Squirrel Season 2017-2018

[nortatoga]

Stewart State forest has a lot of Red Squirrels. They are generally easier to hunt than greys because they feed on the ground. They also make a loud grinding noise. They stand out starkly againt the snow. They're fun to blast with a shotgun. But, they are strictly varmits and I don't hunt them when grey squirrels are around.

I've only seen black squirrels squirrels in the Bronx. Seriously, not a joke. You can find them all over a Bronx Zoo and the other parks. The Lehman college campus is infested. I wouldn't want to eat a squirrel raised in the city.

I agree! Eating one of them from the City would be like eating a Dump fed Bear!!

 

[S&W Fan]

You can call grey squirrels into an area that you're hunting with two half dollar pieces. I look for a stand of nut trees and find a nice big tree to sit against. Using two half dollars hold one flat between thumb and index finger. Tap it, mimicking the sound that they make , then sit back and wait. If there are any in the area you will soon see them in the branches. My grandfather showed me that 45 yrs. ago.

 

[S&W Fan]

We got a healthy population of Fox Squirrels around here and it seems to be growing. They are huge as far as squirrels go.
Robin

I've seen photos of fox squirrels. They are considerably larger than greys are. You would only need one or two of those to make a nice stew.

 

[nortatoga]

I've seen photos of fox squirrels. They are considerably larger than greys are. You would only need one or two of those to make a nice stew.

I just looked them up! 1.1 to 2.2 lbs.

 

[Robin]

I met a fellow a few years ago that had on that looked like a huge house cat! I had never seen one like it, made my two grey's look like mice!
Robin

 

[MothMan]

Had a black bushy tail hanging up side down on my bird feeder yesterday just feasting away. Tried to shoo it but that wasn't going anywhere. I live in the Cuse so any gunfire probably would have gone unnoticed but taking no chances I went with my Daisy slingshot. From about 12 to 15 yards I thwacked that tree climbing rat right behind the ear with a 1/4" diameter ball bearing from full draw. Little bugger staggered a bit and couldn't seem to climb the fence and when it did it wobbled along. Then it crossed over to a steel fence and was making haste along the top rail when I let fly again from about 30 yards and pinged the metal top rail right behind its scrawny ass. Man that little prick just about exploded in to thin air and was gone. AND it ain't been back!

Glad to know I have some primitive hunting skills LOL

 

[JaguarJaguarGolf]

My wife teaches 5th grade. For a few years running she's had her "outdoor boys" who tell her about hunting squirrels before school. She has the boys write about it to fulfill some of their required writing. She says sometimes she has to make up an assignment for the boys to do outside when they start getting antsy. Word of mouth has Moms with 4th grade boys asking for her for 5th grade.

 

[Kent Goldings]

Visited Stewart State Forest early this morning before going to the gun range. Stewart is shotguns and bows only. My 20 gauge is configured for turkeys. But, it works pretty good for squirrels with 6 shot game loads. Using a shotgun with scope and extra-choke is kinda hitting the easy button. But, the shot wrecks the squirrels.

Still, I bagged two greys and two reds in about two hours. I left the reds for the coyotes.

H&R Pardner Pump 28 inch barrel w/ extra full choke, Weaver 4x32 pro-diamond shotgun scope
Remington #6 2 1/2 inch game loads, low brass.

 

[zzrguy]

I got a Winchester pump 22Win mag that i have taken a couple of tree rats with but I can't find a good spot to hunt them here in the island.

 

[Kent Goldings]

First blood for the Henry H001. Nevertheless, I missed his head and took him in the shoulder. Although, he died quickly, the squirrel seemed a little mangy. So, I through it back. I'm not a huge fan of catch-and-release squirrel hunting.

Henry H001 22LR w/ Leupold VX1 2-7x28 Rimfire
CCI Standard Velocity 40 gr 22LR LRN

 

[nortatoga]

Here mine LOL!!!

 

[Kent Goldings]

Fun with forced perspective.

 

[stokes]

Chicken, taste like chicken.

Chicken?Tastes like rat to me.

 

[zzrguy]

Anyone got a squirrel dog at home my buddies old yapper use to love treeing those tree rats. He was a great woods dog.

