Squirrel Hunting Tips & Tricks.
08-23-2010, 03:53 PM
#11
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: North Iowa
Posts: 33
1. If you are walking you should be looking down to be sure not to step on sticks or anything else that might make noise. Only look in the trees when you are standing or sitting still.
2. Quieter guns = less spooked squirrels. .22 short or .22 LR subsonic is best.
3. The more camo the better. On private land I am head to toe camo, public land I'll wear a blaze orange hat.
4. When you see a hawk or eagle while hunting, just move on to the next spot. The squirrels won't be coming out for quite a while.
5. Going out after a light rain is best. Wet leaves don't make a sound.
2. Quieter guns = less spooked squirrels. .22 short or .22 LR subsonic is best.
3. The more camo the better. On private land I am head to toe camo, public land I'll wear a blaze orange hat.
4. When you see a hawk or eagle while hunting, just move on to the next spot. The squirrels won't be coming out for quite a while.
5. Going out after a light rain is best. Wet leaves don't make a sound.
11-28-2010, 06:03 PM
#13
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 31
i prefer to slip thru the woods instead of sitting. after a good rain one can move a little faster, but the faster one moves the easier it is for the sq to spot you.
2-3 slow steps then scan in front and both sides. go slow and keep all movement to a minimum when preparing for the shot.
camo clothes, incl. head net/mask and gloves. i hunt my land so i never wear any orange.
accurate/scoped 22 (with a suppressor and shooting sub sonic hollow points) allows me to kill 5 or more from the same tree when they are cutting good.
as fall/winter progress, move even slower (and practice those 50 yard shots) due to less leaves on the trees.
or find a den tree and pop em' as they come out to warm up/feed. if i plan to sit and wait, i carry a standard throwable boat cushion (the type from any wmt. with straps on 2 sides) that is covered with some type of quiet cloth.
have fun!
2-3 slow steps then scan in front and both sides. go slow and keep all movement to a minimum when preparing for the shot.
camo clothes, incl. head net/mask and gloves. i hunt my land so i never wear any orange.
accurate/scoped 22 (with a suppressor and shooting sub sonic hollow points) allows me to kill 5 or more from the same tree when they are cutting good.
as fall/winter progress, move even slower (and practice those 50 yard shots) due to less leaves on the trees.
or find a den tree and pop em' as they come out to warm up/feed. if i plan to sit and wait, i carry a standard throwable boat cushion (the type from any wmt. with straps on 2 sides) that is covered with some type of quiet cloth.
have fun!
12-10-2010, 08:17 AM
#14
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3
This depends on how easy you want to make it for yourself. You can hunt one with a 20 gauge shotgun, that works well, but some people think it's a pain to pick pellets out of the squirrel. Another method is a bolt-action, i really like rugers for their accuracy and reliability, and putting a scope on a ruger 77/22 works ok if you hunt with dogs, although its a little more expensive and if you hunt alone it can be hard to find one in the scope when they're moving around a lot. If you are going to go with a rifle, my suggestion which i highly recommend is a marlin lever action .22, they hold a lot of ammunition in their tube mags, can be reloaded at your shoulder if you miss, and are very accurate.
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12-17-2010, 08:19 AM
#16
Spike
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 75
I've improved a lot at squirrels this season. So far I've not come back empty handed. Of course, I've just jinxed my next trip for sure! I hunt alone with a scoped .22 and don't use dogs. I rely on their natural curiosity and aggressive behavior to bring them to me.
I think the advice given in this thread varies greatly with the area of the country you're in and the type of squirrel you're after.
Colorado mountain squirrels will use the same tree for what appears to be years judging by the pile of pine cones and cuttings. I've found looking down and listening is more important than looking up. Look for signs of feeding on the ground around tree trunks or the sound of them barking. When I find one of these trees I get myself into a safe shooting position (considering the missed or pass through shot) and sit and wait. You can train your eye to notice the signature movements of squirrels, be it a flick of a tail, any horizontal movement, or how the branches move differently to the wind. Spotting their shape even in the shadows is getting easier now as well.
If it's the middle of the day the squirrels are not so active but, because of the feeding piles, I know they're around. So discharging a round usually wakes them up and they come out mightily angry. I might try to mimic their bark by kind of clicking my tongue off the roof of my mouth. They usually start barking and you can home in on their position. If you have to move to get a shot, move slower than normal, but you don't have to crawl. Just slow deliberate movements, and that includes your hands and head. Circle the tree rather than approach it and move away to get round obstacles. I've been surprised how much movement they tolerate.
