MA squirrel hunting

[Cpatts9747]

few quick questions about squirrel hunting in ma. It’s new to me so if I sound dumb sorry

I’m planning to hunt zones 5/9. If what I’ve read online is correct I can use 22lr? I’d be using a m&p 15-22. Is there a limit on rounds I can have in a mag?

Obviously no more than 10, but is it like waterfowl?

Anyone have any tips? I’m thinking of trying Leominster State Forest. I have to call them and make sure there are no hunting restrictions there, unless anyone has any info to share.

 

[BaldAssCat]

http://www.eregulations.com/massachusetts/huntingandfishing/rabbit-squirrel/

My understanding of what's in the regulation is you can use a 30 round magazine in your AR if that floats your boat. I've asked a game warden last time I took one of the kids to the hunters safety course and that was his understanding too.

I use a 20 ga because I don't trust my aim enough to shoot a rifle into a tree.

 

[whacko]

Zones 1-9 you can use a rifle (any caliber actually). No magazine limit as far as f and g regs but you know the deal in mass law. However.....if you are in zones 1-9 and hunting WMA stocked with pheasant it is shotgun only. Today is the last day of pheasant season and i know you said you would be using a state forest so probably good to go...but be mindful of the pheasant stocked land restriction on rifles in the future. Also.....Monday starts shotgun season for deer.....all small game hunting is closed during shotgun deer season so you will have to wait to hunt squirrel until after shotgun deer season is over.

Zones 10-14 are shotgun and bow only on squirrel.

My recommendation is for success......use a shotgun. The safest way yo hunt them as launching a 22 bullet into a tree is imo not the smartest thing to do. If your dead set on the rifle you should wait for a shot on the ground or very low in a tree. With a shotgun it is actually alot of fun to hit em when they are timbering in trees.

I've had a good season on squirrel. Plenty in the freezer for stews to take when ice fishing this winter.

 

[Cpatts9747]

Well the only reason I’d use that .22 is just because it has no use other than once or twice a year it gets to go to the range.

I only own 12g shotguns, is there a pellet Small enough to not completely obliterate a squirrel?

I’ve eaten squirrel only a handful of times and I’ve always liked it. Would like to be able to eat it more often.

I’m hoping squirrel hunting gives me a kick In the ass to do more types of hunting. deer, duck, and turkey. I haven’t hunted seance I was a kid.

Can’t squirrel hunt on sundays right? I assume it’s no hunting at all on Sundays still?

 

[pupchow]

Can’t squirrel hunt on sundays right? I assume it’s no hunting at all on Sundays still?

Correct.

Someone's been busy with the mass.gov domain, and has revamped it so its easier to navigate/read across multiple platforms/devices.

https://www.mass.gov/topics/hunting

 

[Cpatts9747]

Correct.

Someone's been busy with the mass.gov domain, and has revamped it so its easier to navigate/read across multiple platforms/devices.

https://www.mass.gov/topics/hunting

I noticed that a lot of the links are broken which is part of why I ended up here

 

[Len-2A Training]

As a non-hunter I have a question about this.

Is it legal to hunt squirrel with a pellet rifle? If so there are some high power .177 and .22 pellet rifles (1100+fps) that will do the trick with a properly placed shot and you don't have to worry about a bullet traveling 1.5 miles (.22LR).

 

[BaldAssCat]

Well the only reason I’d use that .22 is just because it has no use other than once or twice a year it gets to go to the range.

I only own 12g shotguns, is there a pellet Small enough to not completely obliterate a squirrel?

I’ve eaten squirrel only a handful of times and I’ve always liked it. Would like to be able to eat it more often.

I’m hoping squirrel hunting gives me a kick In the ass to do more types of hunting. deer, duck, and turkey. I haven’t hunted seance I was a kid.

Can’t squirrel hunt on sundays right? I assume it’s no hunting at all on Sundays still?

I've used 12ga with #9 target loads and didn't destroy them completely. In fact it worked pretty well. I was careful not to take too close of a shot, nothing under 20 yards with modified choke. I also like to load shot in my flintlock for them. I can make it as light as I want plus I get to use the flintlock.

That being said I've been thinking about getting a 410 for squirrel. Used single shots can often be found for under $100. Or, maybe this will be my excuse to buy a S&W Governor.

 

[Cpatts9747]

I've used 12ga with #9 target loads and didn't destroy them completely. In fact it worked pretty well. I was careful not to take too close of a shot, nothing under 20 yards with modified choke. I also like to load shot in my flintlock for them. I can make it as light as I want plus I get to use the flintlock.

That being said I've been thinking about getting a 410 for squirrel. Used single shots can often be found for under $100. Or, maybe this will be my excuse to buy a S&W Governor.

Thanks for the info. Maybe that’s what I’ll do. Break out the old 12g. See how it does. I have cases on cases of target load.

Hmm maybe a reason to get a flintlock just because. Same with a 410. If the price is right why not

 

[white feather]

Well the only reason I’d use that .22 is just because it has no use other than once or twice a year it gets to go to the range.

I only own 12g shotguns, is there a pellet Small enough to not completely obliterate a squirrel?

I’ve eaten squirrel only a handful of times and I’ve always liked it. Would like to be able to eat it more often.

