Squirrel Season

[Pygmy]

Yeah, the early squirrels have some warbles (bot fly larvae)... Last year 1 or 2 out of 6 squirrels had them.

Disgusting little things, but they come off with the skin..They don't affect the meat, as far as I can see.

[Steuben Jerry]

32 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

Yeah, the early squirrels have some warbles (bot fly larvae)... Last year 1 or 2 out of 6 squirrels had them.

Disgusting little things, but they come off with the skin..They don't affect the meat, as far as I can see.

Yeah, you're right. There's not too much that bothers me, but that's one of them.

I certainly won't throw them away if I kill one with a warble, but I don't necessarily want a bunch of them either.

 

ps, yet I'll eat snails, raw shellfish, etc...

Edited August 24, 2016 by Steuben Jerry
grammer

[DirtTime]

Was looking forward to getting out next month with the M&P .22LR , after reading this thread I will stick with the 12GA. Didn't think about how green it will still be out there.

 

[philoshop]

My squirrel-hunting buddy passed away a few years ago, and I haven't really done much squirrel hunting since, other than thinning the herd in my woods. I go out every opening day to one of our favorite spots as a memory sort of thing. I'll be out on 9/1.

Even in the early season we would carry rimfires, and use pseudo-military tactics of hand signals and what-not to get 'em onto the trunks of trees where one of us could make a safe shot. It was more about the laughs afterwards than it was about the kill count. It's something I truly miss. 

[Dinsdale]

Best season there is.....

28 ga O/U or single shot  using #6's; or one of the CZ 22's CCI standard velocity.

Edited August 24, 2016 by Dinsdale

[Skillet]

On Tuesday, August 23, 2016 at 9:01 AM, Lawdwaz said:

You're nuts Dan..............

 

 

I have a standing invite from Skillet to hunt some bushy tail with him in Naples.  Hopefully I can make it down.

Just say the word, Law. 

[Bowguy 1]

I use an old bolt .22 rimfire n shoot them only on the ground n normally only after deer season

[22Plinker]

Normally I would take my marlin 22 using CCI HP 1260fps, and the kid would take his mossberg 500 with #5 or 6 shot.  This year i picked up my own Mossberg Turkey Thug edition and plan on using that early on in the season. 

 

I have also switched to the new Browning BPR .22lr.  It's a 40gr hollow point at 1400+ fps.  I did some consistency testing with various brands and was pleasantly surprised at how accurate the BPR was switching between 50 and 150 yards with the BSA scope.  CCI mini mag HP is always my backup ammo.

[Lawdwaz]

On 8/29/2016 at 0:32 PM, Skillet said:

Just say the word, Law. 

I'm going to try like heck to make it work.

My new-to-me last year 20ga 1968 Browning Superposed oughta' be bad medicine on those bushy tails.

[airedale]

I have many times had friends ask me why I get so fired up about squirrel hunting and think  I am a bit nuts spending so much money on higher end 22 rifles. Actually there was a time I pretty much thought the same way.

I became enlightened many years ago after a successful Deer hunt. That summer I purchased a beautiful Ruger Number 1A in 243 Winchester, like a pretty girl I just loved looking at that gun.  Mounted a nice 2X7 Redfield Widefield scope and spent summer working up the perfect Deer busting handload and getting that rifle dialed in, man I was psyched for opening day. 

The second day of season on my stand out walks a nice Buck at 50 yards, Bang and down he went. The excitement lasted for a few minutes then the realization came that I was "all done" and it would be a year before me and that Number 1 be in the woods again, I almost wished I had missed the Buck, Bummer!

Well I thought there was Squirrel hunting so I could still hit the woods with my trusty Savage single shot 22 or a shotgun. Didn't sound that appealing until I thought why the heck not buy a really fine 22 rifle and get after the squirrels with it. That is just what I did, I purchased a Remington 541S  and never looked back. Six month season, up to six Squirrels per day action, action, action, and I get to actually pull the trigger on a fine rifle or shotgun more than once. I have since accumulated several nice rimfire rifles through the years and I get to use them all if I want, What is not to love about Squirrel hunting?  I will be in the woods this week for sure.

Al

 

Edited August 31, 2016 by airedale

[Skillet]

Awesome to be back in the woods! 

[greg54]

Looks good Skillet!

