I've taken up squirrel hunting and need to know exactly what I need to do to be successful.?

Question

I wear camo shirts and usually walk while I'm hunting. So far I've shot about 3 squirrels and killed 2. I see squirrels all the time but when it comes to hunting, I rarely see them. I need some tips/tricks on how to get squirrels. Time is not an issue. I have sat in a tree for 3 hours. Any advice is welcomed.

Answer 1

I love to hunt Squirrels and use both a shotgun and a scoped 22 or 17HMR rifle often. The one thing I can recommend you get is a Squirrel call. Bass Pro Shops has the best selection and you can buy them on line or go to one of their store locations. They are pretty simply made with a rubber Bulb attached to the call, and that's what makes the squirrel noise. You use your fingers to tap on it to imitate another squirrel You can use these without hardly any movement and Squirrels will think it's another Squirrel almost every time. I've had MANY situations where the Squirrels tend to hide on the opposite sides of tree's out of my sight..I few light taps on this Squirrel call, makes them think another Squirrel is close by and 99% of the time they will show themselves and give you a shot at them..

The three best brands are Hunters Specialties, Knight & Hale and Primos brands and Bass Pro Shops sells all three. They only cost between $10-$12 dollars and some even come with an instructional CD to show you first hand how to use them. They will last forever and they are HIGHLY effective. Do yourself a favor and check them out..A small investment with great results.........

Answer 2

Three things. You could find a place where squirrels are known to be plentiful and just sit on the ground and be very still. The squirrels will eventually come out and feed. Keep in minds that feeding time for most wild game is early morning and late evening. Another method is by walking and observing the tree. Bare in mind that a squirrel will see you and just move himself around the tree opposite you as you approach. So be very observant. It helps when walk hunting that you have another person. Usually the 2 person will see the squirrel as he maneuvers around tree from the first person. A third method that works sometimes is when squirrels are snug in their nest. This may be best during non-typical feeding periods. Shoot into the nest and wait for the squirrels to come out. Usually a .22 with shotgun combination is best for this. Use the .22 to penetrate the nest and then use the shotgun for the running squirrels. If a .22/shotgun combo is not your weapon of choice, have fun with the .22 or just the shotgun.

Answer 3

I always think of squirrel hunting as a patience improver or training session. I prefer still hunting them and stalking them only if I miss the first shot. It takes a .22 rifle and a keen eye. Some hunt with a shotgun but I always felt that similar to butchering a deer with a chainsaw, in other words somewhat of an overkill.

I grew up going hunting and fishing with my grandfather. He first took me squirrel hunting when I was 7 or 8. He would find a likely spot near a stand of oaks and we would sit side by side. At that age as you might expect there were many times when I wasn't patient enough and move around to his chagrin.

Anyway, as I learned to be still and just watch for them, with just my eyes moving, to give their position away I began picking up a nose and wiskers, or the tip of an ear sticking around the edge of a tree or a branch looking just a little thicker than it should I was rewarded by telling my grandfather where it was and he would shoot it. He would often say things like "I thought it was going to die of old age before you saw it." I often wonder now, years after he passed if he really always saw them or was pulling my leg.

At any rate, I learned well and wasn't long before I was allowed to try to shoot them once I spotted one with the old Remington bolt action with the buckhorn sight. It took years, but I was finally accomplished at getting squirrels and the lessons learned from my grandfather about patience and fair chase hunting (although we didn't know the PC term for it back then) have helped make me the person I am today.

I hope you can learn from doing as I did. Another way to hunt them with another hunter is to split up and stalk them. One guy walks around the other in a wide circle and the one not moving watchs the trees for squirrels to circle the tree to avoid the walker seeing them. This method usually affords some good clean shots without all the waiting. You know, just like everything else these days, instant results.

Take my advice, plan a peacefull day sitting out in the woods and if you get a good shot at some squirrels all the better.

Answer 4

1. Hunt where there is plenty of their food sources.

2. Pick up a copy of "Solunar Tables" (or equivalent) to find out their feeding times (I really believe in this now due largely to my being a cop and dealing with "lunatics" on the streets when there is a full moon). I mean, look at the evidence, if the moon has enough power to influence the changing tides why wouldn't it be able to have an affect on people.

3. Be careful as I know of a kid who was killed when his friend shot at a squirrel only to have the .22 round to ricochet off of a tree branch and hit him square in the heart. I personally like the .22 round but it can be a very dangerous bullet as far as its ricochet potential.

4. Make absolutely sure that the squirrel is indeed DEAD as I also had a great-uncle who mistakenly picked one up that hadn't totally expired yet and bit said uncle completely through his finger (OUCH)!

5. Have fun!

Answer 5

I see them all the time while deer hunting. You just need to pick a spot in the woods and sit and they will come to you just like deer but more of them. If you are able to by law throw some corn out everytime you sit and once they find that they will look there all the time. They also like sunny days. If you have a good population of them you will see em scurring through the leaves within an hour of sitting still.
While deer hunting I have had them come and sit right on my stand with me, kinda freaky.

Answer 6

Patience.
Try hunting them on the ground. Your back against a tree, and if possible the sun to your back. Areas with lots of acorns-walnuts, pecans, etc are always a good choice.

After you shoot one. STAY PUT. Do not try to recover it yet. In a few minutes they will again be out. Not unusual to get your limit sitting under a single tree. If you do move, again same procedures.

Have fun

Answer 7

thats your problem. You sat in a tree. When you squirrel hunt most don't sit in a treestand its better to sit on the ground. And also if you don't have dogs I wouldn't walk around while hunting for them. Just sit down where they're at and wait and be really quiet till they come out. then blast them.

Answer 8

slow and quiet is the key. Also, if you spook squirrels in a tree, have a seat for a little while and remain still and quiet. They soon forget and come back out. As a kid, my grandfather taught me that you should not shoot the squirrel, as this destroys a lot of edible meat. Instead, we were taught to "bark" the squirrel, that is, to shoot just in front of it so that the bark of the tree or if on the ground, the gravel etc kisks up and kills the squirrel.

Answer 9

The trick would be to maybe lay down and/or sit down and hold still where the squirrels are heavy. What kind of gun do you use too?

Answer 10

Just set out a birdfeeder for a couple of days, come back some morning with a chair, a couple of beers, and your favorite little pea shooter. If there are squirrls in the area they will be all over it. Should provide you with several hours of fun.