J. R. WEEMS
Member
My Tree Rat connection. 
Best caliber for tree rats?
- Thread starter Andy Griffith
- Start date
In my past life I always used .22 Win. SuperX LR and a 39 Mountie with a K2.5 but now it is too populated to be shooting in the air with a rifle and I don't hunt anymore. Now I only shoot the little varmints when they get to be pests so I use a 12 ga. with 1 1/4 oz. of #6 shot. If I wanted one to eat I would pick my shot and use a rifle because small shot is too hard to pick out. Larry
Arik
Member
While Im a firm believer in live and let live, if i were hunting squirrels it would be with a 45-70! Nice flat nose 405gr while they are holding onto a tree trunck!
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Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
forindooruseonly
Member
Here is my tree rat medicine. I actually used to prefer the old Remington green box 40 gr. solid points, nowadays I use CCI. I'm not a huge fan of the meat, but I enjoy the hunting. We'll get together and have a hunt, then collect all the meat and make stew out of it. It turns into a nice occasion.
Having used 22, 17hmr, and 17 mach 2 I find the mach 2 to be the most practical and fun to shoot. Clean kills at 100yds are not uncommon with good hits from a rest. Guns and ammunition are getting scarce which depresses me.
.375 H&H...Guts 'em, skins "em and there's no clean up...
JIM..................
JIM..................
tork'd
Member
i used a 65a for years with good luck..
however my BIL once on a trip to the farm to hunt, shot one with a deer slug he had mistakenly loaded..
we found the tail not much else..
however my BIL once on a trip to the farm to hunt, shot one with a deer slug he had mistakenly loaded..
we found the tail not much else..
Faulkner
Member
Here in the Ozarks we encounter mostly fox squirrels, grays seem to prefer the lowlands.
I've been hunting squirrels since my dad starting taking me when I was 5 years old. Whether still hunting or using treeing dogs, squirrel hunting is just about my favorite game to hunt.
Early in the season when the leaves are still on the trees I'll use a .410 or 20 guage with #6 shot. As the leaves come off I transition to a .22LR, and I have a half a dozen different .22 rifles, some scoped and some not, just depends on my mood as to which one I take.
As for ammo, I almost always use CCI Stingers. Since I don't eat the brains, I just make it a point to head shoot 'em so as not to ruin any meat.
I've been hunting squirrels since my dad starting taking me when I was 5 years old. Whether still hunting or using treeing dogs, squirrel hunting is just about my favorite game to hunt.
Early in the season when the leaves are still on the trees I'll use a .410 or 20 guage with #6 shot. As the leaves come off I transition to a .22LR, and I have a half a dozen different .22 rifles, some scoped and some not, just depends on my mood as to which one I take.
As for ammo, I almost always use CCI Stingers. Since I don't eat the brains, I just make it a point to head shoot 'em so as not to ruin any meat.
It might be a bit overkill, but it will get the job done.
Browning Automatic Rifle - YouTube
Browning Automatic Rifle - YouTube
mjr
Member
Don't you run the risk of spattering brain matter (with prions) all over the rest of the squirrel? Maybe you should handle them with rubber gloves.
hangnoose
Member
SQUIRREL MEDICINE
older eyes and hand issues I've been using a Ruger 7722 bolt 22 mag with cci m.m. hollow points, Leupold vx3 2x10 scope and only take head shots with a solid backstop. as I don't know what I may encounter it has also been very effective on armadillo, coyotes, turkey (legal in Fl), rabbits, hogs and sniping squirrels off your feeders spinner, without hitting the feeder.
older eyes and hand issues I've been using a Ruger 7722 bolt 22 mag with cci m.m. hollow points, Leupold vx3 2x10 scope and only take head shots with a solid backstop. as I don't know what I may encounter it has also been very effective on armadillo, coyotes, turkey (legal in Fl), rabbits, hogs and sniping squirrels off your feeders spinner, without hitting the feeder.
Harrison
US Veteran
In a rifle I have used everything from a 22 pellet rifle to 22 short and 22LR to off the pests. They have all worked. The pellet rifle not so well at longer ranges.
Smitty357
Member
I have an old .22 pump that eliminates tree rates very well. Its been eliminating critters since the early 50's.
Accuracy wise, my 15-22 cant hold a flame to it. The 15-22 is fun to shoot. But when a job needs to be completed, the old model 61 takes care of business.
Accuracy wise, my 15-22 cant hold a flame to it. The 15-22 is fun to shoot. But when a job needs to be completed, the old model 61 takes care of business.
Killed a couple with broadheads meant for deer hunting close to 20 years ago. Was younger and bored.
Just sliced them up something terrible.
Just sliced them up something terrible.
truckemup97
Member
I've never shot one of those. Do you have any idea how many it would take to make a meal for one of us big fellers?
Nah. I just stick with our big ol' reds around here. .22LR does the trick just fine.
mc5aw
Member
If you use a couple claymores, you'll take down enough tree to start the fire to cook the squirrel colony you just blasted.
Just depends on what I want to use. A 12 or 20 ga shotgun with No 5 shot works just fine, as does just about any 22 rifle or handgun I suppose. I usually use Federal bulk pack HP ammo. It's cheap and I've got plenty of it.
I need to go talk to the fellows at the gun store and find out what I need to buy to shoot a Thompson-Center Seneca 36 cal muzzle-loader I've had for about twenty-years and have never fired. Probably be a good squirrel gun.
I need to go talk to the fellows at the gun store and find out what I need to buy to shoot a Thompson-Center Seneca 36 cal muzzle-loader I've had for about twenty-years and have never fired. Probably be a good squirrel gun.
Smith357
US Veteran
.20 caliber has been my go-to caliber for tree rats for many years. My Sheridan Silver Streak has dispatched dozens of them thar yard varmints over the years. It sends a 14.3 grain projectile downrange at 675 FPS and knocks them fuzzy tails down quite handily.
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