Use heavy 6 shot with a full choke and I don't care if it's a fox squirrel or gray, I use a shotgun when the leaves are thick and there cutting in the hickories when the the season first opens, other than that I like the 22 rifle.
Shot shells for squirrel question
- Thread starter Tenntrapper
- Start date
The Tree Squirrel Slam: How a Small-Game Biologist Tagged All 8 U.S. Bushytail Species
A small game biologist's quest to tag all 8 species of U.S. tree squirrels.
www.fieldandstream.com
I shot that load I mentioned at 25 paces at a pcs of cardboard and I'd have to hold off at that distance to not tear one up. I bet I could knock one out of a 90 ft tree with it.
That's what I call a serious squirrel hunter! It's intuitive to edge shoot squirrels with a shotgun, but with an IC choke? Yeah, that's what he said he used.The Tree Squirrel Slam: How a Small-Game Biologist Tagged All 8 U.S. Bushytail Species
A small game biologist's quest to tag all 8 species of U.S. tree squirrels.
He missed the American Red Squirrel, but then again I never would shoot those because they are smallThe Tree Squirrel Slam: How a Small-Game Biologist Tagged All 8 U.S. Bushytail Species
A small game biologist's quest to tag all 8 species of U.S. tree squirrels.
I prefer a .22 no matter what the season. Even in August limits can be had with a .22 if you are patient. I actually believe a .22 gives you advantages in several ways.
Carlos
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2014
- Messages
- 5,255
Right-
I nearly always use the 22 short HP's.
I just like the challenge and the clean head shot with a .22. No mess, clean kill or clean miss usually. Although I did have a bad hit once. Shot the lower jaw. I made the kill, but it was not my best.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2016
- Messages
- 9,309
I agree and prefer using a 22 myself. But...the point of this thread was....is #7.5 effective on squirrels?
It's just a "reliving an old memory" thing. Hunting with paper shells....that smell. And all I could find was 7.5 shot.
I'm old but never used paper shells. I had used 7.5 in 20ga. when I was a kid. I didn't like picking shot out of my mouth after chomping a few. Were the 7.5 effective. Yes the were.
Biggun4214
Well-Known Member
If my Dad was hunting with a shotgun he used 7.5's the majority of the time for everything from doves to rabbits. The only other shot he used for rabbits and squirrels was 6's.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
I remember my Dad saying they couldn't afford much variety, and often had to just go with something that was multi-purpose. Also sounds like many the hardware & country stores may have mainly just stocked 6's & 7 1/2's.
squirrel_hunter
Well-Known Member
I load 410 ga 3 inch in 5 or 6's.
28 ga 3/4 in 4 5 or 6's.
20 ga 7/8 4 5 or 6's. I use the cheap hulls. My wife cant always find her hulls.
28 ga 3/4 in 4 5 or 6's.
20 ga 7/8 4 5 or 6's. I use the cheap hulls. My wife cant always find her hulls.
I've always lost quite a bit of game when using anything less than/smaller than #5 so I generally use #4. When shot with #4's, they're generally laying where ever you shot them
Benelli 4 Life
Well-Known Member
I squirrel hunt 5-7 days a week during season with a dog. 7.5s or 8s are all I use. Full choke in a 20ga Benelli