[philoshop]

I took the opening day memorial walk this morning, carrying the gun instead of the camera. (I should have taken the camera). There were several that were pretty easy targets, but I just watched them and passed on the shots. It was nice to be in the woods again, although my arthritic hip is going to disagree with me on that for the rest of the night.

[growalot]

I was going to go out...but the whole bot fly thing won't leave my mind...

[Skillet]

8 hours ago, growalot said:

I was going to go out...but the whole bot fly thing won't leave my mind...

Yeah I don't know what the deal is, but they're infested at my place this year. 2 for 2 so far on the ones I've killed. Also notice them on the ones that raid my bird feeder. 

I think we'll switch to another spot for a few weeks. Maybe that will make a difference. HiTor is pretty good. I'll be up there tomorrow. 

[growalot]

We are SUPPOSED TO go to camp this weekend...May bring the gun...They are like sand fleas down there. Though, I don't want to bother the camp  neighbor and end up talking to cops....She threatened to arrest our son for mowing a while back...had to drag out survey ..bla...bla....bla...talked to her live in son....dementia setting in. That should be fun for the guys over the next few years. I feel bad for her,been a good neighbor.

[turkeyfeathers]

9 hours ago, growalot said:

I was going to go out...but the whole bot fly thing won't leave my mind...

I was off and contemplated it but yes, the bot flies would wig me out. No sense shooting something I have no desire to eat. I'll wait to it gets colder and they are gone.  Cutarebras, maggots, bot flies and leeches give me the willies.

[Steuben Jerry]

All this squirrel talk makes we want to take a morning walk tomorrow! Maybe if I leave the shotgun in the safe and take my .17, I can shoot the warbles off!

Going to Canadice or Hemlock this weekend for some fishing, maybe the warbles are a double secret killer bait! That'll change my thinking!

[Pygmy]

I'm going to take the old Model 12  16 gauge for a walk tomorrow down in my favorite hickory grove...

[Uncle Nicky]

All this talk of squirrel hunting got me inspired...I went up to camp this weekend (Allegany County) to get things ready for deer season. I decided to lug the shotgun along, and get up early this morning for a squirrel hunt.  Action was a little slow, I killed the only 2 I saw. No dreaded bot flies, but I did see a couple holes/scabs on the squirrels' skin that wasn't from #4 shot, assuming the bot flies had been & gone. I'd forgotten how challenging the early season could be, it's much easier to get the drop on them in October when the leaves are on the ground and crunchy, and they are out in full force putting their winter stash together. The dog is my dropper Maizy, she has nothing to do with squirrel hunting, but I am just so proud of her I posted her picture.

Edited September 4, 2016 by Uncle Nicky

[maytom]

When does the "Bot fly" issue seem to go away, with colder weather?

[Pygmy]

1 hour ago, maytom said:

When does the "Bot fly" issue seem to go away, with colder weather?

Yeah, Paulie...Usually by late September they are all gone.

I went to my "honey hole" hickory grove this morning.  Got there and leaned against my favorite tree at 7:00 AM.  By 8:10 I had my limit of six greys, with 8 shots.. 6 clean kills and two clean misses , both at the same squirrel.  I have to do that now and then to keep myself humble..<<GRIN>>...

By 9:00 AM I had them all skinned , disjointed and in a Walmart bag.  The cleanings stay in the woods for the critters.

Out of 6 squirrels, two had botfly larvae, one per squirrel..A couple of others had scars where the warbles had already emerged.

[Lawdwaz]

Nice shootin' Dan!!

Are you taking them out of the tree tops or off the ground?

[Uncle Nicky]

18 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

I went to my "honey hole" hickory grove this morning.  Got there and leaned against my favorite tree at 7:00 AM.  By 8:10 I had my limit of six greys, with 8 shots.. 6 clean kills and two clean misses , both at the same squirrel.  I have to do that now and then to keep myself humble..<<GRIN>>...

 

WOW! You definitely have them patterned!!! (Where's the thumbs up icon on this thing??)

[Pygmy]

37 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

Nice shootin' Dan!!

Are you taking them out of the tree tops or off the ground?

Nearly all in the treetops..I saw only one squirrel on the ground and the rest were all in the treetops, scampering around, jumping limb to limb and knocking down nuts. There are cuttings from hickory nut hulls all over the ground under several of the trees.

It is an ideal location.  The hickory grove is at the base of a hillside which consists of several hundred acres of mature hemlocks and hardwoods. The squirrels can travel to the area from hundreds of yards around, without even leaving the treetops.