Mad Dog hasn't started a thread this year for posting up our squirrel hunting pics, so I guess I will! Anyone welcome to share their small game hunting shots.

Got to hunt for around an hour before dark this afternoon with the Kimber Hunter 22; saw three, shot one. Redhead from around 45-50 yards. Second squirrel bolted from the same tree, and it scrammed outta there at high speed never presenting a hope of a shot. Saw the third rustling around in a small oak and sat down and waited. And waited. Nothing. It teleported away.

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't even gone squirrel hunting this year. Busy working on the house....... I know, that's no excuse. Please don't take my man-card.

Done thousands of our ground squirrels. Learned one of life's lessons on the grays though. I can sit absolutely motionless beneath a hickory tree for 20 minutes. A squirrel can do the same for 22 minutes.

Absolutely true.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/110903.jpeg

Quick hunt before the rain.

It has been too hot here PA, the squirrels still have warbles in them. saw them sunday.

Here ya go Phil. didn't start a thread cause of issues with photo bucket. Since then, I've gotten used to Imgur, so I'll post some. Sides, somebody besides me needed to start a limb chicken thread!

That's my new RAR .22 lr. I mounted a Nikon p3 efr .22 scope on it.





But I'm still taking my trusty old H&R .single shot .22 Sportster out for a few runs, too.

Pictures make me hungry. Mother makes the best squirrel dumplings.

To keep you from starving..........

Limb chicken pot pie.......

Gravy, anyone?

Kimber and Colt.

Mr. Nesmith, We have similar taste in Squirrel rifles, I see. Mine's a Kimber Classic, other than that, near twins.

Where you bean man?


I just opened my squirrel motel ( where squirrels check in...but they dont check out) and its getting to be winter here so I was just thinking about fried squirrels, gravy and squirrel pot pie!

First hunt of the season and maiden voyage for my new "Clemson Gun.".




I used some CCI "Short Range Green" that someone gave me a couple boxes of several years ago and now appears to be discontinued. It features an odd shaped 21 gr bullet of copper particles/polymer at an advertised 1650 fps. It shot great on the range and cut a clean, full caliber wadcutter type hole in the paper. It stoned the squirrels and did not blow big holes in them like I expected for such a light bullet at that speed. Interesting load.

Another one shot a week or so ago.

Geez! Thats a big one!

Haven't had a chance to get out hunting for Limb Chickens since my return to the South. Been too warm......not worried so much about the Buzz Worms, but them Moccasins are another critter altogether. Way too many of them in my AO......Poobah needs to come do some collecting I think!

Maddog the wooden handle on your tailgate is that something you use for skinning?

No, it has a fish stringer end attached to it, that I use to carry squirrels with in early season, rather than a vest.





This is a better pic of it fastened to the foot.

Spent a great afternoon out squirrel hunting Saturday afternoon over at the inlaws place. It was 48 degrees with wind from 1-5 mph, just right to not sweat and have to battle mosquitos. Took the Kimber again and got 4. Saw 6, but missed a long shot on what should have been #5; by then my neck and left shoulder were killing me from looking up so much (multiple ruptured discs) and the sixth squirrel was playing hide and seek in a tall oak with lots of leaves and shadows. Gave up on it, and it was approaching too dark to see anyway. All four that I shot were at very close range, none more than 20 yards away.

Dude...I didnt take any pics but got a couple fox squirrels yesterday.

First one of the season, taken the week before last.

Four more for the pot with the old .410 Stevens single. I have to admit, three of the four were small enough that I felt bad about shooting them. Shouldn't take much cooking though!

here's one........

diggin' SOB's

wire chewing ___________

Ruger 17 M2......

tik, gray squirrel or ground squirrel???

ground squirrel..........DOA from M2..........

classic fence post shot.......

That is a cool looking animal.. Our squirrels have short stubby tails, and are brown in color.. Many of those things around..????

WCH I shot a bunch of those things in Washington state...but they aren't high volume shooting like our goths and PDs...you never warm up a barrel on them.

