Great article! Like many on this post and I suspect most who started hunting early, some of my fondest school aged hunting memories are about hunting Eastern Grey/Black and Fox Squirrels with my Dad and old school buddies. I don't get the disdain for hunting 'em with shotguns either. Most of us did because Ruffed Grouse and Rabbits were always around too and Deer season was just around the corner and we had to use shotguns. It just made sense economically to have a gun that you could use for everything. I think my hunting skills were the sharpest then, and because we used game loads of 6 or 7.5 shot, we didn't worry about shooting them running, running up the trees or down, jumping... whatever shot opportunity presented itself! In my neck of the woods, you used a .22 for woodchucks and that was about it. I started out with a brand new 20 Gauge Wards Western Field my Dad gave me for helping with chores all summer. It was really made by Mossberg but had some distinctive styling. I still regret selling that gun! Ugh it haunts me to this day!! Especially because Dad is gone now. Anyway, even though it was brand new, I still remember sitting at the kitchen table the night before squirrel season getting that gun all "cleaned" up and oiled proper! The next day I went out right after school. I still remember the smells and sounds of the early fall woods in WNY state. Everything gold, shades of orange and crimson. Squirrels "clucking" in almost every tree busily looking for hickory nuts, butternuts and walnuts and the occaisional acorn. For some reason we had mostly hickories and not many oaks. Anyway, my very first trophy was a sleek black squirrel. It had just finished skinning a hickory not on an old stump and I caught it just at it started to leap off. I think I brought that squirrel right into the house and into the kitchen to show my parents as they were getting ready for dinner and talking about their day! They let me get it mounted too and I still have that squirrel. Don't let anybody fool you. Squirrel hunting is some of the best hunting out their and when you're 10 or 12 years old, they look huge. Like trophies all over the woods. If you were lucky enough to find a pocket of Fox squirrels why.... you hit the motherlode~! Your buddies were envious for sure!!! Those were the good ole days.

My squirrel gun is a side-by-side .410. It's great for squirrel but comes up a little short when the little bugger is in the top of a tall oak tree.

I need one of those O/U .410/.22 rifles I cannot afford.

We hunted squirrels and rabbits with shotguns almost exclusively. Dads thought it safer for us wild young uns not to be shooting at near vertical targets with rifles. I had a Stevens 94 .410 that accounted for many a squirrel until I upgraded to a 28 gauge, which was ideal but shells were too expensive. Probably the best years of my life! Ike was President, no Vietnam, Democrats were conservative, school was safe and fun, and you never locked your doors.

The same guys that would shout down squirrel hunting with shotguns probably advocate deer hunting with .22 centerfires. Just sayin'

I also ascribe to the leaves on = shotgun, leaves off (usually) = .22 practice of squirrel hunting. great points about shooting in the air. as for eating them, around these parts (WV), if you can't make a good squirrel gravy, you're likely to be friendless, unmarried and generally looked down upon.

When I use my .22 for squirrels, I have gotten to where I only use shorts or one of the very low power shells now available. I use these in a very old single shot .22. But, I also use my 20 gauge 870, #6 shot usually. I totally agree with Phil on this one. Shotguns are really great for squirrel hunting! I usually soak them overnight in salty water, then cook or freeze for later. Rinse before freezing or cooking - I really don't know if the salt water soak does any good, I just thought of doing it many years ago, and I do think it maybe pulls out some blood.

I know I'll take some hits on this one but I'll say it anyway. I have not hunted squrriels with a shot gun for a great many years, way back when the only gun I had was a 12 guage double barrel, besides I don't think hunting them with a shotgun gives the little critters much of a chance. Yes, a 22 will shoot over a mile but at that distance it has very little energy left maybe about as much as an acorn dropped by a squrriel so I seriously doubt it would harm anyone. The leaves may present a problem when using a 22 but patience usually wins out. I do not shoot squrriells without a clear shot at a stationary target. PATENCE IS THE KEY WORD. Noise is the other factor in using a shotgun or rifle. That big boom of a shotgun can put squrriels in hiding for as long as a hour while my lttle 22 usually has them back out in 15 to 20 minutes. All of you guys can have your shotguns, make mine a 22

I love hunting squirrels with a shotgun, but usually when I shoot them, there's pellets every where. Sometimes you find one eating the meat and almost crack a tooth. I resort to a 22 Mag. and shoot them in the head. Doesn't ruin meat, and its a instant kill, sometimes brutal, but instant.

Started hunting squirrels with a Savage single shot 20. Just put a new ejector in that gun, and its back in the field. I did convert to hunting them with a .22 and then to .22 shorts to be kind of like an elitist, but always went back to the 20 a few times a season. I also converted to a Ruger Mark II semi auto pistol for awhile but that's a different tale.

Speaking of 410s, does anyone have a favorite squirrel load? And how far is your effective killing distance (one shot only) with a 410? I have had many instances of only wounding a squirrel with the first shot with my 410, and having to shoot it again.

I haven't hunted squirrels for 2-3 years. I started hunting squirrels when I was nine and I had an H&R single shot .410. Since then, I have only used a High-powered BB gun. I intend to start on squirrels again this fall to get my younger sisters started hunting. I know they would have fun in the woods looking for squirrels, the local squirrels are mostly fox squirrels as well as a few grays. I probably will use either my 10/22 or a high powered BB gun. I got my first BB gun when I was six and I shot several rabbits around our garden the first year I had it. I have since "upgraded" to a .22, still fun to shoot sparrows with the air rifle. When I hunted squirrels with a .410 I used #7 steel shot and got close. Happy tails to ya'all.

