Who squirrel hunts?

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Axis II

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I haven't actually walked around squirrel hunting in about 10yrs and kinds of miss it. Anyone still squirrel hunt? I have a large state forest near me i used to go to but never really shot anything. Anyone have woodlots there aren't squirrel? I always thought it odd id never see any. Thinking about making a trip with some buddies next weekend but being this cold and snowy im wondering if its worth the trip?
 
I squirrel hunt after deer season is over , but not as much as I use too , since I started my first pack of beagles . I rabbit hunt more now than squirrel hunt . I bought a 120 acres of cutover last year and it is surrounded by a state forest on 2 sides . Most of the state forest around here are planted in pines , so there are not many squirrels there . My hunting club woods are full of them though . The first Saturday after deer season ends we have a friendly squirrel hunt competition . Two man team , each puts in $10 dollars and the team with the highest weight wins the money . I haven't won it yet , but most of the time they give me their squirrels and I love squirrel . I do it for fun and the for eating , so I use a .22 rifle . I could kill more with a shotgun . The winners are usually using shotguns .
 
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Yes they are likely still there. Walking through the woods for them is kind of difficult as they will spot you first and hide. Sneak around and find a place with a good vantage point and watch and wait. This time of year is a good time to see what kind of distance you can get out of a .22 rifle, shoot them and let them lie while you pick a few more off then go collecting. Another good way is walk a creek where you can be fairly quiet in the water and often times if the creekbanks are high just pop your head over one now and then and see if you spot one.
 
Squirrel hunting is my favorite type of hunting. Sadly I don't get to don't as much as I would like. I live a good day right after a rain, makes the woods quiet enough you can stalk around without too much noise, and there are plenty of squirrels. Walk to a known spot and hang out for 10 minutes or so, they tent to come back out, scoped .22 is my choice.
 
I spend a fair amount of time walking in the woods during squirrel season, but don't take it seriously. The season here runs from Aug 15 to Feb 28. It is an excuse to get in the woods prior to deer season and scout before the opening of big game season which runs from late Sept to Jan 1. After big game season ends I often go for long walks with a shotgun and will take shots of opportunity on squirrel, rabbit, or quail. Turkey season starts about 2 weeks after small game season ends, so once again, I'm really scouting for turkey.

There is a pretty large WMA 15 minutes from the house where I can roam all day. I have to be drawn for rifle big game hunting there and get picked about 2 out of 3 years. But for archery big game, small game, and turkey I just sign in.
 
Yup. Fox squirrels and Abert's. I don't ever take many Abert's since the population is small locally, but Fox squirrels are frequently part of my mixed bag hunts. Last weekend I was goose hunting but did not get any shots (they did not fly over me). Instead I came home with a squirrel, a cottontail and a dove.
 
yes i do and love it. i would go out more but the closest woods i can hunt is 10 miles away and i am out of work so dont have all the money for gas. i had a nice 32 cal muzzleloader when i was a kid and loved to hunt with that. i seen a big one yesterday deer hunting, he was so big i almost shot it.
 
I haven't hunted since moving to Texas, but enjoyed squirrel hunting in NY and PA. I look forward to doing so again when schedule permits. I hope to introduce my grand kids to hunting by chasing squirrels together. My oldest granddaughter is five, so it will be a while yet.
 
Legionnaire said:
I haven't hunted since moving to Texas, but enjoyed squirrel hunting in NY and PA. I look forward to doing so again when schedule permits. I hope to introduce my grand kids to hunting by chasing squirrels together. My oldest granddaughter is five, so it will be a while yet.
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There's lots of GREAT squirrel hunting in the east Texas piney woods on state and national forest lands.
 
I love to squirrel hunt, and do it as often as possible from opening day to closing day. I used to hunt with a Manchester Terrier. My son has Jack Russel Terriers. My squirrel dog now is, believe it or not, a chiweenie. Half daschund and half chihuahua. She is a good one too.
 
