16 Best Scope For 22lr Squirrel Hunting 2024 [Tried & Tested]

Squirrels. Bushy tails. Tree rats. Call them whatever you like; they are the most common game animal in North America. With generous seasons, bag limits, and hunting opportunities everywhere, the squirrel is probably the best critter to hunt to introduce young people to hunting.

Because they are small, most people chase these critters with rimfire rifles or pistols or shotguns with birdshot. The .22 long rifle is a top choice because it does the least amount of meat damage while still delivering enough punch at a distance to anchor the squirrel to the spot.

Other rounds like the .22 mag and the .17 family certainly take these small animals, but shot placement must be more precise. The increased velocity of those rounds means the bullet does far more damage. You can get more distance with the mag or the HMR.

Some Squirrel Facts

Squirrels are also tasty. My favorite recipes are fried squirrel and squirrel and rice which is just as simple as it sounds. Boil the squirrels, throw in some rice, and your choice of seasonings, just like chicken & rice.

You can cook them any way you cook any other meat. If you take time to strip the meat from the bones and grind it, you can make burgers. You do need to add some fat as squirrels are usually lean meat.

The world is home to more than 200 species of squirrel. Some live in trees, some on the ground and some go back and forth, depending on the habitat. Most are daytime critters. A few, like the North American flying squirrel, are more active at night.

The black giant squirrel, native to Australia, is the biggest squirrel in the world, tipping the scales at more than 3 pounds or 1.5 kilograms.

The Malabar Giant Squirrel looks like its creator was on some really good drugs. These whoppers are not Photoshopped. They really are Technicolor.

Some squirrel hunters may not know they are also hunting an animal with a monetary value. Fishing tackle maker Mepps actually buys squirrel tails. You can get cash or take Mepps products in trade. Squirrel tails and the hair on them are also used by people who tie flies for fishing.

A small game biologist from Arizona scored a squirrel slam. It is not, as Field & Stream claims, a grand slam because the hunter did not get one of the flying squirrel species native to N. America nor did he get a ground squirrel. Some might argue the ground squirrel should not be included, but the California ground squirrel is part of the Sciuridae family.

The biologist used a shotgun because he wanted to have each squirrel mounted. A rifle generally tears the squirrel up too much to make a decent amount for the wall.

Trophy Squirrel

Everyone has a different idea of what a trophy squirrel is. In the southern United States where I live, we have three. The black, or melanistic color phase of the grey squirrel and the fox squirrel and the blonde phase of the fox squirrel. So far, I have one black fox on the wall and did shoot a blonde fox squirrel, but the .22 mag bullet ruined the pelt. I know where a troop of black grey squirrels live, but do not have permission to hunt them.

What Does A Good Rimfire Scope For Squirrel Hunting Need?

With few exceptions, squirrel shooting is close range business. 100 yards is a very long shot. Most are within 50 yards. Tactical scopes are not needed, except on air rifles, which we discuss below. Depending on the species you are chasing, you may want more magnification. The Douglas squirrel out in California is small and likes to inhabit Douglas fir trees. Zooming in will make your hunt easier.

One of the exceptions is the California ground squirrel. These critters are also found in the western US. You can find them in places where lining up a 200-yard or longer shot is possible. If you are reaching out 300 yards or more, then you are also moving into the centerfire rifle realm. Check out our recommendations for the Ruger .204 and the top 13 varmint scopes for a list of reach out and touch them scopes.

Most rimfire riflescopes today are waterproof, but that is not really a necessity for hunting tree rats. Squirrels will come out in inclement weather conditions but prefer to stay huddled in their den and munch stored food, exactly like me. Exceptions do happen.

Given the size of most squirrels, crosshairs are a better choice than a red dot on a rifle. The dot will cover up a lot of squirrels unless you can get close. If you hunt them with handguns and can get close, a red dot can be a decent choice. Just get the smaller dot versions for your handgun.

A red shot on a shotgun is a good idea, especially when teaching a child to hunt. They can put the dot on the squirrel and so be almost certain of a kill.

