12 ga or .22 for squirrel hunting

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  • mark71211

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 10, 2012
    2,234
    Edgewater
    I'm going to be spreading a Saturday in a few week trying to thin out the squirrels where I deer hunt at. At the moment I'm torn between taking the .22 or 12 ga. There was 10-15 squirrels on my corn pile during deer season that would just sit still eating corn all day and that would be a perfect for the .22 but I ain't put out corn since early November. So I'm thinking now the squirrels will be spread out more over the since the corn is gone and I will have to walk more to look for them. Now without the corn pile to keep them still but instead I figure they will be running around so a 12 ga would be better. What do you think?
     

    Mark75H

    MD Wear&Carry Instructor
    Industry Partner
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 25, 2011
    17,174
    Outside the Gates
    I've had equal success with .22 and 12ga with squirrels ... I've been able to make them deader with .22 more often, but 12ga brings them down out of the branches real easy ... esp if you blow away part of the branch too ;)
     

    Pale Ryder

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 12, 2009
    6,235
    Millersville
    Depends, how good are your teeth, or dental coverage. Bad teeth and a chunk of of shot may mean a trip to the dentist.:D

    I tend to prefer the .22 but 12g is easier to find huntable land with. Personal preference.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    For the still hunting you describe, I'd opt for the 12ga. If instead you plan on sitting stationary in likely stands of hardwood, the 22 becomes more viable and is lot of fun of a different sort. I like both methods of hunting. Depends on my mood, and whether or not I know an area, or if I'm looking to see more of an area by moving very slowly and looking things over well.
     

    ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick
    I like using a 22 LR with sub sonic ammunition, you can pick them off without desturbing any others that are around. Some times you can get 2 or three out of the same tree.
     

    woodstock

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jun 28, 2009
    4,172
    Depends, how good are your teeth, or dental coverage. Bad teeth and a chunk of of shot may mean a trip to the dentist.:D

    I tend to prefer the .22 but 12g is easier to find huntable land with. Personal preference.

    true if the OP intends to eat his kill. if this is simply a task of eliminating a destructive pest, well, just try and make it ethical, no suffering. dead on first try!
     

    Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,501
    AA Co
    22 with CCI Quiets when there are no leaves on the trees, 12ga when the leaves are a hindrance.
     

    ADR

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 17, 2011
    4,171
    I spent many awesome days as a kid on my grandfather's farm stalking the tree rats with an old Savage Model 24. (.22WMR over .410)
     

    dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,760
    Eldersburg
    It would depend on what is nearby. Head shots with a .22 are more challenging but, a bullet from a .22 will travel a lot farther than shot will. I prefer a .22 but, I always make sure I have a good back stop, like the trunk of the tree. I never take the shot if the squirrel is in a position where the bullet could possibly travel.
     

    Erno86

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 27, 2012
    1,814
    Marriottsville, Maryland
    I also prefer using a good brand of 22 lr subsonics as well...sighted zero at 50 yards --- But a shotgun is far safer for squirrel hunting. I prefer #5 shot, but #4's might be a bit better. If you can afford using turkey magnum loads...use them for squirrels; especially for mountain fox squirrels.

    I use eye protection and a camo pair of Howard Leight amplified shooting muffs --- while hunting squirrels --- since it amplifies sound at 125 percent when no loud sounds are present.

    A pair of game scissors, are very helpful for skinning and gutting squirrels.

    I lightly brown pan fry them...then throw them in a pressure cooker for 30 or 40 minutes.

    If using a scope on your rimfire rifle...you'll have to aim about 3/4" high for headshots out from 5 - 20 yards, due to the scope being mounted above bore.
     

    airsporter

    Active Member
    Apr 28, 2011
    386
    Western MD
    Sounds like you are doing pest control vs. hunting (sport/meat). I don't hunt squirrels much anymore, but I used to use a tight choked .410 or 20ga. with #4 or #5 shot in the early season when leaves were full. Late season, when shots tended to be longer, an accurate scoped .22 was great sport - provided care was used to ensure a safe backstop (ground or tree trunk).

    I always believed that this scenario is why, back-in-the-day, Savage created the .22 rifle/shotgun O/U model 24!
     

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    I do a fair amount of squirrell hunting. My two cents:

    In the fall when there are lots of leaves on the trees, or if you're hunting in evergreens, use a shotgun with 4 or 6 shot since you'll probably be using more ambush tactics and taking shorter shots.

    In the winter when the leaves have fallen and you can see out to 100 yards or more, use a scoped .22. The squirrels can also see you better then, so you're better off preparing for longer shots.

    Lastly--check out the Primos "squirrel buster" call. It works really, really well. Hit that thing a few times and hold tight for 10 minutes. If there is a squirrel around, he'll come out to check.
     

    54rndball

    take to the hills
    Mar 16, 2013
    1,486
    Catonsville
    12 ga is almost cheating with squirrels. There is almost no way to miss. But often a shotgun must be used in this communist state, unless you go west of Frederick. My Savage Mk II is a tack driver and I bought it just for shooting squirrels.
     

    abcabc

    Member
    Nov 30, 2015
    88
    I use a shotgun. I never understood how a 22 could be used safely, but I guess if you only shoot at a tree or on the ground it would be more than fine (I have never attempted it with a 22, not trying to knock those who do use it). A lot of the squirrels I hunt are in trees, I just walk around my property and stop every so often for about 5-10 minutes and they come out. This way I don't completely eradicate them from any specific area.

    I use 5 or 6 shot and eat them. Every once in a while you'll get a piece of lead when you bite into it but not too often, especially if you wash'em well once you skin'em. Most of my shots don't go into the meat hardly at all, the concussion breaks bones and kills'em but doesn't penetrate too often. Especially if you get the big fox squirrels in WV.

    I cook'em similar to Erno86. I pressure cook them first for about 10-15 minutes then I fry'em like fried chicken.
     

    SugeMike

    Member
    Nov 28, 2015
    70
    I have an extended vacation coming up and figured I'd hit up some public hunting areas to try out squirrel hunting.

    I've been contemplating this for the past couple days. Do I use my Ruger American or the Mossberg 500... Decisions, Decisions.
     

    iCoder80

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Dec 31, 2015
    587
    I haven't hunted in years but I'm sure not much has changed. I never had any success hunting squirrels with a .22. I'm just not that good a shot. I found a 12 gauge to be overkill. A 410 or 20 gauge always seemed just about right.
     

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