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2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt

Posted By: squacks

2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 03:03 PM

HOWDY ALL!


1. this hunt is to take place Sept. 26-30, 2020.

2. all people who read this notice are invited to attend.

3. the hunt will take place on the southern tip of Illinois in the Shawnee national forest.

4. this is PRIMARILY a rimfire hunt. if you need to bring a shotgun to hunt with, we won't taunt you.....too much. lol.

5.the city closest to the hunt area is ANNA-JONESBORO. anybody who wants to make motel reservations should try to go there as it is the closest to the campground that is going to have motels. the town is about 10-15 miles away.

6. most of us plan to camp. the chosen campground is "pine hills campground" and is located not far from the town of WOLF LAKE. DIRECTIONS TO THE CAMPGROUND ARE TO FOLLOW. camping fees are $10.00 per night. be forewarned...there is NO ELECTRICITY, HOOK UPS OF ANY KIND OR DRINKING WATER! THERE ARE, pit toilets, fire pits, picnic tables and lantern hooks. that is all! you will not get cell phone reception from the campground! thank God! you will have to drive a couple miles for that.

7. Illinois sells a 5 day non resident license for $35.50. a habitat stamp is also required and will cost you and extra $5.50. these can be bought on-line and i highly suggest you do so.
if you go to Illinois dnr site you will find on-line license there. http://www.dnr.state.il.us
under the heading LICENSES/PERMITS/STAMPS, you will find the link for online license purchases.
you can put the dates of the hunt on the permit and it will become activated at that time. the limit on squirrels is 5/day 10 IN POSSESSION. we aim to eat a bunch as we go along!
note! if you were born after Jan 1,1980, you will need either a hunter safety certificate or an old hunting license issued from your own state.
ALL GUNS MUST BE CASED WHEN INSIDE A VEHICLE! PISTOL HOLSTERS DO NOT COUNT AS A CASE. IT MUST BE ZIPPERED, TIED OR IN A HARD CASE. you may carry a pistol while hunting.
NOBODY FROM OUT OF STATE NEEDS A F.O.I.D. CARD and can buy ammo without it. i can't...go figure.

8. a list of things that you may want to know about would contain these items..skeeters, ticks, chiggers, poison ivy(lots!), rattlers, copperheads, and cotten mouth water moccasins. (the snakes are all protected!) Mt. lions, wolves and black bear are also protected.

9. PART of the area we will be hunting lies in a special regulations zone. all plants and animals EXCEPT THOSE LISTED in the hunting regs are protected and not legal to take. squirrels, yotes, g-hogs and skunks are listed in the regs. and CAN BE TAKEN while this hunt is going on.

10. snake safety! there are 3 kinds of poisonous snakes there. i also was not kidding about them being protected. they actually close about 7 miles of road there, twice a year, so they can migrate to higher ground with out getting squished.

a. DO NOT PUT YOUR FEET WHERE YOU CAN'T SEE!
PRETTY BASIC. IN OTHER WORDS DON'T GO
WADING OFF THROUGH SOME HAY FIELD OR WEED PATCH ON YOUR WAY TO THE WOODS.

b. DO NOT STEP OVER LOGS OR LARGE ROCKS! INSTEAD STEP UP ON THEM AND LOOK ON THE OTHER SIDE AND IF YOU CAN,T SEE BACK UNDER IT,WALK AROUND.

c. BE VERY CAREFUL IN CLIMBING STEEP CREEKBANKS. SNAKES LIKE TO LAY UNDER THE WASHED OUT ROOTS OF TREES AND WHEN YOU
GRAB THE TRUNK TO PULL YOURSELF UP, YOUR
ENTIRE BODY CAN COME INTO STRIKING RANGE.

d. DO NOT CHASE CRIPPLED SQUIRRELS
THROUGH THE WOODS! MOST OF YOU HAVE REPEATERS AND RIMFIRE AMMO IS CHEAP! IN SNAKE COUNTRY, ANY SQUIRREL THAT EVEN LOOKS LIKE HE MIGHT
HAVE SOME LIFE IN HIM SHOULD BE SHOT AGAIN IMMEDIATELY!

e. IF YOU'RE IN THE WOODS BEFORE OR AFTER DARK CARRY A GOOD LIGHT. PROBABLY WON'T HELP BUT YOU'LL FEEL BETTER.

f. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN IN ROCKY CREEK BEDS OR ANY WET OR EVEN DAMP SPOTS AND ALONG ROCK WALLS THAT BORDER THE WATER.


11.hunters are required to keep game separately identifiable. if you share a cooler with somebody , then you will need bags that can be marked with your name.

