# My take on squirrel hunting.



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

While it isn't that same as deer season I treat it much the same. Since I own my own hunting property and am in the woods just about every day I know where to find squirrels and where deer are likely to show for that matter.

Decide to hunt squirrels in the morning so get up early check the weather station and lay out my clothing, them make breakfast. Breakfast is different on hunting days, rather than a dry cerceal with milk I make some thing with eggs.

*I like to dump a can of hominy in a skillet, lay strips of bacon on top and cover, break about 4 eggs in a bowl and beat them then uncover the skillet. the bacon is now cooked about how I like it so pour the beaten eggs in the skillet covering again. While it is cooking I make tea, when that is finished so is my breakfast.
That is my hominy bacon egg scramble.*

It is about 15 minutes till day break so I dress according to the temp on the weather station. don't worry about the day time high because I don't expect to be out over 2 hours max includeing squirrel cleaning time.

Grab the rifle I am going to use this morning a scoped 22 rim fire or center fire since 22rim fire ammo has gotten in short supply and pricy.
Go out and get in my deer blind, yes the deer blind where I set in November fire arm deer hunting and see so may squirrels and the season is closed then.



Squirrels in my woods get active about a half hour after sun rise. Then disappear some time around 10:00 to 11:00 AM then return to active in the afternoon some where around 4:00PM.
Most days I can have my 5 squirrel limit in a hours.

These are fairly new to our woods about 5 years ago. I call them illlegal Alains from the cities.



There are getting to be more grays in the woods, smaller than the red phase fox squirrels.






Please be advised my storys are going to end soon if no one shows a intrest.

 Al


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Beautiful photos.

I don't hunt squirrel as much as I should.
How do I know that?
When I am sitting in a tree stand all morning with nary a deer in sight; the air is still, the timber quiet and every crunch of an oak leaf, every rustle over my back shoulder causes me to perk up, believing I'm seconds away from taking a shot at a winter's supply of venison. 
Yet, it is nothing more than a stinking tree rat, scratching for a nut or skipping over the brush while tormenting me.
At that moment I wish I had bagged the entire lot of them when I had the chance.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Too add to that story, the first time I ever took my youngest son squirrel hunting, I told him we would be going out at dawn.
"Those little boogers will be everywhere " I told him. "and the sooner we get out there the sooner we can get back."
Of course he slept in and I had to pull him by his ankle off the mattress.

Mid morning we go outside, 22s in hand. Twenty feet from the house a squirrel twisting around a large oak tree comes shoulder height and 2' from my son, just staring at him, twitching his tail, as if to ask "Hey! Whatcha gonna do with that gun Mister?".

Of course, we didn't do anything other than march off into the woods, where we spent the rest of mid morning to mid afternoon looking for the squirrels that weren't.

It was an important lesson in patience for me and in punctuality for my son.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I learned the way to squirrel hunt from deer hunting experinces. 

Also know when the squirrels are active from setting in a deer blind all day.

 Al


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Nice photos.

The last time I hunted was 1966 and I had always hunted with a single shot 22, no scope and had a mutt that would tree squirrels . One of my older brothers was already in Nam and he had a single shot 410 that I hunted with that time. Late in the afternoon , little damp and my dog went nuts treeing squirrels. A lot of time with the dog the squirrel would run over the tree tops. Six shots, got six squirrels and number seven hung up in the tree and took a second shot to get it on the ground. So eight shots but only seven squirrels.


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## crehberg (Mar 16, 2008)

Al please don't let the stories end...one thing I look forward to every week!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Well if people don't let me know they enjoy my adventures, I see no reason to waste time putting them to print.
By the way was coyote hunting earlier. Way to windy we decided.

 Al


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

According to wiki the blacks can be either grey or fox and are actually the older form. 
Are yours more the size of a gray or a red squirrel?


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

If it ever sounds like a woman is being murdered behind your house, it might just be a fisher cat.
Or it could be a woman being murdered....


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I do like reading your writings , often I don't see a need to comment , but I will try and hit that like button to let you know I enjoy it 

I do a little squirrel hunting , mostly at deer camp around the house. here in southern WI we have an abundance of Squirrel in town and hardly see a one out of town. but a hawk every mile on the roads around town.

my yard here in town is teaming with big fat squirrels I would be breaking the law to shoot.

so I don't break the law , I trap them, this is legal for land owners in WI and is not discharge of a gun , pellet, powder or archery.

they eat the same.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

*"Sciurus carolinensis is native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada[clarification needed]. The native range of the eastern gray squirrel overlaps with that of the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), with which it is sometimes confused, although the core of the fox squirrel's range is slightly more to the west. The eastern gray squirrel is found from New Brunswick to Manitoba, south to East Texas and Florida.[2]Breeding eastern gray squirrels are found in Nova Scotia, but whether this population was introduced or came from natural range expansion is not known.[5] It has also been introduced into Ireland,[6] Britain, Italy, South Africa, and Australia (where it was extirpated by 1973).[2] Eastern gray squirrels in Europe are a concern because they have displaced some of the native squirrels there. In 1966, this squirrel was also introduced to Vancouver Island in Western Canada in the area of Metchosin, and has spread widely from there. They are considered highly invasive and a threat to both the local ecosystem and the native red squirrel.[7]

A prolific and adaptable species, the eastern gray squirrel has also been introduced to, and thrives in, several regions of the western United States. The gray squirrel is an invasive species in Britain; it has spread across the country and has largely displaced the native red squirrel, S. vulgaris. In Ireland, the red squirrel has been displaced in several eastern counties, though it still remains common in the south and west of the country.[8] That such a displacement might happen in Italy is of concern, as gray squirrels might spread to other parts of mainland Europe."
*
Considered invasive in Great Britten, fellow I know there is working at removeing a bunch.
Send this to me.
*"I have been averaging 5.5 tree rats(American greys) a week since 1st January this year. 232 so far .... best at one sitting was 19 in 1 1/2 hours"
*
Our blacks are even a bit smaller than the Greys. I take them out just the same as I prefer the bigger fox squirrels so don't want the greays and the blacks over populating the area.

