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

[Trigger]

The modern trap was more for the description wrote.


I watching this.. I like the trap

 

[Trigger]

I mean back then just saying.

I'd think hunting and trapping were done at the same time allot.

You juggled the two.

You check your traps and set traps when your out hunting.

If there good to eat there isn't many in the woods.. there's allot around the house. It would be better not to shoot at them with houses.

If there good eating.. a couple traps a couple here and there. What's wrong.

What old school trap is fun legal and works?

What wrong with that on a squirrels hunting thread.. I don't Know?

Here is a prime example Trigger.
You asked about trapping squirrels, I replied an option. But it's time to let go.
This thread is about hunting squirrels with Traditional Muzzleloaders. So we need not to flood it with modern traps or trapping in general.

ETipp was out on one of his Is exploratory hunting trips, looking for a new and good place to hunt. In his adventures he came across some really unique boulders he to some pictures and posted them, he even made it clear it was a bit off topic. I Guarantee ya everyone appreciated and enjoyed see them and was glad ETipp post said pictures. We all made commits about them thanked ETipp for posting them, and moved on with the Squirrel Hunting Thread.

 

[Trigger]

That's why I asked about the organizations federation.

There no one working on it saying hey there no squirrels over here.. let these people who are trying to get rid of them bring them there where we can hunt and not the park to become a bigger problem.

 

[Trigger]

Same with rabbit.. you could juggle trapped backyard rabbit around the state.

There places to stock those too.
Just figured it all was a good topic..

Sorry to beat up a horse by myself on that. I though good questions.

Squirrel report.
There all in the Backyard.

The place I found with them was the one surrounded by houses that my friend dont want to go hunt.

That's the report.

 

[Spikebuck]

This morning we are in a Winter Storm Warning. 5 or 6 inches in a few hours so far and coming down hard with strong winds and low 20's air temp...13F wind chill. Was surprised when I looked out the window around 7:30 this morning to see several squirrels out rummaging around! I would have thought they would be nestled in their cozy nests on a day like today! Was out for the afternoon with the Kibler Southern Mountain a couple days ago...calm, near 40F, and never saw a single tree rat...not even one of the annoying little red pine squirrels. An entire hillside of oak and hickory with several "nests" within sight always.

Probably the difference between my small private woods and the heavily hunted state land I was on. Grouse were kicking up 75 yards ahead they are so spooky in there!

 

[Trigger]

This morning we are in a Winter Storm Warning. 5 or 6 inches in a few hours so far and coming down hard with strong winds and low 20's air temp...13F wind chill. Was surprised when I looked out the window around 7:30 this morning to see several squirrels out rummaging around! I would have thought they would be nestled in their cozy nests on a day like today!

Yea they taist any good.. im going to trap a couple. That's what I'm looking at hoping around the yard lol

I think a box with string and stick to play safe.. I'll sit in the window pull the string. That I think is Legal for homemade.

Looks Cold out there.

Figure the dogs would love to eat a couple. I'd like to try one of two. If the dogs like them and I like them.

 

[Trigger]

I think it's just has to be a non Leathal trap?

So that inosent animals don't get killed. Like a cat.
Anyway! I think I Googled it up good.

Thanks you.

Sorry to not ask about it here.. have a good one. I think that's all for questions.

 

[Spikebuck]

From the information I have obtained, good squirrel dogs are often difficult to train. It can take a lot of work.

I grew up hunting squirrels with dogs. We never formally "trained" them at all and always had a freezer of squirrels.

We almost always had terriers, who are natural rodent busters. Sometimes we had terriers mixed with other good hunting breeds like fox hounds.

What was rare was having one that not only used scent to find game, but also sight once they treed a squirrel. A number of our dogs were great at treeing and letting us know what tree the squirrel went up, but if the squirrel changed trees, the dogs didn't always follow. Net...wasted time looking in the wrong tree! Many times, we'd see the squirrel take off across the tops from a distance, so knew they had changed trees. We did have dogs that were naturally good at both scent and sight.

While I won't hunt my GSD, due to the danger to her of running the woods where other hunters might be, she is VERY good as a sight dog on squirrels and will follow them through trees. So many breeds can be naturally good without training.

My Golden (who I hope to see again some day on the other side) was a fantastic natural as well. Many times she would have multiples in a huge tree. I'd shoot the first one I saw when I got to the tree, but she seemed to have them counted and would persist until I found and shot them all. In the below pic I had already shot two out of a huge towering oak. She's telling me there were more, but I'll be darned if I could find anymore in it. It was probably flattened out way up high on top of a big enough branch with no way to see it. I finally just left and had to call her away. I don't want to know what she was probably thinking of me!