Cool, are they diggers?? Saw some of those in SW Oregon while fishing.. As shot some large gophers in the Dillon Montana.. I would really like to get one or two of these...

WCH yes, they are diggers, in fact all I ever heard them called was " Gray Diggers"..


And as for Big gophs...how are these next to a 6.5 inch barreled Bisley...shot a lot like that on the Hi-Line...

Thanks...

Beautiful Kimbers. Big fan...

have these diggin' SOB's in & out of my pole barn......

I keep my tractor in that barn......

I've heard peppermint oil keeps them away from under the hood

My 17M2 takes 'em out fast......shoot every one I see...

Couple of seasons ago. Last time I’ve been.

Wow, probably still eating that pile of squirrels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Squirrels IS good!

New Trump2020 Henry drew first blood Sunday.

Holy Crap! Don't think I've seen that many squirrels in my life, Reloder28.

Just a guess; was there a pecan orchard involved?

Always wanted to hunt tree squirrels. Never lived where they were legal to hunt. My hats off to you guys.

What O/U is that? What loads do you like? Normally a 22 user, but took a 20G out once a year or two back.

Never hunted squirrels much. Last time was about 1980 in Colorado. Took the ex and her kids out and got a bunch of Pine squirrels. Really small but were good eating. Keep thinking I want to do it here but unless you live in Bend, never see then here. Not a lot in small game in Central Ore unless you like jack rabbit. Some Pigmy Cottontails around but not a lot. Got the guns though. Mod 62a Win in 22 LR and an AyA SxS in 410.

Glad you started this, Phillip. I see some of the usual suspects have dropped in.

Squirrel hunting is the best. Too much rain and wind had put a damper on my season. Until today.

Gorgeous morning in the woods.



Couple pretty spots.





Got 8 on 10 shots, including a couple of long ones that had me patting myself on the back.

I love it when they fall from way up and WHUMP.

Not a picture. Just some ramblings on squirrels.

Was deer hunting the last few days and watched a jet black squirrel all day, which was a good thing as the deer sightings were few and far between. Have seen little clusters of black squirrels in other areas, but this is the first one Ive seen near home.
In sping I watched a very light phase gray squirrel, at first I thought it was white but in glassing it when it was near another one it was just very light gray. Wondered if it was age or just an unusual color phase. Sure stood out in the spring woods.
I wonder if the lack of squirrel hunters is leading to the color phases that stand out remaining in the gene pool.

Squirrel hunting is legal in Idaho...

This begs the question from a guy who’s never considered eating a squirrel....Do they taste like chicken?

Fall / Winter is the best for eating them?

😎

Umm, I’m pretty sure he’s still alive and thinks your Henry is a tree trunk....Just saying. 😬😎

No, they don't taste like chicken. They taste like rabbit, only with more flavor.

Fall/Winter is usually the chosen time because they are free of parasites and other bodies by that time.

I think they are my favorite meat, domestic or wild....

I killed this beauty on 01-01-2019 haven’t done any good this year but I don’t usually hunt until it gets cold.

I've never stumbled across an albino squirrel in all my hunting years. Very cool.

Awesome, BKS. Never shot a white one. Saw a black one for a few years in the same pecan grove, even spent a few afternoons, specifically targeting it, but never got a shot.

That's one to mount!

It is at the Taxidermist and is supposed to be ready for Christmas. There is a National Wildlife Refuge in the south part of Arkansas that is covered up with black fox squirrels but this was the only albino one I have ever seen in the wild.

Someone else, maybe maddog, had a nice fox squirrel mounted, one of those raccoon looking ones..

BKS,

In case I ever find myself in the right spot, where do you hit a squirrel you intend to mount?

I shot that one back to avoid any bones.
Taxidermist can fix about anything.

I just saw that in the regs. Red Squirrel. I have a few I need to get even with.

Being a lifelong squirrel hunter, I really enjoyed these pictures, but I really got a laugh out of this one. Thanks!

Actually, mostly Oak of all types.

