Hunting Squirrels
By Stephen Graham

Squirrel hunting can teach you quite a bit about hunting. You must locate a food source. You must remain still and camouflaged on stand. You must remain quiet and as unobservable to game as possible. You must have an adequate firearm to take your quarry.

When the leaves are still on the trees a shotgun is preferable. After the leaves have fallen a 22 caliber rifle can be used.

In Texas it is against the law to hunt squirrels with an air rifle. Although a pellet gun might have the necessary knock down power to harvest the animal cleanly It is still against the law. The newer 22 caliber pellet guns offer a lot of punch. They offer quite a bit more knock down power than the 177 caliber guns. Although plenty of squirrels have fallen to pellet guns in the hands of young boys the down side to this situation is a confrontation with the state wild life commission.

Squirrel hunting offers the same pleasures as any other hunting experience. Time in the field is always time well spent. Many old time hunters use scoped rifles and only try for head shots. The reasoning for this is the ultimate goal of not spoiling any meat. Some hunters try to hit bark near the squirrel. The concussion from the bark hitting the squirrel will allow the hunter to harvest the animal without any meat damage. Some hunters enjoy the taste of squirrel brains. If the head is hit by a bullet or shot from a shotgun the primary reason for this hunt is ruined.
Situate yourself under an oak tree or other suitable food source and get ready for action. If the squirrels are hiding on the other side of the tree an old hunters trick is to throw small projectiles on the side of the tree that the squirrel is located on. Upon hearing the projectiles behind him the squirrel will switch sides and relocate himself on your side of the tree so that you can have a better shot at your quarry.

Upon harvesting the animal care should be taken to immediately gut the animal and put the animal's carcass in a cool and dry place. This will insure that the meat that you obtain on your hunting trip will be fit for human consumption.

Squirrel hunting can be an enjoyable past time that can be shared with friends and family. The costs of this type of hunting are considerably lower than big game hunting. A quiet time in the woods with a shotgun or rifle in pursuit of the squirrel can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. The meat is very tasty if it is prepared properly. This is a sport for the young and old alike. Young people and women should have no trouble handling the smaller caliber guns which are used to hunt this animal.

Steve Graham is an avid hunter and fisherman and shares his experiences and opinions with others.
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The 22 Rimfire
By Stephen Graham

This is not a kid's firearm. While many of us were given 22 caliber rifles as sub adults the qualities of this rimfire carries over into adulthood. This rimfire is just plain fun to shoot.

Recoil is nonexistent and cartridges are inexpensive. Do you have fond memories of shooting at tin cans with this firearm as a youngster? Many shooters start out their shooting careers with this caliber. Long sessions at the shooting range can correct shooting problems brought on by high recoiling rifles. Bad rifle handling characteristics and shooting techniques start life with heavy recoiling rifles. Shooting a 22 can be enjoyable because they are intrinsically very accurate. They are much more accurate than their larger relatives.

Practicing with a 22 rimfire allows you to develop correct shooting techniques. The fact that it does not beat you into submission after every practice session is also a plus.

This round offers plenty of power for small varmints and snakes. The sound of the round going off does not cause permanent hearing damage. I believe that the cartridge comes in several lengths. When I was a kid there were three offerings to the cartridge. Short, long and long rifle filled the gap nicely for a kid out for adventure in the woods. Snake populations could be reduced in Dad's stock tank. Squirrels were on the endangered list when the 22 was in their vicinity. Rabbits could not outrun the speedy 22 rimfire. I think many sportsmen today developed a love for the outdoors and the shooting sports because of their affiliation with the 22 rimfire.

Dad gave me a 22 rimfire for Christmas one year in my youth. The rifle was a single shot bolt action that had a knob that had to be pulled back before the rifle could be fired. I wore that little rifle out in a few short years. Before I reached the age of twelve Dad presented me with a 22 rimfire revolver. Though not as accurate as the rifle the little revolver brought many a menace to extinction.

As you grow older I believe that you have a tendency to expect and use bigger rifles. These fire breathing dragons cannot compare to the little 22 rimfires. The larger caliber firearms belch and spew out recoil and high levels of noise. The little 22 rimfire is a gentle and soft alternative to these big cannons. I guess that you never outgrow the kid that is in you. No matter how old you become you still have fondness for that special little rimfire. A set of memories that cannot be tarnished through time still exists for that fine firearm.

Steve Graham is an avid hunter and fisherman and shares his experiences and knowledge with others.
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To Scope or Not To Scope
By Stephen Graham

That is the question many hunters ask themselves before a big hunt. Do scopes help the average person? I think that an affirmative answer ends that question. Are different scopes made for different situations? The answer comes back yes again. Are there situations where scopes on a hunting rifle might be ill advised? An affirmative response will answer that question.

Scope manufacturers make an unending array of scopes . There are different lengths and different powers. They range in price from low dollar to very pricey items. Why waste money on a low dollar scope if the chance of a lifetime is wasted because of poor optics. Cheap optics have their share of problems. Poor image quality and instability with regard to holding a zero. Some cheap scopes change their zero every time the rifle is discharged. The force of the recoil moves things inside the scope and the zero changes with every round that is fired in the rifle. Premium rifle scopes don't have the frequency of occurrences in this regard as do cheaper scopes.

