Opening weekend squirrels

[dhaverstick]

Missouri’s squirrel season always opens the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and you can bet your bacon grease that I will be out on that day trying to thin the local herd. My house butts up right against a smorgasbord of squirrel chow so I don’t even have to leave the front porch to get groceries unless I just want to. However, my wife doesn’t care for the smell of black powder smoke wafting through the living room so I only use a bow when pursuing “yard squirrels”. For their more wild cousins, I press my 12 gauge flintlock smoothbore, Ole Betsy, into service. Without working too hard, I managed to put five in the freezer with both weapons over the weekend and I bet if I looked out the window right now there would be at least a half dozen within 20 yards eating on mulberries and honeysuckle blooms. It’s a tough job trying to keep their population in check but I’ll be on the front line everyday fighting the good fight until Missouri’s archery season opens in September.

A view from the dog yard. Lots of squirrel habitat up close and personal.

A couple of bow kills. I use my lily-white legs to momentarily blind my quarry.

I broke out Ole Betsy to kill the last three. My mother has already laid claim to these so I'll have to get more when I get a chance.

Darren

 

[Kansas Jake]

Very good. We have to wait until June 1st here in Kansas.

 

[hanshi]

You do a great job on squirrels, Darren. I've given lots of thought about maybe using my .62 smoothbore, "Ol' Loudmouf" on them but haven't done that as of yet. I just never particularly liked shot for small game. Tried it some many years ago and did not care for the results, or the problem of picking shot out from between my teeth. For these little guys I lean more toward rifles, like my little .36.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Good for you Darren. Watch they don't rush you mind and pin you down. Keep dazzling them with that grin and the err legs!

 

[Feltwad]

Here in the UK they are a pest and shot all the year round they are known has tree rats which destroy birds eggs and young which have almost eliminated the native red squirrel .Like the mink they are a introduce breed escaped from fir farms and have no place in the English countryside
Feltwad

 

[LawrenceA]

Love your little patch of paradise. I don't think I could contain myself to a bow from your balcony.
However I never thought there would be a squirrel season!
Don't have anything like squirrels in my neck of the woods. Just wallabies and the occasional cow in the yard, oh and heaps of cane toads.

Best of luck and have fun.

 

[Skychief]

Green with envy Darren. Wish we had a Spring season. Thanks for sharing.

If times get real tough, you might consider a move to the coast. If a lighthouse loses power, those legs could guide ships!

Does you're doc' know you're walking around on those things?!?!?!

Kind regards, Skychief.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Our season opens in 5 days.

 

[MN284]

@Britsmoothy years ago on another forum there was a hilarious conversation called "squirrel wars". Started out with a guy wondering about using a small signal cannon to kill the buggers, and it went on quite a bit from there. I'll try to find it in my files.

Tom

 

[MN284]

It took some searching but I found my "Squirrel Wars" file,It came to five pages of small print, so I will only quote the second post:"I think Dixie sells small signal cannon, but you'll have to make your own canister for squirrels. They are pretty dangerous when they form up for a charge, and if you're not careful you'll mistake the rustling for a wind devil in the leaves and they'll be swarming all over you before you know it. Blouse your pant legs in your boots. Ya gotta be fast on the lanyard because them sonofabitches can JUMP, and if the parasquirrels are in the trees, just bend over and kiss your arse goodbye. They drop from the trees like, well, dropping squirrels! The only thing that might help is solid shot - don't laugh. After you rip off a couple canisters load up some solid shot. The resultant concussion might break up an attack. Don't try to defend your gun. Trying to hit a jumping squirrel with a rammer is like trying to hit a knuckleball.....Don't go to the head without a handgun, and don't drop your pants....One other thing - save the last bullet for yourself." (As i said there are five pages of this. You can try the ancient URL: http://members.aol.com/illinewek/sq-war1.htm

Tom

 

[Flinty Scot]

Tom, you have ripped the top off Pandora's box! Thank you. There looks to be at least a couple evening's entertainment, reading all of the stories a simple search on the location you gave.
A first scan of California's 1918 Squirrel War- w/ school kids spreading poisoned grain on school outings- gave me my evening chuckle.
I'll have to ration myself; too rich for a steady diet.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Unfortunately we don't have a spring season for squirrels here in Pa. Have to wait until early Octotober. Wish we did though. We've got a lot roaming the yards this time of year. We can shoot ground hogs though as there's no closed season on them except during deer season. I just shot one from my front porch yesterday.

 

[bigted]

Sidney ... not being silly ... but here goes ... are your ground hogs edible?

 

[Sidney Smith]

Wouldn't know, I've never attempted to eat one. Fact, I don't know anyone around here who does. They're a nuisance vermin species to us, and most of the farmers around here want them all shot. Especially the Amish farmers. Groundhogs account for several injured horses per year when they step in their holes and injure a leg.

 

[MountainSmoke]

Nice looking squirrels there fellas. I have to wait until September. Way to get it done the hard way!

 

[appalichian hunter]

The grounhog can be ate, the younger ones in the spring right when they come out of their dens are very good fried, the older ones can also be fried but you want to soak then over night in milk then fry them. You can crock pot them pick the meat off the bones and make BBQ also just be sure to remove the grease from the pot first, can be a bit strong. I have a friend from WVA. who shake and bakes them actually very good with fried taters, some good baked beans and a cold brew. There is nothing like a evening ground hog hunt especially when the fish are not biting.

 

[MTGUNNER]

You do a great job on squirrels, Darren. I've given lots of thought about maybe using my .62 smoothbore, "Ol' Loudmouf" on them but haven't done that as of yet. I just never particularly liked shot for small game. Tried it some many years ago and did not care for the results, or the problem of picking shot out from between my teeth. For these little guys I lean more toward rifles, like my little .36.

If you use #4 shot, it pretty much passes right through them. :>))

 

[Eterry]

Anyone who can take a squirrel with his bow is just SHOWING OFF!!! Seriously, that is really impressive.
No season on tree rats here, I should get out before it gets hot and get some.
A friend of dad's talked about living off ground hogs during the depression. You close your eyes and think of pork, he said.