Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game 22lr for Squirrel

I'm not exactly sure....I have a friend there thats going to be my guide....

No shortage of them in the places I hunt.

Had a free day today and while I did not get out to hunt I did do some work in anticipation of some tree rat hunting in the near future. I have collected a few aftermarket parts for my 10/22 over the spring and summer and finally got them into the rifle. New JWH bolt, Jard trigger and a an older B&L A/O scope. Now to site it in. I already had a Green Mountain sporter barrel .

Squirrel hunting has been my favorite past time for as long as I can remember. I usually get into the woods following the first frost in mid- to late September/early October. Ohio's season starts when it's still 90 degrees outside and green, and I just can't get into it until it gets to the point where I have to warm the cabin with a fire at night.

Though a rifleman, I must admit that I take one of the .410's out early on, especially if they are still up in the foliage. After that, I take one of the .22's. I have always had good luck shooting Remington's .22 38 grain Subsonic Hollow Point. They group well in every one of my rifles, and be it a head shot or a behind the shoulder impact, I get instantaneous death, no meat damage and very little noise. Over a decade ago, I was buying a brick from the local sporting goods store every payday, and I think I ended up with twenty or so bricks stashed away, so I figure I have a lifetime supply. I'm not sure if they are still even in production?

For several yeras, I was doing the majority of my hunting with an original 1906 Winchester Model 1892 with a 24" octagon barrel in 25-20. The bore was PRISTINE! I found it at a gun show in Ohio, mounted a Lyman Tang sight on it, and loaded a 85 grain RCBS flat nose cast from wheel weights over 2400. I think at around 1400 fps. It would put 5 shots through one ragged hole at 50 yards. It was my go-to rifle for everything short of deer, though had I the opportunity, I would have had no qualms dropping a whitetail with it. Sadly, a few years back, in a moment of financial weakness spurred on by some unfortunate life circumstances, I sold it. It was, and still is, one of my biggest regrets. Perhaps one day I will find another.

I love your Ithaca. I keep seeing ads for the 28 gauge model in my Fur, Fish, and Game magazine, and think about getting one before they quit producing them, or Ithaca goes out of business. Again. What barrel length did you order? She's beautiful, and the 28 gauge is perfect for just about everything save for turkey and waterfowl.

With the weather not being so hot, I decided to hit the woods.

Anybody out there using a squirrel call?

i use a varmint squaller. it moves chipmunks, bluejays, causes squirrels to change location, calls in some crows sometimes.

i have tried the little coin shaped silver squirrel whistle from time to time, with no effect that i could see. but it sounded good.

it's all done from the house. when i'm in the woods, i sit and wait. the mtn feist has done gone on, so no dog to help.

Quaker Boy scolder and Haydel's distress whistle/


I have found the scolder a better locator. The distress whistle is effective in making them show themselves, plus I found it works great on bringing in coyotes.

Sometimes I just put out bait.

I just picked up a Primos squirrel buster...havent used one since back in the day but it used to work so good it almost wasn't fair....

28". I like the more forward feel, think it balances and swings better.

This one has some nice wood; I was fortunate. I fitted a 1/2" pad to shorten the LOP a bit. Seems to handle faster and cuts down on the reach for the forarm.

DF

I’ve always used Faulks with the little rubber accordion on the end.

The one I used back in the day was an Olts...with the little accordion...this new one operates the same way..

Man, that is one beautiful shotgun.

I have messed around with a squirrel caller, but I've never had much luck with them.

Thanks. It is a finely built shotgun. These Ohio guns may be even better built, more precisely machined than the original Ithaca, NY guns. For sure, a heap better than the various rebirths of the Ithaca company, the last before Ohio, King Ferry.

DF

Rimfirecentral has a big squirrel hunt in Southern Illinois every year, they've been doing it a long while. I haven't gone to it, but it kinda sounds fun. Here's a link, it looks like anyone who wants to go, is invited. I'd rather hunt the woodlots in Northcentral Missouri (Chariton County), where there's a good mix of fox and grey squirrels, and a heckuva lot of them (limit 10 per day, possession limit of 20). I grew up hunting those squirrels and those woods. It gave me a good start towards deer hunting the same brush and timber.
https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1056218

The Ill-annoy hunt looks like fun, but so are/were our family hunts in Chariton County, and we slept in our own beds, not in tents!!

If it does get down in the 60s for the lows next weekend I may try to get out one morning and kill a small mess unless dad finds the walleyes biting this week at which point I may fish instead, never know!!

May have him drop me out to kill 2-3 squirrels then get back on the boat for eyes or crappie!

Squirrels were hitting the sunflower a couple of weekends ago, I noticed they have moved to the hickory trees and are really starting to heat up. I just wish it wasn't so hot and dry. Chance of rain tomorrow. If it does, I feel a vacation day coming on.

Flat ass raining here in Cass county today.

Messaged my dad this morning but haven't heard from him. He is down at Truman drowning minnows if it isn't raining.

As much as I love my rifles most of the squirrel hunting I have access to is better suited to shotguns. I like full choke 20 gauges and #4 shot but 6's work pretty good also. I have gotten to the point where I shoot at the squirrels head with the edge of the pattern if it is within 25 yards and #4 shot does go through most of the time. My model 17 Remington needs a butt stock and hopefully that will be taken care of by September and it will have cooled a bit by then.