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#99573 - 01/03/12 12:31 PM

squirrel hunters

cottonstalk
old hand

Registered: 04/16/08
Posts: 1056
Loc: North Carolina

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You guys that hunt these critters do you go and retrieve each one after you shoot or do you shoot several before you retrieve them? Does it matter if your elevated or ground level? And lastly do you shoot them on the ground or up trees? I have never whole heartedly pursued these critters but that's fixing to change. Thanks

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#99576 - 01/03/12 01:02 PM

Re: squirrel hunters [Re: cottonstalk]

Gary
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Registered: 12/16/03
Posts: 3460
Loc: Austin, TX USA

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I will usually wait before I retrieve one because there are often others in the vicinity that I haven't seen yet. I've shot them from an elevated stand but I generally like being a lot more mobile because they are. I definitely shoot them out of trees but you do have to be a little careful on the angles depending on how populated the surrounding hunting area is... know what's downrange and it's a good idea to have heavy branches behind the target.

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#99577 - 01/03/12 01:04 PM

Re: squirrel hunters [Re: cottonstalk]

Dan B.
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Registered: 01/18/04
Posts: 3869
Loc: SWPA

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I always had fun from a treestand. When archery hunting they would be all over me. Then when I went squirrel hunting they were no where to be found. So I started taking my climber hunting and shooting them from the air....kill numbers went way up.

The ground work well also, just takes more time for them to settle in and forget about you. Our squirrel population is not huge so it takes a little more time to limit out for the day.

Shooting into the air...yep....just not when they are skylined on a branch. I always have a tree or trunk behind them.

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#99588 - 01/03/12 02:47 PM

Re: squirrel hunters [Re: Dan B.]

Gary
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Registered: 12/16/03
Posts: 3460
Loc: Austin, TX USA

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Here is one from yesterday... This was with my 4.75" model 83 in .22 LR

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#99589 - 01/03/12 03:14 PM

Re: squirrel hunters [Re: Gary]

SChunter
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Registered: 12/26/07
Posts: 1311
Loc: Coastal SC

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Nice work Gary!

Cotton, I sat in the stand yesterday afternoon for the last day of deer season, contemplating my upcoming "offseason" pursuits - stalking around the oak bottoms, slipping up on hogs with the wheelguns ranked first, with chasing bushytails with the shortguns coming in a close second...I prefer to stalk through the woods easing along - maybe taking a seat in some likely areas. Squirrel hunting definitely improves my stalking skills. To answer your questions, I'll usually retrieve after I've confirmed no other potential targets - squirrel hunting helps me to sllllloooooowwww down in the woods. And I shoot 'em anywhere I can - trees or ground, provided it's safe.

Colt Woodsman will be the first gun out, followed by my S&W 647.

Edited by SChunter (01/03/12 03:32 PM)

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#99592 - 01/03/12 03:51 PM

Re: squirrel hunters [Re: Gary]

Dan B.
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Registered: 01/18/04
Posts: 3869
Loc: SWPA

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Originally Posted By: Gary

....my 4.75" model 83 in .22 LR.....

Nice....but who was shooting it??

$;\)$

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#99593 - 01/03/12 04:07 PM

Re: squirrel hunters [Re: Dan B.]

Gary
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Registered: 12/16/03
Posts: 3460
Loc: Austin, TX USA

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$\:\)$

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America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system and too early to shoot the bastards.

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#99596 - 01/03/12 04:32 PM

Re: squirrel hunters [Re: Gary]

tracker77
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Registered: 04/27/11
Posts: 422
Loc: Arkansas

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As I have said in past postings, squirrels are my favorite thing to hunt. Period. Plenty of shot opportunities and liberal bag limits here make it great fun. I will usually wait after I take one to see if another presents itself. My two favorite rigs for this are my original 6 inch ruger standard model and my flat top three screw single six with 5.5 inch barrel. Happy hunting everyone!

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#99600 - 01/03/12 06:44 PM

Re: squirrel hunters [Re: tracker77]

cottonstalk
old hand

Registered: 04/16/08
Posts: 1056
Loc: North Carolina

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Are mornings or afternoons more productive? From what I have seen on deer stands it seems the afternoon would be best and usually starts about an hour before sunset and dies out about sunset. Am I wrong? I have never seen but a squirrel or two in the morning. Is stalking the only method for mid day? It's been a long time since I hunted these things and then with a 20ga.All advice and help appreciated.

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