You do not have to get a dedicated rimfire scope. I killed plenty of squirrel with a 3x9-40mm scope and a plain reticle on a bunch of different.22lr rifles.

If you hunt squirrels with an air rifle, where this legal, make sure you have an air rifle rated scope. Air rifles generate forward and backward recoil. It is that forward recoil that tends to shred scopes not made for air rifles.

Visit Megan Kriss article on "Best Air Rifle".

First or second focal plane?

I prefer second as I do not like the crosshairs to get bigger as I zoom in on the target. An exception is a detailed Christmas tree reticle. With that, as the reticle enlarges, I can better fine-tune my shot based on the space between mil dots or hash marks.

Mil or MOA

Some scopes measure in milliradians (Mil) and others use a minute of angle (MOA). Aside from the highly technical information Guns and Ammo explains in the link, I do not see a real difference. Sight your scope in properly and I guarantee the squirrels will not know the difference either.

Other Gear

If you hunt with a .22 or air gun, the squirrels will come back out to regular foraging much sooner than if you shoot one with a shotgun. You do not really need a squirrel call to bark an "all clear" call, but it can be handy if you are hunting a place where they are not as common as flies.

I have a .22 pellet rifle I often take into my deer stand to shoot the pesky critters. Many times I have popped one squirrel while a few yards away, another just looked around, giving me time to reload and take that one out too. Where I hunt, squirrel season opens before deer season and goes on after whitetail hunting is allowed. I can hunt both at the same time from my stand.

Squirrels can be sensitive to movement, but less so than deer or other games. Just sit quietly and after a few minutes, they will come back out.

Some people wear camo, some do not. In my years of potting squirrels, I have never noticed that came makes a difference. I just wear dull-colored shirts and jeans.

Squirrel hunting is a daytime activity, so night scopes are of no use here.

16 Best Scopes For 22lr Squirrel Hunting

Air Gun Scopes

Air guns and people who hunt with them are a breed apart. Today's air guns go from 17 to 50 caliber. The big boys are entirely capable of taking medium and big games.

Air gun hunters are using airpower to hurl a piece of lead, or alloy, downrange. This means the velocity is necessarily limited because air pressure can hurl a pellet only so fast. Speeds of 1,200 feet per second are possible but unusual. Most of the time around 1,100 feet person second in a 17 caliber and 900 feet per second in a 22 caliber or larger airgun is considered good.

The slow speed compared to a rifle round means bullet drop, or pellet drop in this case, is pronounced. As shooters in the Gateway to Airguns forums explain, a 50-inch drop at 100 yards is common. In other words, these are not long-range hunting tools.

Pellets do not buck the wind very well. A good breeze is going to push a pellet to the side even at 30 yards.

Because of this, people who shoot to 50 yards and beyond regularly invest in tactical scopes.

Airguns are also subsonic. Some of the noise generated is the gun functioning. A can will not silence that. The right kind of suppressor can cut the noise from the muzzle. BATF says silencers are legal , with the proper paperwork.

Depending on where you live, and how you set up the backstop, you might be able to hunt in your backyard. Literally. EDgun Leshy is an air rifle pro. He has a setup in his back yard where he pops squirrels during the day and skunks at night, while sitting on his patio.

While airguns are not considered firearms at the US federal level, many places do regulate and restrict them. In Canada, air guns generating more than 500 feet per second or 5.7 joules are regulated by the government. Exceeding those standards is best if you want to hunt squirrel with an air rifle.

1. UTG 4-16X44 30mm

If you are running an airgun, this is the scope to get.

Leapers is one of the leading air gun scope makers. The UTG line offers quality at an affordable price. This 4-16x comes in a 30 mm tube and has a mil-dot reticle with an astounding 36 color choices. The Malabar squirrel still has it beat in the color department. The scope uses a CR2032 battery.

The turrets have a zero lock and the return to zero feature.

