# Pistols and squirrels ?



## garhtr

Anyone use a pistol on occasion and have you ever carried a rest to steady your hand ?? 
I hunt a few times a year with my buckmark and thought a set of shooting stix







or even a staff with a wrist strap might help on those occasions when a tree isn't handy as a rest.
Any ideas ? I'll likely make my own and appreciate any ideas on were to start or what works or doesn't work for you.
Thanks n Good luck and good hunting !


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## snag

I couldn’t hit a squirrel with my pistol no matter how close, but with my rifle I use a shooting staff which is telescopic from two foot to about five foot, works good if your sitting against a tree and adjust it to your shooting height I picked it up at Wally World for a decent price.


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## 9Left

Yep! I use a browning buckmark .22

I don't use shooting sticks tho, usually just rest the gun on a treebranch.
I would say my success rate is about 50/50 with a pistol ....


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## garhtr

https://www.cabelas.com/product/REDHEAD-KWIK-STIK-BIPOD/2843688.uts?slotId=5
I'm gonna invest $20 on one of these soon, if nothing else I'll carry it when I rifle hunt but I'm in the process making a staff out of a cedar sapling, I'm putting a short piece of a gutter nail in the end to stick in the ground and a wrist strap to help steady my hand with those off-hand shots-- Hopefully I'll have it ready in a day or two and be able to test it out in a few days. hopefully some rain or at least cooler weather soon !
Good luck and good hunting !


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## firemanmike2127

My primary weapon for late season squirrels in recent years has been my Anschutz model 54 Sporter. Harvesting a few squirrels with a pistol occasionally makes me feel like a really serious hunter. I use a Ruger MK II Government Target w/ a 6 7/8" barrel. No loop on my shooting stick, just my left hand as a rest. It's been a few years since I used a pistol during the latter portion of the season. Great thread to get me busy adding a loop to my rest. Mike


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## $diesel$

All the time, Mr. garhtr. I use a S&W mod. 22A-1 target. I use a tri-pod to settle. I bought the tri-pod at Sportsmans Guide for around a $100.00, can't remember for sure.
I'm 6'1" and it extends enough for me and it adjusts down to use in my hunting blind during deer season. It's been very reliable for 10 years til last year i adjusted one of the rubber feet off.
The only writting on the tri-pod is "Hammer".








It also has a 2x7x32 cheap scope on it, however, it is a tack driver.







This is the exact one i have and it's only $56.00 on Amazon.


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## Farmhand

not a pistol, but fun, I used to hunt them with a .32 flintlock rifle


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## garhtr

$diesel$ said:


> I use a tri-pod to settle. I bought the tri-pod at Sportsmans Guide


 A tri or bi-pod was my original thought but I like making stuff  so I'm gonna try the staff before I make a purchase. I epoxied the nail in last night and drilled a hole for the wrist strap, only thing left is the finish and at my age I almost need a walking stick to get around anyway 



Farmhand said:


> I used to hunt them with a .32 flintlock rifle


 That is fun, I have on occasion used my 45 with round balls, it's very accurate and I do enjoy hunting with it but I also use a BP shotgun more often.
I have a friend who has 4-5 32 cal and it's just about all he hunts with, he's really into the black powder thing. He's pretty deadly with them and occasionally "barks" a squirrel or two.
Good luck and good hunting


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## $diesel$

Farmhand said:


> not a pistol, but fun, I used to hunt them with a .32 flintlock rifle


I've wanted to do that for years, Farmhand, just never got around to picking one up. I'm sure it's a blast!


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## Roosted

I’ve never tried a pistol for squirrel but I bet it would be fun and challenging. I have a scoped Ruger government target mark II 22 that would work. May have to try it sometime. I have used a 32 cal Thompson Cherokee percussion muzzle loader and worked great. A lot of fun and very accurate.


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## garhtr

My neighbor saw me out working on my pistol rest/staff, we started talking, he went to his garage and came back with this telescopic rest. 








He was using it as a crossbow rest from a blind but bought a bipod.
Telescopes out from 20" to 60", has a wrist strap, sturdy even when fully extended and that V fits my wrist perfectly. Gonna check the zero on my gun tomorrow and I hope to try out the rest this weekend.
Pray for rain and cooler weather 
Good luck and good hunting !


