nobody really gave you a time to go out....i always do good from when the sun comes up till about 10am or so...i mean..they are pretty much able to be found all day but if i cant hunt morning i hunt evening...usually after school(4 pm) or so until dark is coming.....but ive shot them at all times...its really not hard and you are right....it will help you learn to be a hunter...get a book or a picture from a web site or anything..find out what an acorn looks like and what an oak tree looks like....find areas that have alot of them trees....go there and sit queitly motionless and patiently...look up in the trees as well as on the ground...youll see them sooner or later....youll here branches shaking...leaves crunching...see a branch move...a tail hanging over a limb.....i love tree rat hunting....youll become a better shot...a better hunter....and you can scout for deer ect while your actually squirrel hunting! good luck....post all the questions you have...someone will help if they can..