 

[Trigger]

I grew up hunting squirrels with dogs. We never formally "trained" them at all and always had a freezer of squirrels.

We almost always had terriers, who are natural rodent busters. Sometimes we had terriers mixed with other good hunting breeds like fox hounds.

What was rare was having one that not only used scent to find game, but also sight once they treed a squirrel. A number of our dogs were great at treeing and letting us know what tree the squirrel went up, but if the squirrel changed trees, the dogs didn't always follow. Net...wasted time looking in the wrong tree! Many times, we'd see the squirrel take off across the tops from a distance, so knew they had changed trees. We did have dogs that were naturally good at both scent and sight.

While I won't hunt my GSD, due to the danger to her of running the woods where other hunters might be, she is VERY good as a sight dog on squirrels and will follow them through trees. So many breeds can be naturally good without training.

My Golden (who I hope to see again some day on the other side) was a fantastic natural as well. Many times she would have multiples in a huge tree. I'd shoot the first one I saw when I got to the tree, but she seemed to have them counted and would persist until I found and shot them all. In the below pic I had already shot two out of a huge towering oak. She's telling me there were more, but I'll be darned if I could find anymore in it. It was probably flattened out way up high on top of a big enough branch with no way to see it. I finally just left and had to call her away. I don't want to know what she was probably thinking of me!

View attachment 369699

That's All music. Very good writing.

Yes I feel the same with birds dogs and I see it with beagles..

I belive in the hunting breed blood line.. I'd want to get one breeding the dog for it. Not bred to be a pet.

I pay more to get the paper basically.

Don't ask how much my dog cost. But she is worth every penny.

I noticed training that it was more me learning the new dog style. It comes natural for them.. the more they work the better they get. most my training is obedience the rest goes easy.

I can train a birds dog with a dozen birds there ready to go start off slow one on one hunts away from the crowd.

The dog on introducing these things give you it undivided attention at that moment. Like what's that you just put smell in there face or just the sight of it for the first time you see it in them.

My dog Mr. Ringo. He swallowed his first Qual when he caught it. I pulled the bird out by its feet. the little pup swallowed that thing.

Be fun.. trap a few squirrels and train a dog. The training is allot of fun...

Sorry for the 12 edits trying to keep it one post.

I been watching the hunt styles of the dogs. I don't know exactly what dog. I liked the Walker coon i saw a video squirrels hunt with one. just because I want to sit back and when he got one out there. It's a good howling. I like to hear them. I liked the Walker.

I guess there's a difference.. I had a Walker hound. There bigger. I guess it's saying I want a treeing Walker that's smaller..

The list goes on with those dogs.

I saw German Shepard could even be used.
I wouldn't mind a Belgian Malinuar squirrels dog. That's has to be good. Might not need a gun.

 

[Trigger]

Treeing coon and birds dog mixed. They say are getting me closer.
Looks like if I want a dog breed for it though..

It's a few that were mentioned... mountain cur etc.. more natural for them.

I'm still searching dogs though.

I'm sure I'd be shocking a coon hound for a few weeks to get it to stop chasing everything. Or being chewed on by a Malinuar. There not bred for it.

 

[Trigger]

I guess what I'd need to know if I do get into it..

It's papers. Bloodline. Who's breeding these dogs for it.

Just an example
https://www.wyomountaincurs.com/puppies-for-sale/

https://www.walnutridgemountaincurs.com/the-dogs-of-walnut-ridge

They don't look like hunting breeders really somtimes.

I'm just picky about it.

 

[Trigger]

OK I'm finding them now.. it's not easy sorry.

https://www.squirreldogdynasty.com/

Sorry about the dogs and all the barking. I did ask before about them?

 

[Trigger]

You know there's a list I got.

Dogs
Training.
Trapping for food or training a dog. Reasons why trapping them.
A club or organization.

Book making a book or log about hunting to reference.

I'll beat the dead horse dead. I don't think some of you are friendly. Just saying.

