Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game Late season squirrel.

Got out of the house this morning for a couple of hours with my new (got it in August) 23" Contender Carbine 22 or. match barrel. It hadn't been blooded yet.

In almost two hours of hunting, I hadn't seen anything and was quietly walking back to the car.

Five minutes later I had three.

https://i.postimg.cc/tRxSKQz8/IMG-20220212-120955494-HDR.jpg



These things are a beeotch to skin for an old guy with carpal tunnel!

Forgot to mention; CCI Mini Mag ho's.

How do you like the stock set up on your Contender? What are the brand/details of the grip/buffer tube/stock?
Looks like you had a good day.

How are you skinning them? if you are cutting across the back and tugging hide in opposite directions you are doing it the hard way.

I like and also hate the stock. It allows length of pull adjustment which is great when going from summer temps and clothing to winter where layers/heavy coats are worn. It also allows a proper cheek weld with a scope. The TC factory stock kind of reminds me of a short shotgun stock with a lot of drop. I end up with my chin/jaw in a teeter totter sort of position when shooting it. (Still accurate, but doesn't feel very stable).

The adjustable stock adds a bit of weight, which isn't that bad, except with shorter or larger bored barrels, in which case it can make the gun butt heavy. There is also some play in the stock (from the adjustment parts) that make it feel a little clunky. It is also just pretty damn ugly.

The stock is made by Choate, and I bought it from EABCO. They sell the whole stock, or you can get the grip adapter and add your own choice of AR stock, which might be a good idea to try.

Mogc, yes, that's how I am skinning them. I am all ears for an easier way.

This is how I do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtspCxIfWuI&ab_channel=MeatEater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c8OyexZ10E&ab_channel=Realtree

Nice! That looks a tiny bit easier.

Thanks K!

Your post inspired me to get out this morning. Very windy but I did see two squirrels and I was able to kill one. The other vanish.

Good deal, and nice shooting!

Your welcome slugflinger. After you've done a few that way it gets real easy.

That looks like an MGM barrel. Is it a 22 lr?

Yes, it is a MGM barrel 22lr Match.

Another tip, dip them in water really well before you start. That will eliminate about 99% of the loose hair that gets stuck to the meat so stubbornly. Use the Meateater video, the second video the guy pulled the top half completely off. That is wasted motion and effort. Just pull it to where you want to cut it with the game shears and then while still standing on it, grab the belly skin and rip it back to where you want to snip off the legs. It is a 1 - 2 process without shifting the squirrel. Game shears are easy peasy and they save your knife edge from grating on bones and or the use of a hatchet. Just snip the four lower legs and the neck and the skin, legs and head is gone in less than a minute. I piece my squirrels for the pan, so I use the shears to separate into four legs and the back saddle. A quick wash and the squirrel is either ready for the pan or the freezer. With some practice it shouldn't take more than a couple minutes total per squirrel.

Sure wish our season continued into March like rabbit does.
Winter squirrel hunting is some of the most fun there is in the woods.

Oops, double tap

Today was the last day of the season so I made a little time to go. I forgot how much I enjoy still hunting squirrels. Really enjoyable morning.

Nice job!

Well done!

Nicely done!