2024/2025 Squirrel Hunting Thread...........

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Well, woke up this morning and felt like 10 miles of bad road, throat felt like I swallowed a red hot razor blade. So I figured a trip to the woods was out. Sipped on pickle juice and honey tea. Started felling better about mid day. About 1:30 I noticed it was in the low 40"s, not much wind. Game on. Grabbed my kit and headed to some game land about 12 minutes from the house. It's thick woods and marsh. Thicker than Yack fur. Squirrels were moving. I was hoping to catch one or 2 getting to the den tree. I heard several scurrying around, but only caught flashes of them. It's that thick. Was a comfortable day out, so not a total bust. No fried squirrel and cornbread on the menu though. Microwave burritos it is.

Glad ya started feeling better, and was able to get out. Opposite for me last
Saturday, felt real good in the morning, hunted about 3 + hours and I didn't see one squirrel.
Came home and did my taxes, about a hour or so later felt sicker than a dog. Felt like I could heave up my toenails..
Never did but man it was messed up.
Hopefully this weekend. Try somewhere else this time.

Take Care Stay Safe

 

[snakebit]

Glad ya started feeling better, and was able to get out. Opposite for me last
Saturday, felt real good in the morning, hunted about 3 + hours and I didn't see one squirrel.
Came home and did my taxes, about a hour or so later felt sicker than a dog. Felt like I could heave up my toenails..
Never did but man it was messed up.
Hopefully this weekend. Try somewhere else this time.

Take Care Stay Safe

Probably got sick because you did your taxes and you saw how much of a cut the tax man gets . I earned it by being out in the wind and cold yesterday. I'm getting exercise at least . Getting used to my new capper also. I know one thing, I'm asking Santa for new hunting boots. These ones are clunkers.

 

[longcruise]

A little history here, Gunnery Sargent Carlos Hathcock, AKA White Feather, one of the most prolific snipers in US history attributes his skill to practicing holding his rifle still for hours. So you are on to something ED!

That's a real thing! I read an article about it quite a few years ago. What you do is make a series of circles like in the picture below. This one is on the wall in my basement. I'm able to back up about 20 feet from it. Start with the biggest circle and sight on it just as if you are going to shoot. Hold your front sight inside that circle for a full minute (that's why it's called a holding drill). Repeat as many times as you think you need to for a good muscle nervous system workout. When you can consistently hold through all your sets without the front sight leaving the inside of the circle then move down to the next smaller circle and so on. You are training your muscles and nervous system.

I you do a lot of target shooting you can track your scores on actual targets. I guarantee that you will see improvement. If your range opportunities are limited this allows you to practice every day.

 

[Christophero]

"I might be able to get out and squirrel hunt soon. He said I need to stay off of concrete and pavement, he didn't say anything about the woods. "

Knock, knock. Hello Ed. Ed? This is your Better Sense talking.............

LOL

 

[ETipp]

"I might be able to get out and squirrel hunt soon. He said I need to stay off of concrete and pavement, he didn't say anything about the woods. "

Knock, knock. Hello Ed. Ed? This is your Better Sense talking.............

LOL

I can tell you that I'm not interested in rushing this to the point that I might hurt myself. The only problem with that is, often when one is recovering from a bone surgery, you simply don't know what is too much until its too late. Been there, done that one too many times in my life.

This makes my 7th sawbone surgery.

However, if I lay low until spring squirrel season, I will most certainly be in plenty good enough shape to even handle the mountains.

I have other things to do to keep my busy until then.

 

[ETipp]

Well, in another attempt to keep going in this wonderful sport, I’ve taken about the last step I can to where I will be able to see well enough to shoot accurately with iron sights. Therefore, I installed a Marble Arms sight on my Crockett and my GPR. I had to do a fair amount of filing but they are installed well even though they are not for either rifle. So they do not fill in the entire width across the flats. But neither did the fiber optic sight I removed from Mr. Crockett.

I figure it this way. I can’t hit what I can’t see well. All of my ML’s are critter tools, so it’s all about performance for this ole boy. Don’t really care what the fashion police has to say.

The ivory beads do not glow in every lighting condition but they do for most situations, even during overcast days. Took them out back and aimed down into my woods a little after daylight. I was surprised to find they were easily seen even during overcast skies.

I know I’m going to enjoy this on my Crockett. Pretty sure it’s going to work out well on my GPR as well.

