I have waited since early Feb...

[Boerrancher]

This past Saturday was opening day of squirrel season here in MO. I have my squirrel pup, and my 32 cal, that I have just been dieing to get after a tree rat. I have been out every day, sometimes two times a day, morning and evening, since squirrel season opened, and I couldn't find a single squirrel. Two months ago the woods was full of them, and now you couldn't buy one for a million dollars. I think this is the first time in my life I have ever went to the woods 7 or 8 times in a row and not seen or heard a squirrel. My pup is thinking that when I grab the gun it is just to go for long walks now and nothing more.

I just find it almost so pathetic that it is laughable. I have waited since February to get out and bust some bushy tails and after nearly 4 full months of waiting, when I finally get the chance there are no squirrels. I have hunted the high ridges, the creek and river valleys, the big timber, and the brushy edge, and there are just no tree rats to be found. My Dad says there are lots of them out at his place, about 30-40 miles from here, so maybe in the morning I will load the pup up and go for a drive. I got to do something. I have been walking myself to death and getting nowhere fast. If I go to his place and pup and I have any luck I will post pics of her and the 32cal's first tree rat.

Best wishes,

Joe

[Hanshi]

I see plenty of squirrels until I get in the woods with them in mind. I've hunted in areas over run with squirrels only to see/hear zilch. Hope your luck changes for the better.

[Finster101]

Don't know how, but somehow they know.

[RhodeHunter]

I hope your luck changes.

Your post makes me think of Canadian snowy owls flying south, tree-climbing coyotes :shock:, and red-tailed hawks. What's their primary enemy?

[grullaguy]

Up here fishers are death to squirrels.

I am betting you don't have them down there....

[RhodeHunter]

The are some fisher cats here in RI.

I don't hear about them too often though.

Here's a good link about them in Rhode Island: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/fishers.pdf

[sharps4590]

They move and migrate sometimes with no discernible reason.....to us. I've witnessed a few minor migrations but nothing like is written about where "the river ran black" with them. We had late freezes two years in a row that completely killed the mast crops. There wasn't an acorn, hickory nut or squirrel to be found on our place. 10 miles away they were overrun with them. That was 4 years ago and this year they're back in fair numbers. They also have a boom/bust cycle like rabbits but I don't know if it's the same 7 year cycle. Good luck Boer....and they will be back.

[smoked turkey]

Joe I feel your pain. I took my old Marlin .22 bolt gun out the other day and didn't see a thing. I'll tell you what I get get into...ticks and I mean a mess of them. It appears like it is going to be a bad year for them. I won't go stomping around until I do some brush hogging along the old roadway back to the river. I am wanting to get out my little .36 Seneca. I have used my little .32inline in the past with PRB and it is absolutely deadly on them. I also use my TC .56 SB with 1/2 oz no 4 shot and it works good out to 30 yards. I can't wait to see your pictures. We have wild game feed here at the church once a year. The guy that gets it together told me he needs squirrels because no body can seem to get em when we need em around here. So I am going to get a few ahead so when he asks again I'll have some.

[Boerrancher]

The boy and I went out again late this after noon around 4 pm, and we saw lots of squirrels on the county road that runs through the state land on the back side of my place, get off the road and couldn't find a one. I don't want to go to stopping along the road and shooting them, that is a good way to get a ticket.

Best wishes,

Joe

[Boerrancher]

This morning I went out for a couple of hours before it started raining. I went alone, no boy, no pup, just to see if there were any squirrels out there. I was in the woods before daylight and was going to stay there until at least 9 AM. At 6:30 one little squirrel poked its nose out of a hole in a big oak that I was about 30 yards from. I watched it run up the tree and stop near the top in a fork. I couldn't see it's head so I aimed for the next best thing, the ribs. At the crack of the .32 the little sucker rolled out of the fork and fell to the ground dead as a hammer. I sat there for about an hour before it started raining to see if there were any more in the area. Once it started raining, I picked up my squirrel and cleaned it right there under the canopy of leaves because it was some what dry. With the squirrel cleaned and tucked away in my handy dandy game bag, (plastic Wal-Mart bag) I headed back to my car and home.

Well I got to run I have a squirrel that I need to fry up, along with a couple eggs and some toast.

Best wishes,

Joe

[rhbrink]

I'll with sharps4590 that they have migrated somewhere. I remember old timers talking about Squirrel migrations across the Osage river that were in the thousands. This would have been in the 1920's and 30's guessing on the upper reaches of the Osage river.

