squirrel_slayer_11

They are a great warm up for deer hunting. So. while you are out squirrel hunting. you can do a lil bit of scouting for deer. but keep a look out for squirrles too. I always take someone with me because 4 eyes is better than 2. They are great target practice.

plasmajack

newbie -
looking to hunt squirrels in s. NM - where can I hunt?
anyone know where Gila wilderness in Silvercity area know where to hunt?

squirrelops

my sis is a cop in Albuquerque N/M ill ask for yea

plasmajack

anyone done any squirrel or cottontail hunting in S. New Mexico? silver city, deming, lordsburge or dona ana county/hatch area?

ChasinTail

Squirrel hunting is very easy once you know how to do it.

If I want to limit out quick and easy ill take the 12 gauge, you can get shots off a lot quicker. I've killed many with 2-3 to a tree that I probably wouldn't have with a rifle. But if I'm looking for some target practice ill take the .17 or 22.


Camp doesn't matter imo, it's all about movement.

Get in before daylight and set up in some good timber. Sneak around like a cat. Listen and watch carefully for movement in the trees. If you don't see any after a while, walk about 50 yards then sit down again. Just be sneaky.

Take a plastic bag or whatever with you to hold them. It'll get annoying trying to carry a bunch around.

Also, if you really kill a bunch you can probably find someone to sell the tails to. Very easy to keep them to, just cut em off, salt the end, and put them on a board to keep them straight. Mepp's actually buys them to make their spinners. If you're into fishing you can sell them for credit I'm pretty sure. Check their website for more info

TheHuntsmenShow

The Stalk, Stop & Spot.

Stalk. I begin every hunt quietly stalking the woods searching for good squirrel habit. Or if I'm lucky, the occasional rogue who's completely unaware that I'm even there. I'm looking for and stalking towards large, mature hardwoods. I often only have to walk a few hundred yards before I get into the squirrels. If I'm in a particular place that is full of mature trees, then I tend to focus my efforts on "groups of trees" that would be able to sustain a small family or dray of squirrels. I've been very successful finding most of my squirrels near the tops of hills and ridge lines. I theorize it's a defense tactic on their part...lol. That said, I generally walk the upper edges of ridges & hills. It provides a great vantage point too for squirrels that are further down a hill or towards the bottom of the ridge near valleys and creeks.

Stop. I always stop before I actually get to my "target" of hardwoods that' I've been eye-balling. Or if I'm trying to cover a lot of ground or hunting in a new unfamiliar area, I try to stop and listen about every 100 yards. I stop, sit and listen. I listen for them cutting, playing or calling. Once I hear them, I work to get into a better position nearer the sounds. If I don't hear anything after 5 or 10 minutes, I stalk another 100 yards.....Rinse & Repeat.

Spot. Once I hear signs of squirrels I ease my way into a concealed position. Often behind a tree or in a creek bed & making sure I'm within gun range. And from there, all you have to do is wait. They'll make a mistake and show themselves....

squirrelchaser

For the eastern gray squirrel:

With the exception of really cold mornings (and the definition of cold will certainly vary where you are in the US), I always try to be in the woods and completely settled at in well before first light. Grays are very early risers and begin moving before first light. I can't tell you how many I've seen or heard moving around before it's even light enough to shoot. Being in well before they begin stirring has really increased the number of squirrels I see each season. I have found that grays tend to start moving later than first light on mornings where it's really cold. Where I hunt, that number seems to be below 25 degrees or so. In those situations, I typically don't see any movement until at least an hour after first light.

Fox Squirrels:

I've found fox squirrels to begin moving around much later in the morning versus the gray squirrel. In the areas I hunt, fox squirrels don't start moving until 8AM or so at the earliest. In my experience, being in before first light isn't as important when hunting fox squirrels.

Just an opinion based on my experience. YMMV

ChasinTail

Any more tips on fox squirrel locations?

I could go out and kill 100 grey squirrels in one day probably but never see a single fox squirrel. I like to keep the tails. I was in a spot the other day and walked up on about 3 big boar fox squirrels, if this wasn't right on top of my deer stand I'd hunt it.

jrbsr

Try this, I hope it helps.

Ridge Runner

open timber and field edges are where fox squirrels thrive the best, greys like the deep dark woods.
RR