2023 Fall Squirrel Season...........

[Christophero]

Glad to read of your squirrel exploits, Etipp. I've got to say that the 20 grains of fffg under a lone PRB is quite loud in the woods I've hunted the little rodents in. Much more of a boom than a 22lr, for sure. Yet, as you do, I enjoy the success of dropping a squirrel out of the tree with the .32, also. I need to prep the Cherokee to ensure it is ready for the September opener in my part of Ohio.
Keep the tales, and tails, acoming.

 

[ETipp]

Lol. Right on. One time when hunting with my .32 Cherokee I missed a squirrel and it stayed still. With that gun I swabbed between shots. I ran a wet patch down then a dry one. I’d check on him. Still there. Reloaded and missed him again. There was no third shot. Lol

Well Jim. As Forrest Gump said..............."it happens".

 

[ETipp]

Ed congrats on those Bushy tails you have been smoking

Thanks, Mike. Been cutting them up and freezing them until I get a lot of them for the smoker.

 

[ETipp]

Glad to read of your squirrel exploits, Etipp. I've got to say that the 20 grains of fffg under a lone PRB is quite loud in the woods I've hunted the little rodents in. Much more of a boom than a 22lr, for sure. Yet, as you do, I enjoy the success of dropping a squirrel out of the tree with the .32, also. I need to prep the Cherokee to ensure it is ready for the September opener in my part of Ohio.
Keep the tales, and tails, acoming.

Thanks Cristophero.

Actually what my Crockett sounds like (to me anyway) is more of a "Crack" with a little a "Boom" combined. Louder than a .22 LR but kind of like a .22 WM. But you are correct, it can still sound loud in the quiet deep woods. I've had good luck this year not scaring squirrels too bad after I fire. One of the reasons why I like my Crockett rifle so much.

Best of luck to you next month. Post up your successes.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Season started here in Tennessee today. Heat index was 109 so I stayed out of the woods. Looking forward to our cooler weather soon.

 

[ETipp]

Season started here in Tennessee today. Heat index was 109 so I stayed out of the woods. Looking forward to our cooler weather soon.

Tim, its been hotter than a whore house on dollar night up here too, the last week or so. I don't mind hunting in the heat and humidity but only as long as I can find squirrels. I have noticed that here at the house, since this heat and humidity has sat in last week, I seldom see a squirrel out back. In fact, I've only seen two all week.

Weather Gods forecasting cooler temps this week so perhaps you can make it out and get yourself a mess of squirrels.

However, with the KY bow season opening next weekend, my mind is elsewhere at the time. Not sure I'll be doing much squirrel hunting until I can get at least one or two deer in the freezer. After that I can cruse for a while and get back to squirrel hunting before the ML season opens.

 

[Banjoman]

Season started here in Tennessee today. Heat index was 109 so I stayed out of the woods. Looking forward to our cooler weather soon.

42 degrees is better than 102 degrees.


I said what I said.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Good day to all. May we all be blessed with some cooler, dryer days ahead.
I still have 48 long hot days to go til Squirrel Season here in Florida. It will more than likely be “Hotter than 7 hubs of Hell” down here plus the humidity. I leave for between 4&4:30 a.m. My Wife and and my dog Henry give Squirrel reports daily. She says between 7&8 they give Henry a good practice run.
I did however take my new Crockett Rifle out for the first time yesterday. First 3 shots was little low to the left, group was about 3”. The second round was still a low but windage was real good and grouped less than 2”. Thought this is great! Excited, I went back to my shooting bench grabbed a patch placed it on muzzle put ball on patch pushed down grabbed ramrod ran it down about half way thought oh $&#@ no powder, so for the first time 25 years I Dry-balled. Hot, P.O., and sweaty,,,, y’all know took place for awhile. After all that I went back to shooting. I was getting 1 1/2” groups or less at 25 to 30 yards. Hot or not I will be going opening weekend. Truly looking forward to it.

Overall, I’m very happy with my Crockett rifle. Plan on shooting more today.

To all, Stay Safe...

