So I was at work Sunday talking to one of my chiefs and i told him I wanted to do a little squirrel hunting but didn't have a .410 to shoot them with. He said he used to kill them with a 12 gauge. Seems a little big to me. I have a 12 and a 20 but want to know if I can use them. Thanks.

You bet, a 22 would work if you had one. Lighter loads would be better though.

use the 20 with 4 shot or a .22. Should make for a pleasant day in the woods - until it's time to clean the day's harvest. I love to squirrel hunt, but hate to clean them - so I never go squirrel hunting.

JR

12 works great, just more pellets. I like #4 shot and try to catch them with the edge of the pattern.

they aren't really all that tough, dove loads work well in the 12/20ga(s)

Killed many a squirrel with a 20 gauge single shot in my youth using regular ole #6 dove loads.

12gauge works great. Once they are up a tree stand still. When they poke their head around to see where you are make a clean shot. Works even better if you have a dog.

^^^ Fox squirrels will, Gray or cat squirrels won't be in the tree you saw them in if you stand still and wait. They'll be a mile from ya.

yep, cat squirrels are a little different. Pretty much like shooting skeet with 4 legs & a tail.

All great info... I still have a bunch of shells from dove season for the ole 20. Think ill give it a try when this rain moves out. Thanks for all the imput.

I don't know where you will be hunting, but in deep East Texas (God's Country) our trees can be very tall. I've killed a truck load of cat squirrels with a 12 and 4 shot. I seems a little heavy, but the extra powder will really send the lead to the tops of those big oaks and pines.

Limb Chickens are tough. I like number 5's.....High brass. Especially for those big Fox squirrells. Gauge unimportant. Boil them fox's and then maken squirell and dumplings......good.

20 is plenty. I also like using my gamo air rifle, it does a great job on them little boogers out to 40-50yds....

Gee, just wish I had a place to squirrel hunt. There seems to have been a harsh decline in their numbers since the droughts.

Fox and Gray Squirrels are Game Animals and air rifles/pellet guns are illegal to use on any game animal or game bird.

Means and Methods
Firearms
NEW LAW: Silencers may be used to take any wildlife resource; however, all federal, state and local laws continue to apply.

Game animals and game birds may be hunted with any legal firearm, EXCEPT:

•white-tailed deer, mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope may NOT be hunted with rimfire ammunition of any caliber.
•shotguns are the only legal firearm that may be used to hunt Eastern turkey during the spring Eastern turkey season (see County Listing). Rifles and handguns may not be used to hunt Eastern turkey.
•pellet guns and other air guns are NOT LEGAL.
•fully automatic firearms are NOT LEGAL.
•a shotgun is the only legal firearm for hunting migratory game birds (see Definitions - Legal Shotgun).

Nongame Animals (Non-Protected): Any lawful firearm, pellet gun, or other air gun is legal.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/regulations/fish_hunt/hunt/means/

Game Animals
The following are classified as game animals:

White-tailed deer
Mule deer
Desert bighorn sheep
Pronghorn antelope
Gray or cat squirrel
Red or fox squirrel
Collared peccary or javelina

Nongame and Other Species
Nongame Animals
Includes, but is not limited to the following:

Armadillos*
Bobcats*
Coyotes*
Flying squirrels
Frogs
Ground squirrels
Mountain lions
Porcupines
Prairie dogs
Rabbits
Turtles

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/regulations/fish_hunt/hunt/nongame/

My grandpa's neighbor would throw out a high pitched whistle and those cats squirrels would slam on the brakes and lay flat on a tree limb. I remember him sayin "Don't look for a squirrel, look for an ear, or a paw." Now that man was an oldtimer. He never went to a grocery store. lol

had chance ta go squirrel hunting with friend who used a dog last year.. was very impressed bye the dog, very well trained.. got a shot at squirrel using 410 #8's was one for one.. had fried squirrel that night.. was a bad year for hog hunting, dry year.. have used .22 with bird shot..

x2

Really? Flying squirrels and ground squirrels are game, but not Fox and Greys? Had no idea...

You'd think a 12 would blow the squirly to pieces

The last coupla times I've hunted squirrel I took 2 loads with me; 1oz #6 and 1.25 oz #4 high brass. The whole point of using a shotgun is to be as versatile as possible.

I remember going to Mississippi to visit the grandparents and go hunting. We would use 12 gauge with #6's and have no problems with them squirrels. They wouldn't tear the squirrels up at all.

Wow,y'all are bringing back the memories. Being from east TX, squirrel hunting is in my blood. No deer seasons growing up (and dang few deer) so I learned to squirrel hunt from both my grandpas and my Dad. Both grandpas had dogs that would tree a squirrel and watching Pop blast them out with an old single barrel 12 gauge was a hoot. My Paw Paw had a mutt that would tree the first one fine, but once you shot it he would stop at every tree wanting you to shoot another one-he kinda had everything backwards.

Learned from Daddy how to hunt 'em without a dog (mostly to be still and watch and listen). Also learned little tricks like the whistle trick mentioned above and throwing a chunk of limb on the other side of the tree to make him show himself, plus countless others.

I started bowhunting at 15 so squirrel hunting went by the wayside. I sure miss it sometimes. Maybe I'll take a shotgun or .22 out next October for memories' sake.

20 gauge with 6s or 7 1/2s is plenty. A .22 is even more fun.

Cat squirrels are always around water (95% of the time in a creekbottom) and fox squirrels can be anywhere. I always considered cat squirrels as "trophy" sqirrels since they were more scarce,faster, and could hide so much better.

Think you have this weekend to shoot a few.

No joke?? Heck,I will just do that then. Thanks!