Squirrel season is near!

[CajunBass]

I love to hunt squirrels. These days it's more what I call "catch and release" squirrel hunting, but I still enjoy it. I line them up in the scope and think BANG...gotcha. But never pull the trigger. Saves the squirrel for another hunt.

I'll kill a few each year to make some stew though. I'll never forget once at chuch my wife said something about making squirrel stew. One of the ladies in our Sunday School class asked her what do you make squirrel stew with (She was a gen-U-wine "California Girl"). When my wife said "Squirrels" she asked "Where do you buy squirrels?" My wife laughed and said you don't buy squirrels, you hunt them. Poor Cali girl looked confused..."Who inspects the meat?" I spoke up and said "I do." Her husband laughed and said "Don't pay any attention to her. She won't eat chicken that has bones in it." By now, to her credit, Cali girl was laughing at herself too. "WELL!! I'll just come down there and run through the woods yelling "Run little squirrel...RUN!" I said, "Oh, don't do that. They'll just die tired. She and her husband both laughed out loud. She knew she was kinda goofy too, but we all loved her anyway.

Normally I use a 22 of one kind or another, usually a 10/22, but I have killed many a one with a shotgun. This year I think I'll finally break out my Thompson Seneca .36 cal muzzle-loader. I've had it for years but never fired it until recently. I finally picked up the "stuff" and have fired it a few times. It should be about perfect for my type of hunting.

 

[MCgunner]

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 got one the other day. So far, I'm just barking at the woods. Works great on the chickens, though. Rooster crows and all come running. I'm not sure what THAT'S about.

I have only one box of .22 cci velociters and thats it. Im thinkin about gettin a .36 cal BP rifle to engage the critters.

Shotgun shells are plentiful and I load a light 105 grain .38 special to 900 fps from my Rossi 92 that mimics a .22 pretty well, 1.5" at 50 yards accurate. I do have .22 ammo, though. Had to pay exorbitant shipping on a few boxes of it, but I have ammo. I picked up a box of Eley match for my 10/22. It was quite expensive, but shoots about .9" at 50 yards with a scope. Pretty deadly. I don't shoot spinning targets with it, but reserve it for hunting.

 

[nickE10mm]

CajunBASS that was pretty funny about your Cali friend .... "Who inspects the meat?" I DO ... haha!!

 

[glockgod]

Im thinkin about gettin a .36 cal BP rifle to engage the critters.

Ordered my Traditions .32 Crockett rifle today-should be here by next weekend!

 

[HOWARD J]

I had a lot of squirrels in the backyard--I got stupid & started feeding them.
I woke up one morning & found 5 insect screens eaten thru.
I took a day & a half to drive them off with a BB gun.
I have not seen one of the critters within 100 yards in a long time.
I almost felt sorry because the good had to go with the bad.
I have not hunted them in a long time----circulation ain't too good

 

[Blue Brick]

Who needs a gun, catch um with a fishing pole.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsVGw6CQixE

Yes I know it a chipmunk.

 

[ironworkerwill]

I need to find a Savage ML in .36! I just wish there was such a thing.

 

[3212]

As a teenager in the country,I would rush home from school in October for a one hour hunt between 4 and 5 o'clock closing time.The site was a large cornfield bordered by woods.I would sneak along a lane between the corn and woods.The squirrels would be up on the corn stalks feeding on the ears of corn.When they realised I was there they would make a dash across the lane for the woods.I had about 20 feet to nail them with my 12 guage pump.It was great preparation for hunting rabbits in November.We always ate them, grandpa would help me skin them.Now I live in town.We have oaks and maples and are overrun with squirrels.Using a live trap baited with peanut butter and acorns I have trapped 23.I released them in a strip of woods along a stream.I'm thinking of going there to harvest some.A couple years ago they chewed the wiring in my van and cost me $175.Right now there are 5 young ones running around my back yard.

 

[OH_Spartan]

I took my son out for his first hunting experience this morning. If I had been alone I would have come home with four. But, alas we didn't get a shot off. Great time though. I taught him to Id shah bark hickory, cuttings and sounds. We need some more practice getting e safety off and bead on target quickly. Yay...range time with the boy!

I have never had an empty hunt be so gratifying.

 

[peacemaker45]

I'm gonna miss squirrel opener in Ohio, but I'll get out there with my new lefty Savage .22 as soon as I get home. What better way to scout for deer than while hunting squirrel?

 

[OH_Spartan]

Scout for deer, rid your deer woods of excess activity that gets your heart rate up only to see it jump on a log, and lessen the risk that one of those fire alarms will chatter your presence to the world. Squirrel hunting is 80% about deer hunting, for me anyways

 

[gbran]

Love to hunt tree rats. They're grey here in my part of CA. Season mid Sept thru Jan. I generally hunt them 2-3 times/month. Quail season overlaps, so I take a shotgun and a rimfire pistol, sometimes a long gun.

 

[brainwake]

I was out scouting this last weekend...it was pretty hot and didn't see any squirrels..I think they are hiding out trying to beat the heat. Acorn production looks low this year. I think the drought last year might have stunted them. The hickory nuts are in full force though. Our blackjacks are dying all over too. kind of disappointing.

 

[336A]

I've been itching to get out and get some in a big a way this year. I really enjoy being out in the woods this time of year going after the bushy tails. However it seems that the woods here in Northern NY is full of nothing but chattering little Red squirrels or as some know them pine squirrels. Yet when ever I go to town I see Grays running all over the place:banghead: The woods in this area of the state is a lot different in this regard compared to the Southern Tier where I grew up. The woods was just teaming with them there.

 

[peacemaker45]

Saw four deer and tons of sign, but the bushy tails eluded me.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

 

[3212]

I'm busy relocating them out of my yard in town.I live trapped number 24 today.This is my 3rd summer doing this.

 

[Outlaw Man]

Scout for deer, rid your deer woods of excess activity that gets your heart rate up only to see it jump on a log, and lessen the risk that one of those fire alarms will chatter your presence to the world. Squirrel hunting is 80% about deer hunting, for me anyways

That's exactly how I feel. I'll eat squirrel, but deer tastes a lot better. I don't know how many squirrels that lived merely because I didn't want to waste a $2 rifle round and scare any deer off.

 

[mio]

Squirrel season opens September 15th here and I'm pumped. We're going to try canning them this year. As a funny little side note to the squirrel calls I bought my first one a few years back and at the time the old Amish guy across the street was training and selling squirrel dogs. My daughter had a blast going out on the porch and banging away on the call getting those dogs all worked up. Until I caught her doing it anyway.

I should have bought one of those dogs it was really neat watching them work but we just don't have room for 2 dogs.

 

[Natebonebusta]

I can't wait for it to open in NC. Oct. 14th for us. Looking forward to using the CZ452 American opening day. Goodluck to all.

 

[CajunBass]

Season opens here tomorrow. I've got the muzzle-loader sighted in and a possibles bag packed. I'll most likely just go out back of the goat/pig pen and sit on the side of the hill and watch the creek bottom, buy, heck, it's almost hunting. I've got a bum knee that's been acting up recently, and there are still too many ticks and chiggers out there for me to want to stumble around in the woods too much.