Squirrel hunting with .22..Safety???

Since I was a kid I’ve squirrel hunted with a .22, like thousands of others. Only recently as I got older did I start worrying about this. In the deep east Texas woods, I can see how it wouldn’t be as risky, but closer to populated areas sure make me nervous. I haven’t squirrel hunted in a long time bc of this. I don’t like shooting them with shotguns and breaking up the bones. What’s the general consensus. I’m sure this has been discussed here before.

I swear, right before I posted this, I read all the post to see if there was a similar topic. Didn’t see one and as soon as I posted, I saw that there was a “.22 vs 12 gauge” thread right below it.

There are places where a 22 is still the choice. Where somewhat concerned, use shorts. I agree with shotguns being problematic not for broken bones but the hair it pulls in and the chance of chewing on a shot.

I’ve never used shorts. I’m about to buy a new .22 and I’ll make sure it shoots them. And yes, I dislike shotguns for the shot and hair too, as well as breaking up the bones. Just all together makes a mess

410 shotguns and number 6's for smaller properties.

And to think I can't sell a nice .410 and over 300 rounds of expensive ammo at cost.

We always used #8 12 ga. It killed them quick and usually kept the BB's in the hide w/ the seldom one in the meat

If you are shooting them with a .22, you just gotta wait until they are on, or close to the ground.

Yea, I think I just got overly paranoid as I am getting back into squirrel hunting. Just need to make sure I have a back stop and not take stupid shots in the air.

I just use a .22 and always have. I do however make sure that the tree they are sitting in provides a solid backstop or the ground if they are on the ground.

I don't know if any of y'all are familiar with Highland Park but pretty much everybody on Lakeside and some on Beverly shoot squirrels in their backyard and a great many of them use suppressed 22 bolt actions.

Love hunting squirrels with a .22.

I generally hunt squirrels with a 22 short hollow points on my place. Some shots I do not take but get them with tree trunk or dirt in the background. I have 3 miles without a house from the back of my place to the nearest road or house.

That's how I learned to hunt and to hunt with. Some time ago. Although I don't hunt anymore, I still know how. Well
I still hunt if you count paper and steel.

Another great advantage of a 12 gauge. The shot can’t really hurt a thing falling back to the earth. But I try not to worry too much about the .22’s falling. I just try to be cognizant of where I am at, and set left and right limits. Same as any rifle hunting.

Imagine a .30/06 shell skipping up off some marshy swampy area or etc, zinging off into oblivion with near full power, way worse than a .22. But my point is, yes the .22 is still a safe and ethical choice for squirrels in trees. Just IMO. But it depends on the area.

Anywhere there is a residential area nearby i stick to the 12 gauge or the air rifle.

Look at no powder 22 Colibri’s. Not great accuracy but work pretty well for short shots. Very quiet but will still kill squirrels and make the neighbors dog go crap in his own yard..

Be careful with those in a rifle, I have had a few not exit the barrel in my old Winchester 39 rifle, haven't experienced that in the 62A Winchester (use that combination for dispatching raccoons in Dukes traps) though not as many shot through it and that was with the Super Colobri's supposed to be for a rifle.

Yep pellet gun power, slingshot accuracy, and about as reliable as a ford pinto. Them colibri’s are great rounds lol.

They do work very well at less than 20' from a pistol. The low power 60 grain Aguilla in short brass is the best for short range from a pistol. CCI Standard Velocity cycles well and is kinda quiet in my 22" Marlin Model 60.

Yep slingshot range. To be honest i think a slingshot would be a better tool then a cb cap out of a pistol. They are just aweful.

Indoor plinking round. I would not shoot a colibri at a animal. Dispatch in a trap, sure.

I am sorry it just is not an effective round for any kind of hunting.

I replaced the recoil buffer (think is what y’all called it in another post) in my Marlin 60 and it won’t eject standard velocity. Maybe I need to get it worked on. That thing has drove me crazy since the day I bought it.

How old is it?

SV is kinda slow for some auto-loaders. Works fine in mine because it's 28 years old yet nearly new. If you are local to me I can take a look. I'm a little better at 10/22's but I have owned and fixed more Marlin 60 variants.

I have seen old Marlins and Remingtons cycle much better after a good cleaning, I am talking about taking it apart, cleaning and lubing everything.

I am guilty of neglecting a little .22 auto. When my stepdad finally tore down his old nylon 66 you could not tell where the crud ended or the gun began. I think they are the second most neglected repeater behind an old pump shotgun.

Probably. I am no fan of a nylon 66 only because there's high praise for a plastic POS just because people remembered them and collect them. Not a good firearm...just worth more than they should be because of nostalgia.

I love love love the nylon 66. It was a decent little gun. But i would not give more than a $100 for a typical old shot out version. But i think you could get a used speedmaster in ok condition for the asking price of a nylon.

Guns are more plastic now than they ever were.

You know in hind sight the nylon did kind of suck. Could not have had a scope on the reciever, flexes too much for scoped accuracy! But man i loved it.

Early 2000s. I took it apart, oiled it, cleaned it with gun scrubber…. but I’m by far not the best at it and honestly I’m surprised I even got it back together. Im in Longview area.

I would just shoot what it likes. It will be ok