If they spook and run, they likely run down the backside of the tree and away from you put of sight. In the middle of the day I might sit and wait and see if after 20-30 mins they come out, but towards the end of the day there's usually a more active one close by, so I move on. In CO they are very territorial, there is rarely more than one squirrel per tree. The estimate is one per acre, but I've found that in some areas, it's often slightly better than that.
Now the snow is in the high country, it's easier to see recent activity. The piles of cones and cuttings are still visible right now but there is often new cutting on the snow. Fallen logs are road ways and in areas of high traffic. I've had some luck sitting and watching the busy paths to see them move around. They again, are great indicators to let you know this is a good place to set up and wait.
The squirrels in Colorado spend a surprising amount of time on the ground, running from tree to tree. Their dark bodies stand out against the snow. When I find areas of high ground traffic I get high over and open area and watch the ground for movements, then move slowly into position. I don't try for the shot while they move but knowing which tree they're in is enough to close in on the hunt.
Even if there is a lot of cutting or sign on the ground, if the trees are too thick for a clean shot, you can be frustrated by hearing them bark but not be able to locate them. After that happens a few times you can begin to recognize the areas that are worth your time, and no matter how much sign, the trees that will house the old men of the woods, while they laugh and even throw pine cones at you.
Regardless of the success rate, I've found squirrel hunting a great way to get into the hills and back to natural ways. It was also great preparation for my first deer hunt this year, I didn't come home empty handed from that hunt either.
I think the advice given in this thread varies greatly with the area of the country you're in and the type of squirrel you're after.
Colorado mountain squirrels will use the same tree for what appears to be years judging by the pile of pine cones and cuttings. I've found looking down and listening is more important than looking up. Look for signs of feeding on the ground around tree trunks or the sound of them barking. When I find one of these trees I get myself into a safe shooting position (considering the missed or pass through shot) and sit and wait. You can train your eye to notice the signature movements of squirrels, be it a flick of a tail, any horizontal movement, or how the branches move differently to the wind. Spotting their shape even in the shadows is getting easier now as well.
If it's the middle of the day the squirrels are not so active but, because of the feeding piles, I know they're around. So discharging a round usually wakes them up and they come out mightily angry. I might try to mimic their bark by kind of clicking my tongue off the roof of my mouth. They usually start barking and you can home in on their position. If you have to move to get a shot, move slower than normal, but you don't have to crawl. Just slow deliberate movements, and that includes your hands and head. Circle the tree rather than approach it and move away to get round obstacles. I've been surprised how much movement they tolerate.
If they spook and run, they likely run down the backside of the tree and away from you put of sight. In the middle of the day I might sit and wait and see if after 20-30 mins they come out, but towards the end of the day there's usually a more active one close by, so I move on. In CO they are very territorial, there is rarely more than one squirrel per tree. The estimate is one per acre, but I've found that in some areas, it's often slightly better than that.
Now the snow is in the high country, it's easier to see recent activity. The piles of cones and cuttings are still visible right now but there is often new cutting on the snow. Fallen logs are road ways and in areas of high traffic. I've had some luck sitting and watching the busy paths to see them move around. They again, are great indicators to let you know this is a good place to set up and wait.
The squirrels in Colorado spend a surprising amount of time on the ground, running from tree to tree. Their dark bodies stand out against the snow. When I find areas of high ground traffic I get high over and open area and watch the ground for movements, then move slowly into position. I don't try for the shot while they move but knowing which tree they're in is enough to close in on the hunt.
Even if there is a lot of cutting or sign on the ground, if the trees are too thick for a clean shot, you can be frustrated by hearing them bark but not be able to locate them. After that happens a few times you can begin to recognize the areas that are worth your time, and no matter how much sign, the trees that will house the old men of the woods, while they laugh and even throw pine cones at you.
Regardless of the success rate, I've found squirrel hunting a great way to get into the hills and back to natural ways. It was also great preparation for my first deer hunt this year, I didn't come home empty handed from that hunt either.
Last edited by o_O; 12-17-2010 at 02:29 PM.
12-17-2010, 02:06 PM
#17
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: southwestern va
Posts: 753
if you have some buddies do a squirrel drive.....lots of fun and you will probably limit out. Also get a squirrel call, i have the 4in1 call, think its made by knight and hale...comes with a cd. Listen to the different squirrel sounds on the cd, i always take it in the woods with me and i always get some action.
