Squirrel hunting thread

Anybody done any squirrel hunting yet this year? Here’s a couple pictures from my season so far:

PA squirrel season starts saturday the 10th

I would always skin and gut the squirrel as soon as they hit the ground.
Skinned in a couple minutes, where as when younger would wait until I got my limit , the skinning was 5 times as hard.
Carried zip lock bags for them.
If I was close to a stream, put them under a rock under water, to cool them off.
Fox squirrel get real tough to skin when cold.
It was simple once home to soak , and do whatever needed to be done.
Many times would shoot another while skinning one.

Missouri season opens Memorial Day weekend and runs to February 15th.
Daily limit is 10.
I killed 40 in late May/early June. I always quit and start on them hard the first of August when they start cutting hickory. I’ve killed 160 since August 5th. Killed a limit this morning that were cutting pecans. Seeing more on the ground which is common from now through fall.
Here’s the kicker…..I’ve walked out my back door and killed every one of them. Haven’t drove anywhere. Seems to be no end to them.
Ruger 77-22 is my squirrel rifle. I’ll hunt them pretty steady until mid October. Too many other pursuits take over after that.
Grew up squirrel hunting. Absolutely love it. I’ve got a grandson hooked now. He’s went with me a bunch last month. He’ll be packing a gun next year.
It’s our favorite wild game as far as table fare as well.
If I was forced to give all hunting up but one type of critter……….I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision lol.

I always used squirrel hunting as a tuning of my hunting awareness for the coming deer season.

Nothing sharpens your hunting skills like squirrel hunting.
Show me a good squirrel hunter and I’ll show you a good woodsmen.

A good Squirrel hunter can hunt anything. Something primal about slipping thru the woods, and putting supper on the table. I always clean mine when they hit the ground too, quicker, and I like to let the woods settle down after the shot anyway. I run a stick threw the back legs and let tthem dangle and cool quick, keeps the meat sweet.

Still loaded with woofes (wolves) worms under the skin around here.

i love squirrels hunting but have lost all my good spots over the years, our season open sept,15

I hate Bott Fly larvae, disgusting.

The weather is supposed to cool next week, so hoping to go soon..

I wait until a good frost to start squirrel hunting. This was from last season

I haven’t hunted squirrels since I was a young g fella. I used to love it with my .22 not sure why I stopped, guess duck and goose got my interest…. Also got a lot of my money lol. My dad gave me his .22 lever action marlin he bought new in 1955. Think I might have to go out and get a few squirrels with it this season.

Pearl Got A Squirrel

Clay Sounds like you are getting after them pretty regularly .I have a few pecan trees in my backyard and I noticed that the squirrels are working on them already .Seems early for this area. I also have a Ruger 77/22. It is the model with the stainless steel action and barrel and the laminated stock .I think it is the Model K77/22VBZ I know I am biased but I think it is a really nice gun.

Been slow year here. Normally we hammer them pretty good in August and September. Cant walk through the woods without stepping on hickory nuts or acorns but not half the squirrels as usual

Always interested in purchasing tails for any of you hunters.

I love squirrel hunting! They’re thick as flies around here. Already in the oaks and pecans cutting. Great time to see a lot of nature, sneaking through the woods. I love it!

My new favorite method.

Murphy the adventure dog scored himself his first squirrel earlier. Gotta wait for the poison ivy to die off before we head back out though, he got it bad all over his chest and legs.

You can sell tails to Mepps for cash money or take double the value in fishing lures. For a catalog contact them, Google Mepps fishing lures.

Tomorrow is our WV squirrel opener. I have went opening day for over the last 40 years straight. It is not the tradition with many around as it once was as many squirrel openers I never hear another shot. My favorite time to go is around Christmas after most of the deer season is gone to get revenge on the squirrels that sounded like a herd of deer during deer season.

garymc Do you have fox squirrels in your area?

Very Very few now. So few I won't even shoot a fox squirrel in my area anymore. They were very abundant when I was younger and it would typically be a 50/50 split between grays and fox harvested back then, say 15 years + ago.

A lot of habitat has changed, but I am seeing a few more fox squirrels throughout the fall while bow hunting. Where 5 or so years ago I went an entire season without seeing a fox squirrel.

Garymc I archery hunted in the Brandywine area in Pendelton county from about 1987 through about 2015 Like you said when we first started hunting there we would see about a 50/50 mix .As time went on the fox squirrel population dropped off quite a bit

In the late 80's and 90's we hunted the Franklin/Upper Tract area of Pendleton county for squirrel and there used to be a pile of tough old fox squirrels. That was back when we took the whole opening week and squirrel hunted and trout fished. Those were the days.

I still remember chasing a black squirrel all morning in that area when I was around 15. I ended up chasing it to the point that I got lost and never caught up to it to get a shot. I knew either side of the mountain I could drop off to a hard road and ended up dropping off the mountain 3 miles from camp. Two old ladies picked me up and gave me a ride back to camp.

Just shot a couple fox squirrels this morning off the back deck, guna make some nice stew.

Already got a big hickory picked out for tomorrow morning. They are cutting like crazy on those right now. Shouldn't take long for some action. Gonna leave the dogs at home until it cools a little more. I kinda like mixing it up with some just sitting around with the boy and waiting versus following the hounds.

Our season opened in May. But they'll be pert near parboiled if you shoot them then... Weather is just starting to cool off a bit and I was thinking about pulling my .32 down and getting it ready to go snipe a few.

Mike

I send Mepps 75-100 tails every year. Excellent company.

WS

last fall

Good eating.

Either squirrel hunting or rabbit hunting were the first things hunted by most , except frogs with home made bows and arrows.
So glad I grew up when I did.

Season's not open here yet. I have a few hickories in the yard and I guess they must not have any nuts this year because the squirrels are usually cutting them long before now and they've not been this year. It kind of sucks because by the time squirrel season opens, the hickories are all bare.