Author Topic: Squirrels. (Read 3976 times)

powderman · « **on:** September 22, 2011, 02:33:11 PM »

I've killed a couple but theres still standing corn and they are not cutting any hickories or walnuts that I've seen. They are cutting acorns though. I had given up this evening and was heading out of the woods when I saw one coming down a tree. Seems to be a bit tough so it will go in the bottom of a pot of saurkraut for supper tomorrow evening. I've used my 20 dbl bbl so far, next trip I'll take my favorite, Pops old dbl bbl 410, it's my favorite. Good luck guys. POWDERMAN.

BUGEYE · « **Reply #1 on:** September 22, 2011, 02:41:21 PM »

gotta wait for cooler weather. can't take the heat. I've got two pecan trees and my side yard is littered with cutting under one of those trees. it has small buttery pecans but the papershell in the back yard hasn't been touched.
I've always loved kraut and sausage but that squirrel and kraut sounds good. I'll try it in the crockpot. I'll have to eat it all by myself, my wife and daughter would have to be starving to touch one.

powderman · « **Reply #2 on:** September 22, 2011, 04:37:08 PM »

BUGEYE. We used to do that with rabbits too when I was growing up. We cook it til it falls off the bone and that juice goes right in the meat. We'll mash some taters and open a can of peas. Mighty good. POWDERMAN.

streak · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2011, 07:07:54 PM »

In my neighborhood I have around 15 - 20 of the fox squirrels here in Colorado! No hunting allowed!

I will get to get after some bushytails in E. Texas in November. Squirrel hunting used to be my favorite hunting sport until I got into quail and deer!
I used to have pretty good luck later on in the season using a squirrel call and .22 rifle. Early season with heavy foilage used 12 gauge semi-auto! Always got a mixed limit of fox squirrels and cat squirrels! Sometimes in the late season would take along the dog, that always added a little spice to the hunt!!
I like`em fried or in dumplings!

powderman · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2011, 05:12:24 AM »

STREAK. Love em fried with mashed taters and gravy, or with biskits and gravy. Haven't had any squirrel dumplings in many years, Patty seems to have a problem making dumplings they eith don't get done or they all cook up and shrink. Looking forward to supper. POWDERMAN.

streak · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2011, 05:56:32 PM »

Powderman,
There is a fast receipe on the side of the box of "Bisquick" (SP)? for dumplings!! They are good too!!

jakeemt · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2011, 06:00:45 PM »

I got 3 on my first outing of the year (all greys) with my new (to me) norinco tu 33/40 mauser. Fried with mushroom gravy and cornbread.

littlecanoe · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2011, 07:14:54 PM »

Haven't hunted squirrel in quite a few years.
I was walking back to look at a food plot the other day and saw an old fox squirrel with a gray nose.
The old fella had jumped up on a dogwood and perched on a limb for a bit.
We watched each other for a minute.
I bid him a good day and slowly walked by.
He moved to the back side of the tree trunk as I moved to pass by.
That was nice. He wasn't spooked at all.
That's a good thing on a warm and comfortable fall evening.
lc

powderman · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2011, 06:24:37 PM »

WEnt out again Wed evening, never saw or heard a squirrel. Corn is picked now so I figured they would be cutting hickories and walnuts, not a one, only acorns. POWDERMAN.

keith44 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 16, 2011, 08:29:33 PM »

They'll stay in the Oaks until the acorns are gone (at least the white oaks), then they will work on the hickories and walnuts, etc as they ripen.

streak · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2011, 06:25:43 PM »

Nothing more pleasing to the ear than to be easing through the woods squirrel hunting and hear the squirrels cutting hickory nuts in the hickories on a nice lightly frosty quite fall morning!!

keith44 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2011, 10:07:38 PM »

Actually, Streak, there is one thing that sounds much better. Sitting under a tree you thought was being ignored, and hearing a shower of cuttings falling all around you. It's only happened to me once, but I got 5 greys out of that tree. The cuttings I had scouted the day before were around another tree 15 yards away, but that day they chose a different hickory tree.

streak · « **Reply #12 on:** October 19, 2011, 07:49:19 AM »

Yeah keith44!
Been there done that and even had gray squirrels come down vines where I was sitting and use my hat as a crossing to another vine system on another tree!! And then have cuttings start to fall and collect on the top of my hat!! Those were the good times.
In fact I have been in places just before daylight and right at daylight the trees around me would come alive with squirrels heading for a big feed tree and the squirrels coming through the trees were in such large numbers kind of reminded me of the old Tarzan movies when something would stir up the monkey`s and they would be going throught the treetops in large numbers!

powderman · « **Reply #13 on:** October 19, 2011, 03:33:01 PM »

STREAK. I haven't seen that many squirrels in MANY years. Last year there were plenty of nuts, just nothing in them from the drought. Never killed a squirrel last year in 6 or 7 trips, they left the area, no food. There are some this year but not near as many as there should be. POWDERMAN.

streak · « **Reply #14 on:** October 19, 2011, 06:04:50 PM »

Powderman,
Hope you get to have some luck this year anyway!
I will be going down to E.Texas in November for deer and squirrel hunting and really doubting if hunting will be very good due to the drought conditions during the summer. Last year one early summer day I started out out for my walk and counted 18 fox squirrels crossing the street in my neighborhood all at one time. They seem to be migrating from one area of the neighborhood to another!
These Colorado fox squirrels are really plentiful even this year in my neighborhood. Naturally no hunting in the "hood"!!

