Anybody out squirrel hunting?

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

All Joking Aside, You May Want to be Extra Vigilant Bowhunting There. I've Hunted @ the Mexican Border For Pigs and They Told Us We Should Be Carrying a Pistol All the Time. Just a Thought! I've been Taking my Grandaughter Hunting and She's a Crack Shot w/my 17hmr. Shot Two the First Morning.

I won’t even go near there right now. My sister in law is from Springfield and she won’t go visit her parents. My wife’s coworker who lives there brings the updates to their staff every day. I hope anyone on here who lives near there is also extra careful and maybe considers finding a somewhat different hunting location this season.Congrats to the G-daughter too! My 5YO is dying to get out in the woods with me but she is LOUD so maybe squirrels are a better choice than deer.

 

[Will Harris]

Squirrel hunting is a great way to get your game back on before deer season

Tell her you ate salad for lunch. She doesn’t need to know it was chicken salad. Or even that it wasnt chicken.

 

[mschultz373]

this might sound stupid but any tips for squirrels?

I basically walked until I 'bumped' one and then stopped and tried to get a shot. This resulted in 4 opportunities and two kills. shoud've gotten a 3rd but couldn't seal the deal.

I was mainly wanting to get out into the woods to scout more than squirrel hunt so I wasn't all that vested in bringing home as many squirrels as possible.

 

[25ftup]

this might sound stupid but any tips for squirrels?

I basically walked until I 'bumped' one and then stopped and tried to get a shot. This resulted in 4 opportunities and two kills. shoud've gotten a 3rd but couldn't seal the deal.

I was mainly wanting to get out into the woods to scout more than squirrel hunt so I wasn't all that vested in bringing home as many squirrels as possible.

also -how far am I gonna get with safety pins as my hangers? I didnt have a fishing stringer lying around

my woods are full of nut trees/acorns so I typically go to an area that i know has these trees. Early in the season I look for hickory trees. This time of year I would probably be looking for oak trees. If I don’t know where these are I’ll start in an area and slowly work my way through the woods. While doing this I’m watching to see any limbs shake or squirrels jump, and also listening for any squirrels cutting on nuts/acorns. Once I find one cutting I target that one and watch/listen for any others that could be in the tree. Sometimes it will be a single squirrel in a tree, and sometimes there might be 6-7 cutting nuts in one tree. I don’t hunt them much past October as I’m mostly deer hunting.

Later in the year it seems like they are moving way more and on the ground quite often.

 

[mschultz373]

yeah it's still awfully hot and humid for deer - highs in the mid-80s. not good for deer hunting. luckily our rut isn't until late Dec/early Jan so still plenty of deer hunting. I'd like to keep at the squirrels, though, it's a fun way to get out in the woods and come home with something to eat.

 

[25ftup]

yeah it's still awfully hot and humid for deer - highs in the mid-80s. not good for deer hunting. luckily our rut isn't until late Dec/early Jan so still plenty of deer hunting. I'd like to keep at the squirrels, though, it's a fun way to get out in the woods and come home with something to eat.

Yes it is. I actually think they taste way better than what most people give them credit for.

 

[Blacksmith]

Been Taking The Grandkids and Let Them Shoot a Few W/the .17. Run Them Through the Smoker and They Are Very Tasty!

 

[shmelton]

this might sound stupid but any tips for squirrels?

I basically walked until I 'bumped' one and then stopped and tried to get a shot. This resulted in 4 opportunities and two kills. shoud've gotten a 3rd but couldn't seal the deal.

I was mainly wanting to get out into the woods to scout more than squirrel hunt so I wasn't all that vested in bringing home as many squirrels as possible.

Use a 20ga or smaller with a turkey choke, and #5 or #6 shot. It will increase your odds tremendously. It also keeps the pattern together better when they are high in the tree. It may sound like over kill, but it won’t tear them up.


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[TNbowhunter]

this might sound stupid but any tips for squirrels?

I basically walked until I 'bumped' one and then stopped and tried to get a shot. This resulted in 4 opportunities and two kills. shoud've gotten a 3rd but couldn't seal the deal.

I was mainly wanting to get out into the woods to scout more than squirrel hunt so I wasn't all that vested in bringing home as many squirrels as possible.

Not a dumb question at all! There are a surprising number of strategies and nuances to squirrel hunting, and there is always more to learn (much like hunting other game). Here are a few tips:

1. I like to hunt with a suppressed .22LR with a 4x power scope. With that setup, head-shooting squirrels is very doable at 50 yards (note: I said doable, not probable). This setup works really well if you plan to sit still or move slowly through the woods.
2. If you plan to move more aggressively, I'd recommend a .410, 28 gauge, or 20 gauge. A really fun way to hunt them is to just go crashing through the woods with a buddy (being EXTREMELY cognizant of gun safety) and tree squirrels much like folks do with squirrel dogs, then pick them off running to escape with your shotgun.
3. Camo helps, but the more important thing is keeping still and quiet. In my neck of the woods, it takes squirrels anywhere from 15-30 minutes to chill out and return to normalcy after getting spooked, so it's much better to avoid detection in the first place.
4. Like almost all other game, pay close attention to their food sources! They eat all kinds of things, not just acorns (e.g., hickory nuts), and you can have some really good hunts just sitting under one tree they're hitting hard.
5. Watch for dreys (squirrel nests), and just as critically, the lack of dreys, when you're deciding on which spots to settle in on. More dreys = better area.
6. Early morning and late evening are the most productive times, but you can usually find squirrels moving around all day. If it's cold but sunny, keep an eye out for their tails blowing in the breeze while they lay on top of a sunny branch in the middle of the day.

Hope these help!

 

[hokiehunter373]

Great tips above. Two things I'll add

1: Bring mans best friend if possible. Just hanging out with them changes the whole mood of the hunt. I mean just look at that face (Pic 1) how can you not have a good day?
2: If you're going the .22 route, wear a pack. When you find a good spot, sit on the ground and lean back on the pack. Fold one leg over your raised knee of the other for a great rest. (Pic 2) Saw Rinella do this and it works great.