Last fall I rediscovered the fun of squirrel hunting. It came as the result of sitting in a tree bowhunting and seeing multitudes of squirrels running around beneath me and in the trees nearby and wishing I had a .22 instead of a bow. I had never seen as many squirrels as I had in this particular patch of woods, which was filled with oaks, walnut trees, and hickory trees. So, one day in early November I decided to give up a morning of hunting the rut and bring my .22, which is something I never thought I'd do.

That morning I saw numerous squirrels right after first light, but when I'd try to get close and tree them, they wouldn't cooperate and would run as far and fast through the woods as they could. Feeling somewhat frustrated, I sat down and after awhile saw a couple squirrels playing grab ass in a good sized oak about 75 yards away up the hill. I was able to walk up the hill and get within about 10 yards of the tree, standing behind a small tree to stay concealed and give myself a rest. There were more than a couple squirrels - it seemed this oak was filled with squirrels chasing one another. I'd wait for one to stop and give me a clean head shot, shoot, drop it, and then wait for them to start chasing again and shoot when one would stop. One was smart enough to run down the tree and haul ass down the hill, but he was the only one.

Anyway, the last two were chasing around, and one was partially down in a hole and the other was just outside, messing with it. I shot the one on the trunk, he dropped and then the one in the hole came out to see where his buddy was. Mistake on his part and I limited out! Don't think I'll ever repeat that in my life, but I will surely remember it! I'll bet I haven't seriously squirrel hunted in about 34 years, having bow hunted in the fall since my teen years, and bird hunted when the season was over. It sure brought back a lot of memories.

Nice write-up, nice squirrels and the little Browning speaks for itself...pure quality.

Yep. The Browning/Leupold combo is skookum. Trying to think if I ever shot five that fast and can't recall that I ever did. Cool beans...

Really sweet gun/scope combo, a classic for sure.



maddog

I killed five out of one hickory in probably 3 seconds one time. Could have got a couple more if my shotgun {20 ga. BPS} hadn't run dry. There were at least 8 squirrels in that one tree.

I bought that 1965 Browning back in 2000 at a little gun store in Fredericksburg, Texas, unfired and in the box with all paperwork for $500. While I have plinked with it over the years, last fall was the first time it's been hunting. I love the Auto 22, as although it is small, it has a long LOP of 13 3/4".

Excellent!!! I am not a bow hunter, but squirrel hunting with fine .22 beats bow hunting anything.. Thanks for the post..

Hunting gray squirrels with a good scoped .22 rifle has been a favorite past time of mine since I was a kid.

That's getting it done. Nice baby Browning. Squirrel gravy and biscuits. Mmmmmmm.......

That was a heck of a five minutes. Nice shooting.

That photo makes me hungry.

thanks for the writeup. I started squirrel hunting again last year after many years off, really enjoyed it. My arthrtic back has forced me to slow down but I think it has made me a better hunter... slower and quieter.

If that makes you hungry, Ella:



I finally cooked up some of my store of frozen squirrels tonight. Parboiled them for a bit over an hour until a fork went through easily, then dredged in seasoned flour and fried in cooking oil. That's a boiling pot of potatoes behind the the pan. Completed with some country gravy, sweet peas and biscuits, and washed down with a couple of beers. It's been a long, long time since I've had fried squirrel and it was absolutely delicious. Even my 8 year old daughter enjoyed the "chicken wings"!

That's how it's done!

Last night I took some out to thaw for Sunday supper. Swap collards for sweet peas and we'll be following your menu.

My buddy's kids love squirrel. The toddler brought in one the cat had got and wanted her daddy to cook it

Ella

Not to one up you BMR but your story reminded me of a hunt some years back. Hunting a small creek, it turned to the left. As I rounded the corner, I saw a squirrel about twenty yards away. As I raised my gun, I saw more movement to my left, two more squirrels in two trees about 30 and 35 yards away. Then right on the creek bank another squirrel climbing a tree.

Dad always told me to shoot the furtherest squirrel first as it might get out of range if I shot a nearer target. So, the squirrel at 35 yards was moving down the tree, shot him out, the one at 30 yards headed up the tree, shot him out, nearest squirrel was running on a limb, shot him out. Squirrel at creek bank tree running on limb, shot him out.

Don't know time wise how long that was but four shots with a semi-auto, fast as I could fire and turn,had to have been less than a minute.

Great hunt BMR. What part of the state you hunting?

Thanks for sharing BMR...if we were allowed semi-autos here in PA that browning/leupold combo is the set up I would want for small game - that is perfection!!! Squirrel hunting takes me bake to a much simpler time with some cherished family members that are no longer here - nothing but GREAT memories

Made me dig some of the squirrels I got last year out of the freezer

PennDog

squirrel hunting is my favorite, hands-down. good shootin.

I don't mind being "one-upped" at all, webster. That's some impressive shooting!

hunterjrg, I am in the western part of the state, near the La Crosse area.

Makes me yearn for those crisp fall mornings with yellow leaves on the hickories and acorns cuttings sounding like rain. It don't get no better than squirrel hunting, lessen it's squirrel gravy and homemade biscuits.

we still have some great squirrel hunting here in North Florida, but ours seem very skittish, compared to the reports here. I mostly kill 'em with a Ruger 10/22 and Bushnell 4X scope combination. Accurate and deadly out to 45, 50 yards.
That is some darn fine shooting there, BMR.