Squirrel Hunting

whittling · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:39 am Post subject: Squirrel Hunting

Yesterday I went out after squirrels with my shotgun . Around Sad

my house the woods are usually jumping about 1 or 2 P.M.. Any suggestions? Flame

whittling · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:51 am Post subject: Re: Squirrel Hunting

Does anyone know if a air gun of about 500 f.p.s. will bring down a small squirrel ?

roklok · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:03 am Post subject: Re: Squirrel Hunting

Squirrels are usually more active early in the morning and late in the evening. I would not try to kill a squirrel with a air rifle of such low power, I am sure it can be done with a head shot, but 500 FPS will not deliver much energy or penetration to be reliable. Are air rifles legal in MA for small game?

OntheLasGallinas · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:12 am Post subject: Re: Squirrel Hunting

I think you'd be better off with an air rifle that will push your pellet up to about 700 feet per second. You can make kills with the 500 feet per second, its' just low power. When I was a kid, I used to hunt cotton tail rabbits and squirrels with a Daisy BB Gun, but you had to make a perfect head shot, although I wouldn't recommend it. I'm not sure about the legality of it. Most states have different laws.

Cary

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:15 am Post subject: Re: Squirrel Hunting

I'd be checking the legality of air rifles on game too. Having shot a few grackles (black birds) at about 6 yards with a 500 ft/sec air rifle I sure couldn't recommend it for squirrels. The rifle was a match gun but accuracy couldn't make up for the lack of punch.

ElyBoy · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:29 am Post subject: Re: Squirrel Hunting

Grey squirrels get to be big pests around my house, so, at times we kill them with a pellet gun.
It is quiet, but if I were going for food, instead of pest control, I sure wouldn't use the air rifle. Too many cripples.
.22 shorts work just fine though.

Eric

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

Since airguns under 500fps (generally speaking) are not considered firearms most rifle airguns in Canada are limited to 495fps many use them as pest control for Squirrels.

Most people I spoke to who use a rifle air gun generally limiting to shots under 25 yards which seems to work most of the time. Still I'd consider a 22 before a airgun if I was hunting for food.

Dimitri

Arizona Hunter · Member Joined: Jul 22, 2006 Posts: 275

I love hunting grays and fox squirels. Sure big game hunting can be exciting, but usually you only get one animal on atag-then your done. But squirrels and rabbits, are just plane fun to hunt and you can take many home.

I usually use a scoped .22 bolt action, but sometimes if there are lots of leaves I'll use a shotgun with some 7 1/2 shot. Its enought to kill them but not shred them.

Crackshot · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 3:12 pm Post subject: Re: Squirrel Hunting

You must live in Northern Arizona. I didnt see to many tree's around were my father lived near Coolidge and Eloy Az.

atrox · Member Joined: Jun 05, 2008 Posts: 46 Location: Tucson, AZ

i have taken out a few squirrels with my gamo. It shoots 500 fps and i have even got them with body shots. Most were in the 15-25 yd range though.

Arizona Hunter · Member Joined: Jul 22, 2006 Posts: 275

Crackshot,

Although I live in Phoenix I have to hunt the squirrels in northern AZ, like you said. Most likely the most comon critter near Coolidge is Quail and coyotes.

Grant · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:34 am Post subject: Re: Squirrel Hunting

I shoot a lot of squirrels around my place. The little *&^%^ sure make a mess of the insulation in my pump house. Not to mention my one dog, Roo, it's her life's mission to rid the world of squirrels... Laughing

... Most times I use my old Cooey single shot 22 with shorts, but i have been known to use my .22 Beretta automatic... Twisted Evil

Crackshot · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: Squirrel Hunting

Yea. Not so much quail when I was there, But alot of jack rabbits in the cotton fields, rattle snakes, & tarantulas around the house.