Author Topic: SQUIRREL HUNTERS.....THE TREE KIND! (Read 40716 times)

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #270 on:** September 27, 2011, 03:18:56 PM »

Nice bag of squirrels,, what was the rifle you used on those...did you hunt public or private ground....??

SQUACKS · « **Reply #271 on:** September 27, 2011, 05:52:49 PM »

that's a .22 rem. 541s. We were hunting private land in s/w wisconsin.

FourBee · « **Reply #272 on:** September 30, 2011, 03:58:18 PM »

Nice pics Squaks. I prefer private land hunting too. Public land can be a hassle at times, especially if the weather is good.

SQUACKS · « **Reply #273 on:** October 03, 2011, 02:55:41 PM »

we hunt public land when we go to shawnee nat. forest. it's 300,000 acres and mostly hardwood timber and with very few squirrels hunters these days, i rarely run into anybody else doing that. most years during the invitational hunt it is extremely rare to see anybody outside our group hunting.
i made it out to n/w il this past weekend where there is loads of mast and many squirrels to eat it. it frosted hard both mornings but it warmed up by late morning. squirrels are cutting hickory nuts really hard there at this time.
i used a winchester miroku model 52 both mornings and took 9 most of which were grays. friend used my cz452 varmint and took 8.
it was a great weekend to be in the timber!

jakeemt · « **Reply #274 on:** October 05, 2011, 04:07:05 AM »

I am a eastern MO squirrel hunter. We can hunt them nearly year round here with a bag limit of 10. I tend to prefer a still hunting method and either hunt alone or in teams of 2. I prefer wool clothing and in warm weather a permetherine treatment is a must for ticks. I carry my squirrels on a loop of paracord strung up by the feet. I use a 22 rifle, a 20 gauge single shot, or a k-22. I hunt fox squirrels in more open forest near fields and near creek bottoms. I hunt greys anywhere else. Any recipe that calls for chicken squirrels can be subsituted.

SQUACKS · « **Reply #275 on:** October 05, 2011, 04:08:25 PM »

welcome jakeemt!
there are some serious squirrel hunters in mo. and i know a few of them. i have hunted over in s/w mo. on 2 occasions in the spring. there is usually an invitatiomnal there about first part of june.
keep us posted on how you season is going. i know of folks over there taking a lot of squirrels in hickories if you find trees with mast.
luck!

gr8ful · « **Reply #276 on:** October 05, 2011, 06:16:57 PM »

Season opened Oct 1 here in La, had a good hunt Sunday, fox squirrels were cutting sweet pecans, and the wind didn't get up till about 8:30. Managed to get 8 with my 17Hm2. Love that first pot of Squirrel Dumplings of the season.

SQUACKS · « **Reply #277 on:** October 06, 2011, 01:24:17 PM »

gr8ful:
welcome! i was down on the southern end of Il. last month and saw lots of pecans hanging on the trees. squirrels had not seemed to have started cutting them at the time.
they had started cutting beech and hickory nuts. i saw no shagbark hickory nuts but there are many other types there and some have a lot of nuts.
going back there soon and maybe i'll catch them out in those pecans yet!
good luck to you this season. this looks like a good one right here!
luck!

gr8ful · « **Reply #278 on:** October 06, 2011, 04:24:04 PM »

here they seem to cut pecans early the elm then move into the oaks once they move to the overcups it is time to retire the 17 and take up the 22, as the 17 just will not punch through leaves and make a kill.

jakeemt · « **Reply #279 on:** October 08, 2011, 09:50:42 AM »

Last sun my old man and i took 7 between us 4 grays and 3 foxes at a CA called weldon springs. They are still feasting on hickory nuts here but the acorn mast has begun to ripen so they are becoming even more active.

FourBee · « **Reply #280 on:** October 10, 2011, 07:06:02 AM »

The blackjack oak acorns here are infested with insect larva, but other acorns are full of meat. Squirrel population here is mediocre.

SQUACKS · « **Reply #281 on:** October 16, 2011, 04:00:41 PM »

howdy all!
spent the last 5 days down in S. Illinois hunting squirrels. there were 7 of us that went from 4 states.
there was great weather, great food, and good hunting!
found the squirrels on the high ridges cutting black oak mostly. Took a few cutting hickory.
the nights were cool and the afternoons were warm. Great tent camping weather!
We ate a big bunch of then Saturday evening and brought home some.
Luck!

