Grocery shopping

Share your tales (tall or otherwise) of hunting adventures.

Moderators: Kirk, Lucinda

Kurt
Posts: 8428
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:28 pm
Location: Not Far enough NW in Illinois

Post by Kurt »

My choice for a squirrel rifle is a Lancaster in a .40.
I always wanted a Lancaster build by Homer Dangler it would make a fine rifle for small game. With a .390 to .395 ball would make it a fine combination.
I had a .32 and used it a lot and it is a fine squirrel caliber, it's quiet the hammer drop makes more noise then the shot.

Kurt
The reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"Winston Churchill
Gussy
Posts: 1580
Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 2:37 pm
Location: WA, dry side
Contact:

Post by Gussy »

Kurt wrote:My choice for a squirrel rifle is a Lancaster in a .40.
I always wanted a Lancaster build by Homer Dangler it would make a fine rifle for small game. With a .390 to .395 ball would make it a fine combination.
I had a .32 and used it a lot and it is a fine squirrel caliber, it's quiet the hammer drop makes more noise then the shot.

Kurt
I went rock chuck hunting several years back with a .32 TC. It was a hay field with a pile of stone along one side bordering a river. Chuck condos. We got 13 chucks with 16 shots. :D Sorry to say we never did go back to that spot as I was not able to contact the owner.
Gus
mdeland
Posts: 11708
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Post by mdeland »

Kurt, do you bark em or hit them?
Kurt
Posts: 8428
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:28 pm
Location: Not Far enough NW in Illinois

Post by Kurt »

I hit them like Brent does :lol: But I do bark so they pick there heads up so I can see them. :wink:
Like I said I haven't went hunting for them in a long while because I didn't like to skin them.

Kurt
The reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"Winston Churchill
mdeland
Posts: 11708
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Post by mdeland »

:lol: Good one! I can see you giving them a Beagle on a rabbit to get their attention!
I have never barked one or even seen it done but it was supposed to be pretty effective. I think they were used to body shooting them and barking saved more meat.
User avatar
deerhuntsheatmeup
Posts: 2253
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 6:36 pm
Location: Mississippi

...

Post by deerhuntsheatmeup »

Not to rain on the "skinning parade" but I have watched the video, and I have used an easier method my whole 47 yr old life. take the squirrel and pinch some skin in the center of his back about in the middle. Then cut a 1-1/2" cut across his back. Take your pointer and middle finger on each hand and pull outwards. All that is left to do is gut them. Easily the quickest and easiest way I have ever done it. And I have skinned them every way it can be done.

Best, David B
General Rustie
Oiling Director
FES Society
It's hard to have a bright light experience, when you are living in the light.
Brent
Posts: 6190
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2003 9:40 am
Location: Fly-over Country
Contact:

Post by Brent »

deerhuntsheatmeup wrote:Brent,

I was wonderin', has anyone gone to Raton and only shot the D Crossno .22 matches? I am ponderin' just that!

Best, DB
I cannot say for sure but I think it is very very likely, and probably more than one. I remember my first year at Raton, I was at the benches gathering gear and this guy comes up to a woman at the table next to mine. "I got another one!!! That makes two!". He was relating his cumulative chicken count for the entire week from what I eventually gathered was his 6th match at that point. So, obviously he shot that a lot and I don't know if he even could have managed a Centerfire match and shot that many rounds. He was definitely having fun.

Brent
Just straddling the hard line between "the arrogance of dogmatism and the despair of skepticism"
Brent
Posts: 6190
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2003 9:40 am
Location: Fly-over Country
Contact:

Post by Brent »

I've shot a lot of squirrels with muzzleloaders, particularly my .54 flinter. But my property is not the best place to be launchign bullets at 60 degree elevations. There is a reasonable chance that a ball could come down the interstate a quarter of a mile away. So, .22 subsonic hollowpoints work well.

I had a one a week or so back that was in the pasture. Went down after it with the Ballard and Gus, my golden followed me with his ball. He never saw the squirrel or new what was up, but while I was waiting on the squirrel to come around the branch for me, Gus bashed me in the leg with his ball a couple of times. I reached down and tossed it aside a few yard and he pounced on it, and when he did that squirrel scooted around a the branch just a little and for just a moment. Hmmm, yup, figured that out pretty quick. Gus gave me the ball and pitched it 30 yds into a brushpile where he would have to work to get it. The squirrel obliged one more time and I thunked her in the ear. Gus could be a pretty good squirrel dog, but his bud Asa the shepherd just grabs the squirrel for me, even if I'm not around and brings back nicely shaken, not stirred.

About to throw some squirrel on the grill as a matter of fact.
Brent
Just straddling the hard line between "the arrogance of dogmatism and the despair of skepticism"
Kurt
Posts: 8428
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:28 pm
Location: Not Far enough NW in Illinois

Post by Kurt »

I heard about barking them and also hitting the branch there laying on directly under there chest was supposed to do the job but I never got it done. Maybe it's because I just used .22 shorts.
Going after these noisy critters it's best to take a Dog and let him move around so the squirrel moves to keep an eye on him and gives you a clear shot.

Kurt

By the way Brent I put a couple Buffalo rib eyes on the grill tonight. I used some to the Jack Daniels marinade man was that good
Last edited by Kurt on Sun Dec 05, 2010 6:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"Winston Churchill
Brent
Posts: 6190
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2003 9:40 am
Location: Fly-over Country
Contact:

Post by Brent »

To be honest, I don't think barking is feasible. Esp. with a .22. I know I know, everyone has heard about it, and half the folks I know "claim" to have done it (doubtfully on purpose). But in most cases, I think the barking is really just taking a ricochet off the limb and getting lucky. Besides, subsonic hps don't damage meat anyway.

They are grillin' slowly now (its about 10 degrees out). Gonna be good with some home grown potatoes on the side and a very good beer (or even two).

Brent
Just straddling the hard line between "the arrogance of dogmatism and the despair of skepticism"
pete
Posts: 2258
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 10:16 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by pete »

About the closest I've come to barking a squirrel is when I shot at a cottontail that was on the side of a creek bed bank with my 54 cal ml. and hit the dirt right under him. He rolled down the bank dead. When I checked him out there wasn't a mark on him.

David B;
I've skinned rabbits like you say and it does work very well.
Post Reply