thinking about muzzleloading for squirrel

[GoodOlBoy]

Dad and I have been talking back and forth about muzzleloading for squirrels. Been thinking about either 32 or 36 caliber (To use 0 or 000 buck for balls) in either percussion or flint. I am leaning towards flint (might as well REALLY go all the way). Just curious what you guys think.

GoodOlBoy

[Adam Helmer]

GOB,

I use a light load and roundball in my .45 flinter for squirrel and it does ok. My favorite is a smoothbore Hawken .50 caliber flinter that I stoke with 70 grains of 2F Goex and 70 grains (by volume in the powder measure) of #6 shot. I use Bore Buttons for over shot and over powder wads.

For general small game, I use a single barrel 12 gauge on the .54 Renegade caplock stock. I like hunting small game with a muzzleloader and this is my battery for the PA woods.

Adam

[gumpokc]

Did not the old trappers/explorers use to do that with their blackpowders, and called it "barking" the squirrels?

They would shoot into the tree/branch immediately under then, or in front of them and supposedly kill them with the flying bark, since hitting them with a regular .50 ball would just waste them??

I'm not speaking from experience, just asking since I have seen it mentioned before in various books.

[Adam Helmer]

gumpokc,

That is a continuing yarn about" barking" squirrels: It presupposes the squirrel is on a broom-handle thin branch and the energy of the ball would kill the squirrel. I found that squirrels run on big diameter branches as well so I take head shots with .45 ball.

Adam