im in maryland, i hunt with bow on public land also, that is a hard one, i myself would not gun hunt for squrells anywere near where i bow hunt for whitetails, but then again if it is public land and other people do it i would have to say what the heck go for it if someone else is going to do it it might have well be you ,,,,,,, if ya can, stay away from beding areas and areas where you put your stand, if the deer can place your sent with the boom, they may spook everytime they smell your sent, althought i have shot squrells and 2 minutes later deer walk withing 2o yards of me . so go figure ,,,, what ever you do goodluck