squirrel hunting strategy

[gringol]

For the squirrel nuts: do you call them in or use more of a spot and stalk technique?  Whats the best way to get a shot at a squirrel on the ground?

[Wheels2]

I have hunted squirrels since 1972 and they still remain my favorite small game.  Calling will sometimes arouse their curiosity but I still prefer sneaking into an area with good sign and waiting until I see one working in the area and then putting the stalk on him.  Squirrels spend a lot of time on the ground in the later season.  In the early season don't give up on one in the trees.  He will still come down to the ground and often his activity in the trees will cause others to work that way on the ground as well.

[Bowwild]

Squirrels were what I started hunting, in the early 60's.

Tactics vary with the time of the year.  My favorite time is mid to late August when hickories are ripe. Find trees with a crop and be under them at first light. If no action in the first 30 minutes or so I start sneaking to other nut-bearing trees (black cherry are firsts, then hickory, then walnut -- if Yellow poplar are in your area they also produce early). Often times I move to and from a circuit of trees about 150-300 yards long. A favorite stalking course is a dry creek bed.

Like Wheels above I often spot them from afar and then stalk them using trees as cover. Be careful not to bump or otherwise shake small trees as you move toward them.

Eventually, when hickories and acorns have fallen squirrels spend more time on the ground. This time of the year they are on the ground as well, looking for fallen mast. I generally find lots of squirrel hot spots while tree stand hunting for deer. I go back to these areas after deer season has ended. Snow cover can reveal squirrel travel patterns as well. It is much more difficult to stalk them now with limited cover. I like to wait for them among oaks.

Some folks like the spring season which is often "Mulberry time" - late May to early June. I haven't hunted that time of the year.

A friend loves to call them. He uses squirrel distress calls and says they come a running.

[Littlejake]

One little trick I have used if they go around to the other side of the tree, toss your hat to that side that usually gets them to come back around. But you better be ready.

[Bowwild]

When I was young and sometimes hunted without dad he would quiz me when I returned. He would ask; how many did you kill, see, and hear.

I learned later the "hear" question was to evaluate how stealthy I had been. It was no badge of stealth to report multiple squirrels had barked at me!  They were generally barking at me because they caught me.

[The Ole' Bowhunter]

I prefer to spot and stalk squirrels just like Wheels.  Spot and stalking squirrels requires big game hunting tactics meaning full camouflage and a stealthy approach. At the same time, its a good idea to  have your fletching covered with some kind of camo cover especially if using bright fletched arrows. I never go afield for bushytails without a pair of 8 X 40 binoculars.  Any woodland or forest with mast producing trees is where you'll find squirrels.  If you know the whereabouts of a few wild apple trees, I'ed check them out as well since squirrels like fruit. Here in the northeast where we begin squirrel season opens Sept. 1st, I also like to stalk the edges of mature, standing corn fields.  Squirrels like corn and you should have plenty of shooting especially if that corn field abuts a wood lot with oak, hickory, or other hard or soft mast trees grow.

[The Ole' Bowhunter]

By the way, I carry both regular fletched arrows and also flu-flu arrows for those squirrels that like to stay in the branches.  Flu-flu fletched arrows are lethal up to approximately 30 yards, after that they pretty much loose their punch. At the business end of the arrow, I use standard steel blunts but also have a number of arrows tipped with .38 caliber casing glued on to the arrow.  Judo points also work well on squirrels. My bowhunting setup is a Black Widow PSA V take-down recurve pulling 62 pounds at 29.5 inches.  I use high-profile, shield cut fletching on 23/64 cedar shafts.

[gringol]

Thanks, guys.  I would have guessed this topic would get more responses, but it seems like the consensus so far is spot and stalk.

[Bowwild]

Another tip. Look for leaf nests high in the trees. They are loafing areas in the summer and fall. They only serve as winter "dens" in areas where cavity dens are absent.  A woods without leaf nests is a woods with few squirrels.

It is of course unethical and in some places illegal to shoot a squirrel in a leaf nest.

In the winter it is possible to find travel corridors that dozens of squirrels will come through. I've found these in narrow patches of trees or wooded fencerows connecting two larger woodlots.  My son, when he was 9 killed his first squirrel in such a corridor. We saw more than 25 squirrels (December ground hunting) that morning.

[bendotwood]

I walk real quietly and slowly through the woods.  Around where I live we have a lot of grey squirrels with black fur, I can see those from a long way off in the winter when the snow and lack of leaves makes the black shape pop out at your eye.  

Once I see one that I think I can approach, I stalk into range.  At this point the squirrel usually spots me, and we start going in circles around the tree he's in.   If he screws up and lets me get on the same side as him, lights out.  

I find that in the winter when food is scarce squirrels usually can be found in 2's or 3's.  If one runs to high, or hides somewhere I can't shoot I just stand still and listen.  Usually I can find another more exposed one that way.  An added bonus is sometimes the original squirrel I lost track off will get curious and pop his head out around the side of the tree.  Then you gotta raise your bow real slow, pick a spot, and drop em.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Typically when I am stalking a squirrel, other ones will come into range before I reach the desired squirrel I am after.

Hitting them is a whole nother topic lol.

[hogless]

Find a log with chewed pieces of nuts on it usely in the bottom of a holler they like to sit and feed on it you can kill multiple squirrels off of it in a set

[Duncan]

What hogless said. While spot and stalk is loads of fun the same basic strategy for big game can also be applied to small game. Find where they want to be and that's where you want to be. I have often sat near the hottest food source I could find and seen limits of squirrels. So now you know where the want to be. Watch how they move in an out of the area then take up a spot and sit near a "runway" and let them come to you. It works! And the same seat you use for deer is great for this. I like my Torges seat for this because it is so light and portable. Scout out several areas to hunt and when one plays out stalk your way to the next.
So, ever wonder how some of the best big game hunters got to be so good at big game? Most will say they learned by hunting squirrels.

[Caughtandhobble]

Put fertilizer stakes around an Oak tree that will keep the sun and wind in your favor. This works great for squirrels, deer and hogs. I have always had better luck squirrel hunting with a face mask or face paint.

Then of coarse you can always bring in the squirrels by standing under a tree and act like a NUT  

[Slickhead]

I am no expert but I think there are three good ways.
1. Use a squirrel distress whistle (watch bowhunters of trag gang)
They are curious and come running to the call
2. As mentioned above ,spot and stalk
3. But my favorite at times is to just go to oak trees (especially if they have a hole in them) and sit and wait.
Early AM and dawn are productive times
Also if you know the there is a storm front coming be out in the woods.
They feed like crazy before a storm comes in.
Getting shot oppertunities are easy, hitting them is another issue:)

[heartlandbowyer]

Act like you are hunting deer, they will come and find you. Also like the lost wallet.

[59Alaskan]

Broadheads.  Shoot them when they aren't looking.  It helps to shoot from behind while they are eating or digging.  This was facing away eating at 15 yards.  

I also know first hand they will dodge arrows shot from 10 ft away if they are looking!

As with all Gods creations they are amazing critters.  They are a ton of fun to hunt.