 Al


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

We have greys here. Seems like the red fox squirrels like to play chicken with cars, and lose more often than not. Saw a dead one this morning less than a mile from the house. 

I may put the sunflower feeder back up in the back yard. I used to get a lot of squirrel from the bedroom window, they come for the free food and were in a perfect spot setting under that feeder.

Al, do you use target rounds or hollow points? I like hollow points for raccoon and groundhog but find they are a bit too powerful for squirrel. When .22 lr was getting to be hard to find I stocked up on a few boxes of target rounds. They work real good for squirrel hunting.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

"40gr serria HP For rifles, this high-velocity bullet is designed to give precision accuracy with the explosive expansion of Sierra’s Varminter-style construction. Although the bullet may prove to be somewhat “hard” at *Hornet velocities*, it can be extraordinarily accurate at these lower velocity levels."

I don't know what they mean by hard at hornet velocities just know they work on squirrels, pussoms and *****.

For years I used nothing but HP 22lr bullets, then I got a 22 Mag and stayed with the hollow points. When I switched to reduced loaded 22 hornet, I again used the hollow points. 

A guy I mow lawn for travels all over the state found me some FMJ 22 Mag ammo in a smal obscure hardware store. I haven't used them yet.

Becare full useing rhe bird feeder to bait the squirrels. People will start clling you a master baiter LOL.

 Al


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Al, I've told you before how much I enjoy your stories. I really do! Don't stop!


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

The farther out of town the fewer squirrels we find.
My deer cams however are filled with foxes and coyotes and that may have a little to do with it.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I've got an acre full of squirrel needing to be eliminated. I'm the only person that hunts them anywhere near here, unless you count the one neighbor who is a really bad shot and has a habit of nipping off their tails. Local cats, coyotes and foxes don't seem to make a dent in the overpopulation.


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I hunt squirrels using air rifles. Lots of fun & a cheap way to put meat on the table !


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

I approach it just like any other fun way to hunt including deer hunting. Wait until everyone wakes up, shows up, eats there fill, then after some conversation and joking load everything and head to the woods. So maybe 10 o'clock. Stomp through the woods laughing and joking, let the youngest hunters do the shooting, and when enough game is harvested, gather up the party and take the party home for game processing. It's a social event mixed with a lot of shooting. No hiding, being quiet, getting cold for long periods of time. Only long enough to get the shot. Keeps young people engaged and enthusiastic.


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## ridgerunner1965 (Apr 13, 2013)

when I was young, squirrel hunting was a pastime I loved. I had prob the best squirrel dog in the whole county.

I can sill see him looking at me like hey boss there he is. once I got to his tree he would go around to where the squirrel was and bark. the tree rat would come back on my side of the tree and id shoot him.

that dog must of been 20 when I buried him.wherever I go when I die, I hope he is there!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

He will meat you at the gate with wagging tail.

 Al


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

ridgerunner1965 said:


> when I was young, squirrel hunting was a pastime I loved. I had prob the best squirrel dog in the whole county.
> 
> I can sill see him looking at me like hey boss there he is. once I got to his tree he would go around to where the squirrel was and bark. the tree rat would come back on my side of the tree and id shoot him.
> 
> that dog must of been 20 when I buried him.wherever I go when I die, I hope he is there!


This reminds me of my possum dog. He was so good I'd set out my hide stretching boards on the porch of an evening and come morning he'd have a possum laying in front of each board that the hide would fit the board! Amazing dog! Lost the poor feller one night though, my stupid first wife set the ironing board out on the porch.... Never saw my dog again!


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Haven't hunted squirrel in quite awhile. Have a couple of tack driving .22's and a .410 sxs. Lots of oak, beech and hickory out back and corn fields surrounding them. Got a fair number of squirrels too. Checked on my ground blind for deer season yesterday and they were all over the place. Just never seem to have the time to get out. Could be because my wife says it's cruel. Don't know why, she loves all the deer I bring home. Hell they're cute too, but they're still taste good.
Maybe I'll give it a try after deer hunting. Been saying that for years too. Time is such a factor in everything. Never seems to be enough of it.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Yes time is a factor but every body needs a bit of time to enjoy things in life too. A day of squirrel hunting now and then isn't going to make a whole lot of difference, take a bit of time to do some fishing to. 
Set up a cleaning station away from the house and just bring rthe meat in the house to be cooked and no one will see the cute squirrels.

They are distrutive critters if not kept in check how ever.

 Al


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## Geswen (Feb 1, 2021)

It's so hard to catch these little creatures. Last week I had my garden invaded with squirrels. I can't understand why they were so in love with my backyard and not my neighbor's one. It tried to catch all of them but with no chance. That's why I decided to use the services of the Squirrel Removal Louisville | Pest Control & Attic Repair. The guys came very fast. I am very pleased with their work. They got rid of the squirrels in two hours. After that, they took the squirrels to the nearest park.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Geswen said:


> It's so hard to catch these little creatures.


Remington makes 22s for that reason!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Corn or walnuts in a box trap make it real easy to catch squirrel. Not sporting but it eliminates the ones that dig in your flower pots or tear up bird feeders.


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