SQUACKS · « **Reply #282 on:** November 13, 2011, 02:05:30 PM »

Howdy all:
Spent the past 2 weekend hunting squirrels in S. Illinois and western Wisconsin.
This has been an excellant year for squirrels. I have found good numbers of them every place I have looked for them.
It also was a good mast year in all the places i hunted. If the winter is not to severe, next season should be a good one as well.
There is still a lot of this season to go yet! As soon as all these gun deer seasons are finished, i will be back in the timber.
You folks that hunt deer with guns, be real careful out there and good luck!

SQUACKS · « **Reply #283 on:** February 18, 2012, 11:29:48 AM »

Howdy all!
squirrel season ended here feb. 15.
it was a really great year too. Took a lot of late season squirrels.
I went to central Il. last weekend. I usually don't hunt squirrels in Feb. but the property is hunted for deer and those folks wanted some squirrels taken out of their woods.
The weather was not good for hunting squirrels. it was about 14 degrees with a 30 mi./hr. wind which put the wind chill down below zero for sure.
there were a few fox squirrels that ventured out in the creek bottoms. That ground is total flat and no hollers to get out of the wind.
we took a few. They were only moving in the straight up afternoon which was the warmest part of the day. The squirrels were eating hedge apple. now, I am not fond of hunting squirrels in hedge apple but I was there and that's where the squirrels were.
We got enough squirrels that i got to show those flatlanders how to skin one properly! they were duly impressed and swore that they would probably take up squirrel hunting now themselves since they might now be able to skin one.
Hope you all had a good season. With the mild winter, I cannot help but believe that there will be scuds of squirrels next season!
luck!

Hooker · « **Reply #284 on:** February 19, 2012, 11:48:04 AM »

Howdy back at ya
Squirrel season ended here Jan 31 will start again on April 15
I didn't kill very many this year I've been working with a new pup she's coming along pretty good.
She's a beagle so I have a little trouble with her trailing to the tree instead of spotting and treeing, she's learning though.
I'd give up on her but she has great voice and I love that hound music

Pat

ilikemilitaria · « **Reply #285 on:** March 11, 2012, 10:38:24 AM »

Squacks,

Really enjoyed reading through this thread... I noticed that you are from Murphysboro/Ava area originally. I am from Pinckneyville, Il, so I am familiar with your home area.. I have been hunting squirrel since I was 12 or so...which equates to about 4 decades of squirrel hunting.

One thing recently though, that has REALLY messed my hunting up, is that after having about 3 really nice large woods to hunt over the last 25+ years, I recently lost permission on all of it for hunting. Landowner changes in the family, and some folks passing away just shut the door on it all.

The last 2 years i have really had no options open up for me except public ground..which I am not a fan of. Most areas wont let a guy use a rifle on squirrel in many of the parks... no offense to the scattergun users, but I am a rifleman when it comes to varmints.

Anyway, I hope I can find me some areas in the coming year to hunt on...

Did I notice correctly that you started this thread back in 2005?
dave

FourBee · « **Reply #286 on:** March 12, 2012, 04:22:24 AM »

Been in the woods all winter, but too busy to do any squirrel hunting.

SQUACKS · « **Reply #287 on:** March 19, 2012, 02:44:46 PM »

Quote from: ilikemilitaria on March 11, 2012, 10:38:24 AM

Squacks,

Really enjoyed reading through this thread... I noticed that you are from Murphysboro/Ava area originally. I am from Pinckneyville, Il, so I am familiar with your home area.. I have been hunting squirrel since I was 12 or so...which equates to about 4 decades of squirrel hunting.

One thing recently though, that has REALLY messed my hunting up, is that after having about 3 really nice large woods to hunt over the last 25+ years, I recently lost permission on all of it for hunting. Landowner changes in the family, and some folks passing away just shut the door on it all.

The last 2 years i have really had no options open up for me except public ground..which I am not a fan of. Most areas wont let a guy use a rifle on squirrel in many of the parks... no offense to the scattergun users, but I am a rifleman when it comes to varmints.

Anyway, I hope I can find me some areas in the coming year to hunt on...

