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Post by ecgreen on Nov 30, 2011 16:48:30 GMT
Howdy all,
What squirrel loads do you guys use in your shotguns? I don't know if NH squirrels are tougher, or the vegetation is just thicker, but I have had more wounding this year than I would like. I use 6 shot and it patterns fine, but I am just not getting the knock down power I would like. What do you use? Ever tried high brass?
Sean
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Post by getsome on Nov 30, 2011 23:32:57 GMT
hey ecgreen....i to love blasting....i mean shooting squirr.. i hav stoeger doublebarr.410... i use 3in.71/2....or 21/2 8s...no problem..blast them gd..i mean.very human..i tagged out early ths year...got a new gps...so put some miles on... shooting reds...i dont eat them they go in freezer. put them in frozen pals for coyote hunting... weather hasnt been gd for that...
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Post by nastygunz on Dec 18, 2011 1:00:08 GMT
I use 7 1/2 in 410 and 12 but mostly .22 pellet rifle, deadly! Nows the best time, no leaves, spot em a mile away. I took one yesterday with my .177 caliber Crosman 1377c with a head shot..wild squirrel too not a bird feeder kill ")
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Post by nastygunz on Dec 18, 2011 1:00:39 GMT
What choke are you using?  |
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Post by ecgreen on Dec 18, 2011 12:30:37 GMT
I am using a modified choke. Dont get me wrong, I kill a lot of squirrels with my set up. Just looking to tune things up a bit. I get a lot of pellets that just enter the skin an no farther too. I use Remington loads, wonder if I should try a different brand.
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Post by Willy-C on Dec 18, 2011 14:09:08 GMT
EC,
How do the squirrels taste..??
I use #6 long range express (high brass) on bunnys and they seem to work very well.....don't know if squirrel is tougher to penetrate though
~WC~
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Post by mjflores on Dec 18, 2011 18:42:35 GMT
I've often wondered how they taste too. I saw more gray squirrel this year than ever before. I have the small game survey from F&G, but I honestly cant fill it out because from my stands I see so darn many squirrels there's no saying if some are the same ones. Several times this year I counted more than 8 around me at the same time. I'm betting they taste similar to deer maybe? I just watch them eating the same things, mostly buds from tree tops, acorns, and beech nuts. I think a wild game dinner / get together is in order so we can all try some grilled squirrel!  |
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Post by ecgreen on Dec 18, 2011 20:08:07 GMT
I love squirrel meat and I eat a good number of them every year. They taste like...squirrel. You need to clean out the glands and trim all the fat and they are yummy. I am pretty anal about preparing my game, one of these days I will do a photo tutorial on how I process squirrel.
After moving here to NH and finding the squirrel hunting to be some of the best I have EVER seen, I hesitate to encourage anyone to go out after them...lol Seriously, if you haven't tried it, do it. Imagine...walking out of the woods with actual game most times you go hunting! You'll have the woods to yourself and some fine table fair too. Of course, you may get some looks dragging a pile of squirrels by the tails down the road, but that is fun too!
Sean
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Post by ecgreen on Dec 18, 2011 20:09:44 GMT
I am dead serious about how good the squirrel hunting is here. NH is to squirrel hunting as Iowa (or Illinois or wherever you antler hungry boys go) is to deer hunting.
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danf
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Post by danf on Dec 18, 2011 23:43:00 GMT
Sean, you should take a trip with me to my "home" woods back in IN... Not only are there grays, there are also fox squirrels, and just as big of population density as there is here. Dad was tempted to take his Gamo air rifle out with him while deer hunting more than once this fall! I used to hunt them quite a bit back when my great-grandmother was still alive, I'd take them to her. There hasn't been any serious tree-rat hunting done on a regular basis in those woods in probably 15 years now, and quite honestly, it shows in the numbers IMHO.
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Post by nastygunz on Dec 19, 2011 0:37:48 GMT
I always think skinned they look and taste just like a little rabbit..and they are lots of them about..I rarely ever see anybody out squirrel hunting when I am out and about..I think somewhere in NH I saw a few guys hunt em with feist dogs..that would a be a blast...and ID LOVE to get a crack at some of those huge fox squirrels...I also like the variety of weaponry, I use everything, whatever tickles my fancy at the moment, pistol, shotgun, air rifle, etc, tons of fun...I use my turkey choke...pounds em farther away...if they are real close I let em move off away or I hit em with the edge of the pattern in the head area...nhmsj is the Squirrel Chef on here !
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danf
Poult
Transplanted BOILERMAKER
Posts: 403
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Post by danf on Dec 19, 2011 1:57:52 GMT
An old, old pic, but probably the last fox squirrel I shot... Where my "home" woods is located isn't terribly far from a very small population of black squirrels too.   |
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Post by Willy-C on Dec 19, 2011 3:11:34 GMT
I thought a fox squirrel looked like this....... ;D Attachments:
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Post by Willy-C on Dec 19, 2011 3:24:48 GMT
Imagine...walking out of the woods with actual game most times you go hunting! Sean I don't have to imagine.......I went turkey hunting once and deer hunting once this year.......used both tags.....  But have been hunting almost every weekend the entire year with the hounds......(most times both Sat and Sun) Sat was three shots and three bunnys.......today was no shots and one bunny (thanx to a fast dog) I would've had my limit today (passed on one) but felt bad about white bunnys in a brown forest.....  I don't even have to shoot to be lucky.... Attachments:
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Post by mjflores on Dec 19, 2011 12:05:54 GMT
Some guys have all the luck! ;D
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