Tactic's for squirrel hunting!

[Timothy Gregory]

I stalked up on a hickory tree yesterday morning that was absolutely raining nuts. Thought that a squirrel was picking them off and throwing them at something. Worked around for a little bit before I saw the culprit. It was a red-headed woodpecker who was grabbing the stems in his beak and shaking them until the nut fell, then move on to the next one. He was going so fast at it that as one nut was hitting the ground, another was falling, and the woodpecker was moving on to another nut. 'Aint never seen a woodpecker do that.
On a hunt last year, I had a squirrel run down the tree trunk at me, barking all the way. He stopped about 6 inches from the muzzle of my Charleville which was loaded with about an ounce and a half of #7 shot. If I had touched her off, I think all I would have had left would have been squirrel feet.

 

[Ironwood]

This time of the year when the acorns are maturing, I just ease around in the oak flats watching for limbs to start shaking. It's usually pretty easy to sneak up on a squirrel when he is busy collecting acorns.

I used to have one of the best squirrel dogs in the world. He hunted with his eyes about as much as he used his nose. Even the nighborhood kids would come by after school and ask to borrow ol' Ring. Of course ol' Ring would be more than glad to go with them. That dog really loved to hunt!

 

[Stumpkiller]

A variation on the bolt trick is to use coins. A neighbor showed me by licking his thumb and forefinger and squeezing two pennies between the finger pads. Then he'd clap them together like little castenittes (sp?). Nickels work, too. I don't have the proper spit, I guess, but two quarters tapped, one one edge into the flat of the other, work as well.

When you tree a squirrel and he's keeping the trunk between you, toss a stick or yank a string tied to a bush on the opposite side.

When a squirrel is running along a branch make a sharp "SMUT" sound (loud kiss? - like to call a cat) and it will sometimes freeze them in place. Whistling doesn't seem to work.

When a squirrel is hunkered flat to a branch aim for his lower jaw, not his eye. Uphill shots require a lower hold, and a near miss will likely still kill him ( though I don't like to rely on "barking").

Pause often, listen frequently, look for falling chips as they chew. If your neck isn't stiff after a squirrel hunt you weren't scanning the trees properly. Look for "lumps" in crotches and branch split-offs.

Not traditional, but a nice pair of 8X26 binoculars can be a big help for old eyes. I've got a pair of Bushnell Legends that are rubber armored, waterproof (as in immerseable), have long eye relief so I can see the full view even with glasses and have great light gathering for the price. I think they're still to be had for less than $85.

 

[dennis byrd]

To everyone posting and sharing your tactics and memories, thank you. These are excellent days for hunting, with deer and turkey at historic highs on our continent we have much to be thankful for. I am constantly reminded of my earliest instruction from my grandfather as I read familiar stories and experiences each of you share. I am greatful to have such relationships.
Tomorrow I will be taking my three year old son into the woods on the west side of lake Oologah near our home and learn what the squirrels will teach us. Yes indeed these are good times! Jet90

 

[No Grease]

I like barking squirrels the best leaves more meat and you can use any type of weapon also. I will look at the MO hunting regs on squirrel hunting also. In Ok you could hunt either sex when I was growing up. Food for thought though. Thank you gentlemen for all the tips stated so far. :hatsoff:

 

[Walks Alone]

In the early to mid 70's when I hunted tree rats in the costal mountains of north and central CA I mostly liked to spot and stalk them with rimfire rifles and pistols. Made my own various mouth calls which worked most of the time to get them to at least peek around a limb/trunk to see what the source was - good enough for a head shot or to bark them. When I did walk into a high use area and wanted to take a break from walking, I'd hang a jacket or shirt in plain sight to the area, sneak on across it and sit for a while. Didn't take long for them to pay more attention to the jacket than to me and I'd get clear shots from my side of the area. I too used home made bird calls to help settle the forest down after I had intruded it. A trick I learned from hunting predators since I was just a kid that works very well.

I also did spot and stalk during snowy winters for Red squirrels in the Rocky Mountains for many years, and I have hunted praire dogs since the late 50's.

Now I live where the squirrels are small, are ground diggers in huge colonies with nothing more than blades of grass and their mounds to hide behind. Not a problem to get clear shots even sitting out in the open off a portable shooting bench, although the mouth calls do still help sometimes to stop one for a shot. Like with PD's, it takes specialty rifles and pistols with good glass for the very long ranges shot. In the evenings I spot and stalk them on foot, usually with scoped pistols and with running shots the norm.

Still miss the tree rats though, especially at dinner time.

 

[shootemup]

I will look at the MO hunting regs on squirrel hunting also. In Ok you could hunt either sex when I was growing up.

Umm,
I think we're pretty much able to hunt either sex squirrels here in the Ozarks...
Spot

 

[Rocky Johnson]

At my age I have to hunt ether sex squirrels my hearing is so bad I can't hear ther nuts rattle when I shake the tree there in.
:wink: Rocky

 

[longshot47]

Some of my richest outdoor memories center on squirrel hunts in the Fall woods [you know, 'stumbling color-drunk in great halls of maple']. My weapon of choice is a scoped .22; even a little 410 seems unfair advantage on a stationary target -not to mention pellets in the meat. I like to double-team with a partner, either moving or sitting about 50 yards apart. My dogs have always been too rambunctous to hunt squirrels, but one of my cats brings them to the door on a regular basis.
Note: there's a short, but excellent video on cleaning a squirrel somewhere in our archives. It would be a nice addition to this thread, but I've never been able to come to terms with the 'search' feature.
~Longshot

 

[jethro224]

You can probly judge their sex even without hearing the nuts rattle. Didn't you ever notice that SOME squirrels will come right over and start hollerin' and cussin' and tryin' to tell ya "you best get up off yer lazy behind... sittin' there on a log while I store food for the winter... :yakyak: :yakyak: :yakyak: "?

:hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :rotf:

 

[Thomas Dermako]

What has worked for me is to sit real still, and when I shoot one, mark where it lies but don't fetch it immediately or move more than necessary. I find they start to move again more quickly this way.

 

[lucky1s]

Folks, If it's got fin, fur or feather it's in trouble around me... :haha: Squirrel hunting is my favorite though. I learned my skills from my father and his which are very simliar to the ones already posted. Here's a few not put on yet:
Always take an Osage Orange with you and have it tied inside a corner of an old cloth sack bout a foot wide and tall. The Osage Orange keeps the bugs away a little better than without it and makes a good throw for when the squirrel wants to hide behind the tree from you. We call this a "Casper". Another is always keep a pocket of small pebbles. When you think a squirrel is near pull out 5 or 6 and toss them one by one on the forest floor a few trees over from your location. It sounds like hulls falling and they will come to see who is eating thier hickories.