Scope power ranges extend from one power on up to the varmint scopes which are very powerful in regard to magnification. Fixed power scopes are an excellent choice because the shooter sees the same power magnification on every shot. The field of view in a scope is reduced as magnification increases. Parallax becomes a problem in scopes with higher magnification ranges. The larger the objective lens the more light gathering capability of the scope. A scope with an objective lens of 50 has more light gathering ability than a scope with a 40 power objective.
Keep the objective lens as small as possible on hunting rifles. Accuracy at different distances improves with a scope that is mounted lower and closer to the gun barrel. An objective of about 40 mm is about right for general hunting use. This scope takes in enoughlight to be effective in hunting situations and is close enough to the barrel to be useful.

Varmint scopes are out of necessity usually higher powered scopes . Shooting at long distances with a suitable rest is really quite different from general hunting use.Scope reticles come in many configurations. The duplex reticle is the most popular. Cross hairs can still be purchased along with the varied German reticles. The Leupold dot reticle works best for me because I don't want my scope cluttered with a lot of heavy lines that tend to block my view of the animal. Choose whatever reticle is best suited for your hunting situation. Evidently by the sheer volume of duplex reticles that are sold to consumers they rank number one in sales.

Range estimation reticles are now offered to consumers. With the magnum craze a system was incorporated into a rifle scope that will give you range estimation to your target. There are several variations offered by different companies on this subject.

Do you need a scope on your rifle in all conditions? With close rifle work in heavy brush in search of dangerous game iron sights are best. Many companies offer scope mounts that can become quickly detachable. Reattachment of the scope can return the scope to zero.
Many hunters carry an extra scope that is zeroed to their rifle in case of emergency on their hunts. Shooting iron sights can be fun and offer a change of pace. The need for optics in low light conditions is obvious. Using a scope in low light conditions may mean the difference between seeing your quarry and never knowing that it is there. Optics are a plus.
They are offered in short and long versions. Scout scopes and varmint scopes all have their places in the hunting world. Choose the correct scope for yourself and enhance your hunting time in the hunting fields.

Steve Graham is an avid hunter and fisherman and shares his experiences and knowledge with others.
http://buckskinnews.blogspot.com/
http://goodstuffintexas.blogspot.com/
http://huntn-n-fishn.blogspot.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Graham

Shotguns for Hunters
by Steve Graham

Shotguns come in many shapes and varieties. Some shotguns are made for hunting purposes and some are made for tactical uses. This article is only concerned with shotguns intended for the purpose of hunting. Shotguns come in many different actions and gauges.

The 12 gauge is king of the hunting world. It can do most anything that a hunter calls on it to do. The 12's big brother is the 10 gauge. This gauge is used mainly for high flying geese and ducks. Turkey hunters also use this gauge because of it's superior knockdown power.

You still can find 16 gauges on the used gun market. The 20 and 28 gauge shotguns have their uses mainly for bird hunters. The 410 gauge is a minuscule number that should only be used by experienced hunters if lethal hits are to be considered.

Shotguns come in many fascinating actions. The pump and semi automatic shotguns probably rule the roost here in the United States. The semi's come in several configurations

One version uses a piston in the forearm that bleeds off gas from a fired shell that is used to cycle the action. This permits a fired shell to be expelled and a new shell to be made ready for firing. Inertia driven shotguns are operated by the rearward force of the recoil which activates a mechanism that does the same thing as the semi's. It expels a fired shell and inserts a new shell into the chamber. Bolt action shotguns have been made to suit the gun lovers fancy. Prices vary in shotguns with this action. Double barreled shotguns are made for general use along with cowboy action shooting and bird hunting. Over and under shotguns have two barrels. One barrel is positioned above the other with each barrel usually having its own defined choked barrel. Single shot shotguns are also offered to the public in prices ranging from the economical to the very pricey.

Shotgun barrels come in many different lengths and sizes. The shorter barrels are usually used for close cover bird hunting. The longer barrels are used for longer range situations like high flying geese and ducks. Studies have been made that suggest a 24 inch barrel is all that you need to achieve maximum speed from a fired shell. I still like longer barrels for distance shooting because the longer barrels enable you to establish a better sight picture on your target. Some of these barrels are ported to reduce felt recoil. Barrels are offered in many configurations for their intended uses. There are rifled barrels for deer hunters. Slug barrels also fit into this category. Stainless steel barrels and coatings from camouflage and blue to green are also offered.

Chokes are used on guns to give the gun a desired patterning effect. Full and turkey chokes offer constricted surfaces that offer longer ranges and tighter groups. Modified chokes are for general purpose use. Improved and improved cylinder offer wide patterns at close ranges.

Some chokes are fixed on the barrel and others offer an interchangeable system that can be removed and replaced with considerable ease.

There are shotguns offered for standard 2 3/4 inch shells. There are guns offered for 3 inch variations. There are guns that can fire 2 3/4 , 3 inch and 3 1/2 inch shells interchangeably out of the same mechanism. There are also guns offered that fire only 3 and 3 1/2 inch shells. There is something out there for everyone and every hunting situation. Take advantage of and enjoy this incredible opportunity if you are a serious gunner.

Stephen Graham is an avid hunter and fisherman and share his knowledge and experiences in his writings.

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