Squirrel hunting
 

Anybody got any advice on the best tactics and gear for squirrel hunting. Here's the deal. A guy has a pecan grove up by my mom and dad's, and may be willing to let us deer hunt if we help control the squirrel population. He says 1 squirrel can eat 50 lbs of pecans a year. May 15th is opening day.

What would be better or more fun. 17 hmr or 22 and sitting and watching or Bow w/ flu-flu arrow. 4-10? 20 ga? going tree to tree.

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

If you want to have the most fun, then Id suggest using a flu-flu or .22, but if you want to get rid of the most squirrles, use a .410 andjust sit and look at the tops of the trees for as far as you can clearly see. When you see a branch bend down or shake violently 9 times out of 10 theres a squirrel up there. All you have to do is go over and pop em.

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

To kill alot go with the shotgun to have more fun and more challenge go with the bow or .22.

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

Bingo!

But, if farmer brown doesnt want his pecans shot off the trees by a shotgun, you're going to have to try somthing different. shotguns will probbably knock down a few pecans

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

If your using a shotgun then stick with a 410. I used to shoot them in my front yard witha 12 gauge and it would bring down around 40 or 50 pecans with every shot. Id stick with a 22 or 17 with a good high power scope and try to shoot them when they are running on the ground at 100-200 yards. The flu-flu would be fun also.

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

Thanks for the replys. That is what what I was thinking. Bow for fun. Rimfire for range and precision. Shotgun for close up, but might hurt pecans.

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

when i squirrel hunt i have a single shot 410 youth model it will get it if u make the right shot its a challenge because it wounds them some time

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

Best of luck trying to significantly reduce the squirrel population. Unless the area is small and isolated, you can harvest up to 60% of the population and not negatively influence the number of squirrels next year. That is a short answer for a complicated topic.

I prefer a .22

Shoot some for me!


-Marc

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

use the shot gun and get rid of them

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

.17 or .22

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

When you have some idle time rustle up some snakes, they don't have to be venomous, and set them loose in those pecan trees. Be sure to clear this with the landowner and explain that the snakes are to be left alone to do their job. Squirrels have an inborn fear of snakes, and the snakes will gobble their young as quick as they find them. Do this often since snakes have to rest for a few days between meals. As the snake population climbs the squirrels will begin to thin out from both the fear of them and predation of their young. If this is done early enough in the year the snakes will breed there and produce more to eat the squirrels.

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

Use .22 they work nice

RE: Squirrel hunting
 

Im kinda parital to a .22 pistol myself when Im only hunting squirrels and a shotgun when Im out after upland birds (fool hens).

I'll grant that I come back with more when out with the shotgun but its a heck of a lot more fun with the pistol and snap shooting... ;)

D.