Even though squirrel season has been open in western Ark. for several weeks now, I usually don't bother going until we have a good frost. Haven't had a frost yet, and I was getting impatient, so last weekend I got up bright and early and headed to the farm. After hunting with a single shot Brazilian 410 for about 25 years, I had decided that it was time to give that old boy a rest. So I purchased a brand new Mossberg 500E in 410 bore. Although I had fired it a few times back in August to check the shot patterning, I hadn't shot it at any critters yet. I am happy to report that I killed a limit of squirrels very quickly Sunday morning and I was impressed with the new Mossy...eight shots, eight kills. I am looking forward to blasting away at many more squirrels between now and the end of Feb.
I here ya. I hunted squirrels this year with an old JC HIGGINS 410 that belonged to my Grandad. I first hunted with it when I was 10 or 11. I'd forgotten how tight this ole gun shot. I'm gonna try it on Mr Rabbit as soon as season opens in Nov. If the shells weren't so dang expensive I'd buy one of the pumps but I learned a long time ago that if somethings still running shoot til it goes click or something falls.I might go broke shooting too many times. With a single shot you gotta make that first one count.It'll make ya more patient and teach ya to shoot only when ya gotta clean shot.
Irish Setter, Those Mossberg 500's in .410 are nice guns. Light, cheap, and reliable. I haven't done any squirrel hunting yet this year. Hate to say it but I haven't even bought a license... We had at least one good frost so the squirel should have gotten rid of whatever those grub looking things are. Huntswithdogs, You need to get a .410 loader . The .410 and 28 ga are the ones it really makes sense to reload. Cheaper and with the .410 almost any reload with quality shot will be better than about any factory hunting load. But then as slow as my dogs are I can wait for the bunny to stop and snicker :lol: . Then POP BH
BH, Unfortunately my two furballs only know to speeds,wide ass open or curled up sleeping. My buddy has 2 of them slow beagles.He told me they were trained that way!? He said that was how they wanted beagles to work if they were field trialing and that mine wouldn't score well because they were to fast. I told him at least with mine we could hunt different rabbits instead of one for 30 minutes. He didn't see the humor I was trying hide and got a little pissed. I really like hunting with his dogs.Mine are learning to hunt slower.
A lot of guys get touchy about their dogs. Especially those who fell for the field trial crap instead of hunting dogs. Most AKC beagles are bred to hunt slow- but they're SUPPOSED to stay right on the line the bunny followed. Two of mine are fairly slow by hunting standards but they don't lose much, no matter how L...O...N...G it takes. One is a medium speed fox terrier / beagle cross. Great jump dog but too much white on him. With the stuff he likes to go through, the blood from his torm up ears scares the crap out of me sometimes. The 4th. is ... well... Rascal. He's a 2 yr old beagle/ walker cross (best anybody can figure- AKC litter registration says all beagle :roll and he's still learning. He can be very fast but still gets fooled easily. Odd, but he seems to want to get scent from the air like a bird dog. On a straight run he seems to follow on the downwind side of the line. If the bunny turns downwind thats great- he never even slows down. If it turns upwind he overshoots a ways and has to figure out where that mean bunny went.. I've noticed the slower dogs are speeding up a little and the faster dog is slowing down and being more careful (but like me he's also getting older). Rascal is still... Rascal. He's learning but still hasn't settled in to his final speed. This will be his second season and might turn out to be the best of the bunch. BH
Have never used dogs but I've shot many a squirrel with my old .410 single shot H&R. I love that little gun. I recently acquired a MEC 600jr to help divert the tremendous cost of shooting that fun little gun.
Everytime I decide to get a 45/410 barrel for my Contender I think about the price of 410 shells. Then I grab a 20ga or 22lr.
RELOAD MAN!!! My factory AAHS .410 bore shells cost me about seven bucks a box at wally world. With ten minutes on the little 600jr I can reload them for about a buck seventy five. .410 is the cheapest gauge to reload as far as components are concerned.
Boys, I have found a solution to the high cost of 410 shells, and I'm going to give it to you free of charge. Whenever a relative (or anyone for that matter) asks me what I want for my birthday, Father's Day, or whatever, I tell them 410 shells. I spend my own money on the 12 ga. that I shoot a lot of every year, but I rarely have to purchase any high-priced 410's. I almost always have several boxes in reserve. They are happy because they don't have to hunt for the "perfect" necktie, and I'm happy because I get what I want. The only ones who lose are the squills.
Getting them as gifts is great but I'd shoot them all up in about a week or two. For the volume that I shoot I absolutely have to reload.
Well, today is Feb. 26 and the season ends the 28th. I went this morning knowing that it will be my last time until October. All it all, it was a pretty "average" year...nothing spectacular, but I thinned them out pretty well down at the farm. Now, I'll just sit back and wait anxiously for next year.
I take care of the high cost of .410 shells in a very easy way. I don't have a .410 (yet), I leave the 20-gauge at home, and I take my scoped .22. That way, I can afford to miss those little buggers all day long as they scurry around the treetops. Of course, any squirrel standing still long enough out to 25 yards and a little beyond is almost a guaranteed headshot. Went squirrel hunting a couple of days ago. Didn't see or even hear a single one. Finally, as I was about to pack my stuff back into my car, I heard some squirrels barking. A little colorful language later, I was on my way home. At least I got to enjoy some beautiful weather and breathtaking scenery while I was out there.
wired :lol: , when you hunt squirrels at this time of year, aren't there lots of ticks, chiggers, and other evil bugs that chew and sting eating on your poor old hide? :shock: We hunted Texas one June and about got eaten alive by chiggers. Horrible :twisted: :evil: We often pass through Mo. on our way to friends in West Va., I often wondered about the squirrel hunting. Read the summer season was open there. 8) Hope you get a bunch :wink:
Well, I must have used enough DEET before strolling out into the great unknown, because the only two ticks I had on me hadn't even considered taking the plunge yet. I flicked both of them off my arm. The chiggers weren't too bad, either. I don't care as much about the chiggers as I do the ticks. Chiggers will itch for a few days to remind me that I was actually outside enjoying nature :wink: . I probably would have taken home some squirrels on my first hunt this season, but I got out there a bit too late in the day and didn't see a single one. Next time, I'm just gonna hafta get out there earlier. I do know one thing, though. We've got our fair share of squirrels here in MO :shock:
