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

[Jim K]

No doubt that can be a good idea for some folks to carry one of those locater beacons. Not arguing that one bit.

I have no issues with wanting to die in bed. Just as long as its not in a nursing home and people having to change my diapers.

Until then, I reckon I'll just keep on doing what I've always done and be fine with checking out alone, up in the mountains, if it happens to work out that way.

Heck, who knows. They might find me propped up against a tree with a note around my neck that states "I, ETipp, in sound mind but snake bit body, leave my prize possession..... my beloved Crockett rifle, to whoever finds me. Its a good shooter and kilt the snake that kilt me". Then again, that would mean I'd have to pack a pen and paper (extra weight) so I doubt that would happen.

That gave me a good laugh. Thanks Ed

 

[Ditt44]

The PA orange fules can be tricky. I use a blaze camo vest sometimes, sometimes solid orange. The law says 250 sq. Inches on chest, back and head visible for 360 degrees. Game wardens seem to interpret it differently depending on day of the week, and warden you ask. I had one tell my my blaze camo was fine, but the hat had to be solid, a different one said either was ok. Methinks it's an opportunity for them to fine you for revenue. I would definitely rather be invisible though.

Page 8 of the 2024/25 Digest:

"Camouflage fluorescent orange may satisfy orange regulations when 250 square inches of safety material is required if the orange content is at least 250 square inches. When a hat containing 100 square inches of orange is specified, the cap must be solid fluorescent orange.".
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I have a couple camo/orange hats have been retired. I had worn them for years but switched to a solid 'cap' with minor camo on the brim without incident or comment from numerous game officers I've met. I don't like how a vest can get in the way or snag so maybe a smart design would be a vest 'look' in a jacket with the vest 'area' in orange. Silly, perhaps, but these days most anything would sell if you call it new and improved.

 

[snakebit]

Page 8 of the 2024/25 Digest:

"Camouflage fluorescent orange may satisfy orange regulations when 250 square inches of safety material is required if the orange content is at least 250 square inches. When a hat containing 100 square inches of orange is specified, the cap must be solid fluorescent orange.".
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I have a couple camo/orange hats have been retired. I had worn them for years but switched to a solid 'cap' with minor camo on the brim without incident or comment from numerous game officers I've met. I don't like how a vest can get in the way or snag so maybe a smart design would be a vest 'look' in a jacket with the vest 'area' in orange. Silly, perhaps, but these days most anything would sell if you call it new and improved.

10x10 is 100 sq. Inches. Think it would be pretty hard for a fella to figure out what's enough in blaze camo. Would be nice if PA did away with it for squirrel season all together.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Here in Florida it's 500sq above the waist line. That's public land only, and only if hunting deer. It's not required for archery season. If your only hunting hog and or small game during muzzleloading season or general gun it's not required.
However I would recommend it, look weekend warriors with high powered rifles some of which are still cocked up from the night before.

No orange is required on private property.

 

[ETipp]

I’m still not going to wear orange while Squirrel hunting during the later deer season when I’m on private property, despite the regs. I will take my chances.

I hate the stuff.

 

[yellowhammer]

Ed, I have mixed feeling on the orange regs. I don't like it and don't wear it on my private property when legal, but...

But, I have been shot at ON my private property. From about 100 yds; well into dusk. 3 shots from a big semi auto; bangbangbang; cut a limb in half 10 ft above my head. They heard me in the leaves and were just shooting at sound and movement. Enraged! I was so mad I yelled and shot back (my stupid stupid stupid temper). I heard scrambling on the ridge and I swear I heard giggling as they went over. I believe it was kids sneaking on the property. Tragedy narrowly averted. Would orange have worked? Maybe.

Another time I was hunting in TN without orange (again, stupid, stupid, dangit) on a strip of property between two owners (one my f.i.l.), sort of a no mans land. I was in a brush pile at the edge of a field. Right at sundown an atv came easing through middle of the field. It was that time of dusk when you can see the form, but not make out the details. He paused and I focused on him and used my peripheral vision and noticed a glint of glass or something, then hair on the back of my neck stood up and I hit the dirt - he was aiming a rifle with a night vision scope right at my head! I yelled and he took off.

 

[yellowhammer]

To add, hunter orange glows almost like radium in that dusk period when you need it the most. You can really see it stand out against winter deep timber, dead leaves, etc. I gotta admit it works. Not being a spokesperson for it, just sayin...

 

[Coinneach]

I’m still not going to wear orange while Squirrel hunting during the later deer season when I’m on private property, despite the regs. I will take my chances.

I hate the stuff.

Remember Henry..."theres something out there"......." theres always something out there"

I'd be more slow and wary before wearing an Orange vest too, but when I hunt its way beyond most others do.

 

[snakebit]

Yahoo's tend to show up when least expected. Stands to reason, if they are trespassing, they don't care about laws. I wear it because it's the law, but if a fella can't tell the difference between a squirrel and a hu

 

[snakebit]

Yahoo's tend to show up when least expected. Stands to reason, if they are trespassing, they don't care about laws. I wear it because it's the law, but if a fella can't tell the difference between a squirrel and a hu

Human, they shouldn't be there in the first place.

