I see all these pictures of guys killin multiple squirrels in one hunt and this is my first year tryin it. Do you guys have any quick hints for me. I've been told once winter starts kickin in they like to hang out near holly trees? Is this true? But anyways... any little tips will help. I do have a call by the way. Help me out guys.

If I wanted to jerk ya around I'd say point the darn gun at the tree and shoot... but it seems you're wanting real advice. I've been an avid squirrel hunter for the better part of two decades. I've never seen a year like this year. They're all over the place. Basically, in the first part of the season I'll do kinda a still hunting technique where I work an area where I know there are squirrels listening for them to cut on nuts or scan the trees for what I consider "squirrel type" movement in branches. Wind is pretty constant but when the branches are moving and shaking all over the place more often than not its not the wind. During the late season it gets harder. You're shots are bound to be farther and you're more apt to get shots on the ground rather than in trees. The can also see you alot better. I typically go for a weapon that will give the farther shots as an option. Last weekend, I was deer hunting on a ridge top and wound up bagging out on saturday. Sunday I took my 17 hmr and limited out. There is a book called the ultimate guide to squirrel hunting by bob gooch, I've found it helpful.

If you told me a little more about your usual hunting stratagy for them I may be able to tell you more. Ultimately, I recommend studying up on any game you pursue, the different plants that it may eat, etc before you go out looking for a hunting experience. So give me some more specific questions (you can pm if you want) and I'll give my take on it anyways.

Ultimately just point the darn gun and shoot.

find their food and you'll find them.

standing corn is an excellent place to look..hunt the edges and the trees surrounding the field..

nut bearing trees are also their favorite...acorns, walnuts, etc...


some squirrels do live in den trees (holey trees as you called them..) but many live in leaf nests you often see up in the trees..just look like balls of leaves up in the trees...

i find squirrel hunting a heck of alot like deer hunting...they have pretty good eye sight and hearing..they will bust you and climb a tree and "vanish"...i put one up a tree the other day and sat at the next tree over for nearly a half an hour...never seen it again so i shot his buddy...or maybe it was him and he came down another tree or something...they are tricky critters...

they spend their day on the ground gathering nuts and leaves for their nests..they climb the trees going to and from their nests, sitting in the sun on a limb, laying on a limb hiding from YOU or other predators, etc...they like to sit on stumps n such to eat...and often run across downed trees when they can opposed to on the forest floor...

theres 2 methods of squirrel hunting IMO...sitting and waiting (usually done in a food source or an area with a couple nests..)

or still hunting..which is ever so slowwwwly walking through areas that should have squirrels..food sources and or areas with nests...i prefer to still hunt on days when the forest is quiet...rained the night before, soft snow, etc..

if you see a squirrel and it runs up a tree and disappears, have a seat...most of the time, their patience runs short if you sit still and quiet and they will come out for a shot...

its a blast chasin bushy tales...i find it alot like deer hunting...i like to use a 22 with a scope as its quieter than a shotgun...but a shotgun works well....

keep scanning all the time...it can be difficult because they can be anywhere from the forest floor to the top of the trees...listen carefully...you can often hear them running in the leaves, their nails on tree bark, leaves limbs or nuts being knocked outta the tree, them barking at you, etc...

the early season, it seems like they spend more time in the trees gathering and knocking down nuts...after the nuts are down, they spend more time on the ground it seems...but you can never tell...keep an eye out for both...go slow, be quiet, shoot straight!

thanks for the advice guys. I've been in the woods ever since i could walk i think, and hunting from the first chance possible to get my license. I'm alwayssss in the woods wether its hunting or scouting or just teaching my little sister things. Of course i've noticed many more squirrels when im sitting in a treestand but my plans were to just go find a nice open area, find a nice tree and take a seat at the base of it and just wait it out. Earlier this season i was hunting some acorn flats but i would only sit in one spot for about 20 minutes. Should i wait longer? And today was the first day i have been out in a while for squirrel and since the acorns are done droppin i wasnt sure what to do. i hunted near a bunch of holly trees goin off of that "advice" i got before. there are also a bunch of laurels all around this piece and ive noticed they love bein in them much like deer do. I heard all of the trademark sounds of squirrels: leaves rustling (and i am 100% sure it was squirrels, not deer or birds) i heard the nails on bark and even some squirrel barks but since i live in jersey i cant hunt with a rifle so i hunt with my 20gauge or my 410 so i have to be within 20-25 yards. Since almost all of the leaves are on the ground you guys know how hard it is to be silent out there. hopefully this gives ya a little insight on what i'm working with. once again, thanks so much for the help guys. im just tryin to feed my hunger to be in the woods but i need some help puttin meat on the table.

