Squirrels with a 12 gauge ???

[Handyman]

Can you hunt squirells with a 12ga. if you used a very light load ? Would the meat still be good ? If you can , what choke would you use and what load ? Haven't hunted squirrels since I was a kid , using a pellet gun .

 

[ArmedBear]

Depends on the range. From 2 feet away, you might have some trouble. Farther out, only a few pellets will hit the squirrel anyway.

12's are popular for dove hunting.

A 12 Gauge shell isn't more powerful like a .44 Magnum is more powerful than a .38 Special. A 12 just holds more pellets than a 20, 28 or .410. But a #8 pellet is always the same size, and velocity is usually about the same.

I wouldn't use a light load, I'd use smaller shot (7.5 or 8).

 

[birdbustr]

#7.5 or 8 is not a clean killer on squirrels over 30 yards in my experience, and I've killed 30-40 with various shotguns. Maybe if you get a pellet in the head, or if you have some super fast loads on hand they may do a little more than that. Your basic dove load won't penitrate their hyde deep enough in the body as far as your pattern will hold together to wound and sting that squirrel.

Use a good=high velocity #6 or at the largest a #4 with a modified choke or tighter and you've got yourself a 50+ yard squirrel gun. You want something that will hold enough downrange energy to penetrate. You want to be at least 10 yards or you will make them into hamburger.

Shotguns on squirrels aren't much of a challenge. I have much more fun using a .22

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

+1 on 6 shot

 

[redneck2]

You want to be at least 10 yards or you will make them into hamburger.

Actually, I believe that would be squirrel burger...

Anyway, guys I used to hunt with used the .22 over .410 combo and did OK. If you're hunting in thick woods with mature trees it can be 30+ yards just from the ground to the top of the tree.

I'd do mod choke #4's or 5's.

 

[Chawbaccer]

Full choke, no.6 shot. Anything smaller and it is a headache picking shot out of the carcas. No. 6 seems to mostly penetrate to the off side and the shot falls out when skinning.

 

[oklahoma caveman]

Shotguns on squirrels aren't much of a challenge.

we have much different opinions then. grey squirrells can be very difficult to hunt regardless of gun used.

+1 on #6-#4 shot. anything smaller doesnt have the energy, and also to much lead to pick out

 

[MCgunner]

I've killed a few with the 12 and they died. I'd rather use a rifle or handgun, though, myself. I've hunted 'em with .410 as a kid, but much preferred my .22. The hunting is as much a challenge with the shotgun, just the marksmanship isn't.

 

[rickyford2]

I would just use a pellet gun at about 750FPS or more with a good scope.

Thats what I use and can hit them in the head at 30 yard and body from about 60 before the pellet starts droping or use a .22LR but they wast to much meat and theres not much to begin with.
My friend and I whent hunting for squirles and he took his 12GA and I took my .22LR I did better becaus I could shoot them before they started to run but he could hit them runing easy but had to get kinda close but could not get to close or you would have burger so I would say go with a strong pellet gun or or .22 and hit there head or try the new .17HMR


Ricky

 

[uk roe hunter]

i use 6 shot for all my inland shotgunning often in a double barrel quarter and half choke, if i am shooting geese or ducks on the foreshore i use differant stuff.

steve

 

[ArmedBear]

#6 vs. #7.5 depends on what you mean by "squirrel."

Good call on #6. #6 will drop a cottontail in my experience. #8 not so well...

But our squirrels are a fraction of the size of a cottontail.

Sounds like #6 is the ticket where squirrels are more substantial.

 

[45crittergitter]

I use 1.25 oz, with a strong preferenc for #5 shot in 12 ga., but prefer 1 oz in 20 ga.

 

[ZeroJunk]

I usually hunt them with 22 short or subsonic hollow points. But, squirrels are not very good at sitting still. It's kind of a trade off, hitting them hopping or jumping and scaring others away with the noise of a shotgun. If you use a shotgun I would suggest number 6 shot. Not to many shot to have to chew around.

