Squirrel Hunting time!!

[Northcountryman]

Now that Deer seasons over and still feelin the need to kill somethin, Im looking forward to doin  a little Squirrel hunting this month and next.   Its easily been 10 years since I had a good squirrel stew!!  HBU? 

[Hock3y24]

Maybe, my kid just turned 12 so i gotta have him take the safety class and we will get out. Every though he's shot 4 deer and many small game animals in PA lol.

[airedale]

I actually enjoy Squirrel hunting more than Deer hunting, I have been out a bunch of times, and have taken several. I use all sorts of firearms, handguns, shotgun and rimfire rifles and a 32 cal black powder Crockett Squirrel rifle to keep things interesting, it is all about action. I will also mix in a little varmint calling. Squirrel Stew is a favorite of mine.

Al

[Northcountryman]

Al, do ever use any calls for Squirrels? Ive used the "rubbing the edge of 2 quarters" before to imitate feeding squirrels with limited success, but nothing else.

[airedale]

16 hours ago, Northcountryman said:

Al, do ever use any calls for Squirrels?

I have several Squirrel calls and have had mixed results using them, several times I have had squirrels come right to me and other times paid no attention. What I look for mostly is an answer back for location and then I will attempt a stalk.

When Squirrel hunting I am always looking for the brown leaves of Oak trees, the leaves stay on most of the winter so they will stick out like a sore thumb. Where there are Oak trees there will be Squirrels and deer too for that matter, sneak around still hunting doing a lot of glassing, then pick them off when one is spotted.

Al

Edited January 4 by airedale

[suburbanfarmer]

On 1/3/2024 at 10:02 AM, Hock3y24 said:

Maybe, my kid just turned 12 so i gotta have him take the safety class and we will get out. Every though he's shot 4 deer and many small game animals in PA lol.

Can he not use his PA license to purchase NY license?

[suburbanfarmer]

As for squirrel hunting, i have never tried it but my mentor always said, use a couple of quarters and rub them together to use as a call

[Daveboone]

I love squirrel hunting, but havent in years. Great reason for a walk with the .22. My favorite squirrel woods is now a development though. 

[airedale]

2 hours ago, suburbanfarmer said:

use a couple of quarters and rub them together to use as a call

You can suck on the back of your hand or finger and with a bit of practice sound every bit as good as the best commercial calls.

[Hock3y24]

On 1/4/2024 at 2:47 PM, suburbanfarmer said:

Can he not use his PA license to purchase NY license?

He only has a mentored youth permit, which means now he has to have a class there also after 3 years participating and being 12.

Edited January 5 by Hock3y24

[airedale]

I had the crosshairs on a Jet Black Squirrel today but I gave him a pass, getting soft in my old age. I came to the conclusion I would rather see him running around in the woods than stuffed and sitting mounted on my mantle.

Al

[jperch]

Those black phase squirrels seem to be much more common than 20 years ago.  I see them pretty often here in Northern Oswego and Cayuga counties.

[Northcountryman]

Yeah, Ive seen a few up in the 'Cats near our camp.  Beautiful color , right.

[greg54]

I would like to try some squirrel hunting at my sisters, there is mix of grey, red and occasional black one. I want to try using my .25 caliber Hatsan pellet rifle. I've never used it in the cold before and was wondering if that would have an effect on the air pressure of it. It is break barrel single shot.

[wolc123]

I saw a black 3-4 times back in my woods while deer hunting over the last (3) months.  Naturally, all I saw back there tonight was (2) antlerless deer at under 15 yards.

 

 

 

I did pick up a fine “target of opportunity” on the walk back home though.  Hippity Hoppity Easter’s on its way. 

 

Im going to try for squirrels again tomorrow evening over at my parents.  There are a lot more greys over there but I never seen a black.  Hopefully I’ll pick at least one up, then I’ll be able to do the crock pot bunny squirrel taste test.  Squirrels usually win that battle  but it takes more of them to make a meal. 

[airedale]

Had a Black one this morning under the wife's bird feeder.

[Northcountryman]

17 hours ago, greg54 said:

I would like to try some squirrel hunting at my sisters, there is mix of grey, red and occasional black one. I want to try using my .25 caliber Hatsan pellet rifle. I've never used it in the cold before and was wondering if that would have an effect on the air pressure of it. It is break barrel single shot.

slight difference, at best, I'd say.  Air density drops when colder so may have to give it an extra pump.

[Northcountryman]

16 hours ago, wolc123 said:

I saw a black 3-4 times back in my woods while deer hunting over the last (3) months.  Naturally, all I saw back there tonight was (2) antlerless deer at under 15 yards.

 

 

 

I did pick up a fine “target of opportunity” on the walk back home though.  Hippity Hoppity Easter’s on its way. 

 

Im going to try for squirrels again tomorrow evening over at my parents.  There are a lot more greys over there but I never seen a black.  Hopefully I’ll pick at least one up, then I’ll be able to do the crock pot bunny squirrel taste test.  Squirrels usually win that battle  but it takes more of them to make a meal. 

What are you using for a gun; cant tell from pics. 

[Shoots100]

19 minutes ago, Northcountryman said:

What are you using for a gun; cant tell from pics. 

??????

You can't tell from the first pic that it's a .416 Rem mag Semi auto mannlicher carbine cheytac Ruger 10/22 ?

 

SJC

[Northcountryman]

Nope; honestly, , though, it reminds me of my 22 

[wolc123]

4 hours ago, Northcountryman said:

What are you using for a gun; cant tell from pics. 

It’s a Ruger 10/22 carbine with a 4x Simmons .22 mag scope.  I just missed a grey with it at about 50 yards over at my parents place.  I aimed a little low and I guess maybe a I shouldn’t have.  Hopefully, another one will come out a little closer before I got to go.  

Most likely, just deer will come out again. I seen quite a few of their tracks on my walk back and my parents have been seeing them come out in the turnip and clover plots again.  It’s amazing how they seem to always know when the coast is clear and hunting season is over.  
 

 I’m in the upper deck of my truck cap blind.  I hunted the lower part one time during last deer season, on a rainy day, but have not hunted it here up on the ladder rack, until today.  

The bearings are froze or seized up on the swivel chair.  Looks like I’ll need to replace or rework that during the off-season .  I usually leave the chairs up until squirrel season closes.  
 

I’ve never taken a deer from the lower, enclosed part of this two story truck cap blind, but I did take what might have been my largest ever body buck from up top about 6 years ago.  That was the year that I put a 3 ft barnwood wall around the upper deck.  

 

 

Edited January 7 by wolc123

[Northcountryman]

You are , truly, a devoted Hunter , my friend!!

[Northcountryman]

Goin  to give Sterling Forest a try Sat am, weather permitting, of course. Any opinions about squirrel when its colder than average out and snow? In the past, I always did better in the fall prior to snow, but maybe doesnt really matter ?