Squirrel season is near!

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beeenbag

beeenbag

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Grayson, Ky
I know its not as popular as it once was but man, I love to hunt those little tree rats. Kentucky squirrel season begins Aug. 17th this year and I am counting down.

I have a new HS specialties squirrel call on the way and a new dove hunting vest in the mail (the game pouch is great for squirrel).

Who else is pumped up about blastin ol' bushy tail?
 
I really want to to get a good mess of squirrels to make some squirrel and dumplings, but unless I can find the part I need for my 22 rifle I will not get to hunt this year. I hate using shotguns for squirrel, too easy to miss shot when cleaning them.
 
Prefer to hunt with a .22 handgun, but I take 'em any old way. :D I debone the meat and make stew, but I think next batch will be dumplings. Wife makes the dumplings.

There is no closed season or limits on squirrel here. I can hunt them year around, but it's a might hot right now except early morn and late evening.
 
Wish I could hunt squirrel with 22LR, in my area it's shotgun or bow only.
 
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I don't see many grays in the woods here, plenty of reds though. The only gray squirrels I ever see are the ones that chew the tar out of my bird feeders in the yard. The neighbors might get nervous if I started blasting those ones. :evil:
 
We did some practicing with the 10-22 and my old Winchester 22 today shooting at squirrel sized targets just getting ready. I enjoy taking young kids out after squirrels as I believe that a .22 LR is the perfect gun to learn to hunt with. I don't enjoy dove hunting at home anymore because it is just too danged hot. It is not unusual for us to have 100 degrees on opening day.
 
Opening day of dove season is tradition, hot or not. :D But, I've about quit hunting teal season. Suited up in rubber waders on a 95 degree day? Ouch. Of course, it isn't 95 in the morning, but usually pushing 80 and humid. Hour after sun up, I sometimes quit even if i ain't shot a limit, yet. This season, I have a new dog, but I won't take a dog out in teal season. There have been dogs killed by gators out there this time of year.
 
Opening day of dove season is tradition, hot or not.
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Agree 100% and I will be there griping and moaning the entire time about the good old days when it wasn't hot in Alabama in September. I said I don't enjoy it not that I wouldn't do it. I don't drink beer anymore and maybe that is also a part of the problem. I shoot for an hour and then watch football and help prepare the evening festivities.
I have never hunted in waders when it is hot but I have slogged through a lot of swamps busting up beaver dams and I empathize! That gets real miserable real fast.
 
beeenbag said:
I know its not as popular as it once was but man, I love to hunt those little tree rats. Kentucky squirrel season begins Aug. 17th this year and I am counting down.

I have a new HS specialties squirrel call on the way and a new dove hunting vest in the mail (the game pouch is great for squirrel).

Who else is pumped up about blastin ol' bushy tail?
Click to expand...
I have several callers for squirrel's. As for commercial callers I like the Knight & Hale caller the best. It's tone is closer to the actual sound. The barks take a little practice to get down. Then there is the baby distress call which will bring them running when things are really dead. Only use this one sparingly. It has worked for me 100% of the time.

I use the caller I made more than any thing else. I use the bark to get their attention then use this to make the feeding sound. This normally brings them in. If your patient enough you can get them within 15-20' from you.
ssquirrelcaller.jpg
 
They keep me in the woods after deer season. I have a lot of fun with my .22 and nephew, hunting squirrels after deer season is over in January.
 
Wouldn't it just be easier and a lot quieter to hang rat traps in the trees baited with peanut butter and rolled oat balls?
 
I have a thread somewhere to go with this. Ruger Marks make great squirrel gitters. :D

I was out this morning with the dog in the woods and walked up so close to a big red squirrel I didn't wanna take a shot. He was about 5 yards and I was totin' a shotgun. Wouldn't have been much left. He ran off down a trail such that I couldn't see him and disappeared. Oh, well.....

2rf9ffc.jpg
 
Squirrel Season

Season doesn't open here until October 1st. Doesn't make a lot of sense as that is the opening day for deer season in the area of the state I hunt. I do give up a few days of deer hunting each year to chase squirrels. It's an addiction I hope I never give up.

I spent part of this afternoon shooting various 22's I own. Hitting a squirrel head sized 10 ring at 30 yds over 90% of the time. Gotta get a little better before the season, but that's what practice is for.
 
Going to be my first hunting ever this year! Looking forward to using my 20 ga on squirrels all fall and winter. It is doubtful I will get a manually operated 22 to use in PA (can't use my semi auto Marlin 60 in NJ or PA). I may be able to use my Taurus Tracker 22 LR revolver in PA, if a shot presents itself for the 4" barrel.

I'm really looking forward to my first hunts for squirrel and rabbits.
 
My son has never hunted. I'm taking him out with. 410. I really don't like squirrel to eat but he wants to tan the hides and I will feed the meat to the chickens. Woods cleaned out before deer season, son addicted to hunting, and free protein for the birds. Any better combo?
 
I'm also looking forward to the opening of squirrel season. Got the 10/22s' sighted in. Also looking into getting a .32 muzzleloading rifle to put the "sport" back into squirrel hunting. Of course when I'm on seek and destroy I take the double barreled 20 gauge.
 
I'm looking forward to it too, but August can be hot here in GA. I prefer late Sept or October. Last October, after morning deer hunt, I bagged 5 bushy tails in 10 minutes with my cheap Marlin 795 with a Sweet 22 scope, Win 555 bulk pack HP. My hunting buddy was thrilled, he makes squirrel pot pie!
 
There's a such thing as a squirrel call? Didn't know they made any noises..
It's true what they say, you learn somethin new everyday!
 
I used to hunt for them every year with a 22lr then used a 12ga while going for grouse. The scattergun wasn't as fun to use. So I went a few time with a 45# recurve and flu flu arrows. I got 3 and missed 3. It wasn't a bad day and didn't lose an arrow or wound a tree rat. To be honest, I'd rather use the 22 but also picked up a nice 410 OU, maybe a little of both is in order.
 
I have to wait until early October for squirrel season but I am always excited. I bring my wife and 2 girls along and we all have fun. Good times.
 
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