Tactics for Squirrels?

[robtattoo]

Skwerl season opens here, next weekend (YAY!  :D  )
and I'm dying to get out and try for a few tree-rats. Dean Torges makes it look like a lot of fun.

What's the best approach for getting at 'em? Spot & stalk? Sit under a tree & wait? Walk around & hope?

What do y'all do to ensure a freezer full of Skwerl?

[No-sage]

Early season, when the trees are full of leaves, squirrels are hard to see and even harder to hit.  Look for the swaying treetops from their travels.

I like to get into a feeding area with my tree seat and wait them out, trying to get ground shots.

Once the leaves start coming down, I do more spot and stalk and tree shooting.

Squirrels like to travel on logs so they don't make too much noise in the leaves.  These well used areas can be great for ambush points, but the shooting is usually at a fast moving critter.

[hawk22]

I usually start by sitting or leaning against a tree next to a couple of hickory trees.  Early season is more of a waiting game because of all the leaves.  I've had pretty good luck setting up my double bull blind in the afternoons.  Sounds a little ridiculous but it works.  Good luck and use a good strong broadhead or something that will cut.  Squirrels are tough.

[Rick P]

I seem to have the best luck spotting them by taking a nice stroll through the woods. Once a good area has been located and a few spotted a call can be very effective. Squirrels are fast in fact some will dodge your arrow. I switched from full feather flu flu's to 5 1/2 inch shields. the lower profile boosts arrow speed enough to let you nail the quick ones while keeping things safe.

[Keefer]

Rob,  The very best tactic is to act like a nut...The more you act the better the chance's.       Just act "STUPIDLY"

[John Scifres]

The greys around me spend a lot of time on the ground all the time.  I like to find a log that serves as a stream or gully crossing somewhere near their denning area and watch them file by in the early morning, late evening.  I miss a lot with the bow.  One deer season opening morning I was in a tree by such a spot.  I used up my two squirrel arrows in a hurry and then worked my way through the 6 deer arrows I had before I climbed down.  It looked like a field of flowers around my tree.  Not a single dead squirrel though.  I did make a fantastic passthrough on a grey sitting on a log later in the morning though.

The reds are in the trees a lot more and a shotgun works well for them in the early season  

[frassettor]

robtattoo
 
Were you serious about wanting the recipe for those squirrel pot pies? I will shoot you the recipe if you want.

[Mo. Huntin]

I get enough sitting around hunting deer so I prefer to try to stalk squirells and that is the main reason I enjoy it.

[NoCams]

Robtattoo stalking...... that there is funny I don't care who ya are, haha !!!    

After meeting him in person I think the skwerls are safe if he is planning on stalking them for sure. He is bout big as a mountain ! Heck, if he would just sit still the skwerls might try to climb them tree trunks he calls legs and he can just strangle a few !!! Just yanking yer chain Rob, don't kill me next time you see me !

We see more squirrels when just sitting still. Rob, if you hunt the base there at AEDC you have fox squirrels, and rather large ones for TN. This time of year the squirrels are cutting pine cones to get the seed at the base of the cone so scout the pines. Other than that find the hickories that have shavings ankle deep around them and sit still. I have a huge hickory in my yard and noticed while I was mowing they are starting to knaw them a little.

nocams

[robtattoo]

Originally posted by frassettor:
robtattoo
 
Were you serious about wanting the recipe for those squirrel pot pies? I will shoot you the recipe if you want.

Deadly serious.
I've had skwerl stew, roast skwerl, BBQ skwerl & chicken fried skwerl, but never squirrel pot-pie. They looked amazing!

[frank bullitt]

Early season is tough! But fun! Most will be in the tree tops and most of us don't practice shooting at severe upward angles. I try to practice shooting this way at this time of the year. Hunt small creeks or drainages. The squirrels will travel there alot, and will come down for a drink. Also if you have gravel lanes in your hunting areas, they seem to like licking, maybe for salt or some minerals. I've noticed this in early afternoons. Get out and scout just like for deer.

  I hate when a deer shows up and intrudes on my squirrel hunting! Good shootin, Steve

[robtattoo]

Originally posted by NoCams:
Robtattoo stalking...... that there is funny I don't care who ya are, haha !!!      

After meeting him in person I think the skwerls are safe if he is planning on stalking them for sure. He is bout big as a mountain ! Heck, if he would just sit still the skwerls might try to climb them tree trunks he calls legs and he can just strangle a few !!! Just yanking yer chain Rob, don't kill me next time you see me !

We see more squirrels when just sitting still. Rob, if you hunt the base there at AEDC you have fox squirrels, and rather large ones for TN. This time of year the squirrels are cutting pine cones to get the seed at the base of the cone so scout the pines. Other than that find the hickories that have shavings ankle deep around them and sit still. I have a huge hickory in my yard and noticed while I was mowing they are starting to knaw them a little.

nocams

why I outghta....    

Thanks Jimmy. (& everyone else) I don't know if'n I'm allowed on AEDC (I didn't put in for a permit, but I'm not sure if that only applies for deer) but I have a good number of standing pines & hickories in the area to perch under.

[nurayb]

sit on the deck and watch the bird feeder

[frank bullitt]

OH, and good camo, headnet or face, and some swear by the calls.

[Mo. Huntin]

Yeah I would not say that the stalking is the best way to kill a squirell I do better actually getting in a tree with a stand but like I said stalking is so much more fun.

[NoCams]

rob,
get yourself a WMA small game permit, type 093 in addition to your regular hunting and fishing license and you are good to go for squirrels. Remember at AEDC you MUST sign in and out when hunting at the sign in stations. Some think it is a hassle but a huge safety factor ! The guy who used to manage our hunting lease now manages AEDC and he brought this custom with him. If I was in the woods with a broke leg or back I would want them to come find me the same day if I did not sign out that evening !

Also remember that no centerfire or rimfires are allowed on AEDC, shotgun, muzzleloader, or bows only. Go get yerself some of the them big red fox skwerls !!!

nocams  

[47pronghorn]

what is this AEDC you speak of? the tennesseans might need to hook up and shoot!

[robtattoo]

Arnold Engineering Development Centre

US Airforce owned WMA  :D

[ChuckC]

Rob.   sounds funny, but I am serious.  .   Ok   I laugh a lot when I do this, but it works.

Morning time is time to sit and wait for them at feeding trees.

During the day, walk moderately thru the woods.  When you see one, run right at it making all kinds of goofy noise, laughing,  yelling, barking, whatever makes you smile.  

In the woods. the skwerls normally will run like heck, on the ground, to get away from you.  Do the above and they go right up the nearest tree and look back down at whatever that was that was so weird (and different).

If you can catch your breath from laughing. .  SHOOT.  I like to use cheap arrows with nutters. I am not at all worried about a stray arrow hurting someone.  I have had excellent luck using them and dropping skwerls (knocked out cold).  They don't, however, kill them, so when I retrieve them, I bop them on the head with a tomahawk and clip them to my belt.

Good luck
ChuckC

[Boomerang]

The best way to get squirrels in close is to pretend you are deer hunting.  :D