Late Season Squirrel Hunt

[Beaver Trapper]

Our squirrel season for grays ends on a little over a week here in Eastern Ontario. Its currently about 5 F, but its supposed to warm up tomorrow for a few days (daytime temps around freezing).

I'm now waiting for the ice to thicken up to trap beavers. In the meantime, I am planning to get out for some squirrels with my fowler before the end of the season. Any advice or tips for hunting them at the end of the season / in the winter?


Thanks,

Scott

 

[smo]

Good Luck on your hunt and trapping.

Keep us posted , We would love too see some pics !

 

[Spikebuck]

Any advice or tips for hunting them at the end of the season / in the winter?

I do almost all of my squirrel hunting "late season" which for here is late December through end of February. I love it because I don't jump up at the crack of dawn. I get up leisurely and get out there around 9AM, or even a little later, and hunt until mid-afternoon. I think the squirrels like it to warm just a bit too before they get out in the morning. I'm done by mid-afternoon because the squirrels in my area seem to retire back to their dens earlier in the day than early season. Otherwise, it's a lot like I usually squirrel hunt. Just very slowly walking and listening in areas that had good squirrel concentrations and food earlier in the year. I use my binoculars to scan way ahead because there is virtually no cover this time of year with all the leaves down. In hunted areas, especially, they tend to be a LOT spookier and take off much earlier if they spot you. If a virtually non-hunted area, I find them to not change too much from early season.

February here is a different story because the breeding season is upon them. I've shot up to three squirrels in one tree because you have males all over searching for females in heat. In February my take is almost ALL males because, just like bucks in the rut, they are all out looking for their next mate.

Have fun and good luck.