keith44 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 19, 2011, 08:43:18 PM »

It has been a long time since squirrel populations were that high in my area, drought, winter kills, and soaring hawk populations as well as the return of Bald Eagles all seem to be keeping the numbers very low.

powderman · « **Reply #16 on:** October 26, 2011, 07:22:01 AM »

WEnt yesterday evening, only saw 1, killed it. I took the dbl bbl 410, love it. I had bought some Italians shells called CENTURION, never tried them on game. I shot the crap out of the squirrel and the shot looked more like #8s than 6s like they are supposed to be. I still have some of my reloads in #4 that I'll use next trip, unless I take the 20. Still not cutting walmnuts or hickories, matter of fact I never saw any nuts either. POWDERMAN.

keith44 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 26, 2011, 08:03:31 AM »

I went for a walk through my woods just to see where the squirrels were working. The greys were still in the white oaks, the Fox squirrels were carrying off Walnuts. Counted 5 total 3 greays, and 2 foxes. I plan to reduce the numbers this coming weekend. I'll likely just use the air rifle on this trip.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #18 on:** October 26, 2011, 01:54:57 PM »

I went for a short walk down along the river the other day...the squirrels in my area nip the fresh growth off the cottonwood trees. I saw pleanty of fresh cut branches along the trail. I can't wait to take my Brown Bess Carbine out for a squirrel hunt.

keith44 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 26, 2011, 04:24:24 PM »

Quote from: Rock Home Isle on October 26, 2011, 01:54:57 PM

... I can't wait to take my Brown Bess Carbine out for a squirrel hunt.

So you field dress yours when you shoot 'em

cowboy66 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 26, 2011, 04:47:05 PM »

I've got a good crop of 'em this year gettting fat on my corn pile, gona take care of that in a couple of weeks.

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #21 on:** October 26, 2011, 04:52:24 PM »

Never mind the shotguns, do it with a .22! One shot, 1 (squirrel) kill! I used to hunt them and enjoyed having arguements with a friend over the merits of a .22 rifle vs. a shotgun. Now I have Savage 24's in both .22/20 ga, and .22/.410. I guess the next time I go out, I can have it both ways!

hillbill · « **Reply #22 on:** October 26, 2011, 05:01:40 PM »

Quote from: streak on October 18, 2011, 06:25:43 PM

Nothing more pleasing to the ear than to be easing through the woods squirrel hunting and hear the squirrels cutting hickory nuts in the hickories on a nice lightly frosty quite fall morning!!

thats for sure! makes me miss my old 45 kentucky rifle i built when i was a kid.it barked many a tree ratt for the pot.

BUGEYE · « **Reply #23 on:** October 27, 2011, 03:00:35 AM »

I failed to mention that I switched to a handgun several years ago. haven't hit a squirrel since.
I keep trying though.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #24 on:** October 27, 2011, 03:32:35 AM »

Quote from: keith44 on October 26, 2011, 04:24:24 PM

Quote from: Rock Home Isle on October 26, 2011, 01:54:57 PM
... I can't wait to take my Brown Bess Carbine out for a squirrel hunt.

So you field dress yours when you shoot 'em

Unfortunately...that occurance has happened a time or two.

So these days, I shoot reduced 1 oz loads, out of my Bess, when out squirrel hunting and for rabbits as well. My other option is to use my .32 calibre rifle or my .45 using a heavy patching and .395 round ball; both of these rifles are quite effective on small game.

keith44 · « **Reply #25 on:** October 29, 2011, 01:36:42 PM »

I had a couple hours free today, so I grabbed up my .22 cal pellet rifle and headed to the woods. I saw two grey squirrels, and one fox squirrel that I could get a shot at. Now this pellet rifle was sighted in at 40 yards, and holds a 1 inch group at that range. The problem I had was all three squirrels were at distances from 7 to 15 feet, and I missed all three cleanly and badly enough that two allowed me the priveledge of missing them a second time. Oh well, a bad day hunting is still far and away better than a day not hunting at all.

keith44 · « **Reply #26 on:** October 30, 2011, 12:58:28 PM »

Today I made a much better showing, with still more than half the leaves on the trees I stalked a grey squirrel till I could get the perfect shot. He's in the fridge now, but tomorrow it's the crockpot for 'im

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #27 on:** October 30, 2011, 03:33:25 PM »

Quote from: keith44 on October 29, 2011, 01:36:42 PM

I had a couple hours free today, so I grabbed up my .22 cal pellet rifle and headed to the woods. .........

Small game hunting with a pellet rifle....Now that brings back memories.

keith44 · « **Reply #28 on:** October 31, 2011, 06:03:32 AM »

it's just too easy with a shotgun, and I didn't want to have to clean the flintlock. Try it sometime when ya just want to go to the woods and don't really care how many you get. Even the greys stick around after the shot. The air rifles available today are (as a group) capable of far greater accuracy than the ones of my youth (40 + years ago).

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #29 on:** October 31, 2011, 07:13:47 AM »

I used to hunt squirrels and rabbits with an old Benjamin (sp) pump in .22 calibre. That was such a fun rifle to hunt with...you are very right, it didn't spook the game hardly at all...so easy follow-up shots and taking multiple targets were more the rule than the exception.

Very cool indeed.