 

[ETipp]

Good day to all. May we all be blessed with some cooler, dryer days ahead.
I still have 48 long hot days to go til Squirrel Season here in Florida. It will more than likely be “Hotter than 7 hubs of Hell” down here plus the humidity. I leave for between 4&4:30 a.m. My Wife and and my dog Henry give Squirrel reports daily. She says between 7&8 they give Henry a good practice run.
I did however take my new Crockett Rifle out for the first time yesterday. First 3 shots was little low to the left, group was about 3”. The second round was still a low but windage was real good and grouped less than 2”. Thought this is great! Excited, I went back to my shooting bench grabbed a patch placed it on muzzle put ball on patch pushed down grabbed ramrod ran it down about half way thought oh $&#@ no powder, so for the first time 25 years I Dry-balled. Hot, P.O., and sweaty,,,, y’all know took place for awhile. After all that I went back to shooting. I was getting 1 1/2” groups or less at 25 to 30 yards. Hot or not I will be going opening weekend. Truly looking forward to it.

Overall, I’m very happy with my Crockett rifle. Plan on shooting more today.

To all, Stay Safe...

That’s awesome, Fred. You took a bad situation and made it work. Sounds like you’re getting it nailed down.

 

[ETipp]

Spent pretty much the whole day up in the mountains and didn't see the first squirrel. Not even in the roads. But I was not being quiet out there either. I was clearing lots of brush for another stand location for the upcoming deer season.

 

[ETipp]

Well guys, the squirrel hunting has not been so kind to me the last week or so. Went out twice and didn't get the first squirrel. I missed a few both times.

The squirrels are there but the overall action has slowed quite a bit. In this area, they are more scattered than before with only one or two to a tree at most. And locating them is not as easy as well. It's that time of year here in the S.E. and every morning the dew is heavy. Although that can be an asset, it can and does cause problems locating squirrels. With all the birds flying around in bunches, they fly all over the place, tree to tree, limbs to limbs, and cause the dew to fall. Actually sounds like its raining. Its loud and is similar to the sound of squirrels moving around up in the tops of the trees. Then if there's a breeze, it makes matters worse.

Went out this morning and shot three. Shot two off the side of the same tree, both fell but I couldn't see them after being hit. I did hear them both hit the ground with a loud "thud". Walked down the hill to pick them up and only found one.

Later on the way out I got another one. So only two for the smoker today.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Well guys, the squirrel hunting has not been so kind to me the last week or so. Went out twice and didn't get the first squirrel. I missed a few both times.

The squirrels are there but the overall action has slowed quite a bit. In this area, they are more scattered than before with only one or two to a tree at most. And locating them is not as easy as well. It's that time of year here in the S.E. and every morning the dew is heavy. Although that can be an asset, it can and does cause problems locating squirrels. With all the birds flying around in bunches, they fly all over the place, tree to tree, limbs to limbs, and cause the dew to fall. Actually sounds like its raining. Its loud and is similar to the sound of squirrels moving around up in the tops of the trees. Then if there's a breeze, it makes matters worse.

Went out this morning and shot three. Shot two off the side of the same tree, both fell but I couldn't see them after being hit. I did hear them both hit the ground with a loud "thud". Walked down the hill to pick them up and only found one.

Later on the way out I got another one. So only two for the smoker today.

Glad your were able to get out and do some hunting.
Hope your knee hasn't been acting up a bunch.
I still have a Month to go!!!! That give me a few more practice shots with my little. .32 Crockett Rifle. Love that thing.
Slough Dog Henry has been giving them hell, get reports from wife every day.
Looking forward to getting some of them little Greys.
Take Care and Stay Safe.

 

[Splitear]

I was able to get out Sunday morning for a bit. Sticky humid, and they were not moving. I saw a couple through the tree tops, but it was tough hunting. I did get in one and knocked it out with my old English 10 bore. It’s in the freezer waiting for a full mess, hopefully this weekend.

 

[Jim K]

I’ve been out three times since it opened Saturday. It’s been slow. Only had one shot and mmmmissed.
Going tomorrow all day to my favorite place.

 

[TransYank]

Got out this morning for a few hours. Seen 10-12. Shot at 4 killed 3. 12gauge double that I just finished putting together.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

Here in Ohio this past week, it's been down below 50 many mornings, highs about 70.
I haven't gone squirrel hunting in over 30 years, but vividly recall many hunts.
Thanksgiving 1976 or so, had just started college. was 29, going to school on the GI Bill. Wife n I had little money, and only a few shells for my .22. Brought down 7 squirrels with 6 shots! Pure accident! Invited friend over for Turkey Day, now known as Squirrel Day!
Currently just a few days short of 78, can't walk much, nothing smaller than a .45 ML. Might just go sit in the woods for a morning or evening. Some things the VA can't fix, but watching banner tails might help.