Certainly is fun....

Considering the young man with the O/U, I believe it was one of the newer Mossberg’s.

This thread is good motivation to get out squirrel hunting next year.

it is indeed....when deer season opens i usually put all else on hold, but with my deer chasing pretty wrapped up for the season we usually spend a lot of time in January on the prowl for squirrels.

Friend of ours has a pecan orchard surrounded by creek bottoms with mature timber, and we're the only ones that squirrel hunt it....usually do pretty well there.
Due to increasing numbers of hogs, i often pack around a .22mag now...prior to that it was a 22LR with sub-sonics for early season, and 17mach2 for longer shots when leaves drop.
Now that hogs are more likely, been packing a .22mag with CCI Gamepoints, or FMJ's,...both a bit less destructive than JHP's.

Weather permitting, we'll be prowling around the woods on New Years Day after squirrels,...went out yesterday & shot a couple of new-to-me rifles in 17M2 and .22mag to get ready for woods walking.

Assorted squirrel carnage photos from the last few years:

Anschutz .22LR, 3x9 compact, both from here in the classifieds:


First squirrel on that snowy morning...Anschutz 22mag, 2.5-8x:


Same 22mag, different day:


Mixed bag that day, again with the Anschutz 22mag:


Maple T-Bolt, in 22mag:

a few other 22LR's that get packed around some...

Marlin tube-fed , with Nikon 2x7 Pre-Monarch:


That pile of cut nut-shells that built up under the tree was nearly a foot high...must be a favorite spot for them:

CZ452, 3x9 EFR-AO.....i shoot this one quite a bit..

Kimber 17Mach2:


A different Kimber, also 17Mach2:


Magnum Research, 17mach2

Where can I find one of them orange Squirrel toters?

Belding's Ground squirrels here. Primarily in alfalfa fields. Up from late Feb into early June and under ground for the rest of the year. Adults about 10 to 11 inches tall and youngsters are mouse size when they first emerge. On a good day one can do a brick of 22 LR's and that is shooting in single shot mode.


Give a kid a 10-22 and a banana clip, you can't afford to be out there with him.

A few more shots

Reloder...buddy of mine had a local paracord guy make that one up, was only about $20....go to ebay & type in " paracord game tote" and there is a bunch of guys that make 'em in about any color/style you want...

Nice Kimber Phillip. Who made the fixed blade knife? Good looking knife.

It's an A. G. Russell, Gent's Hunter model, 6-3/4"OAL.

Great looking knife from a great knife maker. Thanks.

I haven't Squirrel hunted in years, so no photo's to add. When I did a Kleingunther K22 was my rifle of choice. Now it would be a Kimber Hunter or a Kimber HS restocked in a Kimber Varmint stock.

son & i went for a woods walk, on this one i packed the Cz452 style, he carried a Stainless marlin tube fed:



different day, same CZ..


Kimber Stainless Classic:


Marlin again, in the bed of the meat wagon...had just emptied out a load of pigs:


same marlin, different day:

Much obliged, neighbor.

Sunday morning:

Good shooting there! I hunted two days last week without finding any. Hate getting skunked, gets boring when you don't even see one.

I don’t think, I know.

We have seen several black squirrels over the years in our Texas hunting grounds.

Was a bit younger when this was taken.

Won't bother with the story, but it was a fun morning.

Anschutz 22mag, with a good sized victim:


i cant remember what year it was when TC came out with the .32 Cherokeee muzzleloaders, but it wasn't long after that when I bought one; buddy of mine liked it so well that he had to have one also. We spent a fall morning with that pair of .32's sneaking around on the hillsides....310 patched balls with 15gr-20gr FFFg works pretty well, and isn't overly destructive.



Kimber HS:


Win 52 quite a while back, maybe 25 years ago?

Got one late Sunday afternoon over at the inlaws place with the Kimber Hunter.

