I would like the hear from you guys who hunt squirrels. How is your season going so far? Are you hunting new places or same places? My buddy and I went yesterday and killed 10 squirrels, 2 grays and 8 fox. Went in the late afternoon and found lots of squirrels. Used my newest squirrel rifle a CZ 457 Varmint, a bit heavy, but wicked accurate. I'm hunting the same 2500 acre ranch I've hunted for the past 45 years. My plan is to spend much of the next two months here in NE Kansas squirrel woods. At age 77, I'm as bit slower than I was 45 years ago, but my enthusiasm is even better. Would love to hear your plans and success stories.
Squirrel hunting this year??
- Thread starter Sniper66
- Start date
I can't explain it, but there seems to be a shortage of squirrels in the woods where i usually hunt. I am not even seeing squirrels under my bird feeder at home when usually there are at least 3-5 of them on the ground getting the spilt seed. There certainly is no shortage of food in the woods. It seems every hickory tree is dropping nuts, and the oaks too. It is like walking on marbles when under these trees. Normally, the squirrels would be going crazy storing up the nuts, but i don't know where they are. I have been out a couple of times since the season opened here in CT (Sept. 1st), and have yet to see a squirrel. I did hear one barking in the distance, but when I stalked the sound, I never spotted the squirrel. In most years, I manage to take at least 2 squirrels per outing with my .32 Flintlock, and sometimes more when the visibility in the woods gets better as the leaves fall.
I am not the only one that is not seeing squirrels around here, several of my buddies from my club have said the same thing about the lack of squirrels. We are not even seeing them dead on the side of the road like we usually do this time of year when the squirrels are busy storing up for winter. I'm thinking that some sort of disease has hit the population around here.
I am not the only one that is not seeing squirrels around here, several of my buddies from my club have said the same thing about the lack of squirrels. We are not even seeing them dead on the side of the road like we usually do this time of year when the squirrels are busy storing up for winter. I'm thinking that some sort of disease has hit the population around here.
Chuck R.
Member
Unless something changes, I won't go after them till after deer season, just too many other priorities.
We start upland on 11NOV and I've already got 3 hunts planned for that, then it's right into our deer season and we're travelling to hunt this year. After I get back, I've got another upland hunt planned for the weekend after that with guys I served in 1st ID with.
Maybe, maybe the week of X-Mass I'll be chasing bushy tails, but then it's time for geese.
We start upland on 11NOV and I've already got 3 hunts planned for that, then it's right into our deer season and we're travelling to hunt this year. After I get back, I've got another upland hunt planned for the weekend after that with guys I served in 1st ID with.
Maybe, maybe the week of X-Mass I'll be chasing bushy tails, but then it's time for geese.
buck460XVR
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
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- 10,085
Loved hunting squirrels as a kid. Ran out of time for them when I got bird dogs and got into bowhunting. Now, my prime squirrel spot is the bird feeder in my back yard. If they leave it alone, I leave them alone. Some figure it out, some don't. When I was a kid, everyone hunted squirrels, nowadays, not so much, yet, as you say, there doesn't seem to be squirrels all over the place like you would think. Some of it may be more depredation by 'yotes and Hawks. More of them around than there used to be. some of it may be the cutting of mast trees on a lot of private land. Many folks around here buy a piece of land and then if it hasn't been logged, they log it to help pay for it. They are more concerned with making it for deer than for squirrels, so food plots are more important than mast trees.
Our season in Ohio started Sept 1. I went last weekend toting the 22. Our best spot for black, grey and fox squirrels was overrun by bow hunters so we moved to a smaller spot where my buddy got a red squirrel. I waited the bow hunters out and saw several but no shots with the 22. When the leaves come off I’ll try again.
You sound like me when I was younger. I planned nearly all of my free time to align with the season of the day. Didn't like summer much because there was not much to hunt. Although I did hunt bullfrogs. Some fishing, but couldn't wait for dove season 9/1 followed closely by quail, pheasant, prairie chickens, ducks, geese, with rabbits and squirrels in between until spring...squirrels close 2/28 and rabbits run all year. Now deer and turkeys have entered the mix. Have bowed out of upland birds.....just do not have the legs to do the walking. BUT, squirrels are always there. Can't wait for my next hunt, which is scheduled next week with my nephew and his grandson. Love the woods this time of year and squirrels still excite me.
BTW, since I'm your neighbor, perhaps we should bang a few squirrels together one of these days.
PWC
Member
When I hunted them before, I always took a small ball of kite string. Once you find them, tie the string to anything like a twig, bush that will spring back. Walk directly past the tree trunk and sit down and wait a couple of minutes.
