Squirrels.

[Enfield58]

Confucius once said; "If you want to see lots of squirrels, go deer hunting. If you want to see lots of deer, go squirrel hunting."

 

[user 49399]

We were in the middle 90s last week with dew points around the 65 to 68 range. It was sweltering and miserable. I can't imagine it being comfortable in the woods even if the temp is a few degrees cooler in the shade of the trees. Add to that the incessant bugs and spider webs everywhere. No way.

Here in East Tennessee, squirrel season opens August 28th. However, the heat, humidity, skeeters, gnats, flies, yellow jackets, hornets and snakes take some of the fun out of it. I prefer to wait until snow starts falling.

 

[Britsmoothy]

For any except longer range small game hunting you aren't giving up much. Too bad Parliament cannot find something better to do with their time than legislate that which does not need legislated. Have you told them that?

Many many times.

 

[hanshi]

Nate, I liked those videos; cool!

 

[4575wcf]

I was pretty excited about the move to Western Oregon in my late '20's because Oregon has a Silver-Gray Squirrel season. I went after them in various places with BP, usually in the oak/douglas fir areas in the Columbia Gorge and in the lands around the apple orchards in Hood River, but I never found anything that looked like a real squirrel in shootable numbers. Probably would have helped if I had seen, hunted up, and shot one or two somewhere else first. I got into lots of deer and elk, and the forest grouse hunting was very good.

 

[Stykbow]

Here in East Tennessee, squirrel season opens August 28th. However, the heat, humidity, skeeters, gnats, flies, yellow jackets, hornets and snakes take some of the fun out of it. I prefer to wait until snow starts falling.

Agreed. August in East Tennessee is too hot for squirrels. When I was a teenager I didn’t care, but nowadays I wait till after deer season to chase squirrels.
Nice vids and pic, Britsmoothy. Looks like a good time had by all. Well, except the squirrels!

 

[old reb]

That’s about like shooting a 410 shotgun I’d say. Nice gun. Is it a smooth bore?

Makes me think I should try my 50 caliber Kentucky rifle with shot on squirrels sometime.

have a old cheep 50,plastic stock side hammer with shallow rifleing. always wondered about the spread and lethality of shot in a rifled 50.ive seen video's of some one doing a test.always thought that it wont work past 20 yards for a good kill.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I was pretty excited about the move to Western Oregon in my late '20's because Oregon has a Silver-Gray Squirrel season. I went after them in various places with BP, usually in the oak/douglas fir areas in the Columbia Gorge and in the lands around the apple orchards in Hood River, but I never found anything that looked like a real squirrel in shootable numbers. Probably would have helped if I had seen, hunted up, and shot one or two somewhere else first. I got into lots of deer and elk, and the forest grouse hunting was very good.

Never ever shot or ate a grouse of any kind. Often wonder what they taste like

 

[Robby]

To me Ruffled Grouse is the best game bird of all, for eating, for hunting(?), well, its usually thick and takes a flush or two before they don't scare the crap out of you so you can react fast and properly. Kind of a younger mans' game.
Robby

 

[Enfield58]

Never ever shot or ate a grouse of any kind. Often wonder what they taste like

If you are in a conversation and the topic of ruffed grouse comes up say something like; "They taste just like spotted owls," and watch the reactions.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

I noticed some squirrel hitting the beech nuts this week.
Them being vermin over here and I rifling fox's all week with the 17HMR I needed a return to a purer form of shooting. Time to break out the 45.
Loaded with 3/4 oz of #7 and about 50gns of the finest grade I can get my sticky fingers on I set of looking for squirrels.
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Then another.
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I got four today then a huge shower soaked us!
My little 45
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Not these. These are a little bit smart and you've got to be sneaky.

Well done , I have got 5 this week one a big male this morning We have a 1/3 acre garden but onl 34 ft wide so it's long with plenty of trees , they rip the bird feeders apart.....I ate one, couple of days ago , boil then roast, tasty but I prefer lamb chops and mint sauce. In this built up area a 177&22 PCs air gun is best 12 ft lbs BSA Scorpio gives 1" or better groups at 50 yards, cheap to run too....Knocks heads off rabbits at 50 yards...our long lease on NT Polsden lacy estates and farms ran out a couple of years ago and the manager refused to renew it , But we had repeated sessions of culling squirrels ever few months ripping out the drags with long poles, they still come back.....foxes dozens of them , .22 and BB shot especially at lambing time, lambs having bellies ripped out Alas my farming friends retired , not milked cows in years, and sold up. Not used a shot gun last few years, then after all this time the Plods refused to renew my S2 and confiscated my guns Git plenty of S58 guns though....including 7 ML. Plus 577-500 no2 and 450-400 And yes great fun shooting the squirrels with flintlocks, never dressed up in 1759s style though Made similar comments on string English and French flints I wish you we'll Oh loved my 16g pump so fast to shoot with, recon they will be banned after this Plymouth incident, lucky the Afgan situation now take up front page...always wanted to try a 177 hmr

 

[tom_in_vt]

Gotta love a good bushytail whackin!

 

[SolidLeadSlug]

A .40 cal slug does wonders on them

 

[Enfield58]

 

[Enfield58]

 

[Britsmoothy]

I need squirrel radar quick!

 

[Gordoncourtney]

RADAR. It's called a big bird feeder full of nuts in centre of garden, they come and die from far and wide..... but a 177 hmr, that's something different, no charisma though......just a 300 yard cold killer. Never shot one , love one . More expensive to run than the wife though !!!!!

....have caught more with my box trap though , that's at the sailing club trying to catch a mink.....

You just cannot beat these BSA Scorpion though , outshoot a shotgun any day, better groups than a 22, even , Best Buy yet .....and it's quiet. And a long garden to hunt in. I practice 50 yards , a lot usually over morning coffee, I think the 22.is more accurate than the 177 but the 177 shoots flatter, either way it's a dead head shot squirrel....and they still come . £16 and £11 fir 500 cheap to run. There's like 3 million of them in uk and 150k red squirrels Yes greys in Bath town park nice furry things come and sit on your shoulder and eat nuts no wonder city dwellers love them

God bless you all

 

[Gordoncourtney]

What's all this about squirrel hunting season and bag limits across the pond....I gather rabbits are protected in some states too, rabbit culling was compulsory on farm land in uk, fields covered in them, especially in Dorset, farmers loved you to come and shoot them, thats where I originally came from,

Here in uk , rabbit or squirrel, it's keep shooting till you run out of ammo........we used to get 1/6d for each squirrel tail, but the government ran out of money , I was around 14 then ........photo, another late afternoon squirrel.....food for my urban pet fox , she's realy nice keeps the mice and rats away ..........I would not hesitate to kill her or nasty foxes on farmland though. They probably do good on arable farmland, never known a farmer that liked foxes . Lost count of the number I have shot over the years....I thought the 177 was a bit light at 200 yards a .243 being better.....

Looks like rain , I wish you well Gordon

 

[Loja man]

I hope to take my boys out after them soon!! They will be using a unmentionable but I plan to take my New Englander!

 

[Enfield58]

Has anyone ever made buffalo squirrel wings?