Most squirrel hunting I've done has been with a .22 rimfire of various sorts. But that hunting was usually in the midst of a large and isolated game reserve where the elevated shots had no chance of hurting someone downrange.
In the past few years I've been hunting much closer to civilization, so have been using a shotgun, mostly an inherited Stevens 311 with 30-inch double barrels made in 1953. That old gun knocks them dead with only one problem: at the short ranges I often have to shoot at when leaves are on the trees, the old 12 gauge can make them look like Swiss Squirrels from its modified and full choke barrels. I sometimes aim slightly away from them when very close, but it's hard to determine just where to aim when under the pressure of making a shot in the typical hurried circumstances. It just comes naturally to aim directly at the target (unless it's a long shot at a running target, then leadiing the target comes more naturally.)
I have decided to expand the flexibility of my shotgun hunting. Last year I bought a 12 gauge Mossberg Model 500 "Turkey Thug" with an extra full screw-in choke on its 24-inch ribbed barrel with rifle sights. I use that very tight tube exclusively for late-season squirrels when all the leaves are gone and most shots are at longer ranges more suitable for my old .22s. I have found it truly reaches way up into the trees to bring home the goodies.
However, for hunting at closer ranges in the earlier parts of the season, I bought a screw-in PolyChoke, called the PolyChoke II, to fit the Mossberg's barrel. It adjusts from super-wide open (even larger than bore size) to what they call "X-tra Full." I've found the "X-tra Full" is not quite so; it's more like "Lt-Full". But it's still about a full choke, so it's good for many longer shots.
The PolyChoke seems to be just what I've been looking for in achieving the flexibility I had with the .22s. It takes only a couple of seconds to select a wider pattern for those close shots. I bought the PolyChoke model that has a cage on the front. This elongates the choke by 1.25", making the choke a total of about 3" long. But, the ventilated cage allowed me a place to paint small white marks to show the choke positions, making it easy to accurately adjust which choke I need. This is important when you discover a squirrel moving close in and don't have time to look closely at the choke.
Well, it's a slow day so just thought I'd talk about my latest shotguns-for-squirrels ideas.
In the past few years I've been hunting much closer to civilization, so have been using a shotgun, mostly an inherited Stevens 311 with 30-inch double barrels made in 1953. That old gun knocks them dead with only one problem: at the short ranges I often have to shoot at when leaves are on the trees, the old 12 gauge can make them look like Swiss Squirrels from its modified and full choke barrels. I sometimes aim slightly away from them when very close, but it's hard to determine just where to aim when under the pressure of making a shot in the typical hurried circumstances. It just comes naturally to aim directly at the target (unless it's a long shot at a running target, then leadiing the target comes more naturally.)
I have decided to expand the flexibility of my shotgun hunting. Last year I bought a 12 gauge Mossberg Model 500 "Turkey Thug" with an extra full screw-in choke on its 24-inch ribbed barrel with rifle sights. I use that very tight tube exclusively for late-season squirrels when all the leaves are gone and most shots are at longer ranges more suitable for my old .22s. I have found it truly reaches way up into the trees to bring home the goodies.
However, for hunting at closer ranges in the earlier parts of the season, I bought a screw-in PolyChoke, called the PolyChoke II, to fit the Mossberg's barrel. It adjusts from super-wide open (even larger than bore size) to what they call "X-tra Full." I've found the "X-tra Full" is not quite so; it's more like "Lt-Full". But it's still about a full choke, so it's good for many longer shots.
The PolyChoke seems to be just what I've been looking for in achieving the flexibility I had with the .22s. It takes only a couple of seconds to select a wider pattern for those close shots. I bought the PolyChoke model that has a cage on the front. This elongates the choke by 1.25", making the choke a total of about 3" long. But, the ventilated cage allowed me a place to paint small white marks to show the choke positions, making it easy to accurately adjust which choke I need. This is important when you discover a squirrel moving close in and don't have time to look closely at the choke.
Well, it's a slow day so just thought I'd talk about my latest shotguns-for-squirrels ideas.
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