The front bell is 44 mm, making it a good choice for gathering enough light to spot a bushy tail hiding in the trees. It has 1/4 MOA click values.

This is a second focal plane scope. The field of view (FOV) is 7.85-26.2 feet at 100 yards. If you have to take a long shot, you'll be able to find your target in the glass easily.

It is waterproof. It comes with a set of mounting rings (bonus!) and a mil-dot chart.

Parallax is 10 yards to infinity. You can get a big wheel side adjustment to make parallax adjustment easier. Airgun shooters tend to use the wheel more than rifle shooters.

Leapers offers a lifetime warranty for the "product's life span." The company doesn't say what that means, but you should wear out the airgun before the scope.

2. Hawke Airmax AMX IR

Sliding in at No. 2 on the list is the Hawke Airmax. This scope is designed for higher performance air rifles as evidenced by the four zoom choices that run 3-12 to 8-32. Regardless of the zoom, the scopes all have a 50 mm front bell.

You also get your choice of first or second focal plane. The first focal plane has .1 Mil click values. The second focal plane has 1/4 MOA clicks. The red illuminated reticle uses the CR2032 battery.

It comes with a huge side wheel for fast and precise focusing. Parallax is 10 yards to infinity.

The field of view will vary, depending on the magnification chosen. For the big zoom, the field of view is 3.4-13 feet.

This is in a 30mm tube, so keep that in mind when ordering rings. It also has a lifetime warranty.

3. Hatsan Optima 2.5-10x50E-SFT

In the air rifle world, Hatsan is a perennial contender for top marks. Their line of optics also generates high marks among shooters. The Optima 2.5-10 has plenty of details and adjustments to fine tune the most demanding shot on a squirrel hiding in a tree.

This scope comes in at No. 3 in the list because the adjustments are downgraded by the year original-owner only warranty. If Hatsan would offer a lifetime warranty, it would push hard on the UTG for first place

This scope comes in at No. 3 in the list because the adjustments are downgraded by the year original-owner only warranty. If Hatsan would offer a lifetime warranty, it would push hard on the UTG for first place

Parallax begins at 30 yards and goes to infinity. The turrets allow you to make shot-to-shot adjustments in the field.

It comes in a 30 mm tube. It ships with dovetail mounts.

The reticle is lighted red and uses a CR2032 battery. It has 11 brightness settings. The reticle is a mil dot on all four arms.

This scope has 1/8 MOA adjustments, twice as tight as any other scope in the review here. The FOV is 9.4-37.2 feet at 100 yards.

It is water resistant. It will hold up under a light rain, but do not dunk it.

4. Winchester Daisy 2-7x32mm AO Air Rifle Scope

Daisy and Winchester are legends. The two teamed up to offer this budget air rifle scope. Do not expect a lot of frills. This is about as plain as you can get. That is not a criticism. If all you want to do is pop squirrels under 50 yards or so, this scope will do that just fine and do it for much less than the above scopes.

It is in a one inch tube and comes with a set of rings. It is a second focal plane.
Winchester does not provide a lot of information, including the click values. It does not have a parallax focus.

It is in a one inch tube and comes with a set of rings. It is a second focal plane.
Winchester does not provide a lot of information, including the click values. It does not have a parallax focus.

Handgun Scopes

Yes Virginia, you can hunt squirrel with a handgun. I have a close friend in Canada who works in the maple syrup industry. He carries a .22 revolver on his side when running lines to tap maple trees for the sap that eventually becomes syrup. Squirrels like to chew on the lines he runs. He shoots them and they stop chewing up the lines.

What sets handgun scopes apart from rifle scopes is the eye relief, the distance your eye is from the rear of the scope. Rifle scopes offer 2-3 inches of relief. A handgun scope can triple that distance.

5. Leupold FX-II 4x28mm Handgun

Leupold is always in the top scope lists for rifles, shotguns and handguns. These scopes are made for life. You can reasonably expect to pass a Leupold down to your grandkids The lifetime warranty transfers to the new owner.