 

[BIGR]

Used NO. 5 or NO. 6 shot in different calibers over the years with great success. 12 GA. is just fine for bushytails. As a teenager I killed several with a .410 single shot with # 5 shot.

 

[oregonhunter]

no. 4 or 6 is what I use, Dont't use a .17hmr if you plan on eating them, they explode.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Full choke, no.6 shot. Anything smaller and it is a headache picking shot out of the carcas. No. 6 seems to mostly penetrate to the off side and the shot falls out when skinning.

Correct! I have also used 7.5. In either case the cheapest I can find. Low brass works just as well as a "hot" load. In the early fall with all them leaves still on the trees, I use a 20 with #5; a Federal brand "pheasant" load.

LD

 

[MCgunner]

Thats what I use and can hit them in the head at 30 yard and body from about 60 before the pellet starts droping or use a .22LR but they wast to much meat and theres not much to begin with.

.22 solids don't tear 'em up too bad. I use solids. I'll also hunt with CB shorts, probably not a lot more umph than your air gun, just a little more bullet weight. I've killed squirrel as a kid with a pump up Benjamin .22 air gun, they died pretty well dead to 25 yards, easy to kill. I still have that old gun, got it when I was seven for Christmas, so it's 48 years old now, God knows how many rounds I put threw it, still shoots. I chronographed it when I got my chronograph 20 some years ago and it shoot about 420 fps, so it ain't up to the power levels of modern air guns, but it still did the job if you did yours.

A squirrel ain't a tough animal to bring down. I like the CB shorts out of my ancient Remington M512X which is very accurate with them and being a bolt, cycles them. It's so quiet, my old Benjamin makes more noise, honest! And, you don't have to pump it up. The tube magazine holds 20 odd shorts. That old gun has drawn more squirrel blood than anything else I own. I use it to this day. I got it for my 9th birthday.

 

[osteodoc08]

Personally, I prefer a CCI Minimag with a head shot.

That being said, I have hunted with 12 and 20 gauge shotguns. I find them easier to use when they are on the run. I preferred #5 or #6 shot. Like many said, less to pick out. What I didn't like was all the "blood shot" meat from the pellets, especially up close. So generally I use a 22. Lately, I've been using my 17 HMR and trying to pick them off from a distance.

 

[marksman13]

I've used a 12 gauge with #6 shot and a mod choke with good success. I prefer a 22LR though for the challenge. I don't eat them anyway and the guy I give them to doesn't care if I being him one squirrel or a dozen. The new CCI Small Game Bullet is my new favorite squirrel round. 17 HMR is way too much unless you are taking head shots or don't plan on eating them.

 

[MCgunner]

I've got this really accurate .22 mag I don't know what to do with. I'd thought about solids or the rather anemic Winchester dynapoint load. I don't know, I think I'll stick to LRs or CB shorts.

 

[reppondj]

Been using a shotgun for squirrels since I was old enough to hunt them (mid 1960's). Nothing smaller than a #6 for sure with a full choke, myself I prefer #4 shot. Down here in Louisiana we have some pretty tall pines and cypress so I usually keep some magnums in my vest. I quit the shotgun as my primary several years back and now use a 10-22, just last year I got myself a .17HMR and it does pretty good if you stick with head shots (6.5x20 scope).

 

[XDKingslayer]

Why not? I've hunted squirrels with a 12 gauge for years. #6 shot 3" shells. In Pennsylvania I used to keep a few #4 shot shells in my pocket in case I happened across a black squirrel or two. They can hard to kill.

 

[Guido2006]

6 shot is your best option. I've found that 7.5 and 8 shot are not very effective.

.22's are also a good bet later in the season once all the leaves have dropped.

However, with a .22 you have to be more careful if you are shooting at an upward angle whereas with a shotgun its really not an issue.

 

[asknight]

#5 flying at about 1250fps is pure magic on tree rats, and 99.9% will fully penetrate so no dentist visits required after a nice meal.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

If you're hungry take a shotgun. If you want to have fun take a scoped .22.