Squirrel newbie

[Rocdenindy]

Ok, so me and one of my friends from school and her husband went out the other day to try our hand at squirrel hunting and didn't see a damn one. Can anyone give me some suggestions? Like times, calls, and things like that. Thanks.

 

[rkesar]

I always go early in the morning. I usually walk into the woods find a spot that looks good and just sit against a tree and wait for them to come to me.

 

[gunworks321]

This also works in the evening as well. I used to go after high school let out in the fall. Just sit and wait, preferably in an area with oak, beech, or hickory trees. Takes about 15-20 minutes of sitting before they come back out. If you get a head shot on one, just leave it lay where it falls (remember where that is) as any others generally don't spook much and will be back minding their own business pretty quickly. If you don't see any after about 30-45 minutes, move to another location.

 

[Dargasonus]

They don't move a lot this time of year, gotta really keep your eyes open. They are cutting on hickory around me right now, plant your butt on the ground next to a few and wait 15 minutes or so, then move on to the next group of hickory. I tend to have better luck at daylight than evening, but my eyesight isn't very good in the dark evening hours either. Like gunworks said, don't move after you drop one. I usually find greys in groups, and his buddies may be laid up on a limb nearby. Reds seem to be more loners, so I won't want to long after I bag one of those.

 

[Rocdenindy]

Thanks for the info. I hopefully will be putting this to use this weekend

 

[rjc2rjc]

Just go pretend your deer hunting. Then they will come out in the hundreds. that's what happens to me anyway during deer season.

 

[Slawburger]

Just go pretend your deer hunting. Then they will come out in the hundreds. that's what happens to me anyway during deer season.

I had one literally run over my boot while deer hunting.
Either I was being very still or that was one brazen squirrel.

 

[hps]

KNOW UR TREES!!! Ur odds will greatly improve.

 

[dprimm]

How does this heat impact their behavior? Unfortunately this weekend I can only get out to the woods in the middle-ish of the day.

 

[rkesar]

more than likely wont see very many during mid day especially with the heat we've been having

 

[patricktjms]

Try sitting and scraping 2 quarters together. It mimicks the sound of teeth scraping acorns and nuts. They always seem to come to see who is making the noise.

 

[meegz]

Try sitting and scraping 2 quarters together. It mimicks the sound of teeth scraping acorns and nuts. They always seem to come to see who is making the noise.

i always used dimes. the pitch is a little different, sounds closer to the sounds the squirrels make when they're popping nuts open, to me at least.

another thing, if you lose one going behind some leaves in a tree, i've quickly raked my hand through leaves then went right back to motionless to bust them. that will usually make them start barking, and when they bark, they almost always twitch their tail. easy pick, at that point.

 

[CBR1000rr]

i always used dimes. the pitch is a little different, sounds closer to the sounds the squirrels make when they're popping nuts open, to me at least.

another thing, if you lose one going behind some leaves in a tree, i've quickly raked my hand through leaves then went right back to motionless to bust them. that will usually make them start barking, and when they bark, they almost always twitch their tail. easy pick, at that point.

The first squirrel I ever shot was barking at me. He was on a limb about 6' off the ground and proud as all get out.

 

[LUVn40]

My husband and I have been devoted squirrel hunters for more than 32 years. It’s not only great fun but also tunes one up for deer season, practicing sneak hunting, shooting, etc. and yields some pretty tasty dishes for the dinner table. About a week prior to the season opener we go into the woods to check out the ground around the squirrels preferred food source, generally shag bark and pig nut hickory, but also oaks and walnut trees. When we find a tree with cuttings on the ground we’ll plant ourselves there around daylight and wait for the action to begin. The grays seem to arrive first, I guess the fox squirrels like to sleep in. My best advice is to be patient and wait for a likely victim to stop and cut a nut. You might have to reposition a few times to get to where you can see and often times you’ll have to wait several minutes for an opportunity. Also get a good rest against a tree to steady your shot. And like mentioned before by others, after shooting and the squirrel falls from the tree, mark where it fell but stand still for awhile. Often times another squirrel up the tree will resume cutting or another might come in. We’ve tried rubbing the edges of two half dollars together which sounds like a squirrel cutting a hickory nut, with mixed results. But it’s worth trying. Also, I can usually tell the difference between a squirrel cutting on a large nut, hickory or walnut, which gives off a distinctive “grinding” noise, as opposed to an acorn which sounds more “crackly”. Just a way to maybe focus in on the right tree where the squirrel might be feasting. At any rate have a great hunt and just enjoy your time out in the woods.

 

[snapping turtle]

My advise is to wait till late in the year. Sure is is fine to hunt them now
but prime time is true fall. All above advise is valid.

 

[Field King]

Move thru the woods slow but steady lookin for hints on the ground, as another hunter suggested get to know your trees. You will eventually find shavings under trees where squirrels are cutting nuts up in the trees. Wait and listen, if the squirrels are active you will hear the shavings hitting leaves on the way down, sounds like light rain! I have taken my limit from 1 tree many a morning! Grays are the most challenging, Reds are dumber than hell and will come bark at you.

 

[Rocdenindy]

Thanks again for the info. Has anyone ever used any of the calls that are on the market? If so, any suggestions? Other than the coin idea, of course.

 

[M4Madness]

I've never used any squirrel calls, but that's not to say that they won't work. I simply go in the woods at dawn or dusk, walk silently until I find a shagbark hickory with nut cuttings under it (little chunks of shell hulls that are a little bigger than Grape Nuts cereal), then plant my butt and wait silently. Squirrels right now are cutting in the tops of hickory trees, so you'll need to listen for them chewing and for the cuttings that will be dropping through the leaves. Often times, you can see the cuttings falling to the ground. With the leaf cover right now, you'll only catch brief glimpses of the squirrels as they move limb to limb, and you will occasionally hear them rustle the leaves or see the leaves move as they quickly move about. I use a .22LR, but a shotgun works great this time of year.

 

[Dargasonus]

My advise is to wait till late in the year. Sure is is fine to hunt them now
but prime time is true fall. All above advise is valid.

Definitely will yield more rats. Not contending with leaves, and easy to pick out rustling around on the ground.

 

[gunworks321]

And when you get really good this is what happens when you step in the woods!