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

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I'll probably try some squirrel hunting on public lands this weekend...
Me too, Fred. I may try Swan Creek WMA: LINK

If I can find a dry spot LOL. Swamp squirrels....

On the other side of I-65 from there is Wheeler NWR, a squirrel honey hole. But, they close it off to squirrel hunting during deer season dangit. Gotta wait for there...
 
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Me too, Fred. I may try Swan Creek WMA: LINK

If I can find a dry spot LOL. Swamp squirrels....

On the other side of I-65 from there is Wheeler NWR, a squirrel honey hole. But, they close it off to squirrel hunting during deer season dangit. Gotta wait for there...
The WMA I'm planning to hunt, is past the First 9 days. No quota permit required, so it's a free for all. I saw several hunts this morning at the
Circle K, their headed out. It will probably be crowded but I'll deal with it. General Gun will run through the 24th, then small game till March 2nd. Not so many hunters then. You do have some guys still hunt wild hod though, and most of them hunt with rifles so one has to pay attention for sure.
Good luck hope ya stay high and dry.
 
I'll probably try some squirrel hunting on public lands this weekend. I did find a couple spots hunt last 2 weekends. No dog gone deers, not even does. I usually see does and non shootable bucks.
I'm heading for the bottoms back home this Sunday. I want to take the Crockett with me, there are a ton of squirrels there. But, we're trying to fill freezers with deer meat.
 
Me too, Fred. I may try Swan Creek WMA: LINK

If I can find a dry spot LOL. Swamp squirrels....

On the other side of I-65 from there is Wheeler NWR, a squirrel honey hole. But, they close it off to squirrel hunting during deer season dangit. Gotta wait for there...
Looking forward to seeing you get some of those Bama squirrels with your new rifle HammeršŸ‘
 
Looking forward to seeing you get some of those Bama squirrels with your new rifle HammeršŸ‘

Thanks snakebit; I'm on the lookout for something 'foxy':
foxy.jpg
 
View attachment 362048

Just another gratuitous southern fox squirrel picture for your viewing pleasure....

...I really want to get one mounted...
I love them squirrels.
I think they're so cool looking.
I useuly see them when out hunting.
We can't shoot them.
They are protected down.
 
Sometimes it pays to be a taxidermist, and I donā€™t mean monetarily. Yesterday a friend brought me in a buck that his grandson shot.
In the course of chatting, he knowing Iā€™m a squirrel hunter, said I need to try this piece of public land next valley over. He said there were lots of squirrels there.

He has mentioned it before and Iā€™ve been meaning to check it out but hadnā€™t yet.

I was going to go out to my honey hole this morning but decided to try this new area. Wise decision. This woods was loaded with squirrels. Itā€™s thick and tough to get shots but man there are a lot in there.

My first three shots were misses which had me gritting my teeth. But the next three were kills.

I think I found a new honey hole. Iā€™m looking forward to getting back there. View attachment 361938
What cal is that Jim K. Inquiring minds would like to Kno
 
Hey fellas. The big guy upstairs looked down and smiled upon me this morning. For the last month this ole boy has been hammering down trying to get enough meat in the freezer to hold us over until next year. That totally put a stop to my squirrel hunting. Itā€™s been a rough year all the way around for me this year, even squirrel hunting. It about kilt me sitting up on a tree watching g squirrels all around me, but I had a job to do. Now it looks like I can get back to my beloved squirrel hunting.

An interesting story about this morning that Iā€™d like to share with you all. As some of you know from reading my book, Iā€™m fanatical about being as quiet as possible in the woods. Nothing squeaks or rattles on my equipment. I cannot explain why other than it has flat paid off many times, and in different facets. This morning was one of such.

This was not a muzzleloader hunt. However, the basics is exactly the same, different deer tool. I almost took my .54 GPR this morning but due to the long bad luck streak thatā€™s been with me, I decided not to take the chance at the last minute. Pretty sure the outcome would have been the same.

It rained all night here. Still raining at 0800 hrs. Then the rain stopped. No way was I going to go sit up in a tree stand in the rain, but considering it had stopped (for the most part) I decided I was going to give it a try. I was at least 3 hours behind my normal departure time, but what the heck.

Grabbed everything, got some breakfast and headed out. By the time I got to the woods it was about 0900. I didnā€™t want to take a chance on riding my four wheeler up through that thicket and scare any critters away, so I took off on foot up the hillside rather quickly. Made it to my tree, got in my climber and up I went to about 25 feet platform height as quietly as possible. By the time I finally got settled in my stand I looked at my watch. It was 10:07 hours. Sat there a couple of minutes evaluating everything, look down into the thicket, and a nice 8 point was working his way through the brush. It took about 20 seconds before I could get a shot. He hit the ground then slid down the very steep hill for about 15 yards and stopped. I couldnā€™t see very much of him but I knew he was dead. Looked at my watch and it was 10:11. I had only been in my stand for maybe 3 1/2 minutes before he came through. I would estimate the distance of 40 yards.

So, the moral of the story is, if the leaves were not wet from all the rain, that made possible to ease in quietly, and, had I made any noise at all going up that tree, I most certainly would not have gotten that buck. He had to have been pretty darn close.

Believe it or not, this was not my only time this has happened. It actually happened two other times while bow hunting. One time was, I think maybe a minute and a half and the other time was 3 minutes.

For the record, I donā€™t claim to be a ghost or some kind of spirit that magically appears and disappears with no sound. We all make noise in the woods while hunting, even squirrel hunting. However, call me weird if you like, but I do my very best to be as stealthy as possible most all the time, yes especially while squirrel hunting. Easier said than done sometimes but it does have its benefits, such as this morning.

Just thought I would reiterate that for you all. Now, with a little luck, I can get back to squirrel hunting in a couple of days.

I hope no one minds me posting these pics.
 

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