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## garhtr

Pro -Point reinstalled !
New battery needed but-- Range tomorrow, squirrels watch out 
Good luck and good hunting !


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## garhtr

Took the pistol out on an adventure, it's certainly dry and uncomfortably warm but the squirrels were moving good.







Missed two but it sure wasn't the guns or the staffs (worked great) fault.








Most of the hickory's are gone in this spot and unfortunately most of the squirrels were staying high in oaks.
Time to hunt the crks and walnuts.







Still nice to be out and about
Praying for rain 
Good luck and good hunting


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## Roosted

Nice pictures and good shooting !


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## Saugeyefisher

Ya that just looks to fun!


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## Drm50

Me and Bro have used 22 handguns for years on squirrel. If you want to learn how to shoot a handgun leave sticks & tripods at home as well as scopes and other optics. Shooting with that stuff is not giving you any experience. If I was going to pack all that stuff it would be simpler to use a rifle.


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## jdl447

Can you shoot squirrels from a boat on public lakes? My Dad and Uncles used to take float trips on many of the rivers here in N.E. Ohio
hunting both ducks and squirrels.


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## Drm50

No rifles or pistols allowed on state hunting areas around the lakes I don't know about state hunting areas. The laws may have changed. Hitting squirrels out of a boat is hard with rifle most guys that do that use shotguns. Waterfowl may not be shot with other than Shotgun and that is state & federal law.


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## Saugeyefisher

W


jdl447 said:


> Can you shoot squirrels from a boat on public lakes? My Dad and Uncles used to take float trips on many of the rivers here in N.E. Ohio
> hunting both ducks and squirrels.


We used to take a shotgun to Piedmont with us on our fall fishing trips,looking lot for tree rats why beating the banks... not sure how leagle we where but man it was a blast! Cast and blast!


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## Drm50

Saugeyefisher said:


> W
> 
> We used to take a shotgun to Piedmont with us on our fall fishing trips,looking lot for tree rats why beating the banks... not sure how leagle we where but man it was a blast! Cast and blast!


Shotguns are legal at Piedmont and surrounding public hunting area. I am not sure if it's legal to shoot from a boat there. I also don't know if regulations have been changed to allow rifles in deer season at state lakes. We use to float for squirrel on Little Musky, Meigs creek , and several other streams in southern Ohio in canoe.


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## garhtr

Drm50 said:


> If you want to learn how to shoot a handgun leave sticks & tripods at home as well as scopes and other optics.


 I'll use a rest and optics because it gives "me" a better chance to make a clean and humane kill , if it's a slight burden to carry a hiking staff (it's not for me) so be it.
Unlike you, I'm still learning to shoot but I get it right on occasion.
Good luck and good hunting !


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## garhtr

I'll try these out this W/E and see which is the more comfortable (hope it rains)








I'll mount this little guy on the top of the one that's the most comfortable.








Was supposed to be a squirrel but some time during the carving he turned into a chipmunk but most of my animal carvings don't turn out as planned.
Good luck and good hunting


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## Tinknocker1




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## firemanmike2127

Tinknocker1, What brand is your air pistol & what did you select for optics ? Pros/cons ? I've been considering adding one of those to my inventory. Thanks, Mike


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## Tinknocker1

firemanmike2127 said:


> Tinknocker1, What brand is your air pistol & what did you select for optics ? Pros/cons ? I've been considering adding one of those to my inventory. Thanks, Mike


Hi Mike,
that's a standard Crosman 2240 co2 I just put a longer barrel on it with walnut target grips added a Boss valve the Red dot is a Millet sp2


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## Stars-n-Stripers

Love this, very accurate, haven't been out yet this year 







.


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## Drm50

Stars-n-Stripers said:


> Love this, very accurate, haven't been out yet this year
> View attachment 327865
> .


That thing is scary looking. Do it shot bullets or a death ray? I. Just got a plain old S&W auto.


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## Stars-n-Stripers

Drm50 said:


> That thing is scary looking. Do it shot bullets or a death ray? I. Just got a plain old S&W auto.


LOL pew pew pew!!


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