Nothing like squirrel hunting with a flintlock

[Douglas Blair]

I love to squirrel hunt with my .36 caliber flintlock long rifle. This rifle puts the "hunt" back into the hunt. ;D

[DaveK]

It actually amazes me how good you can do with these guns and not have a scope. I haven't used a "modern" gun on squirrels in many years!

[MadIrishJack/PA]

Roundballin' 'em, that's the fun time. My best shot was with my .75 cal Brown Bess, using the .730 roundball in a .015 cotton patch on 90 gr of Goex FFg; hearing the crack; watching that ball o' grey doing a reverse 35 with about 6 and a half twists in the layout position .....and with out the skull attached; all through a clearing cloud of white smoke. Oh yeah, fun times.

[mamaflinter]

Hey there mad jack. Glad to see you make it over. Just make sure when you take aim that the squirrel doesn't move or you won't have anything left to skin out. ;D

[Birddog6]

Squirrel huntin with a flintlock is a blast. I have had several 32 & 36 cal squirrel rifles. Nothin like the crack of a small bore flintlock in at 6:30 am on a crisp morning down in the holler... It is a sound you will never forget...

I am building a 36 cal Lancaster for a guy in NM right now & it has a 42" "A" Colerain barrel on it & should make a really nice squirrel rifle.

www.custommuzzleloaders.com

[roundball]

Well, I finished getting a .45cal round ball flint rifle dialed in yesterday to try on squirrels a couple times this year

[HighTeckRedneck]

Sounds like a great time. My vision aint quite good enough anymore to squirrel hunt like that though. I am legaly blind so I need a scope or I need to use a shotgun. Open sights are a bog no no for me

[yooper]

Guess I said it last year....I sure miss squirrel hunting....About the only thing we have up here is RED squirrels...They aren't worth the powder to even bother shooting at...One of these days,I'll head south to do some serious squirrel hunting with my .32 Mowery.I love that little rifle.(even though it IS a percussion!) ;D

[HighTeckRedneck]

[quote author=yooper About the only thing we have up here is RED squirrels...They aren't worth the powder to even bother shooting at...[/quote]

Thats how I feal about reds also unless I get into a mess of young ones. A lot of people around here think that I am nuts for letting the old reds go and only shooting small squirrels to eat.

[DaveK]

Heck, I have NO PROBLEM hunting red squirrels. If that is what I had and they were legal game I would hunt them. As a matter of fact I have hunted them and though they are as small as a blue gill, they are still good eating.

[HighTeckRedneck]

DaveK said:

and though they are as small as a blue gill, they are still good eating.

We must be talking about 2 different types of squirrel. Around here an old red can be as large as the average house cat, but they are way to tough to skin, and eat in my openion. I think that a lot of people in other areas call them fox squirrels, but we call them reds. I won't shoot an adault red. I only shoot young reds and grays. My best friend who is currently home on leave thaught I was nuts yesterday when I let 3 huge reds go then shot a few smaller reds and a few grays. He wanted those big reds, and was ready to start shooting at him but I told him not to. He should understand when I fry it all up tomorow, and make him eat the old red that he shot before he saw me let those squirrels go. He is eating that squirrel befor he gets any of the good squirrel.

[DaveK]

You are right about the different squirrels. Here where I live in Ohio, the big reds are called Fox squirrels, then there are the smaller grays followed by what we call Red Jimmies. I know some places these are also called Pineys or Reds. Locally hunters here really only want the Fox squirrels. If they are old and tough when they clean them they will leave one paw on them so when they are in the freezer they know that it is a "stewing" squirrel.

[yooper]

I'm not talking about fox squirrels....I'm talking about those little red devils that'll chase a real squirrel out of it's territory.Guess That's enough reason to take a pot shot at 'em...anyway....I DO miss hunting those nice BIG Fox Squirrels...

[DaveK]

Yes, them little red buggers! Curiosity is what kills them. Sit tight and they will come down to scold you, than wham! That'll learn 'em! ;D

[HighTeckRedneck]

In the last 2 days my father and I have cleaned 26 squirrels only 3 were reds (Fox squirrels) the rest were grays.

Can we say it's time for a squirrel fry at my place?

[danchamberlain]

I don't own a flinter yet, but I use my .36 Pedersoli long rifle and occasionally, when they get a little closer, this fine gun. Sorry, the photo didn't work. It's a nice fox squirrel and my .35 Navy pistol.

Dan

[chuck41]

Big red fox squirrels are great eating if you prepare them right. A crock pot works good. Just let them cook for a few hours in the crock in the gravy and they are great.

[david32cal]

Hey guys,new here.glad to find some fellow flintlock hunters.going out in the morning after tree rats with the .32,if i get anything i'll post some pics

[mike3132]

welcome david! you look almost exactly like a guy I use to work with. your not from indiana are you? lol mike