Perfect Indiana Squirrel Weather

[Boomerang]

So I made it out Saturday on my squirrel venture to see what I could accomplish. The weather was perfect. A little frost on the ground, no wind and the sun was just starting to meet the horizon. I made my hour long trip to my favorite public hunting spot, loaded up my .54 GPR with 35gr of 3f Goex, patch and round ball and proceeded to quietly walk to the woods. I had to make a couple of detours on my normal route I take through the woods because I spotted a couple of bow hunters in the trees and I didn't want to disturb them. So I cut through the woods a different way and started to spot squirrel activity. It didn't take long to put one on the ground and before it was all said and done I got my limit of 5, Sort of! I haven't had this happen to me before, but two of the ones that I shot got stuck in the trees and I couldn't get them down! I guess I should have used a bigger caliber. All in all it was a really good day in the woods.

 

[Thomas.bill92]

Heck yeah! Any caliber can be a squirrel gun if you're a good shot haha.

 

[user 49399]

I’ve told folks before about squirrel hunting with a .50 caliber muzzleloading rifle. They jumped back, eyes nearly popped out of their heads and screamed “fifty caliber for squirrels!?”. Obviously, they had never heard of reduced powder loads or head shots.

Good shooting! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Longhunter]

I usually take my .22 for squirrels, next time I was planning on taking my 50cal. Good shooting! I hunt around South Eastern Indiana.

 

[Bassdog1]

I was in the bow stand yesterday and lots of deer movement but I found myself wanting my 32 Seneca as the squirrels were as thick as flies around me.

 

[ppg1949]

B’rang, nice score on the bush tails. I had the same problem squirrel hunting a farm outside of New Castle, IN years ago. The squirrel I shot landed in the crotch of a big limb. The tree was too large of a diameter to shinny up and the first limbs to high. My buddy even shot at the dead squirrel trying to move it but nothing worked. I hate losing game but it happens. Thanks for posting your picture and good hunting.

 

[Christophero]

Reminds me of the old adage; Bring enough gun. You, sir, did just that! Saturday was a fine day to squirrel hunt, as I am just east in Ohio. Alas, the rifle was in the vehicle but the task I promised to help with took much too long. Glad your day was spent successfully.

 

[pab1]

Congrats @Boomerang!

 

[bud in pa]

I wish that somebody would have explained about reduced powder loads to the PA game commission when they decided to limit muzzleloaders to 40 cal. or under for small game. Why is it that the ones in charge have the least knowledge about that which they are regulating?

 

[Colonial Boy]

Boomerang,
Good shooting and allow me to commend your honesty, no one, other than you, would have known had you shot another two.

 

[hanshi]

The largest caliber I've used on squirrels was a .58 prb. Big fox squirrel hit in the neck in and out with only pin prick entry & exit. I much prefer small calibers for small game but have still used .45s and the .58. I hate to lose any game animal. Years ago I shot what I took to be a squirrel resting in a hollow where the tree forked. I shot it with my .36 and enough of it became visible for me to identify it as a raccoon. I fired two or three more shots but it was firmly out of my reach. I had stopped hunting raccoons a couple of years prior to that and had no interest in ever going after them again. I really felt bad about how that turned out.