Richard

[JeffinNZ]

Good work Joe. When I visited my friend in Alabama in 2005 I was dying to see a squirrel. He assured me you couldn't take a step outdoors without getting one under your shoe. YEAH RIGHT. Not a critter to be seen.

[smoked turkey]

Joe, good job between you and that little .32. I knew you would do it soon. Sounds like your eating high on the hog so to speak. Makes me hungry.

[sharps4590]

Ahhhh....young gray squirrel! THE filet' mignon of the woods. Good doin's there Joe!! And there ain't nuthin' like takin' 'em with a flintlock. Not to hijack the thread but here's a pic from 5-6 years ago.

http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq41/sharps4070/squirrelsme002.jpg

http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq41/sharps4070/squirrelsme001.jpg

[shdwlkr]

Joe
Most likely the squirrels heard about you and left so they wouldn't have to keep an eye out for you coming into the woods. As to that one you got well you know how kids think that parents don't know much.
Best of luck hunting

[RhodeHunter]

Awesome. Breakfast of champions. Hope you find more.

[JeffinNZ]

Not very big are they? You guys are doing very well to pull off consistent head shots.

[sharps4590]

Go slow, get close and use a rest. I like head shots. A lot of folks take them through the shoulders claiming there isn't much meat on the front legs, and that's mostly true. As usual I'm a little different, the front legs are my favorite two pieces after the back.

Joe, are you heading out this weekend? As it's quite a bit cooler this weekend than last I'm going to hit the woods in the morning. I got two last Sunday morning, looked a lot like the picture above., and there's quite a few on our place, good young ones!!! With the recent rain hopefully the woods will be a lot less noisy.

[10 ga]

They follow the food. Summer fare is very different from fall and winter and around here the June season is called the "cherry" season as they are feeding off of fruit now. If you know where there are stands of wild cherry or apples they are probably close by. Good luck, 10 ga

[Boerrancher]

I have noticed that they seem to be moving. In areas where I saw them a couple days ago, I went back at the same time and there was none there. I am going out to Dad's place on Sun afternoon, and hunt that evening. I was over there yesterday for a couple hours at mid day not hunting, and counted 18 different squirrels just around the edge of his yard. Dad says there are hundreds of them running around out at his place, so I guess I will take the pup and see how well we can do.

Best wishes,

Joe

[rhbrink]

Bet 10 ga is right is there any mulberry trees in your neck of the woods? Squirrels love them over here on my side of the state.

Richard

[Boerrancher]

I only know of one Mulberry tree and it is about a 30 min walk from here and I don't know the folks that own the place anymore. They live in the city and one never knows when they are going to be out.

On another note, I spent 4 hours in the woods today and saw 3 squirrels. All at some distance, and on the run. I missed the first one, nailed the second one, and the third one, but the weeds, brush, and grass was so thick around the area where he fell that even after looking for 30 min I couldn't find it. So I ended up with just one for the photo. You can also see my new hunting bag I got over the weekend. It has some fringe on the bottom that I was going to cut off, but decided to keep it just in case I ever need some extra cordage, I can cut the fringe off and twist it for cord. It sure beats carrying everything in my pockets.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk155/Boerrancher/Untitled.jpg

Best wishes,

Joe

[Hiwall55]

My .32 is a dead match for yours ,its an excellent squirrel rifle. we have to wait till Aug. for our squirrel opener but you got me thinking I'll take it along when I run my catfish nets in the morning and try some places on the Missouri Islands, should be a blast,Thanks <Bill

[sharps4590]

Good doin's Joe. At least ya ain't gettin' skunked.

I don't have a rifle like that but I believe our patio tables are the same....

[Boerrancher]

The Squirrel hunting is tough around here. I was out at the prime time this evening for a couple of hours along the creek and never saw a single bushy tail. I did slip up on a buck and two does trying to sneak into one of my corn fields though. The buck had about 4 inches of velvet covered antlers sticking out of his head. I was about 20 feet from them before they started getting nervous and slowly moved off, so I know not seeing squirrels is because I am too noisy.

Joe

[sharps4590]

A good squirrel hunte is a good deer hunter.

Joe, didja get my PM?

[Boerrancher]

Joe, didja get my PM?

Email is sent.

Best wishes,

Joe

[Hanshi]

I don't usually squirrel hunt during the Spring/Summer season. Here's my pitiful take from January.


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0577-1.jpg

Oh, and those Crocketts are the cat's meow. I've had one for 12 years and it DID collect its share of squirrels.

