Squirrels

[devil-man]

Do you guys still hunt these cute little furry creatures?
They are how I learned to hunt, with my Grandfather. Silent (as a 9-year old can be), stalking through the woods, listening, swinging my .22 at sparrows...

I still go out and get a few, just in his remembrance. Make some stew.
Take a kid hunting on September 1st. It might last a lifetime.

[Bobman]

I haven't targeted squirrels specifically but have taken them as a bonus while bird hunting.  I did put a scope on my bolt action .22 last year with the intention of going for squirrels but never found the time to go.  Hopefully this year  I can get it done.

[The Smokestick Kid]

I don't get out after them much anymore, but I think I will this year. A farmer who is a friend of ours likes to make squirrel stew, so I guess I'll go out and shoot some for him. I gre up hunting squirrels, then moved up to rabbits, then turkeys and coyotes and now deer. Definatly a great way to teach a child to hunt. I also think that crow season opens up on the 1st. Can you believe it? CROW season. HAHAHA

-Zach

[PA_BOWHUNTER]

Do you guys still hunt these cute little furry creatures?
They are how I learned to hunt, with my Grandfather. Silent (as a 9-year old can be), stalking through the woods, listening, swinging my .22 at sparrows...

I still go out and get a few, just in his remembrance. Make some stew.
Take a kid hunting on September 1st. It might last a lifetime.

Same here DM.  Those little bushy tails were the start of my hunting experience.  I tagged along with my father alot before i was old enough to hunt but squirrels were the first thing I actually bagged myself.

[RGFIXIT]

I love squirrel hunting
 Don the camo, grab my pistol and head for the hardwoods.

I know special piece of woods in the Seneca National Forest that holds  White Oaks, Red Oaks, Hickory, Butternut and Walnut all in the same 10 acres. Bushytail heaven

There's even black squirrels in that piece.

RG

[Coldfeet]

Grew up on Squirrels and still love to hunt them with my son and even the dog. We get out quite a bit for them and now I have heard of another good spot to try that has quiet a few Black Squirrels. I even got the wife to enjoy eating them and for her thats something to say. Next in line would be Rabbits. Although my all time favorite would have tto be Duck hunting.
Cold Feet

[devil-man]

Any one else going out tomorrow morning?
I'll probably go for 1-2 hrs before work...

[The Smokestick Kid]

I think I'm gonna go out for a little while...I have a brick of .22 bullets around here, I just need to find it.

-Zach

[dogfish]

Got a hot date with my wife Labor-day morning down in the wood lot hunting squirrels.
I do love that woman.
She wants to do some scouting at the same time and move here tree stand location.

[devil-man]

I've gotten a couple (2). Put 'em in the freezer to await their cousins. I have the whole weekend off, so maybe I'll make stew on Monday. Is there a football game?

[BuckShotJon]

I finally found someone that is willing to eat these tree rats so now I will go thin my woods out of them so that they don't bother me during bow season. I stopped hunting them becuase no one seemed to want them. I found a new guy that is willing to eat any wild game. Time to get the 12 gauge out and make a real ruckus with them.

Jon

[venisonman]

BSJ,

Do you find squirrel hunting in your bow area changes the deer movement? Or do you stop a certain number of days before bow season?

My bow spot has lots of squirrel but I avoid it except to ensure my stands are safe and ready.

[Somers]

Got out for a few hours w/ the .22 yesterday.  Bagged 3 grays and a pesky red.  Needed some more red tail fur for fly tying anyway.  Great to be out and stalking again.  That's the first time I pursued them soley (as opposed to bycatch when bird/bunny hunting) in over 10 years.  All these posts and some of the recipes got me thinking.  Still not my favorite meal, but not bad.  I'll try a few other recipes and see what happens.

Interesting point Venisonman.  I was hunting a small parcel of state land, so I really didn't think about that.  I imagine the old bucks would realize something is up and possibly go nocturnal.  Anytime you head into thier bedrooms consistently they seem to figure it out.

[Bobman]

BSJ,

Do you find squirrel hunting in your bow area changes the deer movement? Or do you stop a certain number of days before bow season?

My bow spot has lots of squirrel but I avoid it except to ensure my stands are safe and ready.

I don't think it matters.  The land I hunt for grouse, rabbits and turkey is the same I hunt for deer and I've never seen any significant change in deer patterns in the area.  I've even been grouse hunting while my brother was bow hunting (I don't bow hunt) in the same area and other than chasing a few deer his way when I got close to him he didn't notice the deer behaving any differently either.  Could be wrong but who really knows?

[devil-man]

I'm not sure about this either, but just in case I hunt squirrels on a totally different piece of land right outside of town. After I bag a bird and a doe it doesn't matter...

Jon- I hope there's something left of them after getting blown out of a tree by your 12 gauge