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2016 Hunting Thread
- Thread starter dropride
- Start date
For squirrel....zones 1-9 is rifle or shotgun. Zones 10-14 is shotgun only. I was in zone 9 and could have used a 22....but i hunt squirrel with shotgun by choice this time of year as there is still lots of foliage on the trees. With a 22 its tough even with a scope to get a good visual when they are in the trees and a shotgun penetrates thick brush better than a 22. Also....when using a 22 and being truly a safe hunter you are limited to shots on the ground or very low in the canopy as a 22 fired upward into the canopy can piss off the neighbors as the bullet travels a looooong way if you miss. I feel a shotgun is more productive as more safe shots are available. I use a 20 gauge with full choke a s high brass 4 shot believe it or not. Lots of guys tell me full choke and high brass is too much horsepower for squirrel but...that set up will reach the tops of any tree giving you some range. If a squirrel close up just aim off a bit toward the animals nose and hit em with the fringe to avoid too much damage.
Happy hunting
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I didn't even think about shooting up into the trees at them as they are always just running around where I am. Wouldn't do that with a 22 of course, but could be fun to try and get them out of the branches with the 20 gauge.
it is fun to watch em tumble! Id say half of the ones I have harvested over the years were shot right out of the canopy. If I were you I would give that 20 gauge a go at em. I find remmington extended range shells economical and have plenty of "hit" behind them. I use that load exclusively for all small game and birds....snow shoe hare...cotton tail....pheasant.....you name it. About 12-14 bucks a box of 25 shells. SOme of my buddies spend big bucks on the high dollar "wonder loads" like prarie storm and the like during pheasant season....some of that stuff is over a buck a shell! But the green and yellow box has been putting small game in our vests for many years. I keep plenty of it on my shelves. For squirrel size 4 works best less pellets to pick out and believe it or not squirrels have a tough hyde on em! Rabbit pheasant and hare i use size 6 cuz generally they are a fast moving softer target and more pellets means better chance of a hit
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Just got my RI tags in the mail today... guess who will be chasing whitetail all weekend.... I will... I will....
I like to spread the word about the early opportunity for squirrel in 1-9 zones. Its a good opportunity to get some hunting action in early in the season when everything else is closed. They are good eatin and plenty of success....good for taking young kids out so they dont get bored sitting in a blind all day. Good way to teach basic woodsmanship too. Give em the map and compass and let em figure it out. Ill never forget the first time I handed my son the compass to lead us on the azimuth out of the woods. We came out right at the truck! He was so proud of himself.
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ccm75
NES Member
Don't forget that until the start of pheasant season on the WMA's, in areas 1-9 you can also use "handguns of any caliber...".
i never understood that regulation. I will say this....if you are a responsible hunter and hunt to utilize the game.....stick to 22lr and birdshot for squirrels. Is it "legal" to hunt a squirrel with a 44 magnum....yeah.....but thats ****ing dumb.
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To each his own, i'll take less regulation any day
ccm75
NES Member
Yep, I was going to add that myself. I was thinking of going out with my Single Six but not really comfortable launching even .22 rounds into the air in an area where neighborhoods (including mine) and commercial areas not far away. Depends on where you are hunting obviously...
i think we all would love leas regulation. I am strictly talking hunter ethics here not law. My opinion....if you are out schwacking squirrells with a 44 magnum and not recovering any useable part of the game....you are a dick head doing harm to the reputation of hunters in general.
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It's exactly that... your opinion, which likely differs from others. Some say you shouldn't be able to hunt with AR's because their grandfathers didn't, it all falls into the ethics debate which is a rabbit hole. Everyone has a different opinion & no ones right or wrong.
Not saying I disagree but if someone wants to use a 22LR shotshell in their handgun around the yard then so be it. If they want to shoot a tree rat at 100 yards with their 454 casull revolver, so be it. They shouldn't be limited to this or that, because at the end of the day the squirrel's dead regardless. You may want to use every useable piece but others may just may be wanting to remove a pest.