 

[Kent Goldings]

Anyone got a squirrel dog at home my buddies old yapper use to love treeing those tree rats. He was a great woods dog.

I’d love a squirrel dog.

 

[nortatoga]

Anyone got a squirrel dog at home my buddies old yapper use to love treeing those tree rats. He was a great woods dog.

I’d love a squirrel dog.

Years ago I worked with horse's as a young man and had a Australian Shepherd ( Maggie best dog I ever had!! ) Well she when to work with me every day. We would be in the barn and my boss would ask what she barking at? I could just listen and say she's got a squirrel up a tree! I could just tell by her bark! I don't think she would have made a good squirrel hunting dog as she didn't like load noises ! But she sure liked to tree them.

 

[Acer-m14]

just seen this on the tube .. thought it was neat ... i have raised a few tree rats when i was a teen and learned how to make there noise with my mouth ..
they never showed me how to make noise to leave me alone .. that would be useful in deer season .. LOL ..

 

[whauburger]

Hopefully this weekend I get out with the recurve for some squirrel hunting.

 

[stokes]

I've got a pair of coonhounds,one is in my avatar.He was bred and trained to hunt coons and given up to rescue as a "failed hunter" at 2 yrs old.The second hound I'm not sure of her background.Anyways,in my yard they chase and tree the squirrels,I've got a big walnut tree in the middle of the yard so there is plenty of entertainment for them.But out in the field they will ignore anything they see,I've seen them almost nose to nose with rabbits and chipmunks and they have no reaction to even squirrels outside the yard.When they treed a pair of coons one night on a camping trip they went absolutely bonkers.Can definately tell the difference in their baying between a coon and squirrel or just somebody coming too close to my house.

 

[zzrguy]

I always tell my wife you let me buy a couple of bird dogs i will give up deer hinting. But it be cool you have a squirrel dog. Had a friend with a Jack Russel that mut would climd the dam tree to get them

 

[Bushmaster]

Mine dressed out few years ago in baggy LOL. I feed them now, don't hunt them. But I use to try things out hunting them alone in woods, They would go to other side of tree I was on.... SOOOOOO I use to put my jacket on one side of tree in a bush, or tie line to it and wiggle jacket till they changed side of tree I was on LOL

 

[Kent Goldings]

I feed them when they aren’t open. Not sure the DEC would approve of doing both at once. It kinda ruins the sport anyway.

 

[Bushmaster]

I feed them when they aren’t open. Not sure the DEC would approve of doing both at once. It kinda ruins the sport anyway.

I feed them in my yard, NOT hunted. I don't hunt Squirrel anymore in few years now.

 

[Kent Goldings]

I feed them in my yard. But, just to keep them away from the birds.

 

[Kent Goldings]

Score 2 for Ruger. I would have bagged 3, but one failed to fire and was stuck in the chamber. The squirrel ran off before I could clear it.

The top one was particularly messy. I aimed for the head but only grazed his ear. He fell out of the tree about 60 feet and hit hard, but was not put down. A follow up shot into his heart and longs shredded his inside as the segmented HP fragmented.

The second one was at 40 yards on the ground. It was much cleaner.

Ruger 10/22 Green Mountain Sporter 22LR
Nikon 3-9x40 Prostaff Rimfire
CCI 40 gr. Segmented subsonic

 

[nortatoga]

How many does that make for the season?

Is that a Boyds stock? I like it.

 

[Kent Goldings]

How many does that make for the season?

Is that a Boyds stock? I like it.

Not many, it’s been a slow September. Some mornings, I see none at all. These two make six, if I don’t count the reds.

I should get to go out Friday and Saturday as well. But, I’ll probably look into scouting for Sunday morning.

 

[Bushmaster]

Gorgeous stock Kent...

 

[Kent Goldings]

It is a Byods Rimfire hunter.

 

[Kent Goldings]

With the freezer filled with venison, I figured it was time for some guilt-free squirrel hunting. The last day of autumn had some relatively warm temperatures.

Breaking in my new Maverick 88 by busting some squirrels wasn’t a brilliant plan. The gun was rather ineffective outside 25 yards. I missed several squirrels as they slipped through the pattern of #4 shot. But, practice on live targets is useful.