# Shot gun or 22?



## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Have seen lots (well, about 6 or so) squirrels in one part of the WMA this week and am going to go get some of them later on but got to wondering which gun to use.

Which is best and what shot to use if the shotgun is better?


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Neighbor's kid swears by (and now, I do as well) a .177 pellet rifle. Remington, 1200 fps.
Dead on accurate out of the box (his is, at least), cheap to shoot, and a lot of fun for plinking as well.
But, my $0.02, of the two mentioned... .22 for hunting of thinning, shotgun for eradicating.
Matt
PS, did I mention, his dad took a deer with it (the .177 pellet air gun)? Granted, perfect head shot...he practiced with and researched it before using it so as to prevent an injured animal.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Shotgun or .22?

Both!

Get yourself a Savage Over&Under that has a .22 barrel on top and a shotgun barrel on the bottom. Then if the squirrel is sittin still, you shoot it with the .22 . It it's a running, shoot it with the shotgun.

My Savage has a .22 barrel on top and a 20 guage barrel on bottom. I've had it somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 years. Still shoots good. I like to use # 6 or #8 shot when squirrel hunting.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Sure wish I could find an over and under at a reasonable price.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

I have both the 22 adn the shot gun but having never hunted squirrel before might just go with the shotgun. I know the 22 is more of a challange but dont think I need any more of that ound:


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

the real question is if your shooting up into trees are there houses where the 22 bullet would come down if you missed. if so then use the shot gun or reserve yourself to shooting squirl not up in trees.

shotguns can make a mess out of a squirl if the pelets go thru the hide your picking lead out of dinner were the 177 pelet is neat and clean it takes a very good shot the 22 does a fairly clean job as long as you shoot the head you waste no meat but chest stops them quick also damages minimal meat 

most of the meat on a squirl is in the back legs 

holow point 22 shells are a must the solids pass thru so fast without expandin it often lets them scurry into the hole in the tree or get away injured unless you get the head shot,


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

6 shot if your trying to eat them , if your just trying to rid your self of squirl 4 or 2 but they aare harder to find 

a freind of mine and i used to go squirl hunting on his farm when we were kids all he had was a shot gun 30 inch barrel with a full choke and a box of 4 shot he would intentionaly try too just catch them with the edge of the shot pattern so they wouldn't be so chewed up because at anythingh less than 20-30 yards the 4 shot would be all over in the meat.


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## Wis Bang 2 (Jan 12, 2010)

Dad used to get his sitting in a blow down tree in the woods behind the cabin, Sweet 16 Browning auto 5 & his fave 7.5 shot, same as rabbit, pheasant & Grouse. He used to keep the local grey's in check...


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## rwur961615 (May 24, 2008)

Shotgun with #6 shot until the the leaves drop then a scoped 22. 
Rick


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I much prefer a rifle for squirrels.

You can kill them over twice as far away


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

rwur961615 said:


> Shotgun with #6 shot until the the leaves drop then a scoped 22.
> Rick


I always liked a scoped 22 when the leaves were on, I could see him peeking at me thru the leaves.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

The tree rats around here are so in-bred that they are never still long enough to put a 22 on.
I like # 6's.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Jim-mi said:


> The tree rats around here are so in-bred that they are never still long enough to put a 22 on.
> I like # 6's.



These ones never seem to stay still long enough to even SEE properly, never mind my finding one in the scope.

How much of a problem is shot in the meat with #6 shot?

Having never had any meat shot with a shotgun am pretty new to all of this. Last year the only squirrels I managed to kill I caught with a live trap in the back yard.

Just sackem and whack em.

Reminds me, must set the trap up again.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> These ones never seem to stay still long enough to even SEE properly, never mind my finding one in the scope.


Once you learn to HUNT them, you'll find they pause quite often

Just go sit in the woods near an oak or hickory tree, and quietly watch and listen

I've killed a dozen in the last few weeks right in the back yard, stealing my pecans


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

tree rats are very good for working on target aquisition, once you learn to pull your gun up on target with both eyes open while you keep looking at the target you will get much faster if your scope won't let you do that you probably have the wrong scope 

the little bity 20mm 4x scopes with terrible eye releif don't work well


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

I won't even ATTEMPT to eat a squirrel that's been shot with a shotgun...replacement teeth are FAR too expensive for that! My stepfather used to get squirrel with a shotgun and no matter how pickey mom was, there was ALWAYS some shot left in the animal. (he used the shotgun for rabbit, too)

Go with the 22 or the pellet gun, kills the squirrel, as someone mentioned, improves target acquisition, cheap to shoot. My brother can kill a pot full of rabbit or squirrel with a pellet gun, all head-shot. Just get the GOOD pellet gun!

Mon


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Because of the damage I have incoured from tree rats . .I wouldn't even begin to think about eating those *******bandits.

Right in the back of my acreage is a LARGE amount of woods . .will those buggers stay in the woods . .NO . . .they come here and do great damage..............

can you tell I don't like tree rats . . .so whatever 22 or # 6's .........


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

I've used both shotgun and .22 on them. Quit shooting them with shot long ago. Don't like biting into pellets. Twenty two is more challenging and rewarding. Cheaper to shoot as well. Nothing like making a headshot from 40 yds with a well placed shot.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

ive used both. and im not that good ashot for a head shot. 

anyone ever used a .410 for squirrel?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

YA i used a 410 when I was a kid and all I had. Still didn't like biting into shot even then. My 22 is a Rugar 77 with a simmons 3x9 scope. shoots like the bigger 220 swift I hunt youtes with. so I get a pot full of squirrels and pratice for the youte hunts.

 Al


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Seems the majority is for the 22. Have gotten an extra hunter orange vest for my eldest boy so he and I are going to go see if we can get a few squirrels later in teh week.

Thanks for all the advice and info, have learned lots!


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

Btw...when you get your squirrels, after you skin them...you should parboil them so as to make the meat more tender. Last time I tried to cook a squirrel without doing so...he was so tough, you couldn't even get a fork into his gravy!


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

pheasantplucker said:


> Btw...when you get your squirrels, after you skin them...you should parboil them so as to make the meat more tender. Last time I tried to cook a squirrel without doing so...he was so tough, you couldn't even get a fork into his gravy!


:hysterical: Love the description of how tough he was :hysterical:

Yep, par boil, roll in flour, dip in milk, roll in flour again, fry in skillet, take out when done and make gravy with the dripping left in the pan. Serve with collard greens, black eyed peas and mashed potatoes.

Hmmmmmm, seem to be hungry now for some reason?!?


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

Having sport with my terriers, annually we kill around 150 red squirrels a year in the spruce forest around the place, just to keep numbers down and the big girl dog loves snacking on them after the terriers put the bite on them falling out of the trees with my deadly .22 shots from my trusty pump action browning using short or long rifle ammo, whichever is the cheapest I can get at the time. Mostly I use federal brand ammo, and it works just fine, keeping my terriers happy with rich sport!!


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Big silver greys here, makes a meal for sweetie and I. Soak them in milk, cook in a cast iron dutch oven on the woodstove add some flour, pepper, milk and sauted mushrooms and onions with dumplin's after deboning. My old Winchester Grandpa got me 48 yrs ago when I was 6 and .22 short shells....James


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