Little guy was right in the middle of the drive way, so I slowed way down and inched along, dumb as they are at that age, it's a miracle any survive. I was just inching the truck along so as not to hit him if he suddenly darted back, but he kept running down the drive way instead of jumping off into the trees.
Our season opens again in June, but I won't hunt them until mid October, just can't squirrel hunt when it's hot and there are leaves on the trees.
Cool man.
I’m with you about hunting them early. I want to so badly, but it’s difficult to get out there this time of year.
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I grew up in S.C. and nobody hunted them until we'd had a frost. They get those big, nasty fly larva under their skin in the warm months. That doesn't seem to be a problem here, but I still can't bring myself to hunt them when it's hot and the ticks and poison ivy are out.
Ours opens next Saturday and the young are busily visiting our bird feeders already. I'll be out there, I just have to make opening morning but, I'll be done by the 2nd week of June, until it cools off.
Edit: Oooops....seems I missed opening day as it was yesterday!!!! Good grief. For all but a very, very few years the traditional opening of squirrel season has been the Saturday before Decoration Day. MDC just can't leave well enough alone.
Last edited by sharps4590; 05-23-2021 at 07:44 AM.
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I've never even thought of hunting squirrels until late Sept. It is fun to watch a litter(?) of baby squirrels playing together.
They are fun to watch. Seems like they know if you're hunting them or not. I've had them just about climb on me while sitting in a tree stand deer hunting.
Our season runs from August 31st to August 31st etc. No closed season, no bag limit. In the summer here, it's too hot to hunt period. Right know if I go, I look for built in squirrel nuts for shooters. Fall and winter are my favorite squirrel hunting times.
Lots of poke salad about, I may need a mess of squirrel to go with it and some mashed potatoes. Better grab the .410 with all the leaves on the trees- I actually have some #4 shot.
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I confess that I've not squirrel hunted in a few years. The season is now open and I plan to hunt the little burgers this year. I used to hunt them all the time, but just got too busy. Time to slow down again.
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I just watched my 2 cur pups corner a baby squirrel in the wife's garden trellis. They worked just like a team. I think I'll keep this pair of brothers. They should be fully ready this coming fall and winter. I see squirrel piquant in my future.
Muddy Waters 67
Me too. And they get ticked when they see you are sitting in "their" spot!Originally Posted by richhodg66
Years ago I made a .32 caplock just for squirrels. Bought a 42" GM barrel, a chunk of maple, and assorted odds and ends from Dixie and went to town. Ended up with a nice tiger stripe pattern in the stock. When I showed the finished rifle to my 11 YO daughter she asked if I was going to sand those lines off the stock!Kids....
Our season opens September 15 and runs to the end of March. Always looking forward to it.
I recently got a good deal on a TC Seneca .36 I want to Squirrel hunt with, that and a little .28 gauge muzzle loading shotgun. Black powder squirrel hunting really sounds like fun.Me too. And they get ticked when they see you are sitting in "their" spot!
Years ago I made a .32 caplock just for squirrels. Bought a 42" GM barrel, a chunk of maple, and assorted odds and ends from Dixie and went to town. Ended up with a nice tiger stripe pattern in the stock. When I showed the finished rifle to my 11 YO daughter she asked if I was going to sand those lines off the stock!
Our season opens September 15 and runs to the end of March. Always looking forward to it.
I don't think I have killed a squirrel for the pot for at least 45 years. I lived in Alaska then and the squirrels were barely chipmunk size. It would take two or three for a hungry man. There are a few around here in eastern Washington but I have never shot one. When I was young I hunted them with a .22. I actually enjoyed finding a way to make them come out from behind the tree so I could get a shot. I don't like biting down on birdshot.
I haven't hunted Squirrel in several years. Here in Arizona Gray and Albertson Squirrels live in tall Ponderosa Pines and Oaktrees. The season is from October to December I think. I haven't been doing too well for about the last five years or so, Heart problems. I'll be 80 this year. Would love to get out and pop a few with my 32 caplock. My wife doesn't like them but she will cook them for me. I don't like bird shot either. I like to read your story's about hunting them. Have a good hunt.
Last edited by 45-70 Chevroner; 05-26-2021 at 08:09 PM.
Those fly larva... one time my brother and his buds went rabbit hunting in the sage country when we were in high school. Tossed the rabbits in the back of the pickup, and came home for a soda before getting ready to clean them all. We went back out to the truck to clean them, and those big worms were crawling all over the place. To this day i think it’s about the most revolting thing I’ve ever seen. I refuse to hunt critters until there has been some frost.
8mmFan
I haven't hunted them for meat since I was a kid, used to love Mom's squirrel stew. I only shoot them nowdays to keep them off my tomatoes but last year I got one of them life like owls that Dalen makes and stuck it on the rebar that holds my tomato cages and they won't even come in the yard much less mess with the garden!
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I've got a little Stevens 311 SxS in 410 that I've been wanting to use for Squirrels but I just can't bring myself to hunt them anymore. I used to love pan fried squirrel and milk gravy but anymore, it turns my stomach. I find it weird but ....
I didn't know they infected rabbits too, but I don't hunt rabbits. Honestly, I've never seen them in the fox squirrels here in Kansas either, but in S.C. where it never gets cold, it was a problem. Bad thing there is you may have to wait til December before you get a real frost. I remember when I was about 14 out poking around in the woods with a .22 on New Year's Day and finding a large pond turtle up and walking around, quite lively for a cold blooded thing in the dead of Winter.
You guys hunting squirrels with a .410, how close do you need to get for clean kills on them? I have a couple of .410s, one is just the yard gun I carry to the mail box and when I'm doing chores in the yard, one is a nice little Iver Johnson I've never shot. Been meaning to get one of those Yildiz singles Academy sells, boy are they pretty and light. Just not sure how useful a .410 would really be.
That Iver Johnson may be the cousin to the .410 I started hunting with in the early 60's in SW Michigan. Wabbits at 20-30 yards were good shooting with 4-5 shot. Never tried a tree rat as we all used .22's for head shots.
Couple years later dad found a nice ribbed 32" barrel 12 gauge Iver that became my hunting piece until the Army nabbed me.
Did see a very young tree rat scurrying about a RR Crossing just up the road a couple days ago while on the 71 Airhead .
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Rich, I've had that little SxS for 3 or 4 years now (along with an 870 Express, that I've had for about 5-6 years) and I haven't patterned either one and have only taken the 870 out once (and didn't shoot it). Your question got me thinking, I need to take these guns out and check their patterns at hunting distance, so next week I'll do that. I'll post the results and go from there.
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