I been seeing alot of squirrels in my part of missouri,, Killed 125 since week before deer season,,my elder nieghbors are in heaven,,lol lots of young everywhere, no signs of breeding yet here ,, I expect to see em chasing anytime tho,,

This one won't be hiding his nuts anymore.

big fun!

You might have to look closely to see the squirrel. A long day of deer hunting and no deer, but that young man sure was proud of that squirrel!

Twenty or Sweet? Love the picture!

Damn it all - STOP posting A5’s.... I don’t need to go buy another shotgun... there is some serious envy going on here.

My 1967 Twenty and a couple squawks.

Thank you. I thought it was a pretty good representation of a bygone era.

1965 Light Twelve

Ya rotten SOB’s...

MOGC... you are close enough to me.... if you ever sell that thing let me know first.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/14479039/hosfly test?

that's a lot of tree rats. they might be extinct in your woods now.

It's a pretty one. I have a sentimental attachment to the Belgian Auto Five, that was dad's favorite shotgun. Dad liked the Sweet Sixteen for his quail, dove and rabbit hunting. He had a Light Twelve also. I watched dad pinwheel a running 8 point buck with a slug from that Lt. 12 as a wide eyed kid and been in love with the guns ever since.

Looks like two Missouri limits. We sure had a ton of squirrels in the Ozarks the last several years.

I didnt have my rifle in the pic,there were actually 3 of us on those,lol squirrels were thin pickins here till about mid oct, they been movin in since then

That was an impressive photo Hos. Was that an Anschutz in the photo?

yessir good eye,, I think he was packing a 1702 that day,, I had my 1415/16 annie and other buddie had 54 sporter

Very nice.

Anschutz rimfires are darn hard to beat, even though I'm a Kimber and Sako rimfire lover.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/14481711/squirrels heres a few more,, not really sure how to move pics from one thread to another ,

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/14481733/squirrels

Great photo's Hos. .........and more Anschutz's. LOL!

I'll have to pm you a funny story about my former Squirrel Hunting buddy, an Anschutz and a Kleingunther K22 (where my web name came from).

We got home late this afternoon and there was about an hour of daylight left, so I hit the woods looking for squirrels. Found one about 4:45, and did something very special to me; this old Stevens Model 94 16 gauge was my Dad's first gun, bought sometime in the 1950's. After my parents married, the old Stevens was left with my grandfather, and stayed there until he died, then it became MY first firearm! I moved on to fancier stuff, and the Stevens stayed over at mom and dads place, across the field from our house, just a few hundred yards away. After pop died in December of 2012, I brought it home and it has sat on the gun rack unused. Until this afternoon. The first squirrel that I have shot with it since I was a teenager. I'm 54 years old, so it's been close to 36 years since the little Stevens has dropped a squirrel. It was dark by the time I got back to the house, so I took this picture in the barn, where there are lights. My maternal grandfather, who died young at 47 years old in 1954 and 11 years before I was born, built the barn in 1934-1935. I've had to do some repairs over the years, but the old barn is still in pretty good shape, like the old Stevens single shot. Pawpaw Ne carved his initials into the stock, A.E.N.

BTW - I took that gun out of the box in 2018 which it had been in since 1965.

It was cold and a bit breezy, but I hadn't been hunting since prior to my November knee surgery, so the little Franchi 28ga and I took a little woods walk this evening. Actually, it was more of a woods "hobble" since I'm still on a crutch, but we managed to find one willing participant foraging for his evening meal.

Very good! Had my knee replaced in 2018. It only gets better from there.

I shoot 12 ga Remington #5’s exclusively. They market them as Pheasant Loads now. I buy them a case at a time.

After hunting with all available gauges I discovered that it took the shot charge of a 12 ga to penetrate the Fall foliage in the East Texas pines. Many of those are 80' tall.

Thank God you got him before he took over the world.

I'm already sick of this virus/lockdown. GAWD I wish it was squirrel season! I'd go to the woods and not come home.......

Winchester makes a what I suppose is a similar load and called a pheasant load. 1 1/4 oz shot at 1220fps mv. Exactly matches my old handload for squirrels, ducks, when lead was still legal, and as a general all around load when woods roaming. A little heavy on doves but I have used them for that.