12. people who can't do without hook ups for trailers can camp at devil's backbone in GRAND TOWER. THE camp is right on the banks of the ole Mississippi river and is about 10-15 miles from the PINE HILLS CAMP. grand tower can be located on rt. 3 just north of wolf lake.

13. no vehicles of any kind are allowed off the road. no 4 wheelers or dirt bikes, so leave em home!

14. there are places to fish around there and a one day license can be had for $5.50. just in case you need a break from hunting....yeah ...right!

15. women and children are welcome. BUT! there will be a designated camp at which after a certain time in the evening children and sensitive folks will be politely asked to make their disappearance! no offense meant to anybody and that's how we aim to NOT OFFEND ANYBODY.

16. the terrain in Shawnee can be very tough. the hills only go to about 600 feet but can be quite steep. there are flat places to hunt but you may have to drive a couple of miles to get to them. in the hills you will find 99% grey squirrels. in the bottoms you will find some fox squirrels.


DIRECTIONS TO PINE HILLS CAMPGROUND:
FIND RT.3 THAT RUNS ON THE SOUTHWESTERN EDGE OF S. ILLINOIS. IT RUNS CLOSE TO THE MISS. RIVER. LOCATE THE SMALL TOWN OF WOLF LAKE. THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO THE CAMP GROUND IS ON THE SOUTH EDGE OF WOLF LAKE.THERE IS A LARGE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT JUNK YARD ALL ALONG THE ROAD THERE. THE ROAD IS AT THE BOUNDARY EDGE OF THE JUNKYARD. THERE IS A BROWN SIGN THAT POINTS TO TRAIL OF TEARS STATE FOREST. THE ROAD ONLY GOES EAST.
TAKE THIS ROAD FOR 1-1/2 MILES AND YOU WILL FIND A SIGN THAT POINTS TO THE PINE HILLS CAMPGROUND. THE CAMP IS ABOUT 1 MILE DOWN THE ROCK ROAD. FEES ARE $10/NIGHT.
Posted By: Getting There

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 03:15 PM

Man sounds like fun! Attend a couple hunt in Mi. I always have fun at these events, but we do not have to worry about snakes. LOL
Posted By: squacks

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 03:30 PM

This will be the 19th Shawnee hunt. Anybody who is interested can pm me with questions. This is not a competition hunt.
Last year we had people from Virginia and Oregon. Some years we have folks from Great Britain and once from New Zealand.
Come for the fun. Sometimes there are a lot of squirrels and some years are just tough. Squirrel there are never EASY. You will need to be up on the game to get many.
Hope to see some of you there.
Posted By: Dillrod

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 04:12 PM

Are their dogs used in the hunt ?
Posted By: squacks

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Dillrod
Are their dogs used in the hunt ?

Nobody has ever brought squirrel dogs to this hunt. People have talked about it.
Posted By: Jurassic Park

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by squacks
HOWDY ALL!



15. women and children are welcome. BUT! there will be a designated camp at which after a certain time in the evening children and sensitive folks will be politely asked to make their disappearance! no offense meant to anybody and that's how we aim to NOT OFFEND ANYBODY..



So what happens during this time? You all talk about cheating on your wives and looking at little girls?

For you to actually write this “rule #15” down is sick!
Posted By: Minker

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 09:15 PM

I thought there for a minute you were going to have a squirrel hunt in Hal's back yard .
Posted By: pcr2

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Minker
I thought there for a minute you were going to have a squirrel hunt in Hal's back yard .

AAAH-nieces,explains rule 15 better maybe.
Posted By: ttzt

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 09:54 PM

Wow Jurassic Park, I think it's sick that you came up with that as the only reason some guys want to get together without women and kids around.

There are still guys that are crude enough to want to cuss and fart and spit , but gentleman enough to not want to do it in front of women and kids.
Posted By: Jurassic Park

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/01/20 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by ttzt
Wow Jurassic Park, I think it's sick that you came up with that as the only reason some guys want to get together without women and kids around.

There are still guys that are crude enough to want to cuss and fart and spit , but gentleman enough to not want to do it in front of women and kids.


Nope. To make an actual rule and to send them away is as crumby as blacks only or whites only.
Posted By: squacks

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 12:30 AM

"after a certain time in the evening children and sensitive folks will be politely asked to make their disappearance!"

Jurrasic Park

It says plainly, CHILDREN AND SENSITIVE FOLKS. You must fall into one of these two groups.

I made this post 19 years ago. There have been at least 1000 people come to this hunt. They came from 3 different continents and a great many of the lower 48 states.
They have been lawyers, blue collar workers, construction workers, Heavy equipment operators, over the road truck drivers, mechanics, computer programmers, engineers, Jackson county sherriffs, union county sherrifs, a county cop from Kansas, a town cop from Paducah, Ky, the only national forest police officer I ever met, the head of the district for the Shawnee National forest and not 1 but 2 preachers.
They ALL read the same invite you did and not one single person has ever mentioned having a problem with this rule.

That makes YOU a rather UNIQUE individual.
I resent the insinuation you made with that little girl crack!
Posted By: ky_coyote_hunter

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 12:38 AM

Don't give Jurrasic Park another thought squacks...What your doing is just fine.

I guess ole' JP is looking for a kinder, gentler, squirrel hunt where you sing soothing campfire songs with the women and children, and talk about your feelings...Lol!
Posted By: CoonsBane

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 12:58 AM

I believe he is just participating in what is known as "Recreational Outrage."
Posted By: Jurassic Park

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by squacks
"after a certain time in the evening children and sensitive folks will be politely asked to make their disappearance!"

Jurrasic Park

It says plainly, CHILDREN AND SENSITIVE FOLKS. You must fall into one of these two groups.

I made this post 19 years ago. There have been at least 1000 people come to this hunt. They came from 3 different continents and a great many of the lower 48 states.
They have been lawyers, blue collar workers, construction workers, Heavy equipment operators, over the road truck drivers, mechanics, computer programmers, engineers, Jackson county sherriffs, union county sherrifs, a county cop from Kansas, a town cop from Paducah, Ky, the only national forest police officer I ever met, the head of the district for the Shawnee National forest and not 1 but 2 preachers.
They ALL read the same invite you did and not one single person has ever mentioned having a problem with this rule.

That makes YOU a rather UNIQUE individual.
I resent the insinuation you made with that little girl crack!


Yup and pedophiles can be any of those people you mentioned, sicko.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 01:53 AM

Soooo, I guess Jurassic ain't gonna make it this year...
Posted By: Jurassic Park

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by bleeohio
Soooo, I guess Jurassic ain't gonna make it this year...


Nope. I don’t support things like that.
Posted By: ShawneeMan

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 02:06 AM

Limit is 5 squirrels a day...
Wish I could join you, but I'd have to give up my favorite hunting woods and THAT aint gonna happen...LOL
It's warm down here in Sept so bring some insect repellent!!
Be glad you won't be staying at the "Rest in Peace" campground in Ware, IL - I kid you not - that's the name of the place!!
This sounds like a blast!
Posted By: ttzt

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 04:15 AM

squacks, wish I could make it. I haven't been on a squirrel hunt in 35 years. Sounds like a great setup and a great time, except for the snakes. I grew up in Louisiana hunting squirrels while watching for snakes like that. We have a few rattle snakes around here, but I am out of practice dealing with cottonmouths and copperheads and I don't miss them. Post some pics from the hunt if you can.
Posted By: pintail_drake04

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 04:24 PM

Permethrin! I use to cut timber down there, we would come out of the woods covered in 1000's of ticks. Deep Woods Off doesn't cut it!

Buy it online and mix your own!
https://www.amazon.com/Control-Solu...permethrin&qid=1577982156&sr=8-5
Posted By: Scuba1

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by bleeohio
Soooo, I guess Jurassic ain't gonna make it this year...



I hope not as I don't like weirdos like that and am considering going if the missus given the time off.
Posted By: Boco

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 05:05 PM

Jurassic is not a weirdo,hes from Manitoba.
Posted By: squacks

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Scuba1
Originally Posted by bleeohio
Soooo, I guess Jurassic ain't gonna make it this year...



I hope not as I don't like weirdos like that and am considering going if the missus given the time off.




I realized a long time ago that I knew you from RFC. Not many folks live on a boat in the Atlantic. There will be a lot of folks at Shawnee that will be pleased to meet you and your wife.
There aren't as many ticks in late September but permethrin is still a GOOD idea. If you have never had a dose of chiggers take it from me, it is best avoided.
Spray your pants, shirt, SOCKS and shoes just before you leave home.
There was a good number of squirrels there last Sept and most were cutting beech. No guarantees on squirrels any year there.
Posted By: Trapper Dahlgren

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 06:03 PM

sounds like a good time , might try to make it ,would snake boots be a good thinks , or a waste of money
Posted By: squacks

Re: 2020 Shawnee Squirrel Hunt - 01/02/20 07:29 PM

It could be 90 degrees in the afternoon there. It's just my opinion that snake safety is better than snake boots. If it makes you feel better use them. Just for the record, snakes climb and hang in trees and bushes.
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