This handgun scope is a no-frills scope. It does not have a parallax adjustment and the magnification is fixed at 4x.

It is a one inch tube and a second focal plane, not that the plane matters in a fixed-focus scope. The FOV is 9 feet at 100 yards.

Click values are 1/2 MOA. That is rather large, but this is also a handgun scope. Handguns are simply not capable of same precision as rifles and carbines, even in the hands of an expert. The adjustment range is 60 MOA in windage and60 MOA in elevation. It is waterproof as all Leupold scopes are.

It has a plain duplex reticle. You can get the scope in silver or black.

6. Burris Handgun Hunting Scope

This Burris pistol scope comes in four choices.

1. Black with standard reticle
2. Black with a ballistic reticle
3. Silver with a standard reticle
4. Silver with a ballistic reticle

Everything else is the same. The scope is second focal plane and a one inch tube. It has 1/4 MOA click values.

The FOV is 7-21 feet. It is waterproof. It does not have a parallax adjustment.
Burris has a forever warranty that transfers to a new owner

Rifle Scopes

To keep this simple, rifle scopes here are limited to rimfire scopes. Other rifle scopes will certainly work. If you have a scope on your deer rifle that you love, the same one will work on your squirrel rifle. The advantage to getting dedicated rimfire scope is the turrets and the reticles are calibrated for the bullet drop, at least on scopes offering bullet drop compensator reticles.

Note that the bullet drop for black powder rifles is very similar to that of the rimfire, especially the .22 LR. The scopes listed here will do well on a frontstuffer with 50-100 grains of powder. When plinking or small game hunting, I usually shoot 50 grain pellets and .495 lead balls I cast. I shoot a CVA Accura .50.

You may wonder why anyone would hunt squirrel with a smokepole. If you shoot round cast balls, you leave a ball-sized hole through the squirrel. Most of the meat stays intact. Besides which, it is great fun and adds realism to shooting practice.

7. BSA Optics Sweet 22 SP 3-9X40mm

Sometimes, you just need parallax focus. If you are good enough, you also want tactical turrets, even in a .22 long rife. BSA's Sweet 22 SP is the scope you are looking for.

Elevation turrets are calibrated for 36, 38 and 40 grain long rifle rounds. BSA also makes a sister scope calibrated for the .17 HMR.

With a 40mm front bell, it is about the midway mark on light gathering capabilities. The 1 inch tube is waterproof.

It has a plain duplex reticle. Click values are 1/4 MOA. Better yet, parallax goes from 7.5 yards to infinity. Some people will think 7.5 yards is too close, but these people have never sat in a deer stand and wondered if the squirrel was going to jump on them. It has 40 MA adjustment in elevation and windage.

The FOV is 13-40 feet at 100 yards.

8. Vortex Optics Diamondback 2-7x35 Rimfire

Vortex increasingly is a scope of choice for hunters and shooters who want a high-quality optic at a mid-range budget. Vortex will not require a bank loan and still delivers superior performance. Frankly, if this scope offered adjustable turrets and a parallax adjustment, it would take first place and leave the others far behind.

Parallax is fixed at 50 yards.

The click value is 1/4 MOA. You also get 100 MOA of elevation and windage adjustment, which is the best in class. Vortex calls the reticle a V-Plex reticle, but that is just the company name for a duplex. The fully coated lenses are anti-reflective without impacting light transmission to any noticeable degree, providing clear images even when the sun starts to drop.

It is a second focal plane. The FOV at 100 yards is 19.3-64.3 feet. Parallax focus begins at 50 feet and goes to infinite.

It is shockproof, fog proof, and waterproof, and comes in a 1-inch, one piece tube with a matte finish, so durability is no issue, but thankfully Vortex also has a lifetime warranty on its scopes. The warranty transfers to new owners.

9. Simmons 3-9x32mm .22

For the .22 Mag crowd, Simmons offers the 22 MAG 3-9x magnification scope in matte black or silver. Simmons is one of the world's top rimfire scope makers. I've used Simmons on my Ruger 10/22 for years and have zero complaints. Certainly, the squirrels and rabbits never object.