[Beagle333]

I'm wanting to take some fuzzies with my .56 SB in my Renegade, but if they keep eating corn out of my birdfeeder, I'm gonna be able to just go knock the fat rascals in the head with a stick as they are trying to roll away! [smilie=1:

[sharps4590]

I understand that Beagle!!! They sure are good eating when you've got them fed up that way...

Hanshi, good fly tying material in that tail......and I'd like to see more of that rifle too!

[Boerrancher]

Nice looking rifle there Hanshi. You do need to post more pics and some info about it. I went out this morning and here is my take.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk155/Boerrancher/Hunting%20and%20Fishing/2squirrels.jpg

I only saw 3, so yeah, one got away. I shot under him as he was running across a limb. As all of you probably know, more so than I, that you very seldom get a second shot at the same squirrel. I had fun though and it is enough to flavor a pot of dumplings, so it is all good.

Best wishes,

Joe

[sharps4590]

Your take is increasing!!! Fun & dumplin's....does it get any better?

[randyrat]

I hunt them limb jumpers in the fall. I bring a chair and get comfy, sit and wait. If they don't come out in a 1/2 hour or 45 min they are not coming that day.
I run into 10-15 sometimes while deer hunting, come back to the same area for squirrels and not a one to be seen in days.

I tried to go by the lunar feeding patterns, didn't work, tried walking, tried a dog, tried a kid. The best luck i have is just sitting in a oak grove and waiting. Some days they just come to me.

[Boerrancher]

Randy,

I like to find a hickory tree when they are cutting hickory nuts and sit near it and shoot'em as they come. It is nothing to pile up a half dozen in 30 min when they are on the hickory nuts. Tomorrow morning I am heading to a great big shaggy bark hickory tree they just started cutting on. I found it late morning on Thursday. I had places to be and it was 9 AM so I shot 1 out of it as they were all running away when I walked up to it. Had I been there at daylight there is no telling how many I would have piled up.

Best wishes,

Joe

[randyrat]

I have to admire you guys hunting with the flint lock 32s (i think they are flint locks)) I hunt with a 22 rifle and the challenge is there already. I may have to think about getting one of those some day.

[Boerrancher]

Randy,

My 32 is a cap lock, and I will get a flinter as soon as I can afford one. I love to squirrel hunt, but it becomes a thousand times more fun when you throw the holy black into the mix. The one thing that I leaned real quick squirrel hunting with a muzzleloader, and that is you got to make that first shot count, because you are not going to get a second. I can reload my 32 in less than a minute, but I can't do it on the run or while trying to watch a squirrel running through the trees, because you have to look at your gun even for a split second at some point, and that is when that little sucker will vanish. My shooting ability has improved ten fold since I started shooting tree rats with a muzzleloader on a near daily bases. Any more I have enough confidence in my little 32 that if I miss I know 100% it was not the gun but me.

Best wishes,

Joe

[Hanshi]

As suggested, here are my two squirrel rifles.

The .32 Crockett I bought some 10 or 11 years ago. This is one of the finest squirrel/sg rifles available, IMHO. It has accounted for quite a few squirrels and has seen extensive shooting on the rifle range.http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0551-1.jpg

This is a .36 TVM flint SMR I latched onto about 7 years ago. .36 x 38" x 3/4". Weight, about like a BB gun.
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0550.jpg

This is a .40 Lancaster I've owned for quite a few years but actually haven't taken any game with it as yet. [.40 x 38" swamped barrel] That will change soon. Fired a lot on the rifle range.
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0560.jpg

Even with the flyer (my fault) the accuracy is splendid.
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0510.jpg

The .36 flint.
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0512.jpg

The .40.
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/hanshi_photo/PICT0509.jpg

These are my "little critter" rifles.

[sharps4590]

Welp, I like 'em ALL!!!! especially that Lancaster in .40...and what can one say about TVM, they're great. Good shootin' too!

I'm going to have to become more familiar with those Crockets....but not too much so!

[Boerrancher]

Nice looking and shooting rifles Hanshi. I would love to have one like that TMV in a 32cal.

Sharps,

I can assure you that when you and I get together to shoot you will get familiar with a Crockett. I think even though it is a cap lock, after spending some time behind it and seeing what it will do out there at 30 some yards, I think you will have to have one. I honestly don't think there is a finer squirrel rifle out there, even in the cartridge guns. With mine if you miss a tree rat, it is your own fault pure and simple. I have gotten to the point where I don't want to pack any other rifle in the woods. It is light and points about as perfectly as some of the finest custom built rifles out there.

Best wishes,

Joe

[sharps4590]

Welll....as they say, forewarned if forearmed...lol!!