your oak flats and such will still produce...they are going to be in there feeding on acorns still..burying more..unburying some and eating etc etc...im in PA and still shootin them over acorns...they are workin hard..but more active on the ground than in the trees this time of year...

it is hard hunting when the leaves are dry...go VERY slow and try your best to be quiet...if im in an area i dont expect to find them i'll walk normal...then when im 200yds or so from where i wanna start hunting, i slow and get quiet..a few slow steps at a time..then pause, scan..few more steps...etc...takes a little bit, but when i get to where i wanna hunt, i usually got a couple in the area i didnt spook...

sit time depends on you...in a good spot you can sit on the same stump and shoot your limit..others after 15-30 mins you might wanna move..when its dry and loud walking, its best to find a good spot and just sit...listen and watch for them in the distance and try stalking closer or move to that area and wait them out..

your shotguns will work fine...i enjoy a scoped 22...but nothin wrong with blastin them with a shotgun...

good luck!

First off you need to locate their nests. (Just incase you don't know what they are) You see those big balls of sticks and leaves up in trees? those are their nests.


Find a place that has several of these and hunt by them. In the morning they will be coming out and evening heading in.

You know you are in a good area when you see lots of these nests.

You need to stay longer than 20 minutes. Things are just begining to settle down in that short time.

Here is a cheap squirrel call, costs 2 cents.

Take two pennies with you when you go next time. The reason is, when you walk in the woods, your presence causes animals to go into hiding. it will take awhile before thing return to normal (as mentioned above)


When you find a stand sight and get settled in, wait about 15 minutes. Take out the two pennies. Turn one over to the tails side, so you can see that monument on the back. Take the other penny a slide the edge of it long the ridges on that monument. This sounds like a squirrel chewing on a nut. This sound will help return things back to normal and will help relax squirrels and let them think all is normal again. They will start moving again.

Those misty rain/drizzly type of days are actually good days for squirrel hunting. They seem to like a fine drizzle and are usually active most of the day. This is also a good time for you to still hunt and move quieter.

If you happen to spot a squirrel at a distance and then get to where he was at and don't see him, this is a good place to try that penny call I mentioned earlier. Be sure to wait about 15 minutes before calling. They need to think you are gone.

This is my first year too. I like to find a spot and just sit there. I can sit for up to 3 hours, it doesn't bother me and I don't get bored, I just keep scanning the woods and listening.

Now on Monday, I still hunted them with the boy. I could hear them above me but never saw them so we'd slowly walked up the hill a few steps at a time and scanned for 5 minutes, slowly walk a bit more and scan til we got to the top where I heard them. My son's knees don't bend so he sloshes through the woods. I've been working on him to pick his damn feet up! I sat him down by a tree and told him to not move and hunt this area! I still hunted behind him, keeping my eye on him periodically and saw two squirrels fighting over a tree. I tried to ruin their day but no luck. I had fun trying.

I bought a squirrel call and that thing just seems like a nuisance to be honest. I haven't had any luck with it at all but my dog sure does love it when I get it out and shake it around.

I have found, in my first year so far of trial and error that if I go in, I don't expect to come out with anything <that's my luck> and just be quiet and sit, I have better luck seeing them.

I killed my second squirrel on Saturady 2 hours after getting to my spot and sitting. The look on my son's face when he heard my gun going off and seeing my squirrel was priceless! He has yet to get one but he will eventually and I know in time, I'll get better and be able to bag my limit in one day too.

I'm going to try the two pennies though and see how that works for me. Good luck and stay safe and just remember, even if you don't get anything, doesn't mean it's a bad hunt... Enjoy the woods, the sights and the sound!

I would say you'd be fine with either a 410 or 20 ga. The 20 ga will give you a bigger pattern and more range. I agree with the other, sit over those acorn plots and don't be afraid to sit for an hour or two. Last friday was the day before deer season opened and I sat down in a spot about like what your describing and after about 40 minutes two squirrels came chasin each other at about 40 yards. Shot the first one on the spot the second ran up the closest tree and after another half hour or so tried to make a slow get away and bam. The important thing is that you be patient.

1 more very important thing to remember: Have fun!! Any day sittin in the woods is way better than a day at work. Enjoy yourself and remember that you always learn from every experience.

If you happen to be poor and don't have the pennies, try tapping two shells together in rapid succession for a couple seconds. This also sounds like them chewing on nuts. This has worked for me on numerous occasions.

Another trick is, if you have a treed squirell that is hiding from you, put your jacket on a branch and slowly walk in a circle around the tree. The squirell will move around to keep out your sight till it sees the jacket, then will go to the opposite side ( the side your on ) to hide and study the coat.

Hope this helps you a bit.

I just sit in my backyard with my bow, and snipe them from 45 yards out.