Another benefit of chasing squirrels with a shotgun is that the season overlaps with other seasons. On a father/daughter squirrel hunt my girl and I surprised (we were too)a rooster pheasant on the edge of the woods and field. He was very tasty. I have also shot squirrels with steel while leaving the duck marsh. I like a 20 gauge with 4's for squirrels and try to catch them on the edge of the pattern. More importantly, I think whining over someone's choice to killing tool is not polite. Great topic again, Mr. Phil.

To each his own, if you prefer a shotgun, have at it. I prefer a .22 rifle or a handgun (T/C Contender with a .22 magnum or .410 barrel, not sure that qualifies as a shotgun) but that's simply personal preference on my part. Agreed on that good white squirrel gravy, biscuits, and fried potatoes. Excellent!!!

At deadeyedick, watch when you shoot a squirrel with a shotgun, that blast will do 1 of 2 things.
Make any other squirrels hide, or make them run like hell!
I've often seen a single squirrel then got 1 or 2 others running like crazy after the shot!

In Northwest Louisiana, conversion of forests to pine has made fox squirrels rare. If you stillhunt cat (gray) squirrels with a .22, you had better not crave squirrel meat very much. If hunting with a dog, a rifle backed up by someone with a shotgun is great. I learned to head shoot squirrels with a .22. This produced much bitching from my dad who liked to eat the brains.

I have a Savage .22/20 guage and it is indeed an efficient tool if one can see its nearly vestigial sights. You can get quite a surprise if you think you are squeezing off a rifle shot but have forgotten to switch the selector from shotgun.

My first squirrel gun was a model 24 Savage O/U. 22lr on top & .410 shotgun on the bottom. Always limited out and put meat in the pot. The 410 was just the ticket to bring the out of the tops of Ponderosa Pines, especially wounded ones with a Klingon Death Grip. The 22 barrel was just the ticket for those sitting on the ground and the occasional rabbit that came along. I have also hunted squirrels with a Savage model 755 in 16ga with a polychoke. I did once drive a wad through a squirrel with this one. My favorite squirrel gun though is a Ruger 10/22 with a full size 3x9 scope on it. Cranked up to 9x I can pick the eye I want to shoot out.

Also noticing a lot of shotgun positive comments this time around...

for safety reasons I use a shotgun for squirrels. I am just not comfortable shooting 22s in the air.

Haven't been squirrel hunting in a long time, but did ita lot as a kid. Dad's property was too close to subdivisions to allow a .22 so I learned to shoot them on the side of the pattern of my little Ithaca single-shot 20 ga. But more importantly, I learned to call squirrels to my position, my first experience with calling myself. And that opened up a whole new and very exciting method of hunting to me. To this day, my favorite hunts involve calling game: turkey most of all, but also ducks, elk, deer, and predators.

I started squirrel hunting in 1956 with Dad's Mossberg Model B with iron sights bought by his grandfather for him in the 1920's. We used shorts, then LRs later on as I got better. Now I used .22 caps - no danger of long-ranging bullets, need to be close and requires great accuracy.

We also had a bolt-action, magazine fed .410. but we both preferred the .22.

But in Connecticut, we can't hunt them because you need a license and can't hunt within 500 feet of a residence with a firearm - and that cuts out about 95% of the state. Or in my attic last November.

I have squirrel hunted since about age 9 when daddy first took me with him. since then I have hunted with .22, and any guage shotgun I had handy but mostly the 16 until I could no longer get the 7 1/2 shot that I prefer. what I found out is that I could kill squirrels sitting but not running with the .22 and the really funny part is that if I fire and kill my squirrel just allowing him to lay there until I got ready to pick him up, I would have to walk about 100 yds to see my next one due to the crack of the .22. the boom of the shotgun would just make them skittish for way less yardage. I could fire the shotgun and sit for a while and here would come another which doesn't happen with the .22 in my experience. the lowly .410 is great until you start trying to take one out of a 100ft pine tree--all you do is sting him good for the most part. I would cripple more than I brought home using #6 so tried #7.5 and had less cripples or torn up.

I squirrel hunt with 20 or 12ga, never had any bad issues.

This seems highly impractical for such small game, all you need is a long tube with a 4" D opening (PVC prefferably) and a lot of peanut butter. trap them in the tube and snap their necks to kill them. Nice and easy. Watch out for teeth, since if they bite it really hurts and bleeds a lot.

Here in NYC you need neither. The squirrels will come up to within 2 or 3 feet of you. More than a few will come closer, especially if you're eating something they want. I've seen on climb up on a bench and sit besides an old man who was eating peanuts.

Hunting requires as good supply of 3/4" steel balls and a slingshot.

If you really want a challenge, what you need is a pair of long thick gloves and a 5 gal bucket 1/4 filled with dry ice and a lid.

Grab the squirrel by the tail, toss him in the bucket and slam the lid on. Sit on top until the banging stops. All the while keeping an eye out for the park rangers, NYPD and the PETA people.