Best ways to Squirrel Hunt?

Question

What do you use to hunt squirrels? What techniques do you use?

Answer 1

Let me first start off by replying to some of the lame responses you have received so far.

Squirrels are dumb and easy to shoot. Perhaps if they are humanized in your backyard, but real hunters know better.

Throwing popcorn out in the woods will not work and in most instances is illegal. I know here it is illegal to bait any animals to hunt.

If a squirrel is on the opposite side of a tree hiding from you, throwing an acorn on the other side will not make him pop over to your side. Throwing a stick will perhaps get him over enough to get a head shot, but you better have the rifle at the ready, any movement out of you and it will pop back over on the other side. A neat trick is to take some line to one side, tie it to a bush and then come back to the other side. Then you can wiggle the bush on the other side. The quarter idea is not money well spent :)

Thinking that squirrels see you first because they are at a higher elevation is erroneous. I have had squirrels come all the way to me through the tops of trees. Heres an idea, don't move so much. No wonder you got only two squirrels in one season of hunting. Squirrel calls don't scare the squirrels. I have used one to talk a squirrel into coming out of his hole to investigate what other squirrel was in his neighborhood.

Okay now to answer your question. There are basically three ways to hunt. Stalk, Ambush, Pattern.

Stalk is where you move slowly through an area using your eyes and ears more than your feet. Sometimes a stalk will turn into an ambush if you are stealthy enough. A good place to use a stalk is around the edge of a woods where the squirrels are going out into the field to grab an ear of corn and bring it back to their favorite tree to munch on. I have been walking past a tree only to have an ear of corn fall out. Now it is time to wait on the squirrel to move.

Ambush is when you set up in an area that the squirrels frequent. A good feeding grounds is an ideal spot. Our season here starts in mid August and from then through September I like to sit in a 20 acre pine forest I have. This is older pines, not Christmas tree pines, that most of their lower branches have died and fallen off. The squirrels love to eat the pine cones when they are still green. I like to get out there just as soon as it is light. They come in from any direction and most of the times I just have to wait until they move into range. I mark where I have one down so I don't have to move and perhaps spook any other squirrels in the area. I have shot one only to have another in a different tree start barking at me. Once I go about an hour with no action, I will relocate. Later in the year is when I hunt the ones that are feeding on acorns. I like to find a little rise and watch a group of trees rather than just one. You can check for activity by looking for acorns they have been feeding on. Another good spot is finding a location where the go out into a corn field to get ear corn.

Pattern is what I generally use in December. I try to find out at what times of the day most squirrels go out into pick corn and bean fields to feed. I get this information usually during deer season. I have found early morning, late evening and from 11-1 to be the best times. No sense waiting all day when a couple of hours will work. You will want to set up where you can cover the most area that the squirrels are using.

A 22 is my weapon of choice.

Answer 2

Going for squirrel during the second season is a little eaiser concidering we now have a clearer view. Use a .22 (scopes help). I find it very hard to still hunt squirrel b/c they usally see you first being at a higher elevation. I plot myself down near some mast trees and wait. Somtimes I'm there all day and don't see one darn squirrel as if they don't exist. And go home empty handed. Sometimes I ask myself why I freez my butt off just for squirrel, but they are mighty fine tasty once cleaned and fryed up. Be pateint. When I started my first year last year I only got two out of the whole seacond season (didn't go the first). But this year I found myself taking home sometimes six a day. I use a squirrel call when it's been dead quit in the woods and I haven't seen a living thing in hours, but only then do I use a squirrel call b/c all it does is let you locate them by the call mimicing the alert sounds of a squirrel. So they don't come to you, instead they hide in the trees. Squirrels are very vocal animals and they don't take any chances. If they hear something...there gone...like dust in the wind. They do however comeback down after a while. It may take an hour though. It also seems to me when I'm hunting deer squirrels are all over the darn place and they are actully a bothersum b/c they sound like deer being so noisy scampering around looking for acorns/walnuts. But when I'm hunting for them I hardly see any lol. Just take a chair find a nice spot and sit there. They will come around. And "don't" be moving around be still. I find them to be most active during the wee hours of the morning and just before dark. But I still get em during the mid-day too. go to silverstreaksports for more info. Happy hunting and happy holidays. Oh...and the quarter thing, it doesn't work.

Answer 3

I like squirrel meat. It tastes, well, like squirrel! You don't get alot of meat on a gray squirrel. Fox squirrels are a bit bigger. I cook them a couple of ways. If I am out camping, I roast them on a spit. Sometimes I fry them in butter. Sometimes I will boil them then pick the meat off the bones and put it in a vegetable stew. I can't help you with the gutting part here in the answers forum, that's more of a hands on thing, but if you have ever dissected anything in your school biology class, I'm sure you can figure it out.

Answer 4

You need to find a heavy producing oak tree or tree lots. You want cooler but not windy weather. Use a squirrel call, binoculars, 22 rifle and look for their moving tails. Look in the crotches of the trees and don't forget to look on the ground. If the squirrel is on the opposite side of the tree from you, toss an acorn to the other side of the tree to entice the squire ll to come to the side you are located at. If a squirrel call is not available, cup one quarter in the palm of your hand and hit the quarter with another quarter to mimic the sound of a squirrel barking.

Answer 5

.22 Long Rifle. Squirrels are pretty dumb. Just find a spot with a lot of oak trees, and go plinking.

Answer 6

Best way I've found to attract the little tree rats is to go turkey hunting. Be all camoed out, sitting as still as possible, and the little suckers will still find you, and go nuts.

Answer 7

cook up some popcorn and throw it in the woods then blow their brains out with a pellet / BB gun or a .22