2024/2025 Squirrel Hunting Thread...........

ETipp · Sep 18, 2024

Jim K said:
I’m keeping a journal this year. I believe I’ll add the sexes of them just for curiosity.

That would be a good thing, Jim.

It will be interesting to see if there's any rhyme or reason for this. Back in the spring (early season) I was killing more female squirrels than I liked. Now its mostly all males and I'm hunting in a different location. However, even out back in my small patch of woods still killed more male squirrels than female this year. A fair amount of the male squirrels killed at all locations had their takes bitten nearly off. Some were freshly bitten and still bloody.

GREENSWLDE · Sep 18, 2024

ETipp said:
Old School camo works very well. Much better than most of the junk out today that is meant to please the eyes of the hunter. Much like fishing lures, they catch more fisherman than fish.

I do not like the dark brown or black in most of what few options for Old School camo we have now, however.

Ya dow need Camo .Jus a few Peanut Feeders on twees an a 22 pelet gun. Twee conservation. The keeper had 235 last year. No total for this year yet but it' mounting.. Go well, O.D.

ETipp · Sep 18, 2024

GREENSWLDE said:
Ya dow need Camo .Jus a few Peanut Feeders on twees an a 22 pelet gun. Twee conservation. The keeper had 235 last year. No total for this year yet but it' mounting.. Go well, O.D.

Sorry but not my preferred method of squirrel hunting. Its the hunt that makes this such a unique sport. Specifically using a **traditional ML**.

Trigger · Sep 18, 2024

ETipp said:
Ahhhhhh. Please stop. That horrible orange stuff is hurting my eyes.

Trigger · Sep 18, 2024

I have seen allot of squirrel in the orange coat.

I'd say it attracts them.

Gordoncourtney · Sep 18, 2024

GREENSWLDE said:
Ya dow need Camo .Jus a few Peanut Feeders on twees an a 22 pelet gun. Twee conservation. The keeper had 235 last year. No total for this year yet but it' mounting.. Go well, O.D.

Yrs good comment I get them out to 40 yards with my 177 or 22 pcp pump up air guns in my wooded garden. Not so many around this year . Used a shotgun for years on them , messes up their guts same as rabbits ,no the bsa Scorpio pcp pellet gun is perfect , but not for a chat around the camp fire or fir this forum . I could not believe how tasty they are uk is over run with your grey squirrels , no complaints about that, but the government wants them culled .

snakebit · Sep 18, 2024

ETipp said:
I ran across this yesterday. It will not work for most of my squirrels unless "The Decapitator" strikes again. Many of mine have holes blown through them with a few being blown half into. I don't like it but it happens to an old man with poor vision.

No mention of glands.

https://www.agfc.com/hunting/more-game/squirrel/

Yep. If you can head shootem like Ed does, or minimal shoot pellets, the tail method works good. Just have to remember to skin a bit down the back legs, or you gotta better that average chance of pulling the tail off. I started using game shears 8-10 years ago, they are handy, and save you from having to touch up your knife too much if you are cleaning a mess of squirrels. I usually skin mine in the field, and rinse and salt when I get home.

Jim K · Sep 18, 2024

I agree Tom. Game shears are great!!

ETipp · Sep 18, 2024

Trigger said:
I have seen allot of squirrel in the orange coat.

I'd say it attracts them.

They no doubt thought you were a big carrot.

Trigger · Sep 18, 2024

ETipp said:
They no doubt will bought you were a big carrot.

They don't leave you alone.

A buck grunt at them usually gets them to move along..

ScottK · Sep 18, 2024

I started using game shears on Turkey some years ago and now won’t be without them when processing….

Trigger · Sep 18, 2024

Hawian shirts..

Trigger · Sep 18, 2024

You know.

I might get acouple 3xl the more I looked you know.. it would be good pull over camo shirt..

snakebit · Sep 18, 2024

Jim K said:
I agree Tom. Game shears are great!!

I even got a second pair with orange handles so I wouldn't set them down and walk away without them. I'm pretty good at that with some things.

longcruise · Sep 18, 2024

Trigger said:
They don't leave you alone.

A buck grunt at them usually gets them to move along..

The little pineys put up their warning chattering as I poke along slow elk hunting. If I sit down and do a little cow in heat calling they start approaching my position and chattering it up. They will come in very close and study me. If I move abruptly they will quickly back off ten yards or so and then double down on the chattering.

I've never used this as a hunting strategy but it might be something I try after opener Oct 1st.

Trigger · Sep 18, 2024

I was wondering if it was a time of year thing too.. they see you and there fired up to push you out or something.

The grouse go all crazy too.

I've been walking trails up north.. those things. They just come right out strutting around you like.. you could kick the thing.

ETipp · Sep 18, 2024

ScottK said:
I started using game shears on Turkey some years ago and now won’t be without them when processing….

I use an old butcher knife and a two pound sledgehammer. Head, tail and all four feet gone in about 20 seconds.

If the squirrel isn’t shot up too badly, I slit the hide in a couple of places then use a pair of pliers to remove the skin. However, they often have big holes through them so it can get a little messy. It’s a bummer when they pull in half, but it’s most always salvageable. The worse my vision gets, the worse my squirrels seem to get blown apart.

longcruise · Sep 18, 2024

In the above post I referred to the sounds that the pineys make as "chattering" but it's not a good description. They will do this to you as you move or sit. They won't follow very far but they set off every squirrel ahead of you. Once it starts there's no way to turn them off except...... you know.

Here is a video with the exact sound they make.

ETipp · Sep 18, 2024

longcruise said:
In the above post I referred to the sounds that the pineys make as "chattering" but it's not a good description. They will do this to you as you move or sit. They won't follow very far but they set off every squirrel ahead of you. Once it starts there's no way to turn them off except...... you know.

Here is a video with the exact sound they make.

Ah, that brings back memories. I know of one piney that got shot at by a large caliber handgun. I doubted I wouldn’t hit him but it was a noble attempt anyway. Those things use to drive my batty up in those big mountains out your way.

I have eaten them and was surprised that they tasted pretty good.

Trigger · Sep 18, 2024

In NC....

I climbed a tree.. daylight breaks.. I hear a turkey. We know..

So I'm looking all around nothing anywhere but I hear this turkey.

I look over the tree next to me eye level. A turkey...

I got to the point where I was like im just not moving forever waiting for it get over it.

I got to the point where I started waving.. that thing started bouncing around that branch making more noise. It then flew away 3 trees landed on a branch turned around looking my way and continued making noise..

I had to leave.

2024/2025 Squirrel Hunting Thread...........

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