Lets explore that rabbit hole shall we? So in your opinion its ok for a hunter to Grouse hunt with a 10 gauge goose gun....totally destroy any useable part of the animal.....and just dispose of it cuz his idea of ethics differs from most of the hunting community? Would that not have a negative impact on the publics view of hunters?
I am not so sure regs ONLY have to do with resource managememt. True that regulations on hunting impliments is a means to control hunter success but are there not regulations in place on impliments to ensure quicker kill hunter ethics? Bow draw weight for deer? Caliber size for bear in mass needs to be .23 cal or larger for rifle and .357 loaded with .357 mag only or .40 cal and larger for handgun? Just a couple if examples. Are those not for ethical reasons not just resource management?
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How about the .22LR restriction for coyotes at night? Everyone knows when they get hit with a .22LR they just suffer, yet that's a regulation. I'd never do it because guess what, I think its unethical. I've seen em take a .223 like a champ and run like nothing hit em.
tuna
NES Member
Yeah, but that's a coyote and no one likes them because they're coyote and everyone knows the road runner is better.
Hunting isn't just about meat, so one persons ethics doesn't equate to everyone. Shooting squirrels with a 9mm or 45 may not be efficient harvesting, but is good training for your carry gun.
No one would say boo if a coyote was shot for fun and discarded, but do it with a deer and everyone goes crazy.
This whole Sioux crap of using every part is getting old. Anti hunters aren't gonna like us no matter what, so don't try to win them over at the expense of limiting ourselves.
Hunting isn't just about meat, so one persons ethics doesn't equate to everyone. Shooting squirrels with a 9mm or 45 may not be efficient harvesting, but is good training for your carry gun.
No one would say boo if a coyote was shot for fun and discarded, but do it with a deer and everyone goes crazy.
This whole Sioux crap of using every part is getting old. Anti hunters aren't gonna like us no matter what, so don't try to win them over at the expense of limiting ourselves.
Nothing this morning, I figured they'd be moving after the storm last night but nada. I'll go back out tonight and see if they're moving early.
Checked the cam's dozens of pictures of deer between 8pm and 5am...
ETA: Saw a doe and a little one tonight, could have got the doe or the little one but I try not to take a doe with fawn.
Checked the cam's dozens of pictures of deer between 8pm and 5am...
ETA: Saw a doe and a little one tonight, could have got the doe or the little one but I try not to take a doe with fawn.
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Got my watering hole put in on a very good path I found and know deer use. Set up a natural blind up on a baby hill looking down on it.
I think the trail will be crossed quite a bit around rut with the bucks crossing parallel trails looking for the girls.
Just about 20 days to go.
I think the trail will be crossed quite a bit around rut with the bucks crossing parallel trails looking for the girls.
Just about 20 days to go.
GM-GUY
NES Member
Less than two weeks and I will be in Maine (Zone 7) for Moose !!!
I got the 300 Weatherby all finalized sighted yesterday - hitting 3" high at 100 yards Clean/Cold-Bore. The rest right around it within an inch or so, this is off shooting sticks (standing) using Weatherby ammo/180 grain TSX bullets.
My FiL is my sub-permittee and he gets first crack unless it's a long shot - he said anything beyond 100 yards is all mine. He is bringing his Remington 760 Gamemaster in 308.
I got the 300 Weatherby all finalized sighted yesterday - hitting 3" high at 100 yards Clean/Cold-Bore. The rest right around it within an inch or so, this is off shooting sticks (standing) using Weatherby ammo/180 grain TSX bullets.
My FiL is my sub-permittee and he gets first crack unless it's a long shot - he said anything beyond 100 yards is all mine. He is bringing his Remington 760 Gamemaster in 308.
45collector
NES Member
^ Awesome! I have never had the opportunity to hunt moose.
Patiently waiting for early duck and pheasant to start up next month. I never got into bow so for me, deer hunting is strictly a December outing, usually in a group.
Patiently waiting for early duck and pheasant to start up next month. I never got into bow so for me, deer hunting is strictly a December outing, usually in a group.
Are you guys going with Bosebuck Guiding? I hope you get a nice one, I was up there last year, same zone and got a 6.5year old.
