On a recent pheasant trip I found a grove of trees that had some huge fox squirrels and a bright orange squirrel. I think they might be breeding with the local cats. 
Anyway, I want to shoot a few of these and put them on the wall. I was hoping to use some 7.5 or 8 shot in my 12 ga, but I’m worried it might do too much damage to the squirrel. Any suggestions?
I would use a .22. A shotgun will mess them quite a bit
yeah a .22 would be the best bet. maybe a 410 but you would probably still be pickin a lot of bb’s out when your eatin it.
When I was a kid, a pellet gun was deadly 
1 in the noggin 
big G 
I’ll get my hands on a .410. I’m just thinking firing a .22 up in the air doesn’t sound very safe to me, but I’ll bring that too if I can catch them on the ground. These things are very cool looking so I want to get a mount with a few of them and maybe an albino or black squirrel the next time I run across one.
If you feel safe shooting a .22 go for it. But just make sure to put it in the body and not the head you wont be able to fix the hole in the head. It would be fixable but to much work just my 2 cents.
I don’t know what kind of acerage you are hunting but if you haven’t tried a .17 hmr yet, your missing out. They are deadly accurate. You can literally just do head shots all day long. If you shoot for the vitals, sometimes you will almost cut them in half. Rabbits must have a softer hide because it almost looks like a crime scene if you shoot one of them. Savage sells for around 175 bucks so they aren’t to bad pricewise. Probably one of the funnest guns I own, they are that good.
Not a good gun if you plan on mounting though (.17 hmr)
I like .22LR myself.
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I don’t know what kind of acerage you are hunting but if you haven’t tried a .17 hmr yet, your missing out. They are deadly accurate. You can literally just do head shots all day long. If you shoot for the vitals, sometimes you will almost cut them in half. Rabbits must have a softer hide because it almost looks like a crime scene if you shoot one of them. Savage sells for around 175 bucks so they aren’t to bad pricewise. Probably one of the funnest guns I own, they are that good.
Holst and I can attest to that. Once up at the Hukriede Compound on Mille Lacs we took turns turning chipmunks into a fine red mist with my .17. 
So last year I am in Pine City with my kids, and they have all 4 of my .22’s in use, so I used the .17. (You absolutely HAVE to head shoot only! ) Anyways, I see one of our elusive black tree rats. I have always wanted one for the wall. But I knew what this gun was capable of…so I knew I had to take a shot that would do the least amount of damage. Honestly, I put the crosshairs on the juglar vein….and squeezed. 30 yards away he dropped dead as my ex wife’s personality. 
That squirrel now resides on the wall in my basement waiting for a white cousin. 
A .22 non-hollowpoint round would be my choice. You can shoot from a distance yet, and maybe pick off more than one.
where do you go to get a squirrel mount, I shoot lots a squirrel and always wanted a mount. how much does it cost to do a squirrel mount anyways.
John’s Taxidermy in Hastings did mine. He is a good friend of mine, and has many awards to his credit. It runs about $200.
is there a number or website that I can get. I two or three unskinned squirrels and would like to hang one in the basement.
651-437-0287
John’s Taxidermy
For mounting purposes, I think a small bb shotshell in anything 20ga. and smaller would do the least amount of damage. Target loads will take out a squirrel easy enough and as long as you’re not point blank, skin damage is minimal. Squirrel hide is tough and sometimes you’ll find that some of the bb’s never get past the skin! Otherwise, dial in a .22 using shorts. The energy dissapates so fast that there’s no real danger in slinging those around. At 800fps or thereabouts, some pellet guns are more dangerous than the .22 short. If you want a real challnge, buy a revolver and take your prize with one of those! I have a cheap little Rough Rider in .22 short/long/longrifle and when using shorts, I can make a golf ball dance out to 30ft. That’s good enough to get a squirrel!
Good luck and take a few to simmer/slow cook in a frying pan…..good to the last bite when that stuff is just falling off the bone! Mmmmmm…….
If you’re looking to mount it then I’d think a 410 and maybe even shoot off center a bit. It should only take a couple bb to knock it off the tree. Then stand on it once you get ahold if it.
I’ve shot lots of squirrels and a 410 with a 2-3/4″ casing with 6 to 8 shot and theres hardly any damage at all and like said above shoot a little off center 6″ @ 20 yrds.
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