First time squirrel hunting

Dustinb80 · Sep 11, 2014

I will be going out squirrel hunting for the first time this coming weekend with the group "Hunting With Heroes" We will squirrel hunt in the morning and go fishing in the afternoon. I also go Deer hunting with them for Veterans Day. Looking for some pointers. Ill be sitting in a small triangle Black Out chair, shooting my new Savage Mark II FVXP. I cleaned it last night and Im really excited. I even took the time to make a "Noose Line" to hold what I kill. Its kind of generic but I think it will get the job done. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Dustin

bowhunter1023 · Sep 11, 2014

This time of year can be tough with the leaves still on. I usually use a shotgun because of that as you can shoot through stuff a little easier. I suggest taking some shooting sticks with you. With the rifle, I don't suggest shooting up in the canopy. That is the other reason I use a shotgun. Find a good patch of oaks/hickory and have a seat. Sit still and wait them out! Shoot straight and have fun!!!

Dustinb80 · Sep 11, 2014

Thanks.

Archertl · Sep 11, 2014

Squirrel hunting without dogs is a true woodsmans game. You have to have a sharp eye and a keen ear. As well as knowing how to move quitely through the woods.
The mark II is an excellent rifle. However since it is early September and there are still lots of leaves on the trees in ohio a 20 or 28 ga shotgun would be my choice. if the mark II is your only weapon it will still work well.

Hopefully its cool so they are moving. Find a stand of crop producing trees(Oak beech walunt). Sit watch and listen. Keep an eye out movement up in the trees as well as on the ground. I tend to shoot half my days bag on the ground. If you shoot one squirrel let things calm down and you often get a second opportunity in the same area. If 20 minutes have passed and nothing comes back out after the first kill i will typically move to a new spot. While you are walking from spot to spot stop periodically and listen and look for movement.
Since you are hunting with a .22lr i will warn you that big fox Squirrels are tough. So i typically try to shoot them in the head.

Outdoorsfellar · Sep 11, 2014

I just got thinking about my very first squirrel. It was a red squirrel that I shot with my bb gun in the head back when I was in the 7th grade. The above post made me think of this. A red squirrel is not your fox squirrel & is smaller than a gray. I have not seen one of these in many years. Has anyone else been seeing them ? Are they still around ?

Archertl · Sep 11, 2014

Outdoorsfellar said:
I just got thinking about my very first squirrel. It was a red squirrel that I shot with my bb gun in the head back when I was in the 7th grade. The above post made me think of this. A red squirrel is not your fox squirrel & is smaller than a gray. I have not seen one of these in many years. Has anyone else been seeing them ? Are they still around ?

I saw a few in the mt vernon area in june. I have not seen any in southern ohio in a few years

bowhunter1023 · Sep 11, 2014

I grew up calling fox squirrels, red squirrels. I was 25-26 before I knew there was a difference.

bigten05 · Sep 11, 2014

my house is loaded with red squirrels i bet i can count 15 a night around my house.

RedCloud · Sep 11, 2014

I don't like going this early because of the leaves and warbles. If I do go out before the leaves drop I sit in an oak flat or near walnut trees and watch for them to scurry across the ground. With the .22 you deffinatly need to watch shot angles and know what is where before shooting. Like Jesse and Archer said, shotgun is a great thing and still need to know these things but in a far smaller radius of where your hunting unlike a few miles with the .22.

Come sit in my woods Kevin. We have reds all over the place as well as an abundance of chipmunks. Even had one a couple deer seasons ago that had a spot right by my stand. He was my little buddy and would let me know if anything was coming lol. I tell ya those things bark for no reason at all most of the time. Sure was fun to watch him run other reds off and they are busy little things. I don't think he stood still for more then 3 sec. unless he was barking at something. Most of our tree rats are fox and I don't like shooting grays only because there isn't much on them up here unless you hunt in town that is lol.

Lumber head 75 · Sep 11, 2014

I have both fox squirrels and red Jimmy's.

Outdoorsfellar · Sep 11, 2014

My belly won't get full with those reds...lol. Earlier this summer, I bought one of Gamo's Silent Stalker Whisper rifles. It's been many years since I've gone squirrel hunting, so I thought I'd do so with some fun. Just the same, these things don't whisper !

RedCloud · Sep 11, 2014

Outdoorsfellar said:
My belly won't get full with those reds...lol. Earlier this summer, I bought one of Gamo's Silent Stalker Whisper rifles. It's been many years since I've gone squirrel hunting, so I thought I'd do so with some fun. Just the same, these things don't whisper !

Wondered about that considering they shoot just as fast as a rimfire .22 lol.

Outdoorsfellar · Sep 11, 2014

Actually, it depends what pellets I use. The PBA pellets are the faster & louder, just about as loud as a 22.

MK111 · Sep 11, 2014

I have both grays and fox squirrels here. Never have seen a small red squirrel like up North.

Dustin a pointer on your 22LR rifle. If you just cleaned the bore you will need to shoot at least 20 rounds to re-season the bore again with the bullet wax to get top accuracy back. If you change brands of ammo you need to do a light cleaning and shoot 20 or so rounds to re-season the bore. Then do not re-clean the bore. Just clean the action area but not the bore.

Taken from a long time target shooter but I never clean a 22LR firearm until it starts to malfunction.
Most 22LR firearms are wore out by cleaning and not shooting.

This may not set well with some gun owners but that's the way it is with 22LR guns.

Good luck on you hunt.

bowhunter1023 · Sep 11, 2014

I have a 1940's era bolt action .22 that hasn't had the bore cleaned in my 32 years. And who knows how long before then it was cleaned. It is an absolute tack driver too!

Huckleberry Finn · Sep 11, 2014

If you are hunting this early when it's nice and dry, if you're trying to get an angle on a squirrel, don't be scared to get in the dirt and get a good shot position.

If you scare 'em up a tree, they will come back down in a a few minutes.

This early in the season you can actually call them in with a squeeker and shaking a sapling...they think the young'uns are in danger and will come running.

Dustinb80 · Sep 12, 2014

Wow, lots of information. Thanks a ton guys. I will definitely heed your advice. Frank, Im not sure I will have the time to put 20 rounds down range before I go out tomorrow morning. I don't have anywhere to go and just shoot a bunch of rounds close to my house. I will keep the cleaning vs. not cleaning thoughts in mind TOO. Ill update on this post once I get back in town.

finelyshedded · Sep 12, 2014

Good luck on your hunt tomorrow morning Dustin! Just remember that those 22's have 1.5-2 mile range. Head shots are best so you don't tear up any meat. If a squirrel sees you or another form or danger they will bark or do this squeaky cry I hear them do mostly when a hawk swoops in and lands near by.

I like walking on dirt patches,moss or matted down leaves then find a nice compfy spot near a cluster of hicks,oaks or beech and sit quietly and still waiting for my best available shot. Tom is correct, sometimes you can kill multiple squirrels from the same spot if you play your cards right.

Good luck

Dustinb80 · Sep 12, 2014

The guy who is in charge of this hunt is going to be with me so as to give me pointers in addition to what you guys have given me.

teej89 · Sep 12, 2014

man I loved squirrel hunting growing up, have fun with it. and if you run em up a tree look for them in the V of trees or if you hear em cutting a nut they'll be on a branch close to the trunk of the tree.

A little trick I learned when I was little was if I ran one up a tree, they'd always hang on the back side waiting for you to walk by and they'd just rotate around the tree keeping the tree between them and you. Well I got smart... and I'd take a rock/my hat/branch and throw it on the far side of the tree and that lil bugger would think something came around behind him and whip around the tree to give me shot.

First time squirrel hunting

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