Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game Thoughts on squirrel season

First things first: This was the worst squirrel season in memory. Don't know why; they simply were not there. Interestingly, I spoke with another avid squirrel hunter who hunts less than 100 miles from where I hunt and he and his friends had their best ever season. That's the way it goes.
The point is that what I learned this year was gleaned from fewer squirrels than usual.
I used a different rifle this year, a Ruger 77/22 that has been rebarreled by Clark Custom. I went with their Mid-Weight barrel in chrome moly finished at 17". The trigger has been adjusted to a crisp 2.25 lbs. On top was a new Leupold 6X36 with the wide Duplex and the parallax adjusted to 50 yards by Premier Reticle. The rig balances perfectly, points instinctively
and is very accurate with hunting ammo.
Speaking of ammo, I went with Eley High Velocity hollow points but was disappointed. The accuracy was stellar but the terminal performance left much to be desired. For me, Winchester Power-Points are too destructive, the Eleys don't have enough "killability", but the SK High Velocity hollow points are the perfect choice.
I used two new knives this year and was very pleased with both. The first was a Bakr-Bilt (Owen B. Baker, Jr.) Model 43 Bird & Trout. With a 6.25" overall length and a 2.25" blade, it felt light, quick and nimble in the hand. The mirror-polished ATS-34 blade was well-shaped and plenty sharp for the task at hand and the cocobolo scales made for a very attractive and useful tool.
The second knife I employed this season was a David Winston Model 13 Small Game. I've used a bunch of knives in my life but, for cleaning squirrels, this is clearly the best. The 2.5" blade of ATS-34 was scapel sharp and perfectly shaped. The ironwood scales nestled in my hand and the balance provided by the knife's 6.25" overall length felt just right. I would guess that Mr. Winston has skinned a squirrel or two in his day.
As in years passed, I was assisted in my squirrel cleaning chores by the simple but highly effective B. L. Game Skinner and my trusty pair of Case Game Shears.
Hopefully next year will be more productive than this year was. I'm deep into deer hunting now and it's good to see some squirrels in the woods to act as seed for next year.
If you have any thoughts on your squirrel season, please post them.

RS

My season began with a bang. I killed several limits of six right away and thought the season was going to be a record setter. Missouri has an over abundance of mast crop this year and literally a fellow on one of these steep Ozark hills has to be careful walking. It's sort of like walking on marbles there are so many hickory, acorn, and walnuts on the forest floor.

I normally kill around 100, give or take a few, each year. I only use a .22 LR of one sort or another. Grey and the big red Fox Squirrel are the targets here. Well, it seemed as the leaves began to turn the squirrels left for parts unknown. Instead of a full limit, I was coming back with 3-4, then 2-3 each outing. I quit at 54 this year to make it the worst in recent memory.

I use several different rifles. Early in the season when things are "greened up" and a guy can get close I like my Marlin M39A with aperture sight. Later when the canopy is more open, or when they're on the ground, a scoped rifle does the job. That can be a Ruger 77/22, Ruger 10/22 Deluxe Sporter, Ruger 10/22 Target, or T/C Classic. I have also found the Power Point to be tough on the eating parts if the angle is bad on the head shot. Unlike you, I love the Eley High Velocity Hollow Point. The accuracy in all my rifles is superb and it seems to strike a nice balance of stopping power without blowing things up. I've killed raccoons, groundhogs, and feral cats in my barnlot at 100 yards with this load. Literally "dead right there" performance. I love it.

I use one of my Bob Dozier knives for my cleaning purposes. A Canoe Knife, Straight Personal, or Semi-Skinner fills the bill nicely. Game Shears do the feet and head. I dearly love stalking the fall woods after the smallest big game around!

In my initial post, I failed to mention the .17 Mach2. I had three squirrel hunters tell me that they tried the .17HMR and found it to be far too destructive. "Like a bomb.", seemed to be the common phrase.
The .17 Mach2, however, was claimed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not too destructive but "DRT" effective. All said it shoots flat as a laser. One acquaintance told me that when paired with a variable scope with 14X on the high end, the Mach2 was the ultimate squirrel gun. He claimed to make numerous shots at 100+ yards.
I must say that neither the HMR nor the Mach2 interests me much and shooting squirrels at 100 yards interests me not at all. To me, a big chunk of the fun is the sneaking in close. But everyone has to choose their own path.
All three said that the Mach2 had made them permanently retire their .22LRs.

RS

So far the squirrel season in MN has been a good one. I purchased a barrel and stock combo from Midway to put some new interest into an old 10/22. It'll make head shots all day now at 50 yds. I've also had some success at getting my brother out after the tree rats. I'm a strong believer in the fact that hunting should be a family tradition. So far there have been plenty of fox and gray squirrels and an over abundance of those damn red squirrels.