 

[ETipp]

Glad your were able to get out and do some hunting.
Hope your knee hasn't been acting up a bunch.
I still have a Month to go!!!! That give me a few more practice shots with my little. .32 Crockett Rifle. Love that thing.
Slough Dog Henry has been giving them hell, get reports from wife every day.
Looking forward to getting some of them little Greys.
Take Care and Stay Safe.

Good to know you and Henry are doing well. A month should go by fairly quick and you two will be out there chasing squirrels before you know it.

Knee is about the same. Replacement knee should be done by middle of October. Gel injections helping some for now.

 

[ETipp]

I’ve been out three times since it opened Saturday. It’s been slow. Only had one shot and mmmmissed.
Going tomorrow all day to my favorite place.

Good luck, Jim. Let us know how the hunt went.

 

[ETipp]

Here in Ohio this past week, it's been down below 50 many mornings, highs about 70.
I haven't gone squirrel hunting in over 30 years, but vividly recall many hunts.
Thanksgiving 1976 or so, had just started college. was 29, going to school on the GI Bill. Wife n I had little money, and only a few shells for my .22. Brought down 7 squirrels with 6 shots! Pure accident! Invited friend over for Turkey Day, now known as Squirrel Day!
Currently just a few days short of 78, can't walk much, nothing smaller than a .45 ML. Might just go sit in the woods for a morning or evening. Some things the VA can't fix, but watching banner tails might help.

Glad you still get around a little anyway. Hope you can work your way out and find a hickory that squirrels are cutting in. If not, then a location near a few den trees has always panned out well for me.

Hang in there ole buddy. Even if it hurts to do so, getting out and sitting against a tree is better than sitting in the house.

 

[ETipp]

Guys, in regards to my post yesterday.

The first squirrel I shot was most likely the biggest gray squirrel I have ever seen. Right away even before I got to that squirrel I knew it was large. In fact, I had shot two squirrels off of the side of that same tree and when I first saw this squirrel I thought it was both the squirrels I had shot laying next to, or on top of each other. But that was not the case. And when I picked it up it was considerably heavier than any other gray squirrel I can remember ever killing. Also of note is the underside was not all that white like it should be. It actually more of reddish color, much like a fox squirrel. I'm half way inclined to believe it was a cross between the two. Last spring very close to there I saw a cross between a fox squirrel and gray squirrel. There was no doubt about that whatsoever. Perhaps this was another one of those?

Now here's the part that concerned me. It was obvious it was a female due to the large row of teats. However, it also had a large bulge inside it. I kept thinking that it shouldn't have little ones in it being this time of year but that large bulge was indicating that just might be the case. After getting home and began cleaning that squirrel I was almost afraid to gut it. But it turned out to be just a very full stomach and a fat as heck squirrel.

After I had cleaned both squirrels I decided to open up the stomach to see what that squirrel had been eating. At the aft of the stomach it was full of white hickory mash, as suspected. However, the remainder of the stomach (about 70%) had some sort of black mash substance in it. This is something I do not recall seeing before. It almost looked like some sort of moss or plant substance. This puzzled me.

Last night a friend called and I told him about this. He stated that sometimes squirrels will eat in the tops of Blackgum trees. He knew not what it was they ate but he stated that some old times contend that if it was Blackgum that it can make the meat bitter. I have my doubts as to that because according to research, it is said the fruit is not bitter but not really sweet either. It was a sought after food for native Americans and old timers.

This prompted some additional research. Sure enough, squirrels like Blackgum berries, which ripen in September and October. I do not recall seeing any of these but they are berries about 1/2 long that, going off of the pictures, to me looks like a green olive except for they are purple. They have the pits on the ends like olives.

I remember the location where I shot that squirrel so I plan on returning to look things over, mostly look for those berries.

Also of note is when BlackGum (also known as Tupelo or Sourgum) trees mature they deteriorate and make good den trees for squirrels. I have known what Blackgum trees are for many years. I've cut down quite a few but I never knew they produced berries.

Just thought I'd pass that along.