!!! lol , with the 12 guage it's just so easy to get them, just like skeet shooting in a way...
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Old November 14, 2006, 07:56 PM   #13
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Although the .410 bore is arguably the quentissential squirrel shotgun gauge (along with the .22lr rifle caliber), I have found that *IF* you use 7.5 shot or smaller, 12 guage is not necessarily overkill. Yes, it's overkill in that it's not necessary, but it doesn't annihilate the animal and destroy meat like you might think. The little pellets typically do not even make it through the skin. They stay in the skin, and don't get in the meat, for the most part. But the squirrel drops right there. Now I dunno if the same would hold true if you use 6 shot or larger. Bottom line, the shot size selection is more important than gauge choice. In the winter, when the leaves are gone, a .22lr is a good choice, too, and extends your range beyond a shotgun (75 yards vs. 50 yards) - if you're accurate enough, use head shots - a body shot and they can get into a hole in a tree before they die.
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Old November 14, 2006, 08:46 PM   #14
22-250boy
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hey lil bro did you use a 12 guage on those squrriels. if so it seemed like it realy didnt mess them up realy at all. i have a 22lr and i was thinkin about usin that but the reason i looked at a shotgun was ill prolly be shootin at them when there up on a limb. i think im prolly gonna use my 20 gauge with some small games shells i have im pretty sure there 8 but they might be 7 will that mess one up. there gonna be prolly about 50ft away just depends. thanks for all the info on cleaning. but i was lookin at a my old remington target rifle in 22lr with iron sights its an old rifle and its a single shot but i enjoy shootin it.
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Old November 14, 2006, 09:44 PM   #15
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I use a 12 gauge ALL the time. Hardly does anything to the meat at 10-15 yards with federal target loads (2 3/4" 1 1/8 Oz 7.5 3 dram) from wal mart. They drop easy and I don't have many that get away. I use a modified choke (half choke) so I don't hit them with more than 8-12 bbs.

I did find that a 20 gauge with target loads is a bit on the light side for the bigger ones. So I have pheasant loads (and old duck loads) for them ( 2 3/4" 1Oz of #4 shot high brass), but the game loads are $8.00 a box of 25 vs $3.75 a box for 12 gauge target loads.

And if anyone says that it cost to much for shotgun shells vs .22 I will just point out that I spent 15.00 for the small game license and 30.00 in fuel and a mere 15.00 for shells for the whole small game season. So shells are not that big a deal.


As for cleaning: Shirt and trousers method

What I do is cut off the head feet and tail with a pair of shears (I made mine from garden shears). Then I lift the skin up on the back length wise and slice it width wise across the back, I get my fingers under the skin and tear it toward the head and toward the tail at the same time. You will have to help it so they both come off evenly as the skin is about the only thing you can pull from. When you get it off it will look like a shirt and a pair of pants (hence the name).

Now that you have the fur off take a pair of scissors and poke it through next to the butt hole, try to avoid snagging any guts and try to get the scissors up to the chest cavity. You want to cut out the pelvis to get the butt hole removed without cutting it. Now use the scissors to cut from the neck to the belly and clean all the guts out, rinse the little rat off and your done.
I recommend wearing a respirator if you have one as it cuts the smell down to nothing (if the smell of guts bothers you)

PS nice job, six in one hunt (I got five and two pardrige on my best day).
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Old November 14, 2006, 10:26 PM   #16
jrothWA
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for squirrels

Any good accurate .22 LR rifle or 4" or longer handgun, any shotgun with light loads, Not whats' used for duck or deer.
Alway try for head shots as hitting th body will allow the squirrel to escape and hide. Pick your shots and have fun.
'
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Old November 15, 2006, 01:17 AM   #17
lil_bro
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[quote=22-250boy]hey lil bro did you use a 12 guage on those squrriels. if so it seemed like it realy didnt mess them up realy at all...[quote]


Yes, I even used #6 shot.




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Old November 15, 2006, 05:27 PM   #18
22-250boy
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thanks everyone im not sure what i want to use yet but ill prolly either go with the 12gauge, 22lr, 20 gauge double barrell or i think i might go with my grandpas 16 gauge single shot the stock is pretty beat up and has electrical tape on it so im not sure yet but other than that its a good gun. thanks for all the help.
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Old November 15, 2006, 05:46 PM   #19
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I don't know about those who use a 12 gauge on a squirel but in my part of the wooods the 22LR is MUCH cheaper than 12GA shells. I think it's like 1/10 the price. Why blow money on hsells when you can use a penny and half worth of ammo on a small ritter like that?
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Old November 15, 2006, 06:20 PM   #20
banditt007
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.22's are def cheaper than like anything!

But around here i can snag a 25round box of #6 1oz remmington 'game loads' for like $3 so its not like its a bank breaker.

Another thing is that everyone says HOLY HELL A 12 GAUGE ON A SQUIRRIL!????????????? However when you use a 1oz load in a 12 gauge, its the SAME THING as using a 1oz load in a 20 gauge! yet some how a 20 gauge is 10x's more acceptable to shoot squirril and rabbit with, i dont understand it!
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Old November 15, 2006, 06:54 PM   #21
Csspecs
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Quote:
Why blow money on hsells when you can use a penny and half worth of ammo on a small ritter like that?
We are talking about 15.00 a season.
Many people I meet in the woods will spend 500+ on a high end .22 or high end glass for their rifle. Then they ask why I use a shotgun as "the shells cost so much", then the same people will shoot clay pigeons all day and act like it is nothing "Oh the shells are cheap".
Or they will buy some 500.00 piece of hunting bling (or camo crap).

For me shotgun shells cost .15 each, last time I checked my plinking rifles ammo cost .23 each. So what I used in the woods I did not use at the range.
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Old November 15, 2006, 07:22 PM   #22
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A 22LR placed right between his beady little eyes. hpg
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Old November 15, 2006, 07:24 PM   #23
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GO get a good air rifle that works for me.
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Old November 15, 2006, 07:24 PM   #24
SavageSniper
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I love hunting limb rats almost as much as deer. They taste as good too. Either with a .22 or shotgun. It is alot of fun spittin birdshot on the plate at dinner
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Old November 15, 2006, 07:52 PM   #25
Jack O'Conner
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I hunt 'em with Grandad's old Iver Johnson break open gun in 16 gauge. I like low base #6 best. But squirrels hate this outfit.
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