Brod_Man

how do you guys go about hunting squirrels in the late season? i mean they are thick early september, eating every hickory they can get there little paws on, but now there gone. so what do i do?

TNHagies

They'll be on the ground then. I like to find me a good tree to back up against and sit. They're scavaging at that time of the year so they'll be on the move constantly. I actually really enjoy late season squirrel huntin'.

Ol Charlie

Seems like tree rats always do the same thing all year. Up and down aftercutnuts or up and down after buried nuts. Stick close to the mast trees, don't fidget, and pop them suckers one after another!With shotguns, we generally get eight a day out here near West Fork Arkansas.
(As long as the wind is slow.)

arcticap

I usually still hunt as quietly as possible, listening and scanning the trees and ground. You need to try to hear orsee them before they see you and skeedaddle. IfI need tomove closer to get into a position to shoot, or intorange, I will sometimes use a squirrel call as a cover call to make them think that it's another squirrel that's tiptoeing a fewsteps at a time towards them through the leaves. IfI can get a view or close enough to seeone scurry up a tree, then I'll hurry on over to get a shotat it before it disappears.
By stalking squirrels, I get to cover morearea until Ican locate one that's out and about,since only a percentage of them are out at any one time. SoI don't like sitting around too much when they may notbe coming back out for a longwhile.
Then if I findwhat looks to be a realpromising area, I'll sit and wait for a while before moving on again, as quitely as possible unless I feel that nothing is around. But I always try to keep scanning the trees and the ground, and then slow down and stop to quiet things down. You never know where they may be, and if they don't know that it's a human, then they may not realize thata hunter isstill standing there, because they think thatI've passed.
There's no certain method to determininghow an animal thinks. Some are skitish and some aren't. If they are in the vicinity or heading your way and they don't know that you are there, you just need to be aware and ready in case one shows up from around the corner orfrom down the hill.
Coming up& over from the other side of a hill hides your noise until just before you arrive and when you need to quiet down and tiptoe/still huntagain.
I also seem to find more squirrels within a short distance away from water, liketrickle brooks or wetter areas. Sometimes they may be just below the top of a hill, butthese are often the perimeter squirrels. More of them areoften foundcloser to some kind of water, even if it's just because the trees grow larger there.Sometimes it's becausecertain areas are lower or more protected from the winds.
So there's no certain formula, only greater or lesser odds of finding their roosts. Sometimes the more ground I cover the better if it's done half way properly. At least Ican also do some deer scouting that way too.
And when the day is close to being done, sometimes a squirrel will come out and just start squawkingas ifcalling to me from the distance. Then it's up to me to figure out the best way to sneak my way into range and view. That's where you can go back up to the beginning of this post to see one way to try to do that. Yep, try to advance, hide behind tree trunks if possibleand hope to not get caught in plainview by awary squirrel.

waiting_for_a_gift

Later in the season, squirrels are definitely more scarce and more wary. Same basic strategies apply, you just have to be really sharp both spotting them and shooting them. I'vehad some outstanding squirrel hunting on warm wet days.

Brod_Man

thanks for the advice, but what i guess im tryin to ask is where would the majority of squirrels be? Like around oaks, walnuts, Hickories?

arcticap

You'll find them near where they live. This may not sound helpful, but when the woods are filled with nut trees, theyleavesigns to look for.
They build leaf nests which they abandon before they move into thetrees where you might spot some entrance holes. When there is snow on the ground, you'll see their tracks and small chips of tree bark by the bases of trees from them scampering up and down them over and over again.
You can hear them calling at certain times of the day, particularly the younger juvenile squirrels.
You'll see some empty or 1/2 eatenacorn shells scattered around, andshallowholes in fresh dirtwhere they have dugbelow the leavesof the forest floor.
There's topography too. They seem to prefer living within a short distance of a water source and alsoprefer areas that offer protection from storm winds which rock the trees, maybe in depressions and lower on hillsides. Water being presentusually produces more varietyand larger trees.
I think that they like larger, taller trees more than smaller ones, and extra large nut trees like a great oakare also a draw. Nut trees only produce for a short time, but squirrels also need food sources during the rest of the year.
Usually where there is one squirrel there are more nearby, but sometimes youcan't locatethem withoutscouting around until you find their sign.

Branson

I'd try to target some oaks now. My strategy is to find a spot that looks promising (e.g., oak stand) and sit it for a while. While you're sitting, listen carefully. I've also had the best luck in the early morning or late evening for squirrels. Time of day matters.So go out there, walk around a bit and keep your eyesand ears open. You'll find them, and when you do lay it on 'em. Best of luck.
-- B

Nichunter

what guns do you guys use??

gambit

my bow mostly once in a great while i'll use my 22mag or 12ga