 

[snakebit]

Taking a day or two off from hunting. All the hiking has got my knees and hip angry at me. So I was thinking about some range time with the Crockett. I'm going to pose a question to my fellow Crocketteers, what powder are you guys using? I use Pyro-P in mine. I just seem to get more shots off before needing to clean the bore. Only reason I'm bringing this up is I just today traded a pound of 4F for a pound of 3F Swiss. In your experiences, should I go with the swiss for hunting for the extra umph? Appreciate you all's perspective. Thanks.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Well, in another attempt to keep going in this wonderful sport, I’ve taken about the last step I can to where I will be able to see well enough to shoot accurately with iron sights. Therefore, I installed a Marble Arms sight on my Crockett and my GPR. I had to do a fair amount of filing but they are installed well even though they are not for either rifle. So they do not fill in the entire width across the flats. But neither did the fiber optic sight I removed from Mr. Crockett.

I figure it this way. I can’t hit what I can’t see well. All of my ML’s are critter tools, so it’s all about performance for this ole boy. Don’t really care what the fashion police has to say.

The ivory beads do not glow in every lighting condition but they do for most situations, even during overcast days. Took them out back and aimed down into my woods a little after daylight. I was surprised to find they were easily seen even during overcast skies.

I know I’m going to enjoy this on my Crockett. Pretty sure it’s going to work out well on my GPR as well.

Ed, that sure looks good and it's gotta help. I know on my Cva Express rifle, I painted it a brilliant white and it helped, but it always got rubbed off.
I will more than likely get o e or two of them. One for the Crockett Rifle for sure.

Thanks for posting.
Take Care Stay Safe.

 

[ETipp]

Taking a day or two off from hunting. All the hiking has got my knees and hip angry at me. So I was thinking about some range time with the Crockett. I'm going to pose a question to my fellow Crocketteers, what powder are you guys using? I use Pyro-P in mine. I just seem to get more shots off before needing to clean the bore. Only reason I'm bringing this up is I just today traded a pound of 4F for a pound of 3F Swiss. In your experiences, should I go with the swiss for hunting for the extra umph? Appreciate you all's perspective. Thanks.

Tom, the only powder I’ve used so far has been GOEX FFF. I recently got some Swiss 3F but obviously have not been able to get out and try it yet. When I do I’m going to begin with around 12 to 15 grains considering Swiss is supposed to be hotter. I use 20 grains of GOEX.

I’m hoping Swiss is as clean burning as what most folks contend.

As it is now, I don’t mind running a patch down the bore every 2-3 shots considering it’s hunting lube.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Taking a day or two off from hunting. All the hiking has got my knees and hip angry at me. So I was thinking about some range time with the Crockett. I'm going to pose a question to my fellow Crocketteers, what powder are you guys using? I use Pyro-P in mine. I just seem to get more shots off before needing to clean the bore. Only reason I'm bringing this up is I just today traded a pound of 4F for a pound of 3F Swiss. In your experiences, should I go with the swiss for hunting for the extra umph? Appreciate you all's perspective. Thanks.

Good morning, Tom.
I started with Schuetzen 3F because that's all that available to me when I first good my Crockett. I have purchased some Goex 3F, to me shot about the same. I've never used any Swiss. I hear good things about it, one day will get some. I know this isn't much help.
My Crockett shots good with 15 to 20 grains. I use about 17 grains.

Take Care Stay Safe

 

[Jim K]

I use schuetzen 3F in my Crockett. Seems to shoot best with 25 gns.

 

[snakebit]

Thanks for all the input fellas. When I got my rifle years ago I sighted it in originally with 3F Goex. A guy I was talking to on one of my range trips was shooting a 36 caliber Shenandoah rifle. He was using the Pyro-P, and turned me on to it. I came across some and did a side by side comparison, 2 separate targets, same grain by volume, patch, ball, etc. they pretty much were each minute of squirrel. I would have to admit that I could get about 3-4 more accurate shots off with the pyro. Which in my small brain, equalled to less fiddling around while hunting. If I can get better performance from the swiss, without drastic change to point of aim, I'll switch over. I usually carry a small eye glass cleaner spray bottle with alcohol in my hunting bag anyway. Going to try mink oil vs ballistol patches as well. Thanks for being my "sounding board" fellas. Oh, and Ed, you have to under a hundred now yeah?

