New hunter in Ohio

[Harrod]

Like the title said I'm getting into hunting this year with a friend, starting small at first with squirrel and rabbit. With the economy and such I'm still saving up for my own gun and borrowing currently. I love the idea of a .22 ( I prefer bolt action) to take out some tree rats, but have also been toying around with the idea that a flintlock would be that much more fun.

So my question is what is a good starter squirrel hunting gun? and specifically for my Ohio hunting brethren, is is legal to hunt squirrel with a flint lock? I looked up the laws and it says Rifle: all calibers, but for deer it specifically calls out muzzle loader....am I just over thinking it and "all calibers" includes muzzle loaders?


All opinions and stories would be greatly appreciated, I am supper excited about hunting and owning my own first gun.

PS. First time hunter....not a first time shooter, been around guns most of my life and fired most calibers .

Thanks all responders.

 

[Skyshot]

Any .22 will do and also the .17 calibers are nice too. just get out there and go. You ought to think about archery hunting also. You live in a great whitetail state, man I love hunting in south Ohio. good luck to ya.

 

[Grumulkin]

A flint lock would be legal for squirrel.

 

[Harrod]

I had a bow when I was still in school, I loved taht thing and was an OK shot with it....at paper targets at least. Before I got good enough to hunt though it was stolen out of the garage and kind of shot that in the foot.

So many toys and so little money, you know what I mean

 

[bjs1187]

I would just go buy a ruger 10/22. You just can't go wrong with that. If you are serious about white tails here, you might think of a savage over under combo gun. I've always wanted one, and there really isn't to much in Ohio that couldn't be effectively hunted with one. Just a thought on the flintlock, are you going to eat the squirrels? That's a lot of lead hitting something that small.

 

[Harrod]

Yeah, we had planned on eating the squirrel, I guess i never thought of the size of shot from a flint.

 

[cottswald]

Cz 452

 

[matrem]

Congratulations on deciding to hunt for and shoot some of your food.

Any rifle is legal here, even on public land, at least until rabbit season starts in early November. If you're hunting public land after rabbit season starts, and choose to use a rifle, you'll need to stick with a .22 rimfire for squirrels. Hunting rabbits is shotgun only on public land.

If you're serious about putting squirrel in the crock pot, a shotgun with # 5 or #4 (#6 & smaller seems to end up either in your teeth or on your plate) shot is the most efficient means of bagging the critters.
Good luck and have fun.

 

[.45Guy]

Where are you at Harrod? If you ever make it to NE Ohio, I've got some of the best squirrel hunting woods around my parent's farm.

 

[Harrod]

NW ohio between Columbus and Toledo, lots of farmland and wooded areas here. Have a few places lined up to hunt, but thanks for the offer.

 

[afponiky]

WOW, it is nice to see people close to me. I'm close to the Turnpike by Sandusky. Might have to try to catch up with you guys sometime.

I've got nothing but flat farm land around me.

GRP

 

[Cousin Mike]

I'm right in the middle of Columbus. Just completed my hunter's safety course yesterday (with a 100% test score), and looking to get out of the city and enjoy my first hunts this year as well. I noticed squirrel season just started! I've never had the pleasure of a squirrel dinner.

Looks like I have a new excuse to pick up a box of #4 shot, or a .22 rifle.

 

[cottswald]

Tough to hunt squirrel with a .22 this time of year. They're spending most of the time high up in the trees cutting nuts (hickory, beech, walnut etc.) behind dense foliage. You'll find better pickens in October once the foliage begins to drop.

Iron sights work well, but you might want to consider some magnification. A light powered scope (4x) works well. Good hunting and best of luck!

 

[.45Guy]

It's not so bad if you walk the woodline, you can usually catch them either running from the fields to the woods, or chowing down on whatever mast is on the ground. Some might not consider it sporting, but I consider it meat in the pot.

 

[bjs1187]

Hunt them with dog's. Makes it stupid easy, usually.

 

[Harrod]

Update

Went last week for the first time, used a borrowed 20ga side by side. Beautiful gun shot great. Only saw 1 squirrel half hiding behind a branch. I winged him with some bird shot and he ran off. Still great fun and going again this weekend. Going to pick up a gun from a local shop this week to, planning on a .22 seems more sporting and fun to me.

 

[courtgreene]

you can find model 60's cheap at pawn shops and gun shows. mine was 50 dollars. I know you said bolt action but they are great, so I just thought I would suggest it.

 

[bowman1962]

New Hunter

Welcome to the club!
I have 3 great loves in this life and Hunting is 1 of them! Learn to peel them Squirrels from the tail to the head and it will make it MUCH easier to clean'em.
Good luck and good hunting.

 

[22-rimfire]

I would look at the Savage Mark II with the accu-trigger (bolt action) rifle as a great squirrel rig. But if you like semi-auot rifles, the Marlin Modle 60 is both accurate and affordable. There is no question that a CZ 452/453/455 would be a great choice, just more costly. The CZ 452 Trainer would however be a very good choice if you are considering hunting without a scope. They have great factory iron sights.

Black powder guns for squirrel.. sure, but keep the caliber small like 38 cal. Better to use a 22LR rimfire.

For deer hunting, black powder has some advantages over shotguns. As I recall, the northern part of Ohio is black powder and shotgun only and the southern part you may use a rifle to hunt deer. Correct me if I'm wrong. You can also use a handgun in the non-rifle part of Ohio.

 

[Harrod]

Found a good little Savage model 64 at a local pawn shop, getting it sighted in today and going out Monday with it.

 

[matrem]

the northern part of Ohio is black powder and shotgun only and the southern part you may use a rifle to hunt deer.

No rifles other than black powder statewide for deer.(damage control permits not included)