I’m hoping squirrel hunting gives me a kick In the ass to do more types of hunting. deer, duck, and turkey. I haven’t hunted seance I was a kid.

Can’t squirrel hunt on sundays right? I assume it’s no hunting at all on Sundays still?

Hope you kept an old license so you can buy your new license... or you have to take a hunter safety course. Next two weeks no squirrel hunting, then you have about three weeks until the season ends/2017 license expires. Too bad you didn't decide to do this back in September. Sorry to sound negative. Hope you get out there. I have been planning to go coyote hunting for the past five years...

 

[1776]

Crosman 1377C / PC77 w shoulder stock works well. A bolt action with 22 shorts is very quiet.

 

[Cpatts9747]

Hope you kept an old license so you can buy your new license... or you have to take a hunter safety course. Next two weeks no squirrel hunting, then you have about three weeks until the season ends/2017 license expires. Too bad you didn't decide to do this back in September. Sorry to sound negative. Hope you get out there. I have been planning to go coyote hunting for the past five years...

I’ve had a hunting license every year just never do anything with it. I think I’ll finally have some time.

And I agree I should have started in September. But there’s always next year

 

[whacko]

Well the only reason I’d use that .22 is just because it has no use other than once or twice a year it gets to go to the range.

I only own 12g shotguns, is there a pellet Small enough to not completely obliterate a squirrel?

I’ve eaten squirrel only a handful of times and I’ve always liked it. Would like to be able to eat it more often.

I’m hoping squirrel hunting gives me a kick In the ass to do more types of hunting. deer, duck, and turkey. I haven’t hunted seance I was a kid.

Can’t squirrel hunt on sundays right? I assume it’s no hunting at all on Sundays still?

I hunt squirrel with high brass 4 or 5 shot through a full choke. That's a 12 gauge. Lots of folks have this theory that a 12 gauge will vaporize a squirrel. Not true. Well.....if you shoot it at 10 to 20 yards yes. Keep in mind.......shotguns are all about the pattern density at different distances. If you shoot at a squirrel at 30-40 yards even with high brass loads you'll get only 5-8 pellets in him and not ruin it. . If they are up closer than that....."hold off" it a bit and hit him with the fringe of the pattern. You have to practice and know how your gun patterns.

I hunt squirrel.....alot. Most days I use a 12 gauge.,....shot 2 this morning actually. I also have a Henry lever action 410 shotgun this year.....took half a dozen squirrels with that gun this year too. It's a good way to get in the woods and relax......and pull a meal from the woods as well.


And.....No hunting on Sundays in mass at all.

 

[whacko]

As a non-hunter I have a question about this.

Is it legal to hunt squirrel with a pellet rifle? If so there are some high power .177 and .22 pellet rifles (1100+fps) that will do the trick with a properly placed shot and you don't have to worry about a bullet traveling 1.5 miles (.22LR).

Shotguns are best on squirrel.....safer when shooting into the trees.

 

[Wickedcoolname]

Everybody brings their rifles and hanguns to the range and sights them in, but very few people take the time to pattern their shotguns. It's pretty illuminating when you do. You might be surprised at how few pellets you get on a squirrel sized target at around thirty yards, even with a full choke.
I would definitely use a shotgun for squirrel hunting, but I'd pattern it first. I like using the big piece of cardboard that comes with every pallet of wood pellets. It makes a great shotgun target.

 

[pupchow]

As a non-hunter I have a question about this.

Is it legal to hunt squirrel with a pellet rifle? If so there are some high power .177 and .22 pellet rifles (1100+fps) that will do the trick with a properly placed shot and you don't have to worry about a bullet traveling 1.5 miles (.22LR).

Yes, it is permissible. There's no restriction on air rifle calibers, but a .22 carries a lot more energy than a .177. I would not use a .177

According to info provided to me by Mass. DFW, ...

*If air guns with a rifled bore are defined as "rifles", then they would be permissible in Zones 1-9 ONLY and air guns with smooth bores would be permissible in all zones.

 

[pupchow]

re: shotgun

Here's a longish read, which has some anecdotal info

https://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2004/09/scattergunning-squirrels

 

[whacko]

re: shotgun

Here's a longish read, which has some anecdotal info

https://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2004/09/scattergunning-squirrels

That was a good read thanks.

Very accurate on how to shotgun for squirrel and very much how I hunt them. Even the #4 shot! I've been told I'm crazy using #4......the reason I do is that you get more range than with #6-#9 and until you've field dressed a squirrel you won't believe how thick their Hyde is. They are actually tough skinned little animals. Most of the time when I use #4 shot I find the pellets have gone through the body and are resting against the skin on the opposite side. I rarely find pellets lodged in the meat. But I check for pellets when I dress them out by squeezing the quarters and feeling for a pellet.......if there is one in there it's easy to remove by using your knife. When I started hunting squirrel I used #6 or #7 1/2 thinking they were so small I'd blast em too hard with anything bigger........after a few wounded and lost squirrels and one that I did get that was Chuck full of 7 1/2 pellets I switched to #4 after some.research. Now it's Remy #4 high brass and a full choke.

Op.......give it a try after shotgun deer season! You'll enjoy it.