The scope is a second focal plane with 1/4 MOA click adjustments. It has 60 MOA adjustments on elevation and windage. Parallax setting is fixed at 50 yards. The Simmons Truplex reticle sounds strange, but is really just marketing speak for a duplex reticle.

The FOV is 11-33 feet at 100 yards. It is waterproof thanks to the Hydroshield lens coating. The 1 inch tube ships with a set of rings.

10. Leupold VX-Freedom 2-7x33

It is hard to find anything online that has a solid 5-star review. Leupold scopes have that because they are just that good. This VX-Freedom model comes with the Leupold guarantee that is backed by some of the toughest testing in the industry.

It has a 33 mm front bell, but the glass and coatings in the scope make the light gathering ability better than much cheaper scopes. It is a 1 inch tube and a second focal plane. A 2-7x power scope is just about perfect for varmint hunting, and it means a lighter, more compact scope without extra magnification that you're not likely to use.

The FOV is 43.8-29.8 feet at 100 yards. Adjustments are 1/4 MOA and it has 75 MOA on elevation and windage. It has a semi-duplex reticle. The lower elevation line has 1 MOA has marks for a total of 25 MOA bullet drop through the scope. For this reason, this scope is also an excellent choice for an airgun at 50 yards or less. The wide lines on the crosshairs on windage are 1 MOA wide.

The parallax is fixed at 60 yards, which is a good distance for rimfire. It is waterproof.

11. Bushnell Prime 3-12x40 Multi-Turret

Bushnell produces quality scopes at reasonable prices. The Prime 3-12 is a multi-turret scope with options for shotgun slugs, muzzleloaders, the 450 Bushmaster and .17 HMR and the .22 LR. You get all of them package. Pick your bullet, put in the proper turret and head to the range to sight in.

A 3-12x magnification range is probably more than you need for a squirrel gun, but this scope also pulls duty as a deer rifle capable of 300 yard shots by the turret adjustment. The FOV is 29-7.5 feet at 100 yards. The 40mm objective lens is big enough that light transmission won't be any problem, giving you a little extra wiggle room in low light conditions.

The parallax focus is 10 yards to infinity. It is a second focal plane.

You get 50 MOA adjustments on windage and elevation. Click value is 1.4 MOA.

It is waterproof. It has a duplex reticle. It is a 1 inch tube. Bushnell has a lifetime warranty that transfers to a new owner.

12. Burris Droptine .22

Burris is another scope maker that produces inexpensive optics that can produce as well as some higher end models. The Droptine model for the .22 LR has a duplex-style BDC reticle with hash marks on the descending elevation line. Marks are calibrated for the .22 LR.

This is another scope that would rank higher if it had a parallax adjustment. The parallax is set for 100 yards.

It comes in a 1 inch tube. The 40mm front bell is in the middle for size.

Click values a 1/4 MOA and you get 50 MOA elevation and windage adjustments. The FOV at 100 yards is 13-33 feet. It is a second focal plane scope.

It is waterproof. In case you wonder, the scope gets its name from the droptine rack on the adjustments hub.

13. Primary Arms Classic Series 6x32mm

What sets this scope apart, and puts it in the list despite its limitations, is the unique reticle. It incorporates a .22 LR bullet drop. You can also just the bullet drop reticle and compare it to your target to get dialed in exactly right

Primary Arms' classic scope is fixed at 6x magnification for a 17.5 foot FOV at 100 yards. It is in a 1 inch tube.

Click value is 1/4 MOA. It has as a standard duplex reticle. You get 50 MOA adjustment in elevation and windage. Because this is a fixed focus, the focal plane is irrelevant.

Shotgun Scopes

Hunting squirrel with a scattergun is not precision work. Get a good, tight choke, No. 7, 8 or 9 shot and put the bead on the critter. Pull the trigger and you should have a squirrel on the ground.

