First time squirrel hunter

[Ohio Bill]

Hello, I've never squirrel hunted before and i would like to take my 10 year old son this fall......I have a question....Do u head shot the squirel? or body shot?.....I was thinking head shot cause u wouldnt want to damage the meat.... am I right?:D

[Farmbear]

Hello Ohio Bill. Yes a head shot would be best. I use a 22 and I aim at the head to keep the meat in taket. Be safe & happy hunting.:)

[Hoytme2]

Best shot is head shot. Great way to teach your son patients too. I have sat on squirrels that did not offer a head shot for 20 minutes til the head was visable! Good luck and have fun........ take mosquito juice!

[Caribou Dreamer2]

I will always take the head shot over any shot but will also shoot at body if head shot is not available.

[flathunter]

I always used a shot gun, so shooting for the head did not mean much;) ..Good luck on the squirrel hunting a great way to teach a youngster to hunt.

[Turkeyfoot]

Kinda tough for a 10 yr old to head shoot a squirrel with a .22 unless he's well practiced. Especially, early in the year with all the foilage on a 20 ga full or modified #4 or #5 shot may be the better choice for a youngster starting on squirrels. Let him shoot a few with a shotgun first so he does'nt become discouraged at this early age. Save the .22 untill he's a little older and more accomplished;) .410's will kill em but you have to be CLOSE! A squirrel is a tough little dude and the 20. ga is a better choice IF the boy can handle it OK....just some thoughts.......TF

[Shane]

I use a .22mag and go for head shots. I've often been successful shooting through the tail and into the head if the squirrel is on the ground and it's the only shot I can get. I used to sit the edge edge of small field about 100yds away from a corner full of oak trees. They'd come out to get acorns and I'd pickem off. Buddy and I used to bet beer over shots. It was a lot of fun and good eating.

Setting up your son with a shotgun is probably the best advise. I started with a single shot 20ga H&R. I sold it to upgrad to a pump at 12yrs old. 10yrs later I still missed that little single shooter. I bought a New England 20ga at the Kenton Coon Dog Trials a few years back. It was in brand new shape with a slug barrel, $90 got it. After a few customizations, it's been my favorite gun to hunt with. I had the barrel taked down to 18.5" and shaved an inch off the stock. I rebeaded it and made sure it was cylinder bore. I used brush wads and waa20's to reload my own shells. It's a sweet shooter. I roll crimp with the brush wads and star crimp with the winchester wads. I experimented for a year till I got loads down for specific game. From fast action bunnies to jump shooting ducks off creeks and ponds, it's a sweet shooter. I have probably $200 into the gun itself. For deer I slip on recoil pad and shoot 3" Mag Hornady slugs out of it. I group 2" at 100yds, open sites. 2" high at 50yds, with the slug barrel of course. 2yrs ago I scored a running neck/spine shot on a running 7 pointer at 60yds. I led on his nose, found an open spot in the woods and let the gun do the rest. The buck rolled end for end 3x and stopped.

Good gun. They are reliable and cheap! What I don't like about them from the factory is the full choke. Not bad for squirrels high up in heavy foilage, but for all around use, it could be better.