Small game basics

[happycamper374]

It's a bit embarrassing to broach this topic, but I've never been rabbit hunting and never shot at a squirrel with anything larger than a BB gun. I've gotten several deer but just never went for small game. I went from sparrows and BB guns to does and 30-30's.

I missed deer season this year AND my girlfriend has been talking about missing tasty critters around the apartment (from last season), so I figured rabbits and squirrels were one the few options still open. I know a friend from work who owns some land, so we'd go there.

When you guys shoot squirrel with .22's, how can you ensure the safety of what's beyond your target? I mean, shooting a .22 up into a tree doesn't exactly qualify as a backstop. Shoot them when they're on the trunk? Just don't miss?

Also, for rabbits, I have a 12 gauge and a .22. I've heard of people using either. I'll just be hunting either by myself or with my girlfriend, no dogs. What do you recommend I use? I'm not too shabby of a shooter, but I've never shot a rifle at a rabbit sized target moving at the speed of a rabbit. And what's the strategy, wander around till you see one and then blast it? Still hunt? Just make sure you're vewy vewy qwuiet?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Publius1688]

I hunted squirrel almost daily growing up. Try .22 shorts (I used a Remy 550).
Never hunted rabbit--sorry!

 

[walker944]

Obviously a .22 rifle will greatly reduce the amount of meat damage to either a squirrel or rabbit. A head shot works best to maximize the food. However I would not take a shot at a full speed running rabbit without completely being aware of whats behind the target. If you're quiet and lucky you can get a shot at a sitting target. Otherwise a 12 ga works just fine. Again I'd aim more toward the head. Good luck!!

 

[happycamper374]

Ok, thanks for the tips!

 

[308win]

I would go for a shotgun for the rabbits with 71/2 shot. A lot of hunters are skilled enough to spot them sitting and shoot them with a .22 - my grandpa was one of those people and he said he looked for the eye as there isn't much in nature that is perfectly round but I could never develop the knack. As for squirrel a 12 ga with #6 shot will work if you are worried about shooting a .22.

 

[trickyasafox]

I just shoot the squirrels against the trunk with a 22. Only time I ever shot bunnies was well walking through the woods near fields. Never hunted them intentionally- just happened upon them.

one thing with squirrels, when they are 'tree'd' they listen to where noise is coming from and keep you on the opposite side of the tree- so you don't see them. If you hunt with a partner, and have 1 stay quiet and the other start walking around the tree, sometimes you can get a squirrel to come back into view.

I've never called squirrel- just walk and sit. They come out pretty quickly once the woods quiet down after a person has walked through- so you'll probably only be waiting 10-15 minutes from spot to spot.

Save the tails! taking squirrel tails in winter when they are prime can net you some free stuff.

if your a fisherman, or know a fisherman, send your tails to Mepps and get them a some free lures.

http://www.mepps.com/squirrel_tail_program/

might as well use as much of the animal as you can- if your eating them anyway, why not put the fur to good use as well?

 

[Kernel]

When using shotguns for bunnies I like 6 shot and the lightest load I can get with the tightest choke I can get. Light and tight. 3” shells aren’t required. Rabbits ain't that hard to kill. 6 shot is easy to pick out and light loads won't over penetrate, resulting in more edible meat. The loads in the cheap bulk packs you can get at Walmart work good, though a light skeet load is even better (but more expensive). Loads tailored for waterfowl, turkey, or even pheasants, is overkill for rabbits IMO. Too distructive.

 

[happycamper374]

Thanks guys, this has been helpful!

 

[countertop]

I shot a rabbit from 15 yards this fall while pheasant hunting. There was amn insane amount of damage.

As for squirrels-best guarantee to see them is to bring a deer rifle and sit in your deer stand.

 

[zemio]

Given any thought to a fast air rifle? Working at a plant nursery I got the green light to carry my Hatsan Model 55 .177cal in my ute (pick up truck) and pop any rabbits I came across, I got a few a week every summer. It was a 1000 fps item firing 7.9 grain Crossman Copperheads. Aim for the point of the shoulder at 30 meters or less and you'll nearly always get your wabbit. The nursery wabbits were usually quite small, a fact I put down to the high turn over rate. Evenings and weekends I had a couple of different areas I'd go pot hunting (careful tho, nothin' more dangerous than a wounded pot...) and get lucky most times. My meat bill dropped right down there for awhile. We dont have squirrels, but being smaller than a rabbit should work just the same. I must say tho, you'll almost never kill them out right, of the several hundred I killed over 4 years, only a handful dropped dead then and there. The rest you grab by the neck, make an 'ok' type loop of your finger and thumb NOT gripping the neck too much, just tight enough to stop it falling through, quick as you can drop your hand then snap it up fast and you'll feel the neck go POP! Works every time once you get the knack. Much bigger hares (jack rabbits) can be done the same way if you use both hands tho I dont recommend shooting anything that big with an air rifle unless you are really really confident about a brain shot.

