trouble killing squirrels with 20 gauge

sb1010 · Jan 29, 2017

My son is hunting squirrels with 20 gauge shotgun, #5 or #6 shot. He has taken a lot of shots where the squirrel keeps running after the shot. I don't know if its a complete miss or just wounded.

I have setup targets and it seems like he always hits a squirrel size target with enough pellets at reasonable range 25 yards are so.

He can also hit thrown clay target.

He has been using a mod choke, I am switching him to full for next hunt.

I always thought high brass 6 would be enough to kill a squirrel.

Anybody else have a experience with this?

Maybe try #4 with tight choke?

NE GA Pappy · Jan 29, 2017

i use #5 in mine. #6 just wont get it done, especially in a tall pine tree

1eyefishing · Jan 29, 2017

Try high brass shells with heavier loads?
20 gauge with low brass not to punchy...

Edit, after rereading I see this is not the problem...

Anvil Head · Jan 30, 2017

It's not the shot size or the gun. I harvested hundreds of squirrels with a single shot .410 using 2 3/4" shells and No.6 shot. Get close, aim tight hit right. I've hunted them with a .45 muzzleloader for the past 40 or so years....and head shots don't waste meat.
Live wild game deserves not to be treated like paper or slung clay.

Atlanta Dawg · Jan 30, 2017

High Brass #6 Shot-Full Choke-Aim - (Aim) for the tip of the nose !!!

Justinh1994 · Jan 30, 2017

I've shot plenty of squirrels in my life with a 20 gauge single shot with 1 oz #8 field loads.

TurkeyH90 · Jan 30, 2017

20 gauge 6s with a regular full does pretty well. I have knocked out 30 or so this year with that combo. I have an 1100 LT with a 22" barrels handles and shoots well. I usually handle the dog but have had to make the kill shot on fleeing squirrels many times this year and that gun with that load and choke has been my favorite.

Ruger#3 · Feb 5, 2017

20 gauge high brass is plenty if hit right.
I've taken plenty with a .410 gauge.

The black stick of death · Feb 5, 2017

I've killed more than you can count with a pump bb gun

lagrangedave · Feb 5, 2017

Maybe he's just nervous.

kiltman · Feb 6, 2017

Maybe he's just nervous.

I'm thinking the same.

He could also be rushing the shot and not putting his head down on the stock.

Darien1 · Feb 15, 2017

I would think he is rushing shots too. A 20 with high brass #6 is more than enough to get it done.

MFOSTER · Feb 18, 2017

Pattern the gun

GunnSmokeer · Feb 18, 2017

pattern it

My Mossberg 500 "bantam" (youth model proportions) 20-gauge throws pretty wide patterns with any of the 3 choke tubes that came with it (Imp. Cyl, Mod, Full).

I recently tested a "full" choke pattern on a 30" sheet of clean cardboard from only 20 yards. That's the farthest unobstructed distance I could get in the woods that day.

At 20 yards, with #8 birdshot through the FULL choke tube, my pattern was quite large and many pellets hit more than an inch away from any other pellet.

There is no doubt that a clay target, with only its edge facing me, could have been "missed" by pellets going all around it, but none happening to strike that little 1" x 3" oval that would represent the disk, viewed edgewise.

So, I think I could miss the vital zones of a squirrel at 20 yards, too. I'd probably hit the body somewhere, but that might only mean one pellet in one leg, one grazing wound to the squizzel's belly, nicking one ear, etc.

Pattern your gun and check it.

You might want to try a tighter choke, or try different shells, or just limit your shooting to 20 yards instead of 25.

squirrelman43 · Mar 26, 2017

20 guage

sb1010 said:
My son is hunting squirrels with 20 gauge shotgun, #5 or #6 shot. He has taken a lot of shots where the squirrel keeps running after the shot. I don't know if its a complete miss or just wounded.

I have setup targets and it seems like he always hits a squirrel size target with enough pellets at reasonable range 25 yards are so.

He can also hit thrown clay target.

He has been using a mod choke, I am switching him to full for next hunt.

I always thought high brass 6 would be enough to kill a squirrel.

Anybody else have a experience with this?

Maybe try #4 with tight choke?

I use 20 guage with full choke 3 inch 5 shot and take a fine bead with the full choke works very good

Beaudeane · Mar 26, 2017

My old single shot 20 that's probably don't have much choke left does fine with the cheap low brass 6s on squirrels. My 13 yr old has problems hitting them sometimes too. Maybe u try it a couple shots & see if it's the gun or the shooter. He very likely is rushing the shots like my daughter was doing .Get him a 22 & see if he can make head shots.

KKrueger · Mar 30, 2017

Not trying to be funny but is he closing his eyes? Aim small miss small, there is a lot of space surrounding a squirrel.

Ohoopee Tusker · Mar 30, 2017

Here's a little trick that will help in hitting them. When they are running out on a limb, let them run out as far as possible. As the diameter of the limb gets smaller the squirrel gets bigger so to speak. Its definitely not the gauge or shot size.

308 · May 19, 2017

My comment here is for personal confession purposes only...

I don't let anybody know when I get frustrated and go back to the house, park my rifle and get my old .410 and a handful of #8's...

When somebody bites into a lead shot... I suggest somebody must have shot that squirrel before...

smoothie · Jun 10, 2017

Justinh1994 said:
I've shot plenty of squirrels in my life with a 20 gauge single shot with 1 oz #8 field loads.

Me too

trouble killing squirrels with 20 gauge

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