 

[snakebit]

Thanks Tom.
I just want to say this was/is a blanket statement. Not directed at any one individual. We know who's who in the zoo. I don't care how long a post is but to continually beat a dead Horse one post after another is a bit much.
I feel we've all learned from this thread, if'n it's dead subject or just a personal thing stop blasting this thread or any other thread. Different subjects here and there are cool acutely, it gets my mind thinking. But same stuff worded differently one after another ️

I agree with Fred. We had/have a great thread. To me, the air just feels different in here these days. I think it's fair to say we've all strayed off topic at some point. Some time it just feels like a bunch of good ol boys shootin the $h!t, and it's easy to stray off topic. We've talked about all kinds of things, fishing, deer hunting, family stuff, life experiences, so on. None of us probably like to be told to "shut up", so we all could do a better job of policing ourselves. As this is a "Traditional Muzzleloading" forum. Good thread to bounce ideas, share Technics, strategies, experiences, and hopefully a few laughs.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

I grew up hunting squirrels with dogs. We never formally "trained" them at all and always had a freezer of squirrels.

We almost always had terriers, who are natural rodent busters. Sometimes we had terriers mixed with other good hunting breeds like fox hounds.

What was rare was having one that not only used scent to find game, but also sight once they treed a squirrel. A number of our dogs were great at treeing and letting us know what tree the squirrel went up, but if the squirrel changed trees, the dogs didn't always follow. Net...wasted time looking in the wrong tree! Many times, we'd see the squirrel take off across the tops from a distance, so knew they had changed trees. We did have dogs that were naturally good at both scent and sight.

While I won't hunt my GSD, due to the danger to her of running the woods where other hunters might be, she is VERY good as a sight dog on squirrels and will follow them through trees. So many breeds can be naturally good without training.

My Golden (who I hope to see again some day on the other side) was a fantastic natural as well. Many times she would have multiples in a huge tree. I'd shoot the first one I saw when I got to the tree, but she seemed to have them counted and would persist until I found and shot them all. In the below pic I had already shot two out of a huge towering oak. She's telling me there were more, but I'll be darned if I could find anymore in it. It was probably flattened out way up high on top of a big enough branch with no way to see it. I finally just left and had to call her away. I don't want to know what she was probably thinking of me!

View attachment 369699

Beautiful picture thanks for posting it.
I've had the thing happen with Henry, shoo him away only find out there was another squirrel up in the tree.

 

[Trigger]

What's is..

A percussion smoothbore for this. In a small cal round ball.

Do they exist?
Do you need the rifled barrel?

I don't want a traditions Anything. Sorry.

I don't buy many guns. So if I get one.

I don't have a flintlock so it is an option to consider because it's an option. I'm also thinking I wouldn't mind leaning how to use one of those. If I'm not buying allot of guns I might try to kill both problems at ounce. Flintlock new thing squirrel hunt new thing has to be a good thing.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Trigger, flintlocks and squirrel hunting are good things for sure. If you're serious about both here is some options.
Kibler Colonial comes in .50. .54, and .58 caliber. All calibers come in Smoothbore and rifled. A .50 Smoothbore might suite you.
He also offers the Fowler, now these come in 20ga and 16ga. Not a small bore but an option. You could also buy yourself a .32, or a .36 caliber flintlock and send it to Bobby Hoyt and he bore it out to a .410 Smoothbore.
I know you stated that yeah won't buy a Traditions anything, but I have to say their Crockett rifles are a great little gun. Plenty of folks on this thread can verify this. I spoke to Bobby Hoyt and said he can bore it out to a .410 Smoothbore. The Crockett is percussion though.

Food for thought.

 

[Trigger]

Trigger, flintlocks and squirrel hunting are good things for sure. If you're serious about both here is some options.
Kibler Colonial comes in .50. .54, and .58 caliber.

That's was thinking. It's probably a Kibler.

Thank you.

I don't look at them. I figure to much$$ But I'm not buying many guns so..

It's good for deer too. I need a classic deer gun. Mine is MM

So that's 3 things in one going for it if it covers some deer.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

That's was thinking. It's probably a Kibler.

Thank you.

I don't look at them. I figure to much$$ But I'm not buying many guns so..

It's good for deer too. I need a classic deer gun. Mine is MM

So that's 3 things in one going for it if it covers some deer.

I sent this post to soon I had to go back and edit it.

 

[Staredge]

I know you stated that yeah won't buy a Traditions anything, but I have to say their Crockett rifles are a great little gun. Plenty of folks on this thread can verify this. I spoke to Bobby Hoyt and said he can bore it out to a .410 Smoothbore. The Crockett is percussion though.

Food for thought.

The Crockett is a real winner. A flintlock Crockett, though………