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The first of this year’s hunting seasons has opened and that
is squirrels. Most hunters will wait till the mornings get cooler, as it is not
fun when you’re sweating and hunting. Now I know a lot of you may say what kind
of challenge is that. Let me tell you it is quite a challenge!
Wild squirrels do not behave like urban squirrels. I know around the house and
in the parks you can probably feed them by hand. The wild squirrel however
considers you a predator and will hide or lay very motionless on a branch till
you have disappeared.
The adventure starts with finding some woods that have visible nests in the
treetops. Although, if there are not a lot of nests, there still may be
squirrels present as many use holes in trees for nests. The next item is to find
some nut trees and sit near them. Notice I did not say under them as the
squirrel will surely spot you as he approaches for morning breakfast. You want
to be a ways away so you can observe him without him doing the same to you.
Camoflauge is a definite must for this hunting. You will be playing the role
similar to an infantryman sniper waiting for your target. You want to get into
the woods in the dark if possible and watch where you step. The crackling of
twigs and dry leaves will definitely alert them, just as it alerts deer. Once
you find a nice tree to sit against with a pretty good view of the treetops,
move all debris from around you just as you would in your deer spot. The perfect
day for squirrels is a sunny day with no wind at all. As you sit there patiently
waiting, there is a great thrill that gives you goosebumps when you see the
first tree limb bounce up and down.
Now the hunt and stalking begin. Move very slowly and only when the squirrel
seems preoccupied with his jumping around and feeding. Believe me if he spots
you at all, you may not see him again for a couple of hours. It’s that tense!
Once your able to get close enough in range, move your gun just as you do when
you deer hunt. I used to take a 22 rifle and a shotgun with me. If I were able
to get him with the 22 I would use that. Make sure you use hollow points! I have
seen squirrels get hit with regular round nose bullets and keep going. Hollow
points seem to do the job well. If he takes off running definitely open up with
the shotgun. If you think your going to blow him apart with a shotgun, believe
me you will not. First off all he is probably 30 to 50 yards away from you and
you’ll be surprised at how much of that shot is absorbed by the tree and leaves.
I’ll bet you end up with only 2—4 pellets in the squirrel.
Two people together can also be a benefit. Squirrels tend to hide on the
opposite side of the tree once they have spotted you. If you have a partner, one
person stands still, while the other slowly circles the tree. This will cause
the squirrel to move to your side and provide the shot you need. In the middle
of the day squirrels like to lay still on top of high branches and sun
themselves. Here again two people can be very effective. Get about 30 yds apart.
One person moves up slowly while the other watches the treetops. He stops and
then signals you to move. Besides movement as you walk in the middle of the day,
watch for that fuzzy tail to be hanging down off a limb. When squirrels sunbathe
they tend to just drop their tails like in a deep sleep. It’s a dead giveaway to
the hunter.
I have also heard people say, ”How can you eat squirrel? It’s nothing but a rat
with a bushy tail.” Well let me tell you squirrel is excellent eating and it is
more tender than rabbit. I cook it in water with onions added. Add some flour to
it and it makes a watery type of gravy, which I love to dip Italian bread into
along with the meal. As they once told Mikey, “Try it, you’ll like it.”
I no longer have a place to do this and I really miss the fun and excitement of
a squirrel hunt. If you want to start a youngster out on good deer hunting
training and build a great bonding relationship, this can be just the ticket! I
guarantee you will have some great laughs and excitement during this hunt.
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