Been meaning to get back into it ever since retiring a couple years ago...... Around here the season is from Sep. 1st until Feb. 28th so I still have time this season for some late winter squirrel hunting. Bought a CZ-455 in 22LR with a thumbhole stock in 2017 with intentions of squirrel hunting. I like that thumbhole stock for offhand shooting; especially when aiming upward into the trees. But so far its only been a fun plinker & range toy..... Gotta do something about that. Last squirrel I got was a few years ago with a Benjamin Trail .22 cal pellet rifle.... Just because it's legal and I wanted to get one with an air rifle just for the challenge. Like the OP; I miss squirrel hunting and want to get back into it as it's part of my hunting roots.
 
I thought that every hunter started out squirrel or rabbit hunting. I know I did.
As with most of the others here, I don't do it much anymore. I'm the only one who eats them in my family so the only time I go squirreling is when I need to make a pot of Brunswick stew for a cookout. Hmmm, thinking about Brunswick stew has made me hungry. :D
 
What's your guys game plan for winter time squirrel hunting? I thought about getting a chair, shooting sticks and sit on the hillside and pick them off.

What's your favorite ammo for them? I run CCI standard now.
 
ohihunter2014 said:
What's your guys game plan for winter time squirrel hunting? I thought about getting a chair, shooting sticks and sit on the hillside and pick them off.

What's your favorite ammo for them? I run CCI standard now.
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That is exactly the same way I enjoy hunting them. I will grab my lawn chair walk out to the woods with my 22 Lever action Winchester, and then I will sit down in a spot on the bluff that overlooks the creek below, and then I just wait for the woods to calm down a little bit. It's just a matter of maybe 10 minutes and then you start hearing the sounds or I will catch a glimpse of the elusive tree rat! Squirrel hunting definitely gets your eyes and ears in tune to the surroundings of the woods about you. I can almost hear them chattering now . . .
 
We have a retiree here that would rather eat squirrel than beefsteak. Many times he has claimed he would have quit working here when Grandpa retired but where else would he find a job where the fringe benefits was hunting four of the best squirrel and deer woods in the state. Even though we provide him a half beef and two hogs a year, every morning in season he is walking towards one of the woodlots with either his ancient .22 rifle or the Benjamin pellet gun my brother and I bought him one year for Christmas. Every night I look over to his house to make sure his lights are on because I fully expect when that old man dies it will be in a woodlot with his sightless eyes in the trees and his rifle next to him where it dropped from his lifeless hands. Somehow I think the squirrels will mourn his passing as much as we will.
 
Officers'Wife said:
We have a retiree here that would rather eat squirrel than beefsteak. Many times he has claimed he would have quit working here when Grandpa retired but where else would he find a job where the fringe benefits was hunting four of the best squirrel and deer woods in the state. Even though we provide him a half beef and two hogs a year, every morning in season he is walking towards one of the woodlots with either his ancient .22 rifle or the Benjamin pellet gun my brother and I bought him one year for Christmas. Every night I look over to his house to make sure his lights are on because I fully expect when that old man dies it will be in a woodlot with his sightless eyes in the trees and his rifle next to him where it dropped from his lifeless hands. Somehow I think the squirrels will mourn his passing as much as we will.
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Thank you for sharing your kind thoughts.
 
I still hunt them. Honestly I'd rather hunt squirrels than deer, especially when it comes to packing them out...

I normally go after deer season, easier to get permission and I'm not afraid of screwing up someone else's hunt. I've got 80 acres and have been doing "squirrel habitat improvement" (no chit) since we bought the place. Put up nesting boxes, cleaned up some oaks and planted more. I even feed the little tree rats using my deer feeder and a couple of the regular squirrel feeders for whole ears. So far it's paying off, way more nests on my property and a spurt in new oak trees where' they've buried acorns and left them.

I've got permission on my neighbors 500 acres north of me, so that's where I normally hunt. I like to still hunt till I see activity, then I go to ground and wait for them to move. Normally I use an older Ruger 77-22 with a Leupold compact 3x9 on it.
 
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