 

[yellowhammer]

I hate to be a bhole about it, but I'm very close to just gating up and closing off and posting my property.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

I wear it for 2 reasons.

Extra step of safety, to be seen by the guys that just open up on a running deer while stand or sitting on the ground. Some shoot at movement or sound.

It's required by the FWC, and they will give you a ticket. Plus they will remember you next time they see you, and come and check everything.

I have no problem with the FWC, they do a good job. I want to stay on their good side.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Yahoo's tend to show up when least expected. Stands to reason, if they are trespassing, they don't care about laws. I wear it because it's the law, but if a fella can't tell the difference between a squirrel and a hu

You're correct about that.

 

[yellowhammer]

...I have no problem with the FWC, they do a good job. I want to stay on their good side.

Agree. When I lived there it was acknowledged among outdoorsmen that you DONT mess with those guys. They were undermanned and generally not in a good mood. There was still a lot of gator poaching by local crackers around where I lived and they had their hands full. I got along with them.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

When I lived there it was acknowledged among outdoorsmen that you DONT mess with those guys. They were undermanned and generally not in a good mood. There was still a lot of gator poaching by local crackers around where I lived and they had their hands full. I got along with them.

They are good people. They will go out of their way to help you. Give some good locations to hunt, answer any questions you may have. If you lie to them or play games they will bite for sure.
I've been checked a few times. All they asked was Did you get anything, and checked to make sure I my license was good and that I had my Quota Permit.
The only time they looked/searched my vehicle was when turkey poaching was going on. The FWC officer stopped asked how we were doing, asked if we shoot any of our guns, then asked could he search my truck. I told no problem, then he explained why. He was real cool about it.
We do have a poaching problem around here.

 

[Jim K]

My thing with wearing orange is. If I’m squirrel hunting, I have to wear it from Sep to end of Feb. I have to wear it if there’s nothing else in season.

But in our flintlock deer season after Christmas you can wear buckskins and hunt. No orange but I have to wear orange to hunt squirrels at that same time.

Why in archery season must I wear it to hunt squirrels but I can wear camo to hunt deer. Makes no sense.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

My thing with wearing orange is. If I’m squirrel hunting, I have to wear it from Sep to end of Feb. I have to wear it if there’s nothing else in season.

But in our flintlock deer season after Christmas you can wear buckskins and hunt. No orange but I have to wear orange to hunt squirrels at that same time.

Why in archery season must I wear it to hunt squirrels but I can wear camo to hunt deer. Makes no sense.

No that does not make sense.

 

[longcruise]

I’m still not going to wear orange while Squirrel hunting during the later deer season when I’m on private property, despite the regs. I will take my chances.

I hate the stuff.

I look at it the same way but I'm a public land hunter and I don't want to be without in places where there are many people. Statistically speaking some of them have to be Idjits.

We have a conundrum here in Colorado. ML season is nine days smack in the middle of archery season. By law, ML hunters must wear orange but archery hunters have no requirement. There have been several cases of bow hunters shot by ml hunters. All involving incredible stupidity. It's little known but there's been an equal number of bow hunters shot by bow hunters. Two fatal and one little known case that I'm familiar with because I met the victim. He was shot in the foot with a broadhead. His medical attention was not reported since it wasn't a gunshot and I don't think he ever reported it.

 

[snakebit]

My thing with wearing orange is. If I’m squirrel hunting, I have to wear it from Sep to end of Feb. I have to wear it if there’s nothing else in season.

But in our flintlock deer season after Christmas you can wear buckskins and hunt. No orange but I have to wear orange to hunt squirrels at that same time.

Why in archery season must I wear it to hunt squirrels but I can wear camo to hunt deer. Makes no sense.

I had a GW give me the business one time while I was bow hunting. When you had to wear on orange hat going to and from stand. I had worked a midnight shift and was hunting a few hours before going home and hitting the rack. Well, I had the hat in my pack, forgot to change them out when I was leaving, that SOB kept me there for 20 minutes just being a jerk. Saw my 45 on my belt, wanted to see all my credentials, checked everyone of my broad heads (they were the same). I finally had enough and told him to just write the damn citation so I could go home and go to bed. Then he wants to chit chat, ask me a bunch of questions unrelated to why we were even interacting. I just told him at that point "I'm done talking to you". But I've met some real decent ones too. Had one help me load a deer into my truck once. I was very thankful for that. But yeah, there are some on a power trip that interpret game codes differently than an average guy would from reading the digest.

 

[ETipp]

My thing with wearing orange is. If I’m squirrel hunting, I have to wear it from Sep to end of Feb. I have to wear it if there’s nothing else in season.

But in our flintlock deer season after Christmas you can wear buckskins and hunt. No orange but I have to wear orange to hunt squirrels at that same time.

Why in archery season must I wear it to hunt squirrels but I can wear camo to hunt deer. Makes no sense.

That’s exactly it.

Plus, in the early fall most of the leaves are yellow and orange. So we are actually camouflaging ourselves.