Whitetail Deer Hunting Gain a better understanding of the World's most popular big game animal and the techniques that will help you become a better deer hunter.

OK to squirrel hunt while doing early scouting?

Old 08-31-2012 | 05:28 AM
  #1  
7.62NATO's Avatar
Thread Starter
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
Default OK to squirrel hunt while doing early scouting?

I don't hunt bow (yet), but our muzzleloader season starts the first weekend of November. Squirrel opens this weekend. Any harm in hunting squirrel (22LR) in the areas I'm scouting out thru September? I figure if I knock it off by Oct, I should be good to go. Besides it's likely they won't be in the same areas come November.
7.62NATO is offline  
Reply
Old 08-31-2012 | 05:32 AM
  #2  
elmoughler's Avatar
Typical Buck
 
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 532
Likes: 0
From: Auburn, IN
Default

I'll squirrel hunt up to the start of deer season, the deer don't seem to mind.
elmoughler is offline  
Reply
Old 08-31-2012 | 07:13 AM
  #3  
Banned
 
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: ohio
Default

well i am sure you will get different opinions on here. i bow hunt so i do not squirrel hunt any place i deer hunt. how ever with you hunting nov and the bucks should be shuffling around at that time i doubt you will hurt your chances one bit.
snapper1982 is offline  
Reply
Old 08-31-2012 | 08:16 AM
  #4  
Fork Horn
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Default

Bucks' movement patterns will change drastically by November even if you don't hunt those areas. As long as you stay out of their core refuge (e.g. bedding area) it shouldn't really affect you in November.
UPHunter08 is offline  
Reply
Old 08-31-2012 | 02:55 PM
  #5  
Murdy's Avatar
Typical Buck
 
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 848
Likes: 0
From: North Central Illinois
Default

I squirrel hunt all the time right up to deer season. Never seemed to matter. I hunt public land that is heavily hunted, so I figure if it wasn't me hunting, it would be someone else. If I was hunting private land with limited access to the public, I'd probably be more careful.
Murdy is offline  
Reply
Old 08-31-2012 | 05:28 PM
  #6  
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,834
Likes: 0
Default

Never had a problem as of yet. I take some orange tracking tape and mark any trees that I feel may take a lock on or ladder stand later and keep picking off tree rats as we go.
SecondChance is offline  
Reply
Old 08-31-2012 | 07:24 PM
  #7  
Bocajnala's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,090
Likes: 30
From: Trumbull County, Ohio
Default

I always do. The same properties I bow hunt too. Stay out of the known bedding areas, and that's about all. I always see plenty of deer while squirrel hunting, and plenty of squirrel while deer hunting!
-Jake
Bocajnala is offline  
Reply
Old 09-01-2012 | 07:01 AM
  #8  
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,186
Likes: 0
From:
Default

Done that for decades, even down into deer season ... with my squirrel treeing - blood trailing Dachshund no less. Doesn't seem to matter as far as running deer out of the area. I hunt on 3150 acres of which 3100 +/- are wooded. So lots of areas for the squirrels to be and lots of woods for the deer to slip off into if they want to get away for us.
Mojotex is offline  
Reply
Old 09-01-2012 | 09:51 PM
  #9  
Typical Buck
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
From: southwestern va
Default

thats usually how i find new spots to deer hunt. Unless you are hunting a particularly skittish buck i woudlnt worry about messing up a spot by squirrel hunting thru it.
scottycoyote is offline  
Reply

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.