Author Topic: baiting grey squirrels? (Read 1813 times)

madmikeray · « **on:** August 16, 2004, 11:38:45 PM »

i wa just wandering if anyone baits there squirrels be4 season. i bought a 17hmr rifle and i want to hunt around 50yards. just sit down ,put up my rest and aim 4 the head. any have any input?

7magWoodsman · « **Reply #1 on:** August 17, 2004, 02:51:11 AM »

I have never baited Tree Rats for hunting purposes but I have noticed they like Purina Soft and Chewy Dog Food as well as Dog Chow, I see em eating it in the yard all the time, sometimes I will throw em cheese just for the pleasure of watchin' them while I am sitting outside. If you are truly interested in baiting and choose not to use a natural food source try getting nuts at the store, or peanut butter, or corn, or birdseed...i have used all of the above for Whitetail and I notice Tree Rats munching down all the time, but when I want to get some Squirrels to eat I just do it the "Old Way", sit close to some oak trees....I suppose the actually Squirrel Food for the feeders will work too....I don't know where you are from but around here you can get all manner of feed(including small game feed) at Southern States, if you don't have Southern States "stores" try any Tractor Supply place or maybe some hardware stores, or your local granary...Hope I helped at least a little.

Happy Hunting

madmikeray · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2004, 07:03:06 PM »

thanks for info...i put some scratch feed out @ some deer corn..let u know what happens in 2 weeks!

7magWoodsman · « **Reply #3 on:** August 18, 2004, 01:48:27 AM »

Your welcome...how do you like your 17hmr? What kind of rifle/scope you using? I have been thinking about buying a 17hmr but I keep putting it off...

WD45 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 18, 2004, 04:12:44 AM »

I have never baited for them either but everyone I know has a devil of a time keeping them out of their bird feeders. Put up a bird feeder and filler up and they will come.
When it comes to what squirrels will eat here's one for ya....
I used to keep my charcoal for the grill on the deck next to the grill. Well,
It kept disappearing and I could not figure out what was taking it cause I could never catch the thing. I was mowing grass one day and out of the corner of my eye I say the bag moving so I sneaked up to the bag and gave it a kick and out flew 3 squirrels :shock: .... They liked the cheap brand the best :-D .... No kidding

madmikeray · « **Reply #5 on:** August 18, 2004, 07:09:37 PM »

7mag, i have a marlin17v with a 6*24*50ao simmons blazer scope on it.i did a little trick on the trigger that i found out about on this forum. the trigger made a big difference in my grouping. but on the flip side , i would go with a 4*16*50ao scope, the 6*24 is a tad to much power for close up shots. ive got exactly $300 in the whole outfit. if u buy it and do the trigger trick , u want be dissapointed at all! happy shooting!

7magWoodsman · « **Reply #6 on:** August 18, 2004, 11:29:14 PM »

I checked out a Marlin 17V a few days ago at wal-mart and was the exact 17hmr I was planning on getting, if I did. It felt really good to me too, might have to go ahead and grab one or throw it in lay-a-way perhaps.

How accurate is it, what kind of ammo does it like best?

madmikeray · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2004, 12:48:33 AM »

7mag, i'm gettin holes touching at 50 yards with 5 shots. ive only used remington@ hornady shells. if u do buy it i recommend taking it apart and replacing the spring on the trigger with a ink pen spring. it's easy 2 do, just take the screw out holding the trigger in-,get u a pair of wire cutters-, set the 2 springs side by side-, and cut the ink pen spring 2 the same size as the spring that was in it-, set the spring in and screw the screw back in. u will go from about 5lb pull to about 1to 1lb and a half pull. let me know if u get it and try it....keep me updated!!!happy shootin!

Flash · « **Reply #8 on:** October 09, 2004, 10:02:18 AM »

I've used a jar of peanut butter many times and it works like a charm. It takes two jars, one pre-season and one during hunting season. I hang the jar with florist wire found in the garden department of any hardware store. I then drill a few holes in the bottom, large enough for the squirrels to get their paws into and scoop out some breakfast. They will eat until their heart's content and visit the tree even after their paws won't reach. Two or three days before the season starts, place a fresh jar in the tree and get ready for some fun.

THE#1hunter · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2004, 08:39:22 PM »

THe dog food idea, or corn...g/l

Dago1 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2004, 04:24:10 PM »

One trick I've used over the years is to tie two ears of corn together with two feet of slack. Pick a good spot for a stand. Toss them up in the tree limbs in a circle around fifty yards from your stand. You'll have 360 degree non-stop action. I have several stands to reduce the hunting pressure and keep the squirrel from getting to wise. I also use green food coloring to desguise the the yellow from the Johnny Snea'ems and wardens

squrlhunter · « **Reply #11 on:** December 13, 2004, 04:49:15 AM »

I use to be in Nuisance Wildlef Control and the key to the whole job is baiting. I had fellow co worker use peanut butter all kinds of nuts corn well just about everything in the kitchen cabinet and some things that arent like rat poision. They would use these things to lure squirrelsinto traps. I have used everything they told me except the rat poision. they would all swear by their methods and it may all work. but it just was not working good enough for me so I kept expertimenting. I found Black Oil Sunflowers seeds Only are the best method in baiting squirrels. In fact now I have two bird feeders in the yard one with mixed bird seed and one with black oil sunflower seeds and the squrriels only go to the sunflower seeds. If baiting was allowed here that is what I would put out. You need to get a board about two feet by one foot and place legs one it about 8 inches high or if you have problems with other critters it can be placed as high as you want. put a couple of cups of the black oil sunflowers seeds on it. the next day you will have squrriels. If it is being placed in the woods I would not place corn or peanut butter because other critters will knock off all of you seed. then you wont have a nice platform to shoot the squrriels off. Place several of these in different loactions at least an acre apart. beacuae a grey squrriels home range is 1/2 to 1 acre depending on the population. this is also a great platform to put a tomahawk #102 trap on and trap squrriels form just make the platform bigger at least 2' X 2'. Also wrap the trap in black plastic leaving both ends open. duct tape the plastic around the trap and cut a slit for the handle. Hope this helps. Any questions email me at sschutt@clemson.edu Please ccheck you local laws about baiting first.