410 ga on squirrels.

[204_ruger]

I use a 410 on squirrels alot. I try hunting 3 or 4 times a week. We can kill 12 per day. Our season openes May 15th thru February 28th. I have some fun times with the 410. I started crow hunting with the 410. I carry it quail hunting too. Only way i can shoot a 410 3 inch so much. I bought a Mec 600 jr mark 5 410 3 inch reloader. The 410's i use are mossberg.

500 410ga TSS turkey gun
SA 410ga TSS turkey gun.

 

[JungleShooter]

Please, treat us to a photo of your 410!

Sounds like you found what works for you — and you USE it!
"Hunting 3 or 4 times a week"?!? Man, you are blessed!

Matthias

 

[dwightb]

Back when I hunted squirrels over dogs, I got access to a beautiful place! Land owner wanted me to start hunting with a shotgun till he got to know me better. I picked up a 16" 45/410 barrel for my Contender! 3 inch 7 1/2 shot was good to 25 or so yards! We have no closed season no bag limit, had lots of fun with that combo. He wanted racoons gone also. Now a racoon at 75 foot in the top of a tree is a little harder to knock out with a 410! He heard me shoot 4 times one day and wanted to know why? I told him. He ask why I was not using a 22? That 45/410 still works well on skunks in the back yard!

 

[Rick Richard]

Oh wow that is a long squirrel season. I assume you eat a lot of squirrel. Lol. Have fun.

 

[204_ruger]

I work from 6pm to 6am. I work 4 days a week. It takes almost an hr to drive either way. I get home put my camo on and grab my gun. And walk out the door into the woods. Or i take my stuff to work with me. And head to the Ozark National Forest after work . Its less than 30 minutes drive. I think there is a million plus acres too hunt. I made some shots with that gun. I couldn't believe it. I have shot a few . They would run across the limb. And just fall out. And hit the ground. I killed a big hog last yr. I had a big boar feed within 10 yds. He came out behind a tree. I had my 28ga up and ready. I sent a 1 oz of 6's to the side of his head. One day i was setting there . Had my back to a bush thicket. Big white oak to the right of me about 15 yds. I heard a noise to my right . Where the big oak tree was. I thought it was squirrel chasing each other. I turned my head to the right. There is the biggest black bear a ever seen. He was less than 15 yds. I am setting there with my 28ga. Had a 1 oz 6 shot load in my gun. I just set there and watched him. And i tried getting my phone out of my back pocket. It finally caught my movement. He took off out of there. It was feeding on them white oaks. Alot of our oak tree's are massive size. Not first time that's happen. First time i ever seen one that big in Arkansas. My uncle loves squirrels. I think he would eat them 3 times a day. If he could get someone too kill them and skin them. I keep him in squirrel meat. All he has to do is cut them up and fry them. Hunting in the forest. U got enough land your not hunt same places every day. When i kill 8 to 10 squirrels. I head too the truck. Got all the squirrels i want to skin. As long as i get 4 hrs sleep a day. I am good too go. I will get a picture of that gun. I bought that gun for 100% squirrel hunting. That little 500 410ga is a shooter. It has 24 or 26 inch barrel. I keep full choke in it. I do keep a modified in my vest. I do wear full camo . Just like i am turkey hunting. Skin boots are a must in the fall here. Alot of copperheads laying in the sun. We fix them fried squirrel and gravy and biscuits. Squirrels and dumplings. Squirrel and noodles. Dumplings is my favorite way to eat them.

 

[JungleShooter]

204_ruger,

you're livin the dream. Awesome.

I'm glad you can handle the 4-hour short nights. Hunting at max....!

How cool is that?! Bear at 15y....!

How nice you are blessed with such close and such vast hunting grounds!
Mine require about an hour, and it's still desert, so not much variety of game....

