Okay fellas, let hear it.

[ETipp]

What kind of hunting do you all do?

Small game?

Deer?

Preferred critter killing tool?

This ole boy is a big time squirrel hunter. Preferred squirrel tool has been a .32 caliber, Crockett Squirrel Rifle. .310" round ball, 18" pillow ticking patch, 20 grains of 3F Swiss powder. I use Mink Oil for a patch lube. A lot of fun that will put the best of hunter to the test. A true test of hunting skills, patience, woodsman-ship, and marksmanship.

As of last February, my new squirrel tool is what I refer to as my special purpose squirrel tool. .22 caliber Benjamin Marauder air rifle. Never thought I'd like an air rifle until I watched a few videos of the accuracy of the Marauder. Mine is actually a match rifle. Accuracy will out shoot many .22 Long Rifles.

Here's the thing about an air rifle for squirrel hunting. This particular one is not only accurate, but it's quiet. Doesn't scare squirrels nearly as much as a fire arm. With a quality scope, this thing is a real hoot to hunt with. Head shots or neck shots are necessary. I've lost too many on body shots.

To increase my odds, as well as less wounded squirrels, I now use a quality range finder. I don't range the squirrels, rather I range a limb or the tree. That's good enough.

This is my first go round with a scope with mil dots and adjustable parallax. So far, so good.

50 yards. 40 yards.

 

[ETipp]

In all actuality, squirrel hunting has taken top spot on my hunting list. I only deer hunt now for the meat. Starting off with a crossbow, I try to fill 3 of my 4 tags early so I can get back to squirrel hunting. I try to save my buck tag for the rut at gun season, then it's back to chasing bushy tails until end of February when season closes.

I do hunt the one weekend, early muzzle loader hunt if possible. For that I use a .54 caliber Great Plains Rifle, open sights. 90 grains of 3F Swiss.

During the rut and gun season I use a 30.06.

 

[ETipp]

A few pics from my hunts.

 

[ETipp]

A few more.

 

[ETipp]

Crossbow.

 

[Fjold]

Everything:

 

[ETipp]

Everything:

Right on!!

 

[ETipp]

Had a good squirrel hunt a few days ago.

 

[ETipp]

.54 caliber Lyman Great Plains Rifle downloaded to 30 grains of 3F.

 

[Melvin Rowe]

ETipp, I have 2 Crocket .32 Squirrel rifles: one is lh for me and one rh for my wife. She competes with hers at rendezvous. I shoot mine for fun and deer hunt and compete with a .50 Hatfield.

 

[ETipp]

ETipp, I have 2 Crocket .32 Squirrel rifles: one is lh for me and one rh for my wife. She competes with hers at rendezvous. I shoot mine for fun and deer hunt and compete with a .50 Hatfield.

That’s great!!

Thank you for the reply.

 

[ETipp]

The squirrel situation in this neck of the woods is very sad this year. Basically no hickory nuts. Acorns are there but they are thin and scattered. Squirrels are few and far between and have been mostly staying up in the tops of trees.

With that said, we got some high winds a couple of days ago. It did as I was hoping for….blew down most of the nut crops that was up there. This should get the squirrels on the ground more.

Soon we should be seeing what I call "Squirrel Stupid Season". That's when most all the leaves are off the trees and squirrels are very active on the ground finding and burning nuts. For a true squirrel hunter, this is much like the buck rut. It's happy times.

 

[ETipp]

Last week I just couldn't take it anymore. So…….

The score was squirrels 3, deer zero.

 

[ETipp]

I did get one doe a couple of days prior. Rage broadheads does a good job on deer.

 

[ETipp]

Here's a funny for you all.

 

[ETipp]

Poor fella.

 

[Shibadog]

I quit hunting with modern stuff a couple decades ago. Go after squirrels and Bambi’s daddy. I don’t “need” the meat and hunt for the challenge. .32 Dixie Tennessee poor boy flinter and a .50 Dixie Poor Boy flinter. If I decide on cap lock it’s a Pedersoli long hunter in .38 (custom Ed Rahl barrel) and a .50 Hatfield. Boy hunting is an old ( now ancient) Hoyt 72” semi recurve with Bear razor heads. I really wish DNR would institute a true “primitive weapons” season restricted to round ball side or under hammer guns and stick bows. Make the woods a lot less crowded

 

[ETipp]

I quit hunting with modern stuff a couple decades ago. Go after squirrels and Bambi’s daddy. I don’t “need” the meat and hunt for the challenge. .32 Dixie Tennessee poor boy flinter and a .50 Dixie Poor Boy flinter. If I decide on cap lock it’s a Pedersoli long hunter in .38 (custom Ed Rahl barrel) and a .50 Hatfield. Boy hunting is an old ( now ancient) Hoyt 72” semi recurve with Bear razor heads. I really wish DNR would institute a true “primitive weapons” season restricted to round ball side or under hammer guns and stick bows. Make the woods a lot less crowded

Ya know, I too am big into traditional ML’s. However, the sad fact is, we are an extremely small minority in that department. It’s all about killing a big buck with the newest and most modern, scoped, ML. They now are basically a high powered rifle.

With very few traditional ML’s being made nowadays, we never see one on the racks in sporting goods stores. I never see one advertised in a magazine. Even if they were, very few people would do what it takes to properly load, clean and hunt with one. They want the fast and easy way instead.

Those two situations listed above are the main reasons why most states do not offer a traditional ML/ primitive weapons season only. Unfortunately, it all boils down to money.