We always hunted squirrels with a shotgun since a hunting outing targeted dove, squirrels, rabbits, and crows. If I were only hunting tree rats now, it would be with a .22LR.

I grew up using my 20 ga, we only had one .22 for three people to use. I tend to still carry a shotgun if something else is in season that I cant shoot if I only have the .22 with me.

My father started me hunting squirrels with a 12 guage shotgun with #4 shot. We didn't have a .22 at the time and Dad didn't want to destroy the heads because we ate the heads. Dad and I shared the gun while squirrel hunting. He would shoot one and then it was my turn. We did this from the time I was 12 until I was 15 and then I got an $11.95 .22 for Christmas. I am sure that you can tell from this that we didn't have a lot of money for buying guns. From hunting this way I developed a tremendous bond with my Dad. It still exists today. He is 91 years young. By the way Dad even had a system for shotgun shells. For the early season when there were a lot leaves on the trees he would buy a box of Federal Monarch low brass shells. When the leaves got off the trees he would buy a box of Federal Hi-Power shells. Some of you will remember they were red paper hulls.

When I started hunting squirrel everyone used shotguns, mostly 12 gauges, because there might have only been one or two guns in the family and they had to do it all. Laugh at the good ole boys and you could soon be lacking teeth. You respected whatever a man or boy brought to the woods. One old fella used a Winchester Model 37 (a single shot for those that don't remember them) with a couple extra shells between his fingers. He could hunt.

I later tried my mom's .22 rifle and loved it, but some landowners would only let use shotguns. Nowadays I'll normally reach for a rimfire, but the last squirrel I took was with a 12 gauge.

cleaning squirrels: my tips are still on the first page of message boards / the cook book

if you havent learned it yet, learn the step-on-the-tail method especially for older squirrels that is there

The only time I use a shotgun is in the form of a .410 barrel on my Contender. I prefer a .22 rifle, the .410, or a .22 mag T/C barrel. I don't like to eat shot.

I tried using a .22 once when i was young, i missed. now i use my 12

I'm not a tree squirrel shooter (we don't have many on our property) I shoot ground squirrels and I use my .22LR. It's more fun because it is harder.

I've never skinned a squirrel I just take their tails and tie them to people's anntennas in the walmart parking lot. (especially the cars with Obama bumper stickers)

My Savage 24 is the .22 over .410 combo gun Ozzlefinch is talking about. Yes I do use it for Squirrels, I like the .410 if the critter is in a tree and the .22 if I can get him at ground level. I'd use the .22 barrel in the trees too but I worry about the ballistic trajectory of the bullet should I miss. What goes up must come down and I don't want to drop rounds on any of my neighbors. I love my Savage 24, it is accurate and simple. It ain't in the Savage catalogue anymore so I suspect they stopped making it. I saw a Russian Baikal that was .22/.410, think was built like a TANK with no external hammer, cokc on closure like a fancy over'n under. The Baikal was very stiff to manipulate and was a lot heavier than my Savage. But that may be the only one of the type being presently manufactured, so it is likely that or a used Savage 24. (they are about, I saw one at the Gun Show in Wilmington (MA) last weekend, they wanted $400 for it).

The Germans have a weapon, a Dreiling 2 sxs Shotgun Barrels (Usually 16 Ga & a Rifle barrel usually 7.57 Mauser) making it the most versatile weapon a person can have in the woods. I would love to receive one as a gift! :)

I grew up hunting squirrels with a 20 gauge double barreled Stevens. My eyesight has never been very good and as a kid, I couldn't hit a barn door with a .22. I killed a lot of squirrels growing up, but haven't been hunting for them in over forty years, just shoot the occasional one off the bird feeder (with a scoped .22---nobody in my part of the country had ever heard of a scoped .22 when I was growing up.)

.22lr almost all the time, but if I have my 20 at the time I'll shoot a little to the outside of the head, that way the body isnt destroyed.

Ive just always used a .22 and i've never really shot them with a shotgun, i like to know that i can hit them a little farther away.

I've always used a .22, never saw a reason to use much else. I would think a .22/.410 would solve the debate, kinda like a spork and chunky soup.