Pull the string, and the little sucker will scurry around to your side of the tree. If you miss, be very patient, they are slow learners.
Pull the string, and the little sucker will scurry around to your side of the tree. If you miss, be very patient, they are slow learners.
22250Rem
Member
Only out a couple times so far this fall. Was in the woods next to me with the .22 air gun, which I have a self-imposed limit of about 20 yards on. Saw a few but no shots within my range. Although one afternoon I came close to getting one, but he just wouldn't show himself long enough to get the sights on him. It was enjoyable even without getting one. Up next will be my friend's woods with the CZ-455 in 22LR.
When it cools off I will try my hand at hunting them w my sling shot. Ball bearings as ammo. Would use a pellet gun but i’ve killed thousands with one growing up. I need a challenge. Got one of those fancy ones off amazon with bands. Will shot a hole through an empty tuna can at 10 paces. Maybe a rabbit if the fox’s don’t clear them out first.
Good luck with the sling shot. A quick story: I bought a Remington R51 9mm awhile back. The R51 had a bad reputation, but I bought the "New and Improved" model. Took it to my friend's private range to try it out. Couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. So, I asked my friend to try it. He is a much better pistol shooter, but he couldn't shoot it much better. Just happened to have my sling shot with me, so with a pocket full of ball bearings I stepped up and shot the same target at the same 10 yds as the R51. Guess which one was more accurate. The following week I sold the R51. Have fun with the squirrels and your sling shot
Freudianfloyd
Member
I have found the most fun way to hunt squirrels is to get in my tree stand with a .22 and play Carlos Hathcock with the squirrels running around on the ground. The trick is remembering where all the squirrels you shoot fall.
I have also really enjoyed taking my .410 out and just walking around the woods. I have about 10 acres of woods that consist of mainly hickory and oak, so there are plenty of squirrels around. I went on opening day and had my first squirrel 10' of walking into the woods.
I have also really enjoyed taking my .410 out and just walking around the woods. I have about 10 acres of woods that consist of mainly hickory and oak, so there are plenty of squirrels around. I went on opening day and had my first squirrel 10' of walking into the woods.
I carry my sling shot when sitting in my deer stand. I have taken several squirrels with it using .44 caliber lead balls.
I'm gonna do this myself. Killed my buck opening day of rifle season. Can still take a doe by bow, but my CZ 452 American & Weaver 2-7×28 is begging for his time in that TS! Went squirrel hunting one time last year, killed 4. Too much fun to let go by!
Captains1911
Member
I hunt grey squirrels in the woods behind my house, and right now there are hundreds. You can’t go out early-mid morning or late afternoon without seeing them everywhere. I was sitting in my deer stand a few days ago and counted about 20 that I could see at one time. We have lots of oaks and hickorys here and this year there have been lots of nuts falling. Safe to say I’ve got more chicken of the tree in my freezer than I know what to do with.
American_Fusilier
Member
I've never been squirrel hunting before, but I'll be going out in Dec and Jan to see if I can't bag a couple
dh1633pm
Contributing Member
Shoot lots of squirrels, but never hunted them. Got one last week who was trying to move in with us. Lots of Grays in the area. Reds are in serious depleted numbers due to a finely tuned pellet gun. My dad never let me hunt grays. Extolled their virtues of adding value to forests.
Here's a cool story. My shooting buddy's parents live on the edge of town in a smallish midwestern community. Buddy's dad is trying to get small trees started, but the squirrels were chewing on them and killing some. So son buys dad a pellet gun to rid the place of the pests. But....Mom objects to killing the cute little critters. So, no shooting is sanctioned. One day dad is really pissed about his dying trees and mom is in town. So, dad gets out the pellet gun and whacks a couple of squirrels, bags them up and discreetly disposes of the evidence...not a word to mom. The next day mom is wondering aloud where the squirrels are. Dad shrugs his shoulders and says, "Beats me." Then mom says, "Oh, there they are."
What? thinks dad.
This began a pattern of discreet squirrel disposal that to this day has killed over 200 squirrels and it is still dad and son's private little joke. Maybe the joke's on them because they still have a squirrel problem. Mother nature at work and on mom's side. But, the bright side, dad has a new hobby and mom is happy. Just hope mom never finds out!!
What? thinks dad.
This began a pattern of discreet squirrel disposal that to this day has killed over 200 squirrels and it is still dad and son's private little joke. Maybe the joke's on them because they still have a squirrel problem. Mother nature at work and on mom's side. But, the bright side, dad has a new hobby and mom is happy. Just hope mom never finds out!!