Matthias

 

[BillLarson]

I grew up with a .22.....thats all we were allowed..... ammo was 35 cents/box.........back in the 60,s skipped school.... squirrel hunted and anything else that came along....mom cooked good squirrel and rabbit....state bounty on red fox was 7$..... headshots only..... .22 shorts and longs .....if you had the $$ long rifle......
Took my gun to school.... ( no teachers complained,no swat team)....put it in OUR (3 guys shared) locker.... left after milk break 0830..... couple a buddies.... chip in 50cents or 1$ for gas......
WTH has happened... to this country.....????
bill

 

[Rick Richard]

"We fix them fried squirrel and gravy and biscuits. Squirrels and dumplings. Squirrel and noodles."

Haha, reminds me of the scene with Bubba and all the ways to fix shrimp (Forest Gump)

 

[Lone Texan]

I grew up with a .22.....thats all we were allowed..... ammo was 35 cents/box.........back in the 60,s skipped school.... squirrel hunted and anything else that came along....mom cooked good squirrel and rabbit....state bounty on red fox was 7$..... headshots only..... .22 shorts and longs .....if you had the $$ long rifle......
Took my gun to school.... ( no teachers complained,no swat team)....put it in OUR (3 guys shared) locker.... left after milk break 0830..... couple a buddies.... chip in 50cents or 1$ for gas......
WTH has happened... to this country.....????
bill

A few of us left who could keep a gun and knife in the pickup at school w/o having the cops called. Lots of changes (most not too good) since then!

 

[cornshank]

I grew up with a .22.....thats all we were allowed..... ammo was 35 cents/box.........back in the 60,s skipped school.... squirrel hunted and anything else that came along....mom cooked good squirrel and rabbit....state bounty on red fox was 7$..... headshots only..... .22 shorts and longs .....if you had the $$ long rifle......
Took my gun to school.... ( no teachers complained,no swat team)....put it in OUR (3 guys shared) locker.... left after milk break 0830..... couple a buddies.... chip in 50cents or 1$ for gas......
WTH has happened... to this country.....????
bill

Even in the 1970's , I could walk through town with my .22 on my shoulder on my way to squirrel hunt, local PD , would only pull up and ask where I was going, then leave me alone.
Now days I don't even load my rifle into my truck ,I f the neighbors are outside.

 

[C-130 Dude]

I use a 410 on squirrels alot. I try hunting 3 or 4 times a week. We can kill 12 per day. Our season openes May 15th thru February 28th. I have some fun times with the 410. I started crow hunting with the 410. I carry it quail hunting too. Only way i can shoot a 410 3 inch so much. I bought a Mec 600 jr mark 5 410 3 inch reloader. The 410's i use are mossberg.

500 410ga TSS turkey gun
SA 410ga TSS turkey gun.

Great memories! I still have my Western Field M156A 410ga single shot bolt 3" bore 24in barrel. It is my only squirrel gun. Had this since 1967 and shoot it only occasionally now. Nice kick, teaches you control. Ha! Tried to find out more about it, but never could find anything. Anyone ever seen or heard of this gun?

 

[charles bonner]

Dove season I rode my scooter to school setting on my shotgun wearing my bird vest. I would put the vest on the handle bars and lean the shotgun against the bike when I went to class. One day the principal called me to the office to tell me there were some kids who did not know anything about guns and from then on to bring it into his office when I got to school. I was 13 or 14years old and never had a policeman even look at me Today if you hold your hands in the shape of a pistol you are expelled and the cops arrest you. What a Country.

 

[tribb]

What a delightful post! I greatly enjoyed reading it. Reminds me of my growing up in central Mississippi. Did a lot of squirrel hunting with my single shot 16 gauge and dads 22 Remington pump. Thank you for great memories sir. Grandson and I hunt squirrels every fall. Got lots of of grey squirrel in Florida! Tribb

 

[204_ruger]

I wouldn't know what i would do. If i didn't squirrel hunt. I enjoy seeing other wildlife why hunting. I have 3 guns i mostly use squirrel hunting
Mossberg
500 410ga TSS turkey gun
SA 410ga TSS turkey gun.
Tristar G2 viper 28ga.
Growing up i always wanted a 28ga. No one around me hunted with one. I have my first 410 i ever got. Its a Steven 410 full choke. I get it out once a yr and use it.