Squirrel season here has been fair to good. I usually have my best results after deer season closes.

I've had nothing but excellent results from the Eley subsonic hollow point. I will occasionally go to Power Points, but 95% of my hunting is done with the subsonics. I did try the Eley HV HP and it didn't seem to kill any better than the subsonic.

I've been using my ULA but with a 2-7X rimfire this season rather than the 4-12X it has worn for the last eight years.

I never liked subsonic rounds because of the looping trajectory. Besides I have been known to use my high velocity hollow point Eley's on groundhogs, coons, longer range crows than a subsonic could reach out for, and even coyotes. JB, still using that Dozier Canoe Knife?

GC,

Most of my shooting this year has been under the fifty yard range, so the trajectory is not an issue. I still like the Power Points for larger small game and longer ranges, but they are nigh impossible to find. I understand the rimfire manufacturing may be in the moving process to another location, but will have my son check it out at the SHOT show in February.

I sold the black micarta Canoe, but have another one with burl maple scales that Bob made for me. The Canoe is one of my favorite patterns. I would love to see it with a tapered tang.

I have a Wayne Clay Improved Squirrel due here in a couple of months and am looking forward to trying it out before the season ends. It is a much larger knife than the Canoe, but the blade is very thin.

I also just received a Blade-Tech Mouse 2, it is a nice little knife. Very well made for a production knife. The fit is perfect, solid as a rock. The carbon fiber scales are a little foo foo, but cool for a small folder.

Best,
JB

A tapered tang Canoe Knife would indeed be a dandy! I'll have to look up the Clay knife. I have one of the original Spyderco Mouse folders with stainless handles. Talk about a tank of a mini knife, wow! Truth be told I haven't used it for much of anything. I have used the small Spyderco Wegner on squirrels a time or two. It did a fine job, however, I really prefer the easy clean up of a small fixed blade.

He does no advertising, but does have a well done catalog. He stays about eight months behind, being a one-man shop.

His fixed blade knives are pretty reasonable, starting about $160 with micarta scales. High polished ATS-34 with tapered tangs and have stainless fittings. His hollow grinds are really thin and very well done.

Rats! I miss squirrel hunting. They don't grow up here on the Tug Hill. I've got an Anshutz lefty with the 64 action, a 2-7 leupy set for a 50yd. paralax and it like Wolf MT ammo. I've no idea how the ammo works for small game as I was hunting deer when I was down to my parents this season, and that's where the bushytails are too.

corelokt, et al.;

Stay tuned later (a month or three) for logistics on a Campfire squirrel rendezvous for next fall.

VAnimrod,

Sounds like a plan <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Work out the details and let us know where and when.

corelokt,

I lost interest in big game hunting, so now it's squirrels. I prefer it to any other hunting.

Best,
JB

Back a few decades ago I was carrying a Remington Targetmaster when it was taller than I was. I've always thought as much or more of squirrel hunting then any other, more shooting, more time in the woods, more fun, and better tasting then anything except maybe rabbit.
Speaking of rabbit, I've got the son's pet rabbit hopping around inside right now. It's 3 below and 2 foot of snow outside so he's living in his cage on the porch at night and hops around inside during the day.

I use win subsonics in the woods but I also protect some walnut trees in a churchyard and for those I use a .22 pcp air rifle.

Squirrels were tough to find here due to a good acorn year which had the squirrels scattered everywhere....They are my favorite game and indulge my passion for accurate 22 rifles....

RipSnort,

What stock do you have on the 77/22, and what had to be done to the barrel channel?

Fine idea, are you thinking national forest camp out, compleat with squirrel recipe cook off?

JOG,
It is an older wooden stocked Deluxe model 77/22. The barrel channel was opened up just enough to have the barrel free-float. Nothing else was done. If I could only afford one squirrel rifle, this would probably be it. I'm hoping the Deluxe 10/22 that is with Clark right now will be as accurate and handle as well as the 77/22.
RS

Dang, I was afraid you were going to say that - my 77/22 has the POS tactical canoe paddle. My fantasy was you had a line on an aftermarket synthetic...

squirrel season in ohio was great this year. limited out most times i went out using a new camo doghouse tent. can't say enough about 'em. you can bring a lunch, snack whatever and a camp seat and just sit back and wait for the little buggers to come in.

my hunting rigs are either a savage heavy barreled bolt rifle in 22lr. with cci minimags or a savage heavy barrel in 17 hmr. with hornady v-max.

have since given up on the 17 for squirrels because the waste to much meat. head shots need only apply. a minimag will dispatch them anywhere on the body and ain't bad in destruction.

also, one thing i didn't hear about was the old yellow jacket loads from remington. i used to swear by them for squirrels. hard to find anymore. vipers were good either. that truncated cone was just deadly when it hit squirrel fur.