Hunting other critters while deer hunting

[JoeH]

Whether it has been a rifle, shotgun, or handgun, I've always just brought my deer gun in the woods while firearms deer hunting.

It seems like most every year there is an occasion where I wished that I had some bird shot or a rimfire for a squirrel or grouse that's hanging around my tree stand unaware of my presence.

Do any of you bring a bird gun/load or a rimfire gun into the woods while deer hunting? Have you used it? Do you think that it has a negative effect on the deer and keeps them away from your stand?

I'm thinking about having a .22lr revolver in the stand with me this year.

[westberg]

If it's too small for me to use my deer rifle on it, then stepping on it usually works...........

[Shipyard]

i know plenty of guys who carry a 22 for such a purpose. i've done it, but i've onlyused it to peg grouse that i see on the way to my stand. i try to not shoot other critters from my stand.

just my luck i'd be putting the bead on a sammy squirrel and not notice the nice buck comming up from behind me.

although i wont be doing so this year - the 44 mag gets to ride on the side and somehow i just feel strange carrying THREE hunting guns on me stomping though the woods

[DeanC]

It's somewhat tricky. I know people who do it and I have done it. I have talked to some CO's who frown on the practice of carrying a gun that is not legal for deer while hunting deer. (22lr)

What they would actually do about it and what the end result would be is a matter of conjecture.

I have shot a squirrel that was especially annoying and had a buck come out not a ½ hour later and present a perfect broadside shot. So I don't know that it is especially detrimental to hunting strategies.

I do know that a .270 is hell on a grouse. I observed it, didn't do it.

[JJ]

If ever there was a need for the Judge this would probably be it. Slap some 2 1/2" #6 or 7 1/2's and you have the recepie for taking care of pesky grouse and squirrels. Just ask Shippy the Judge is boss for grouse

[rugersol]

It's somewhat tricky. I know people who do it and I have done it. I have talked to some CO's who frown on the practice of carrying a gun that is not legal for deer while hunting deer. (22lr)

What they would actually do about it and what the end result would be is a matter of conjecture.

That's always been my concern. But now that a .25acp is "legal", I'm not entirely sure why any CO'd have any problem with a .22.

I'd guess, so long as it's legal to take small game, while hunting big game, any appropriate gun, for the game shot with it, would also be legal. But that's jest a guess.

[FJ540]

Get a small game license and call it a day. When asked what you were hunting, whip it out and say "squirrel."

I wish I'd had a .22 when I shot my fawn last weekend. The damaged meat would've been far less and it would've been just as dead.

Part of the reason I picked up the super colibri was for my ruger mark 2 while deer hunting. Without fail, we have red squirrels that come sit next to us and bark all damn day long. I'm thinking a little "pop" is far less alerting to a deer than another forest critter at high alarm. I'll most likely be carrying my .40 S&W in addition - so I'll have 3 guns.

[45usp45]

I carry a wrist rocket and a few round projectiles to deal with the annoying red squirrels.

[photogpat]

I've shot 2 grouse with my Judge while walking out to my stand from lunch. Load it with 2.5" #6's and fire away! Then it sits back in the holster.

[bucktail]

1 oz fosters slugs do a number on squirrels, and .50 cal muzzle loaders are not fur friendly on coyotes. I've thought about taking my savage 24D out for such an excursion. 22lr for rabbits and squirrels, 20 gauge for pheasant, and Brenneke's for deer, but I'm usually pretty busy at work during deer season, so I don't take as much time off as I'd like, and tend to focus on deer.

[Snowgun]

I just bring my .45.

[goalie]

I am interested in how some of you hunt for deer? Do you not think having other non-deer animals around is a good thing? I guess I try to move as little as possible while I am in the stand, and shooting other stuff really doesn't fit into that plan of action too well. When still-hunting, again, shooting something else kinda ruins a few hours of stalking slowly and quietly down to the swamp.

[45usp45]

I only deal with the red squirrels that are scolding me.

[FJ540]

I've yet to fire at anything that wasn't bambi until I was certain bambi wasn't happening. I like the slingshot idea - no scent of burnt powder to add to the area.

[JoeH]

I am interested in how some of you hunt for deer? Do you not think having other non-deer animals around is a good thing? I guess I try to move as little as possible while I am in the stand, and shooting other stuff really doesn't fit into that plan of action too well. When still-hunting, again, shooting something else kinda ruins a few hours of stalking slowly and quietly down to the swamp.

I'm with you. I don't stalk but I do try to be totally still and silent in the stand. I'll move my eyes before I move my head and then I move it slowly. So, whipping out a .22lr or taking a slug out of the chamber and replacing it with bird shot seems to contradict this effort.

Still, those squirrels get damn annoying and last year I had a red fox that kept running under my stand.