Hunting Small Game and Proper Gun Selection

In survival situations, hunting deer and elk may not be an option. However, small game like squirrels and birds can be a reliable alternative as you search for food. It’s important to know how to hunt, clean, and cook small game—as well as which weapons are best for hunting them.

Lose the Rifle
Most hunters don’t have the marksmanship to hunt small game with a rifle; instead, they opt for a 12 or 20-gauge shotgun with birdshot (small pellets that you’ll have to pick out of your meat). The 20-gauge shotgun is perfect for easy aim on something like a small squirrel that won’t damage your meat like a 12-gauge would.
Modular shotguns like Remingtons are reliable, affordable, and easy to maintain. Small switch-outs like an o-ring around the barrel are as simple as a twist and a pull. The manufacturer’s website will almost always have takedown and maintenance guides, and Amazon sells print copies as well.

Squirrels

Squirrels are possibly the best game in North America to hunt and were popularized by the Robertson family on A&E’s Duck Dynasty. Gray and fox squirrels span coast to coast. The eastern gray squirrel (which can weigh one to five pounds) spans the eastern half of the U.S., is heavily populated in wooded areas, and avoids open, grassy areas. Fox squirrels are more prevalent in open areas and weigh about four to five pounds—that’s one to two more pounds than the average gray squirrel.