Shotshells for Squirrel/Rabbit?

I used to carry a Savage .22 longrifle/20 gauge over under that was my dads, and got tons of bunnies and ground squirrels with regular bird shot.
 
I grew up hunting squirrels and rabbits with shotgun in Illinois where rifle hunting is illegal. Really, any size shot will do fine. :) We used anything from a #6 to a #8.

.22 for squirrel,
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Squirrels are usually in the trees. Firing a rifle into the treetops is not a good idea. Even a .22 has a maximum range of a mile or more...
 
i don't use my shotgun much these days, but when i do it's a #6 for both..

i primarily use my bows...

these are what i use on squirrels and rabbits... total devastation...:D they never know what hit em'...:o

this is a Zwickey Judo on the left..

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and my favorte points, the ever so popular Ace hex blunts... these things rock...:D

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I like to shoot squirrels with 7.5 from a good distance then get over there quick and crack their heads. The reason is simple, 7.5 will knock them out of the tree and often kills them but it will not shatter bones and completely destroy the little carcass. I like to pull the hide off then most of the time the shot is all right under the surface or at least you can see, find, and pick it out.

Often with #6 a piece of shot will go undetected because it can travel after it penetrates, nothing like eating squirrel and dumplings then breaking a tooth off. #6 also tends to shatter bones and just make a mess of things.

If you do shoot close, aim a little to the front or just let them go till they get far enough away you don't blow them to pieces.


One time I shot a rabbit from probably 5 feet or less, It blew about half or more of its head off and man was it a mess. I stuffed it in my game back and walked back to the house. The family was all there and had heard me shooting a few times throughout the morning, maybe I had two or more squirrels and the rabbit.

Being about 12, maybe 13, I was pretty proud of my hunting skills and couldn't wait to show off the rabbit. I pulled it out and whatever was left of its brains dropped out on the floor, grandpa shook his head, one of the girls ran off puking and I stood there smiling. That rabbit was a mess, I also busted the bladder but after I scrubbed it pretty hard it was good eating.
 
Bubbanumber1 said:
I like to shoot squirrels with 7.5 from a good distance then get over there quick and crack their heads. The reason is simple, 7.5 will knock them out of the tree and often kills them but it will not shatter bones and completely destroy the little carcass. I like to pull the hide off then most of the time the shot is all right under the surface or at least you can see, find, and pick it out.

Often with #6 a piece of shot will go undetected because it can travel after it penetrates, nothing like eating squirrel and dumplings then breaking a tooth off. #6 also tends to shatter bones and just make a mess of things.
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You knock them out and then crack their head??? 30+ years hunting squirrels and this is the first I have heard about that tactic. If you are shattering bones and destroying their little carcass I would suggest shooting them further away or change your choke.

Pellets in your food is an inherent danger of shooting it with a shotgun. I have always found the finer the shot the more the chance of a stray pellet winding up in the gravy. Chris
 
Squirrels--#5 or #6--Full Choke

Rabbits--#6 or #7.5--Improved Cylinder :D

Always "Long Brass" Shells...
 
Mike those points look familiar.;)

I really need to get out an do some small game bow hunting.

#6 is what I use boys.....:thumbup:
 
For both, 2 3/4" #6 in the 12 ga., 3" #4 in the .410. I prefer a .22 most the time, especially for squirrels late in the season when the leaves are gone.
 
runningboar said:
You knock them out and then crack their head??? 30+ years hunting squirrels and this is the first I have heard about that tactic. If you are shattering bones and destroying their little carcass I would suggest shooting them further away or change your choke.

Pellets in your food is an inherent danger of shooting it with a shotgun. I have always found the finer the shot the more the chance of a stray pellet winding up in the gravy. Chris
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#6 tends to splinter the bones, yea, shot pellets are a pain, lead was bad enough to bite into but steel shot, ouch.

One of the kids I grew up with, probably the best squirrel hunter I have ever known, reached into his game pouch to put one squirrel in and withdrew his hand with another squirrel attached, needless to say he did some dancing. After that every kid that hunted within our little hunting club busted the head of every squirrel we ever shot.

Often we would use low brass 7.5 because we got it for free from family who enjoyed reloading. I got used to using it back than and tend to prefer the method to this day. We taught ourselves to hunt as our parents turned us loose with guns at a pretty young age. I got my first 12 gauge, a bolt action at twelve years old.
 
Bob W said:
I grew up hunting squirrels and rabbits with shotgun in Illinois where rifle hunting is illegal. Really, any size shot will do fine. :) We used anything from a #6 to a #8.

Squirrels are usually in the trees. Firing a rifle into the treetops is not a good idea. Even a .22 has a maximum range of a mile or more...
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Funny, I grew up in Southern IL and always used a .22. As long as you hit what you aim at it's not a problem. ;)

BTW, unless things have changed since I lived there rifle hunting is legal in IL for some species. I never heard of anyone shooting a groundhog or a coyote with a shotgun.
 
.30-06 for squirrels, .300 Win Mag for rabbits, if I'm taking shots at 200-300 yards!

Seriously, #6 works great for both. I prefer a .410 or 20ga. for them...the high brass 12 makes too much of a mess.
 
Bubbanumber1 said:
One of the kids I grew up with, probably the best squirrel hunter I have ever known, reached into his game pouch to put one squirrel in and withdrew his hand with another squirrel attached, needless to say he did some dancing.
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My uncle did the same thing. The squirrel's teeth went all the way through the end of his thumb. He could not get it to let go. Slung it, pulled it, choked it. Ultimately, he had to decapitate the thing and pry his little mouth open.
 
fishshooter said:
My uncle did the same thing. The squirrel's teeth went all the way through the end of his thumb. He could not get it to let go. Slung it, pulled it, choked it. Ultimately, he had to decapitate the thing and pry his little mouth open.
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+1 on that, I watched the whole show when it happened, scared the fire out of all us kids. The one thing I learned was never ever never let one of the little beaver toothed boogers get anywhere near a finger.
 
I prefer #4 shot but #5 is ok too. Less shot to pick out. Just don't shoot them if they are close. Let them run a little.
Jim
 
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