Squirrel hunting with BP

[JBird]

sorry if my questions have been answered but im having issues with the search feature on this forum. just works different than im used to..

with that said im about to build an older TC hawken flinter kit in .50 and would love to take it hunting for squirrel. i would obviously go for heads as i already do with a 22. but my main question would be about "barking" squirrels. ive read about it in the past before i started learning about BP guns. and have read some more since joining here. does a 50 PRB have sufficient oomph to knock a squirrel off a branch? or would I be wasting lead?

im sure this is a stupid question which is why i have been trying to find the answer myself but im getting a headache. I Really want a .32 rifle aswell but thats gonna be out of the budget for a while since ive got a TC on the way and i still gotta buy all the goods i need to get it slingin lead.

 

[buford87]

In my opinion barking squirrels is a bit chancy. You would be better off to reduce your powder load to around 25-35 grains of powder with a patched round ball and shoot this reduced type of load for small game. If you are hunting big game and have a stronger load in your rifle then go ahead and try barking the squirrel. To work best the squirrel needs to be crouched close to the tree limb with its head against the limb..............watch yer top knot.............

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Rule 1: Always shoot for the head a near miss that results in barking a squirrel is just a bonus, not a good shot, but a close miss.
Rule 2: When you bark a squirrel ensure you snap its neck before putting it into a bag or vest. If not your bag will be sitting next to you or your vest will begin to move as your lookin for another tree rat and it will run away, because you knocked it out and not killed it.
Rule 3: Follow rules 1 and 2

 

[juancho]

My dog will not stop barking at squirrels :rotf:
Now , seriously, I tried it once, sent it flying, came back down and run away.On the other hand, the ones I hit, did not go anywhere and became tasty fried squirrel mmmm....
I use a .45 though for reasons I explained before on another thead.
If I was to have only one rifle it would be a .45, If I can have two, a.36 and a .54
I personaly see no need for a .50, however, if I just so happened to have a kit laying arround, oh well, I gess I'll have a .50

 

[roundball]

Personal opinion:
"Barking squirrels" is folklore handed down over the generations. I suspect it happened by accident and grew from there.
I don't know anybody who is...or know anybody who knows anybody who is...such a good shot that they could consistently use "barking squirrels" as an actual means of hunting. But that's just me...

 

[Britsmoothy]

I just shoot m', I let the dog whine some at m'though!

B :grin:

 

[buford87]

I barked a squirrel once with a .50. It looked like a wooden hand grenade went off under him! Almost didn't need a knife to gut him.......................watch yer top knot...........

 

[Black Hand]

I have a friend who shoots them in the head with his .58 (and 75gr FFFg hunting load). I'd suggest you do the same with your .50.

 

[hanshi]

IMHO it's a rather silly thing to try and is at least partly myth. Sure, a large ball properly placed can stun but why try it? If you can bark a squirrel then you should be able to hit it in the head. Duh!

 

[Dave K]

I agree 100%. If I bark a squirrel, it is an accident. I head shoot them. Yes, I have missed and barked them and lost them. Now something I intend to do. I don't want any suffering in my hunts, but even then, stuff happens. Shoot off their heads and there is no suffering.

 

[JBird]

Thanks for the replies. I asked cause I didn't know. And squirrel don't like to show their faces around here :wink:. Guess I'll stick with the headshots. Rather not mess around with too many different loads from the get go since I'm new to BP and flintlocks specifically

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

I got a spot in Michigan you can bag a limit everyday without issues if you can kill them. The one woods has like so many they eat all the corn from the feeder and have even eatten the feeder to get more corn. Of course sept 15th is opener for squirrels and bow season starts 2 weeks later and the woods is small and no need to spoke the deer, the squirrels get killed after Jan 1st. Then it is so cold when you shoot at the squirrel you can't see anything but a smoke cloud, makes it way cool for me.

 

[DUSTY 14]

like the story of carry a red handkerchief and some light line. tie the kerchief in a bush and walk to the other side of the tree. wait a few minutes then pull the string to shake the bush. squirrel comes around to your side of the tree to hide from movement