Finished my early squirrel season with a very unique hunt…..

Took my Crockett Squirrel Rifle out this morning for the last time until fall season opens. Early season closes tomorrow so I wanted to get out there one more time for now.

Was in the woods up on the side of a mountain before daylight. Located a den tree I found last year so I sat and waited. Sure enough, two squirrels popped out of the tree but way up high. They were on the go right off the bat up in the tops of the nearby trees. As I stood there waiting for them to stop, I was amazed that they just kept going tree to tree and down the mountain. I thought to myself “huh, wonder where they’re going”? I watched until they went out of sight while hoping more squirrels would pop out of the den tree. No more came out.

As I stood there and as it was getting lighter in the woods, I kept hearing this strange sound coming from down the mountain. So I slowly and quietly eased down slope towards the sound. Finally, I noticed some movement in the tops of a couple trees further down the mountain. And there was that strange sound again. This was something I have never heard before in the woods. And it was coming from different trees. Twice I heard the usual sounds coming from squirrels when they chase each other but that was it, no more. Just that strange “thook” sound. Took me maybe 30 minutes to ease my way down there so I could see what was going on and without getting busted. About the time I had arrived, I saw at least 5-6 squirrels that decided to migrate to other trees as they were running everywhere while making this crazy “thook- thook sound. So the slow chase was on trying to keep up with them without being seen or heard. This went on for at least another 30-45 minutes. Squirrels running up and down trees “took-took”, jumping from limb to limb as I tried to maneuver my way into a shot position. But I needed a tree to get a rest off of.

After waiting for what seemed like forever, finally one squirrel presented me with a shot. Got that one. I stood still for a minute or so observing and some of the other squirrels went right back to running everywhere doing their “took- took” sound. So I slowly reloaded and kept trying to stick with that bunch of squirrels as quietly and slowly as possible. After about a a couple hours of this I wound up with four bushy tail gray squirrels.

I carry my squirrels on a piece of para chord tied to a stick. As I was tying each one on after easing over and picking them up, I noticed all of them were boars.

Then it hit me. This is just a guess here. But I’m guessing that the “took-took” sound , that I have never in all my years heard squirrels make before, was some sort of pre rut type of territorial thing. With early season closing tomorrow, that signifies breeding season has arrived again. One thing is for certain, I have never heard that sound before. Albeit I’ve never hunted the early season before. Definitely was not the usual fighting/mating sound.

At any rate, I learned something this morning. And I can promise you that I will never forget that “took-took” sound. I have never seen that many squirrels in such close contact behaving like that nor making that sound. And if I ever do hear that again while I’m squirrel hunting, it’s game on.

A good shot and a Crockett .32 can do that, ETipp. Congratulations!

hanshi said:

A good shot and a Crockett .32 can do that, ETipp. Congratulations!

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Thank you. To be fair, I do miss every now and then. The upgraded sights helps tremendously and my miss rate has went way down. However, with my old eyes I sometimes still encounter issues seeing the front bead well. Whenever it occurs its usually during poor light conditions in the thick hardwoods.

In terms of the Crockett, at normal squirrel hunting distances, I find that it will shoot about as good as the person squeezing the trigger.

Just a real challenge and a ton of fun hunting those little fellas.

Tree Rats.

It's what's for dinner.

Great write-up

Thanks. Getting the squirrels was fun and challenging. However, what I learned about that “thook” sound all those squirrels were making, well as their bazaar behavior, was the highlight of the day and something I will never forget.

I’m envious you get to hunt in the spring. September is a long way off.

Good story. Thanks for sharing.

great story indeed. I have to try squirrel hunting now. Have a .32 Cherokee I might as well use for something other than putting holes in paper which it does very well

always something to learn about animals when in the woods. thats what makes it a great place to be.

Bustacap said:

great story indeed. I have to try squirrel hunting now. Have a .32 Cherokee I might as well use for something other than putting holes in paper which it does very well

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Indeed. Not only is it a real challenge but hunting squirrels with a .32 caliber ML is about as much fun one can have with their clothes on.

2 shots said:

always something to learn about animals when in the woods. thats what makes it a great place to be.

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Yes sir. Nothing like it.

2 shots said:

always something to learn about animals when in the woods. thats what makes it a great place to be.

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I concur. l actually learned how to deer hunt by squirrel hunting many moons ago. Learned a ton about deer while squirrel hunting.

I will admit, that if one really wants to sharpen their woodsman-ship skills, hunting skills, patience, marksmanship, and still hunting skills, hunting squirrels with a small bore ML is a very good way to do it. Good camo is a must.

Nice post, It has been a while since I have been squirrel hunting. This makes me want to get back out there and go again!

JasonGTA said:

Nice post, It has been a while since I have been squirrel hunting. This makes me want to get back out there and go again!

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You should. I wouldn't even be hunting squirrels again if I wasn't using my Crockett Squirrel rifle. It makes all the difference for this ole boy.

I was expecting Bigfoot, but rutting squirrels will do

You should start a squirrel recipe thread

Your experience gives me pause for thought. Last June when my son and I ventured south of Somerset to squirrel hunt it was late in the Spring season. That last morning was our best time in those woods with a flurry of activity. My calendar places that at June 10th.
This year we camped and hunted May 21st and 22nd. The activity was nearly zilch. Sounds as if later in the Spring season is the better time to plan on finding more squirrels moving about.
Glad you posted your findings. Something to think about.

And you didn't even dent the number of future squirrel producers. Good hunt.

Christophero said:

Your experience gives me pause for thought. Last June when my son and I ventured south of Somerset to squirrel hunt it was late in the Spring season. That last morning was our best time in those woods with a flurry of activity. My calendar places that at June 10th.
This year we camped and hunted May 21st and 22nd. The activity was nearly zilch. Sounds as if later in the Spring season is the better time to plan on finding more squirrels moving about.
Glad you posted your findings. Something to think about.

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Interesting.

I did a little research on this. As with most anything, information varies but for the most part, male squirrels do, in fact, rut. Their reproductive organs enlarge during that time. It has been reported that quite a few males can and will chase a single female up and down trees during that time and that their behavior is much like male deer during the rut. That explains what I saw a few days ago, June 10th.

Breeding season is reported to be in December-January and May-June. The latter two coincides with the spring/early season here in KY.

I live and hunt south of Somerset. Your report from last year is, for the most part, what I experienced this past May. Finding squirrels was a challenge but when I did find them, there were most always a few in one particular spot at the same time. However, nothing like what I experienced on my last hunt of the early season a few days ago.

So indeed, it all adds up now. Females are now pregnant and fall season opens August 19th. But who's counting the days.

pacanis said:

I was expecting Bigfoot, but rutting squirrels will do

You should start a squirrel recipe thread

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Pacanis, I've been accused of being a lot of things in my life, but being a cook is definitely not one of them. However, by accident, I did learn how to marinate squirrels in teriyaki BBQ sauce the fridge over night and then put them into a smoker. I think this last time I mixed a little brown sugar in with it.

Hickory chips works very well for this. Gray Squirrels are excellent when smoked like that.

Ed congrats on the mess of Bushy tails. I did not even get one of my ML's sighted in yet. Maybe when i get back to Mo. in Aug. i can catch a break on all of this never ending work.