hunting question
I may have the opportunity to hunt elk and mule deer in Montana. I thought it would be a fun challenge to use an old Remington rifle I have. It's chambered in 35 Remington. I load my own ammo. The 35 Rem is loaded with Hornady 200gr RN's. So, what do you think?
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Is this the place to ask hunting questions? If so, then anyone who is knowledgeable with the "art" of squirrel hunting, please enlighten me...I have been having trouble lately. Thank you.
-Matt
"How many times have I told you that when I hear the words 'civil rights attourney', I reach for my glock?? How many times have I told you that when I hear the words 'civil rights attourney', I make sure my AR-15 is oiled?"
-Dr. Savage0 -
Matt, Don't know where you live but here in the south (VA) we usually look for hickory trees or beech trees. The beeches don't bear nuts every year but in the years that they have nuts the squirrels will be there! Squirrels will pull a hickory nut and then go to a limb, set up on their hind legs a proceed to "cut" the nut open. The little pieces of nut shell falling through the leaves gives them away. It sounds like raindrops accompanied by the sound of their teeth knawing or "cutting" the shell. You have to keep a sharp eye for them while they are doing this or their telltale jumping from limb to limb in search of another nut. The preferred weapon is an accurate 22 rimfire loaded with LR solid point bullets so you don't get much meat damage if you don't hit him in the head. Some people use shotguns. Actually the first limit of squirrels I remember taking was with a William Parkhurst rabbit eared 12 guage using Remington Mohawk (low powered) shells when I was 14 years old. As the fall progresses the squirrels will tend to be on the ground more in search of nuts to carry off and bury for future consumption. This is a more challenging time to hunt them as they are seldom still for very long! All in all squirrel hunting is excellent training for other types of hunting as it trains you to keep still and be alert to all sounds in the woods. It also serves as good scouting time for deer season later on because you can usually observe deer at this time looking for White Oak acorns which is their favorite food (excepting my alfalfa) and they will frequent a good productive oak tree daily!! Hope this helps you in your quest for squirrels. If you have something else to ask, post it here. GHD 0 -
As GHD said, find a good food source - then just hunker down and wait. They will come to you. I get more squirrels this way than by walking through the woods looking for them.
Actually I get more squirrels off my bird feeders than anywhere
"A Fear of Weapons is a sign of Retarded Sexual
and Emotional Maturity" Sigmund Freud
"MOLON LABE !"0 -
Matt - In south Louisiana, 12 ga shotgun with #6 or # 7-1/2 shot is my favorite. Groundhog and Tazmutt are right on. Be patient, be STILL, be QUIET, no smoking, stay put for a time in area of fresh cuttings...acorn, hickory, beech here indicate cat (gray) squirrels or cut pine nuts generally fox (red) squirrels. I've hunted with a .22 but always prefer the shotgun for killing running squirrels or squirrels shot through limb and leaf cover or out the top of a tall pine. Mark that first shot squirrel (if he falls dead) and don't move...the woods will settle and quieten and if you're in an active feeding area you'll probably see more squirrels shortly. Down here that is especially true with cat squirrels and maybe less so with fox squirrels. It is a solitary and for me the most relaxing and contemplative sort of hunting...I've reflected on lots of life listening to those rascals stirring and barking, watching them, and often not even shooting as three or four littermates work their way right through my stand early in the season. Very early in the morning, if you are very quiet and very still, you will be amazed at the woods awakening and the game and wildlife of all sorts that you will observe: in the hardwood bottoms here, near creeks and branches, there will be mink, otter, beaver, coons, deer, turkey, hogs and all manner of song birds. The pine hills here too offer deer, turkey, coyotes, etc. It is probably one of the very best and safest ways to introduce a youngster to hunting and woodscraft. Enjoy yourself in the squirrel woods. Best, Jim
timbroman@aol.com0 -
My favorite squirrel gun is a savage 22 mag over 20 ga. If i miss with the rifle i still have the shotgun for the running shot. There are calls available sound likea squeaker from a dogs toy, replicates squirrel barks. I also rattle a couple shotgun shells in my hand if it gets too quiet. I have found it to work I think sounds like squirrels working on nuts. Lets others know where to look. Probably my favorite hunting. Just like practicing for deer season, only smaller.
rich0 -
You should visit http://www.hotspothunting.com Its a website on hunting and its free. Once you sign up you can post your topic and get feed back from hunters around the world. 0 -
I always hunted with an open sighted .22. I would likely scope it today. As GHD said look for mast trees, where I grew up, hickories, and oaks were the main nut trees, but also walnut and butternut. I had the most luck with a compination of sitting and still hunting (stalking in the south) very slowly and quietly. I was taught to only shoot them trough the eye, 'cause they don't have a lot of meat and you don't want to waste it. Good shooting! 0 -
I hunt in almond and walnut orchards and 22's and shotguns damage the trees. As you are taking shots of 25 yds or less, I use either my Beeman R1, or FWB pellet rifles.
Each is capable of headshots and no meat damage.0 -
Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. I'm going to try to use your advice. The only thing is, that i use a pellet gun and I'm in CA. So that pretty much limits me as far as guns go....Where I live, there are lots and lots of walnut and oak trees. In fact, I find it useful to sit in trees and wait... Anyway, I was jsut getting some mroe opinions on this matter. Thanks guys.
-Matt
"How many times have I told you that when I hear the words 'civil rights attourney', I reach for my glock?? How many times have I told you that when I hear the words 'civil rights attourney', I make sure my AR-15 is oiled?"
-Dr. Savage0 -
If your hunting to eat them then scrap the pellet gun and use a .22 rifle unless your in the city. If your in the woods and just like seeing them fall from the tree then use a 12ga, the first shot can clear the leaves then the second shot drops them.
Edited by - ka11 on 10/21/2002 12:33:360 -
Some of us hunting in orchards are guests of the landowners, many who live nearby on the land. As a courtesy to them, their families, their employees, and their livelyhood, pellet rifles are preferred as: 1. You can typically see only two or three rows over and a 22 bullet goes way past the range you can see. 2. A shotgun causes major damage to tree limbs. 3. The sound of a pistol, rifle, or shotgun nearby can be disturbing to residents living nearby or employees working in the orchard.
I like to hunt and I do not want to wear out my welcome. In my case my choice of weapons pleases them and removes any concerns they have about someone going through their orchards with a rifle or shotgun.0 -
Matt, as you can tell,you can get some great advice here. But please ignore KA11's comment "If your in the woods and just like seeing them fall from the tree..." as this sounds unethical and unsportsman like. Reguardless of the context, a true hunter or shooter would never shoot an animal just to see it fall from a tree, nor would they provide anti-hunters with such statements to back their cause! 0 -
If you are going to use a pellet gun, be sure they are legal where you are hunting. They are not legal to hunt with in Pa. 0
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