I shoot magpies with a nifty .22LR load from Winchester called a Zimmer or Z load, much smaller bullet, tiny charge and as quiet as a suppressed sub sonic .22LR load. They only travel about 1000+ FPS (feet per second) and are reliable to about 30 meters but relatively speaking are a much bigger projectile than an air rifle, quite good hitting power within reason. The other plus is if you miss they wont fly anything like as far as a regular .22LR, which isnt to say they dont deserve an iota less respect and forethought in their use. Not nearly enough power to cycle an semi auto action either, but using the same case as a standard .22LR, any bolt or break action .22LR will cope nicely. A useful touch.

Hope this helps.

 

[Zip7]

Where I live, practically everyone grows up hunting squirrels and most people hunt rabbits with beagles and shotguns. The only other way to effectively hunt rabbits is at night with a headlight, but this is illegal nowadays. Back when people were hungrier it was a common method. I have seen people rabbit hunting with sticks and homemade bows and arrows as well. I think they must have been successful, because they didn't look like they were in it for the sport.

As far as firearms, sq. hunters are split between shotguns with #6 shot and .22 rifles. I tend to use a 22 most of the time, and I just use standard ammo. I have sent many a 22LR round up into the trees and don't really worry about where they come down. When coon hunting I carry a 22 pistol and shoot a lot up in the air. Most of my hunting is done where there is nothing around that a 22 can reach.

If you are hunting close to houses or something, you might consider a 17 mach2 or HMR. I'm fairly confident that if you were to shoot a 17HMR round straight up and it fell back down and hit you in the head it wouldn't hurt very much. I use a 17 HMR a lot, and if the bullet hits anything at all it pretty much vaporizes. For this reason I think a 17 is less likely to cause any damage downrange if you are shooting up at a steep angle. For that matter, a 22 bullet falling at terminal velocity probably isn't very dangerous either.

If where you hunt there are mostly gray squirrels, you may find a shotgun more effective because they tend to be more squirrelly - run around and never sit still. But I can and have killed my limit of them with a 22 with iron sights many times.

 

[Legionnaire]

My favorite squirrel getters are a pair of scoped Savage 24 combos. One is a .22/.410 and the other a .22mag/20 gauge. I like #5 shot in the .410 and #6 in the 20. Shotgun barrel for squirrels in the trees, and rimfire for targets with a good backstop.

 

[NelsErik]

I would bet that I have killed and eaten several hundred squirrels and at least a thousand rabbits...

When I was kid we used the Savage .22/410 exclusively on squirrels and rabbits. You would try to hit them with the .22 when they were still and make a quick follow up shot with the 410 once they got moving. A lot of squirrels are left in the tree dead from hunting them with the 410. Instead of blasting them out of the tree they just lay flat and die on the branch. A .22 will usually knock them out of the tree. I use only .22 now. As previously posted just walk out to the woods, find a stump or log and be quiet for 5 or 10 minutes and they will come out. Hunting in pairs works well with squirrels or rabbits.

I usually use just a .22 for rabbit, at least here in AZ. If the area we are going has a large valley or ravine we walk straight down the ridge or the top and look down on both sides. If you are quiet and go slow you can pick up the rabbits movements and generally spot them when they go still. If hunting in pairs you usually can both wait until a couple of rabbits are still and fire about the same time. If close they will either freeze still or sprint away when they hear gunfire. If the area is open, like a meadow, I usually go in on my hands and knees, because when they see me standing the usually run.

If hunting in pairs or with a dog the shot gun is usually the easiest for rabbit.

If wanted you can often get a coyote while hunting rabbits. Once those rabbits start to squeal the coyotes come running and you will often have a shot at one before they realize you are there.

Stalking rabbit with the .22 is really fun. We have an abandoned golf course out in the desert here in AZ and the rabbits run wild there. I go every chance I get.

 

[TimboKhan]

I have seen people rabbit hunting with sticks and homemade bows and arrows as well. I think they must have been successful, because they didn't look like they were in it for the sport.

No reason you can't do this. Even with my dog on his leash raising holy hell, I regularly get close enough to rabbits that I could theoretically throw a stick and conk them on the skull with it. I have stalked to within probably 10 feet or so of rabbits in my yard, in fact. The point here is that rabbits aren't the hardest animals in the world to hunt or kill. That isn't to say that it is totally easy and not a challenge at all, but it also isn't comparative to hunting mountain lions. The real key to bunny hunting (and, for that matter, most all hunting pursuits) is patience, at least in my experience.

With patience and a little bit of practice, no reason you can't slay a bunny with anything from a well-aimed thrown rock all the way up to a tuned-up Anschutz.

 

[happycamper374]

All sounds good. I'm a wrestling coach and wrestling season is in full swing, eating up my Saturdays. Not to mention it's End of Course test time here in NC. As soon as we get a break I'm heading for the hills.

 

[sixgun MAK]

This may not be an option for you now, but for the future, consider using a longbow with flu flus. That is a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!