Detroit Free Press, Sunday, January 31, 2010.

The following is an excerpt from Eric Sharp, featured outdoors sportsman columnist.

“Have you notice squirrels are unusally active lately?  It is the squirrel rut and hunters can take advantage of all that activity, and one of the most enjoyable and challenging ways is to do it with a black-powder rifle……20 years ago, I decided that the black-powder hunting season was so much fun I didn’t want it to end.  [I began] with a .45 caliber, percussion cap deer rifle but switched to .40 caliber to be able to use the larger barrel.  I soon picked up a long-barreled .32 caliber smoothbore that is also great for rabbits and woodchucks.  Just back off on powdered charge to fire a load that kills them without damaging too much meat.

A friend is able to shoot 3-inch groups with his .32 at 100 yards but he uses a telescopic sight, something I don’t like to do with muzzleloaders.  I’m content to limit my shots to 50 yards or less.

Something I recommend for squirrel hunters is aiming for head shots.  It’s not easy because a squirrel’s head is about the size of a golf ball. But it results in quick kills with no loss of meat.”

Sharp confesses that his miss, after a certain squirrel climbed 5 feet up a tree “and gave me a perfect broadside shot,was entirely my own fault.”

Eric can be reached for good tips on hunting at 313-222-2511 or at esharp@freepress.com.  He also has a blog at Freep.com/section/blog33.

Great stuff.  Highly recommended.   This post has been filed under Sports.