I have really enjoyed dialing in my .22lr and .17HMR here recently and have shot some squirrels, but all in the evening. Here in VA there seems to be a flurry of activity about 35-40 mins before sunset. When are the squirrels active this time of year in the AM? Is it right at first light or an hour after etc...Not much happening midday I presume? Thanks for any and all help!

I'm not that far from you, so I'll guess the same holds true in your neck of the woods. This time of the year, squirrels will mainly move right at daylight, and then right before sunset. I don't know if it's because there are no leaves on the trees and they can see & be seen better, or it's the cold, or if predators are more active now. I've always noticed squirrels are active most of the day in September & October.

Killed my limit of 6 Fox squirrels about a week ago in WV. Seen one just at daybreak but didn't shoot to 9 and finished at 9:45. The day before I was deer hunting and seen them at daybreak and they stoped by 11. During deer season the week of thanksgiving seen squirrels all day long. I usually kill more time of year later in the morning to midday. I think because it is cold they wait to it warms up to go out.

The forage times for squirrels does change here in Michigan I am guessing due to the weather/cold.
When the days start off around 35F and up they start foraging just after first light and will be out and about nearly all day. When the day temps are starting out in the teens or lower they will be out as soon as the sun breaks around 7:30 AM here till about 10:00AM then are pretty much gone till around 3:00PM for a hour and a half.


Al

I'm not sure if this will be of any help considering I'm in Georgia but I think the weather has more to do with squirrel movement than anything. From my experience, even in the worst weather for squirrel hunting daybreak and dusk will both show squirrels on the ground but I have also had days when they seemed to be out and about all day.
The movement at dusk is usually squirrels returning to nest and at daybreak they are leaving the nest to forage.
No matter what time of day it is, there's going to be a few coming or going to do this.
Hope this helps!

First hour or two and then last hour. Sporadically you will see some in between but usually on warmer days.