[/img] a pic from a hunt this fall

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Do I see a camouflage Anschutz??
Looks to be close to all head shots. Nice.
What ammo Hos?

You are correct K, I forget what model but it shoots bugholes at 50y my buddy has it in a mcmillan,,,, we both are believers in eley,both sshp and hvhp,,,,now and then we break out a diff rifle with diff ammo,, he will shoot some UM1 he has and I will shoot some sk hvhp i have saved back,,,but in all truth cci 36g chute ems do a good job,, dime groups at 50y with 5 shots, we have a competition between us an would rather not shoot unless we have a head shot,, now an then ya get a neck and a shoulder wen they move but 9 out of 10 will get labotomized

"Competition between us................a head shot." Such a familiar story. That is exactly what my ol' Squirrel hunting buddy and I did also.
That looks like an Anschutz 54 action, but I"m not good with model numbers. Superb ammo that Eley is along with SK. I prefer their competitors, RWS subsonic, which I've used since the late 70's. Recently an online site sold the RWS subsonics at a ridiculous low price so I stocked up on them.
As I've stated else where, my Squirrel rifle I've used for forever, make that the late 70's, is a Kleingunther K22 or more commonly known as a KDF and it's also where my online name comes from.....K22. That rifle with Leupold rimfire low rings and a Burris 6X mini with AO was and still is my favorite setup. Don't have any good photo's of it, but below is a Mauser 201 with the same setup. Mauser 201's are the old KDF's.
Now days I have a lot more excellent in my pile to choose from, but that ol' KDF is still the one.

Pa. is opening squirrel september 12th this year. Can't wait.

Missouri reopens the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend in May.

Nice!

One more month and a few days. This will be the first squirrel season I am fully retired. This time of year I wait for the mulberry trees to be ripe. Sit a ways back from them and drop the first head shot I can get. Then don't go get him. Just wait for the next shot. I keep trying to teach the grands that. They still get too excited and want to get the dead ones. But the dead ones don't move. The squirrel on mulberries in Misery seem to get drunk. You can shoot quite a few before they start to miss their buddy Joe or Bill. The next rifle I want to use will be a PCP .25 airgun. Legally suppressed it makes for some cool sniping shots. Good luck to you all and Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Be sure and post lots of photo's here.

1 more week!!

Waiting on some to wake up.

Opening day here in Missouri.

One down. Saw several but other than 1 old boar watching me all others have been on the move.

intelligent trees torrent

These are Ground Squirrels, we have lots of them but you don't eat them & you don't pick them up unless you have gloves on because they can have the plague. They are very destructive to pastures where cattle & horses graze. Every year ranchers lose animals to broken legs because of the many holes they dig.
I took 12 the other day in windy conditions with my S&W model 16-4 in 32 magnum using 100 gr cast HP's. The Squirrels hate them. You can see the last 2 were head shots, that's all that was showing as they peeked at me from their little hidedy hole at 13 & 27 yds.








Dick

1945 you mite need to get a bigger gun if they try to charge you

Got 3 yesterday. With the FX Impact .25 with Donny FL LDC. Pretty dog gone quiet. Especially if you shoot one round without then put the Donny FL on. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

What county are you in?

I killed 9 yesterday, and 9 more this morning,, we have lots of squirrels this spring,, fried up yesterdays haul today an partied like rock stars,gonna try em again tomorrow,, we usually put up 300 or so every year,,

The spot I am hunting appears to be a better fall spot. Saw tons out there last fall while deer hunting

Saw 1 this morning and pretty sure it is an old sow. I get pretty picky this time of the year and try for the young squirrels only.

May try again in the AM if it isn't raining.

300 a year is a pretty good mess of nut munchers!!

My take with a handgun so far this season.










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I saw 8, missed 2 long shots and put these 4 on the stick. The leaves are still thick even in the pecan grove I was hunting this morning and the wind kicked up at daylight.