Fox Squirrels and the 36 Cal Muzzel Loader

[Johnch]

Sorry no pictures as I clean them at the edge of the woods on the way out

But this morning was about 30 degrees with almost no wind

So I grabbed the TC High Plains Sporter ( New Englander with a pistol grip ) that I found a aftermarket 36 cal barrel for and I added a CHEAP Simmons scope

I drove down the lane at one of the farms I deer hunt at and saw 2 squirrels next to the woods

So I figured that it should be a good spot to start

I loaded the rifle , 15 gr of 3F , a round ball out of a Lee mold , a lubed patch and a RWS cap

I walked into the woods and leaned on the first big White Oak and waited a bit
Not 5 min later the first squirrel came 1/2 way down the next tree and started barking at me ... a 15 yard head shot

So I reloaded and wandered 50 yards down the oaks and got 2 more out of the same tree


I was going to quit so I walked to the edge of the woods and started cleaning the 3 and had another 3 or 4 start barking at me from a maple tree

So I reloaded and got #4

I put the cleaned squirrels in the Escape and sat on a fallen log for 45 min watching more squirrel , a doe and 2 yearlings and a skunk
Glad the skunk didn't want to say hello LOL

Tonight Squirrel stew

John

[randy_68]

Nice shootin. I need to get me another muzzle loader for squirrel hunting,. Years ago I had a custom .40 Kentucky Long rifle. it was awesome hunting with that rifle.

[richhodg66]

I haven't started squirrel hunting yet this year. Deer hunting is pretty much done now, except I need to get the son a buck if I can.

Muzzle loading for them ought to make for a nice challenge.

[OnHoPr]

Just where in the heck do you find trees in NW OH of the Great Black Swamp? I tried driving from Grose Isle area to the Camden MI area and went 75 to 20W to get there instead of going out 94 and down and there weren't any trees and there was snow on the ground and I didn't see one deer track cross 20 highway. I suppose though if you did find a group of trees they would hold all the squirrels in NW OH.

[elk hunter]

Reading this makes me want to go squirrel hunting unfortunately the "eat-er-alls", as the State Police game guys call the folks from South East Asia, have just about killed all the squirrels in the area I hunted for years.We don't have Fox Squirrels here only Greys, but I do, or at least did, love to hunt them especially with a muzzle loader. Here's what I use it's 30 caliber, I load a #1 buckshot and a thin linen patch ahead of 15 grains of 3-F Dupont. On head shots it's devastating, if you hit them in the body you recover the ball smashed looking like a dime under the hide on the far side.

[Lonegun1894]

Congrats on a good hunt. Makes me want to take my .32 flintlock out.

[T-Bird]

Brings back memories, back in the '90's , I killed a lot of squirrels with my TC .32 Cherokee. Can't see the sights anymore and they don't make the peep sight anymore, so I'm stuck with my Ruger 10/22 ( which I've also killed a lot of squirrels with).I know the sight can still be had, but not willing to pay for it!

[Hamish]

John,

Nice to hear that you are getting out after the tribulations the last couple of years and a really great way to do it!