squirrel season started Sat. have got 7 so far. Everyone so far has been a large mature male and really havnt been seeing that many squirrels in total, have harvested most of the one.s i have seen. Where are the females? my thoughts are they are in dens with litters, but seems really late in the yr for that.
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thoughts from you guys?
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The squirrels here are well past having litters at this time of year, at here where I'm at.
Right now they're feeding heavily on pecans and hickories.
Right now they're feeding heavily on pecans and hickories.
The leaves are still too thick here and right now they don't come down to the ground much.
Question, are you killing them by following the sound of barking?
No. That would lead me to my neighbors dog. LOL
If the wind isn't blowing, watch for leaf movement, branches shaking nuts dropping and the sound of gnawing.
I think thats why you're getting old squirrels then. The younger squirrels do the majority of the barking and chattering. The older ones have been swooped by enough hawks and owls for a few years to learn to limit their barks and chatters... this time of year i pick off the barking ones and get a ton of young squirrels. Easy to skin, and fry up tender.
As stated by boomarang, the leaves are thick right now and the squirrels seem to be feeding in the tops of hickories or beeches here abouts. I have found that once I find a squirrel feeding in the tops of a tree, if I drag a washer over the threads of a 5/16" bolt to imitate a squirrel gnawing on a nut. the squirrel in the tree will sometimes come down the tree to see who is feeding, and then I sometimes get a shot. I much prefer hunting squirrels when the leaves start to fall, plus it is usually much cooler. Right now the mosquitoes are horrendous.
Crow-Feather
32 Cal.
I got a squirrel once. Brought out angry neighbors and the police telling me I shouldn't shoot town pets off power lines in the middle of main street
some interesting thoughts from u guys. i got 1 that was barking, rest were quiet. i have been hunting squirrel since could hold a gun. have done detailed journaling for 30 yrs. just have never seen anything like this before, just thought kind of odd. yes, leaves are thick, but can certainly see branches moving and know there is a squirrel there. have seen very few that is havnt bagged, maybe 4. guess all the ladies are just getting away.
i went for a short scouting trip after lunch, seen 1, got it, yep it was a large male........
Sidney Smith
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Our season opened last Saturday. I went out for a little while in the later afternoon. As expected, I was not able to see any squirrels. I could hear them in the treetops, but with the foliage so thick, it was impossible to get a glimpse of them. The weather has been much too hot and humid around here for my liking, so I'm probably going to give it another week before I go back out and try for them again.
I think the game commission made a mistake moving up the squirrel opener 1 full month like they have. Yes, it gives you more time but when it's too hot and sticky, and there's too many leaves on the trees, what's the point then.
I think the game commission made a mistake moving up the squirrel opener 1 full month like they have. Yes, it gives you more time but when it's too hot and sticky, and there's too many leaves on the trees, what's the point then.
Our season's been open almost a month here in Kentucky and I've yet to go on a serious hunt. The thermometer is flirting with 90F and the humidity is just disgusting, plus the trees are still thick with green leaves. We typically start seeing a little relief in October and that's usually when I started hitting the woods. Squirrel hunting seems to be a lot more fun when you're not dripping sweat, the biting bugs are beaten down, and enough leaves have fallen that you may get the occasional rifle shot.
I have taken two from the woods here by the house, a male and a female. There sure are a lot of them around this year and all the nut trees are loaded. I haven't seen such a crop of hickory nuts, acorns, and walnuts in quite a few years. Persimmon trees are loaded, too.
I have taken two from the woods here by the house, a male and a female. There sure are a lot of them around this year and all the nut trees are loaded. I haven't seen such a crop of hickory nuts, acorns, and walnuts in quite a few years. Persimmon trees are loaded, too.
What part of the country are you hunting? Here in middle TN they are everywhere. I've been seeing huge increases in numbers and colors over the last few years. Nobody but me hunts them around where I live so, other than the hawks and feral cats, they don't have much to worry about. Well, least ways not until around the end of October... What is your preferred shooting iron for free rats?
user 49399
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Here in East Tennessee I don’t like squirrel hunting until it gets cool enough to wear a jacket. I do not like high heat/humidity. I much prefer crisp, cool or even cold weather. Never paid much attention, but seems like I always got males and females alike.
My two cents, I think traditional muzzleloaders and cool weather go hand in hand.
My two cents, I think traditional muzzleloaders and cool weather go hand in hand.
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I didn't hunt Squirrels until a frost had occured. Squirrels in my area could have lava under their skin . We called them wolves? They went away when cool weather arrived. Hot weather and Squirrel hunting was a no-no for me.
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Botflys? I was trying to come up with that name and for the life of me I couldn't? I guess I was having a senior moment?
southern pa. 36 cal underhammer. not tons of pressure on them here also.
When i lived in the catskills, every squirrel i killed in september had at least one. They look awful. But reside inside the skin layer and the swelling is entirely enclosed within it and does not affect the meat. The squirrel is perfectly safe to eat. I was told this by a local wildlife biologist at the time. And he's right. Once the skin is off, its just a normal squirrel. The meat looks completely normal and I was unable to tell the difference. A lot of people in areas where these occur wait till it cools off some before hunting them. The swellings, or"wolves" mentioned above also affect deer heavily during the warmer months, but have long subsided by the time hunting season arrives.
I have not found any larva in the squirrels I've harvested in NE KS thus far. When I was growing up in SE TN, most of the squirrels I shot in August had them. We finally received some cooler weather here in KS and I'm looking forward to getting out to hunt without having to worry about overheating.
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I've seen plenty of wolves under rabbit skin.. and a corresponding red mark on the flesh where said parasite was living. Made me not wanna eat them.
Never seen a wolf in a squirrel, but we usually hunt them in November.
By then you find a mixed bag.
Never seen a wolf in a squirrel, but we usually hunt them in November.
By then you find a mixed bag.
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