Why put a scope on a shotgun? If you are teaching a kid to hunt, having that scope allows them to line up exactly on target. Many turkey hunters also use a scope these days.

Crosshairs are not needed. Parallax correction is also not needed because using shotguns on squirrel is a distance-limited proposition. By the time you might get concerned about how much the pellets drop, the spread is so far apart that actually hitting a squirrel is problematic. Get much past 40 yards and you are shooting on a prayer.

We have a breakdown of the best shotgun scopes. As good as they are, you do not need a 100-yard slug scope for squirrel hunting.

You need a fast sight picture and a simple dot. Dot size really doesn't matter here.

14. Holosun HS507C-X2 Reflex

Reflex sights are a type of red dot sight. The Holosun has made serious inroads in the gun community, especially with 3-gun and tactical competition tournament shooters. The scopes are solid and the company's customer service department is excellent.

This Holosun has three things that put it on the top of our shotgun scope list.

1) A 2 MOA dot inside a 32 MOA circle. This helps with speedy target acquisition, which is especially useful when hunting small, fast-moving game. The ring enables you to track a moving target. You can also get an ACSS Vulcan site in the scope which is an angle pointing up. Sighting it in is as simple as getting the point in the center of the spread.

2) An open window. You do not have to look through a tube. You can see through the scope even when you are at a sharp angle to the scope.

3) Shake awake. You find a good spot and sit down. Turn the scope on and it automatically goes into standby mode. Lift your shotgun and the scope comes back on.

It uses a CR1632 battery.

The sole drawback is the mount is not included. You can buy the mount at the same place you buy the scope. It's also not a bad idea to get a better pair of lens covers, like the Holosun flip-up eyepiece cover.

A neat feature is the solar panel on the top. Let the sun power your red dot.
It is waterproof.

15. Vortex Viper 1x24mm 6 MOA

The Vortex Viper sports a huge 6 MOA red dot. That is big and it works well on squirrel. If the tree rat is in range and disappears behind the dot, pull the trigger and pick up your supper.

This red dot is waterproof. It uses the CR2032 battery. It has 10 brightness settings.

16. Burris FastFire III

The FastFire comes with a 3 MOA or a monster 8 MOA dot. It uses a CR1632 battery.
It is water resistant so it will stand up to hunting in the rain.

Bow Hunting

I would be remiss if I did not briefly mention squirrel hunting with a bow and arrow.

Whatever sights you have on your bow are all you need to hunt squirrel with a bow. You do need to get some Judo points as field points will stick into a tree. Judo will bound off.  Shoot parallel to the ground or aiming slightly down. That way, when you miss, you will be able to find the arrow.

I speak from experience here. Watching several dollars worth of arrow sail away into the sky is extremely annoying.

Visit Cameron Porter article on "best scope for 450 bushmaster rifle".

Final Thoughts

Squirrel hunting is fast, fun and the end result can put meat on the table and some jingle in your pocket. Harvest those tails for Mepps!

Squirrel hunting does not take a lot time, preparation or money. A simple .22 rifle, a good scope, a solid mount (I recommend scope mounts specifically designed for rimfire cartridges, like Weaver Suregrips), and brick of .22 long rifle shells is all you need. The list above represents some of the best scopes for 22lr squirrel hunting regardless of your budget, so don't feel like you need to drop hundreds of dollars on a scope just to bag some varmints.

500 rounds of 22 LR is less than the cost of 20 rounds of premium deer rifle ammo. You can sight in your gun, get many hunting trips from the box of ammo, and still have plenty left over for target shooting or plinking.

If you live in a place with tree nut farms, you might find the property owner very happy about having someone come and shoot squirrels to help save his crop. If you are up to it, you might even get to hunt other nut-eating varmints including the ones that come out at night, like raccoons. Here in Southwest Georgia, the pecan capital of the world, I have unlimited opportunities to hunt squirrel and have several property owners who want me to come harvest raccoons.

Just be sure to check your local game laws before you head out to hunt.

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