 

[Daytime Smoker]

Taking a day or two off from hunting. All the hiking has got my knees and hip angry at me. So I was thinking about some range time with the Crockett. I'm going to pose a question to my fellow Crocketteers, what powder are you guys using? I use Pyro-P in mine. I just seem to get more shots off before needing to clean the bore. Only reason I'm bringing this up is I just today traded a pound of 4F for a pound of 3F Swiss. In your experiences, should I go with the swiss for hunting for the extra umph? Appreciate you all's perspective. Thanks.

I’ve used Goex and Grafs both at 30 grains and Pyrodex at around 20 grains. Mine really likes the 30 grains. interesting how different barrels like different loads and such.

Anthony

 

[snakebit]

I’ve used Goex and Grafs both at 30 grains and Pyrodex at around 20 grains. Mine really likes the 30 grains. interesting how different barrels like different loads and such.

Anthony

I did try 30 grains when I first started shooting it. My recoverd patches were incinerated. 20 seems to be the sweet spot for my rifle. Curious to see what the swiss does.

 

[hanshi]

95% of my squirrel hunting was done in Georgia over many decades. I never liked hunting them with shot and always preferred a rifle or a pistol. Grays were plentiful as were the big fox squirrels and I took many of both. I really liked the .32 for squirrels but found the .36 not much different than using a .32. I used larger calibers a few times with limited success but not always bad. I had only one mounted, a fox squirrel, and still have it.
Here is a photo taken years back with the fox squirrel and a coon that keeps him company.

 

[ETipp]

Thanks for all the input fellas. When I got my rifle years ago I sighted it in originally with 3F Goex. A guy I was talking to on one of my range trips was shooting a 36 caliber Shenandoah rifle. He was using the Pyro-P, and turned me on to it. I came across some and did a side by side comparison, 2 separate targets, same grain by volume, patch, ball, etc. they pretty much were each minute of squirrel. I would have to admit that I could get about 3-4 more accurate shots off with the pyro. Which in my small brain, equalled to less fiddling around while hunting. If I can get better performance from the swiss, without drastic change to point of aim, I'll switch over. I usually carry a small eye glass cleaner spray bottle with alcohol in my hunting bag anyway. Going to try mink oil vs ballistol patches as well. Thanks for being my "sounding board" fellas. Oh, and Ed, you have to under a hundred now yeah?

I’ll have to count them up tomorrow.

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

Well, in another attempt to keep going in this wonderful sport, I’ve taken about the last step I can to where I will be able to see well enough to shoot accurately with iron sights. Therefore, I installed a Marble Arms sight on my Crockett and my GPR. I had to do a fair amount of filing but they are installed well even though they are not for either rifle. So they do not fill in the entire width across the flats. But neither did the fiber optic sight I removed from Mr. Crockett.

I figure it this way. I can’t hit what I can’t see well. All of my ML’s are critter tools, so it’s all about performance for this ole boy. Don’t really care what the fashion police has to say.

The ivory beads do not glow in every lighting condition but they do for most situations, even during overcast days. Took them out back and aimed down into my woods a little after daylight. I was surprised to find they were easily seen even during overcast skies.

I know I’m going to enjoy this on my Crockett. Pretty sure it’s going to work out well on my GPR as well.

well i like it.make some smoke and enjoy

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

Glad ya started feeling better, and was able to get out. Opposite for me last
Saturday, felt real good in the morning, hunted about 3 + hours and I didn't see one squirrel.
Came home and did my taxes, about a hour or so later felt sicker than a dog. Felt like I could heave up my toenails..
Never did but man it was messed up.
Hopefully this weekend. Try somewhere else this time.

Take Care Stay Safe

hope u feeling better

 

[ETipp]

Now down to 98 days remaining until spring squirrel season here in KY.

I’ll most likely focus on flathead fishing in May (considering that’s a prime time) and work on squirrels during the last 3 weeks of season in June. Last year, squirrel hunting was very tough in May and picked up considerably in June.

 

[Wncman]

That's a real thing! I read an article about it quite a few years ago. What you do is make a series of circles like in the picture below. This one is on the wall in my basement. I'm able to back up about 20 feet from it. Start with the biggest circle and sight on it just as if you are going to shoot. Hold your front sight inside that circle for a full minute (that's why it's called a holding drill). Repeat as many times as you think you need to for a good muscle nervous system workout. When you can consistently hold through all your sets without the front sight leaving the inside of the circle then move down to the next smaller circle and so on. You are training your muscles and nervous system.

I you do a lot of target shooting you can track your scores on actual targets. I guarantee that you will see improvement. If your range opportunities are limited this allows you to practice every day.

View attachment 292467

I believe I will try this. I need to build up some due to a shoulder injury and old age