Did I notice correctly that you started this thread back in 2005?
dave

Dave:
it's good to hear from you. Always nice to hear from one of the folks from down home. If you like rimfire rifles and squirrel hunting, you should plan on coming down to Shawnee in Sept.
We have an invitational and folks from lots of places come to hunt with us. there is plenty of ground to hunt and lots of helpful folks if you need it.
Actually, I started the original "squirrel hunters the tree kind" thread on the old Marlintalk forum back around 2001. It runs on several websites and there are many really good squirrel hunters on them. I have met a lot of them and some are close friends now. That's how the Shawnee hunt got started. last year between 40 and 50 folks showed up.
There have been folks there from Great Britain, New York, Iowa, Texas, Virginia and a good many other states. You being that close should try to come down and meet some of them if only for a day or 2.
Hang round here and tell me a squirel huntin tale or 2. After 51 years of hunting them, i still enjoy hearing other folks tell of their experiences.

cybin · « **Reply #288 on:** April 09, 2012, 05:37:48 PM »

Years ago I found a good way to attract squirrels to a given area of the woods--find yourself a large oak tree and in the spring time spread 10-10-10 fertilizer around the drip line. It sweetens up the acorns and the squirrels will eat them first off, also seems to make the acorns larger. The deer also go to them first off as well. It sure is fun to go up to a tree that has a half a dozen squirrels in it or more at the same time.

cybin

FourBee · « **Reply #289 on:** April 11, 2012, 02:43:09 AM »

Quote from: cybin on April 09, 2012, 05:37:48 PM

Years ago I found a good way to attract squirrels to a given area of the woods--find yourself a large oak tree and in the spring time spread 10-10-10 fertilizer around the drip line. It sweetens up the acorns and the squirrels will eat them first off, also seems to make the acorns larger. The deer also go to them first off as well. It sure is fun to go up to a tree that has a half a dozen squirrels in it or more at the same time.

cybin

Very interesting Tip. I hope to try this out for myself.

grizzlyadams1874 · « **Reply #290 on:** April 28, 2012, 12:50:07 AM »

a hunting buddy of mine just moved to his new place with 60 acres of prime hardwoods that is loaded with grey and fox squirrels. as soon as the season rolls around, i'll be into them hard. i use an air rifle though

as it usually doesn't disturb them if you miss

or there are more than one in a tree

FourBee · « **Reply #291 on:** April 28, 2012, 09:00:03 AM »

Hey Griz: Are those hardwoods old or new growth? Airguns are great from what I've read. I use Winchester Sub-Sonic 40gr .22cal. They're not much louder than the high powered air rifles, and very accurate.

grizzlyadams1874 · « **Reply #292 on:** May 03, 2012, 05:28:54 AM »

it's a mix of old and new growth. lots of beech, oaks, maple,etc. we went calling right before coyote season ended. i have never seen so many squirrels in one place in my 30+ years of hunting them!

cybin · « **Reply #293 on:** May 20, 2012, 04:10:02 PM »

Squirrel season starts here in Missouri in 6 more days--May 26.

cybin

FourBee · « **Reply #294 on:** May 21, 2012, 01:03:04 AM »

I've noticed a lot of them being ran over on the roads lately.

cwlongshot · « **Reply #295 on:** May 22, 2012, 07:36:28 AM »

Quote from: FourBee on May 21, 2012, 01:03:04 AM

I've noticed a lot of them being ran over on the roads lately.

Here too... I got one with a 285/75x16 just last week!! LOL

CW

cybin · « **Reply #296 on:** May 23, 2012, 05:08:00 PM »

I'm hoping that there is a lot of them in Franklin county next week--I know there will be a lot of ticks.

cybin

SQUACKS · « **Reply #297 on:** May 27, 2012, 04:53:01 AM »

find yourself some permethrin. Sawyer makes it in a pump bottle. You can order it from cabelas.
spray your hunting clothes and boots with it. don't spray it on you. let the stuff dry before wearing them.
lasts 6 weeks or six washings and kills ticks and chiggars. It may not keep every one off but it keeps most of them off. I spray my hat as well.
I hunted Mo. a few times in spring and those seed ticks were thick...and miserable.
And a real dose of chiggars will let a body know that he is still counted among the suffering! lol!
luck!

cybin · « **Reply #298 on:** May 28, 2012, 02:39:05 PM »

I'll look for some--older I get the fewer chiggars I seem to get--but ticks are still a problem.

cybin

Mack in N.C. · « **Reply #299 on:** June 01, 2012, 05:31:48 PM »

you can see some of my fox squirrels and some info on nc fox squirrels on my blog at

http://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/fox-squirrels-in-eastern-north-carolina.html

gotta luv them fox squirrels!