#99615 - 01/03/12 07:29 PM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: mikefrompa]
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Gary
Shooting Expert
Registered: 12/16/03
Posts: 3464
Loc: Austin, TX USA
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Gary, scoped or unscoped 22 ?
Unscoped
I like the mornings the best because you can usually get set up in a good feeding area and kill a couple at first light. I also hate skinning squirrels after dark. 
_________________________
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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#99625 - 01/03/12 08:23 PM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: Gary]
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dogsbreath
newbie
Registered: 07/11/10
Posts: 48
Loc: N. Ga.
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Boy, watching Gary's vidio reminded me of watching Bambi meets Godzila:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpBkc2jK-6w
You just know it isn't going to end well for someone. I think squirrl are good, nay, great practice. Think about the gun and range. Move it out a bit, and enlarge the quarry, you have deer. Gives you good practice to concentrate on that front site and not the thing moving down range that you eye wants to look at. Here in Georgia our season is late August to the end of Feb. No limit. I'm tempted to bring an air gun while deer hunting, but I'd be so ah, upset? with myself if I was messing with a squirrl and missed a deer. But deer season ended Jan 1, and it is squirrl time.
I'd like to get a few guys together and have a "squirrl pool". Everyone kicks in 10 or 20 bucks. You all go hunt the same woods, and if 3 squirrl are killed, you cut the pot by 3 and each takes hit cut. You could even mix gun types. Scoped rife is worth 1 point, iron site rifle and scoped pistol are 2 points, and iron sited pistol is 3 points.
Am I over thinking this?
I eat some squirll, but I usually grill one when I grill a steak for myself, and feed the squirrl to the dogs.
I found this little 8" barreled Taraus tracker in .17hmr that the squirrl just hate.
I hunt from the ground. If I shoot into the air, it is with a major tree trunk/branch behind the shot. I realized that the Taraus Judge would work for coaxing them out of trees that did'nt have a good background.
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#99626 - 01/03/12 08:39 PM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: dogsbreath]
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EricS
journeyman
Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 72
Loc: South GA
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I hunt with treeing feist. In the early season before the acorns start dropping squirrels are cutting pine cones and don't come to the ground much. Evening hunts work out better because the scent travels down better as the air cools so it makes it easier for the dogs to wind them. Later in the season I hunt in the mornings because it's more convenient and less likely to turn into a coon hunt. You can also find yourself a long ways from the truck in the dark if your following a dog. I don't have my 22 scoped now but there are times in the late season when it would be nice since the leaves are gone and shot opportunities could be longer
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#99630 - 01/03/12 08:51 PM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: EricS]
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Gary
Shooting Expert
Registered: 12/16/03
Posts: 3464
Loc: Austin, TX USA
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We don't have a season or a limit in parts of Texas - same for rabbits. I certainly don't want to fool with either when it's hot but they are darn fun when the weather is right.
_________________________
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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#99637 - 01/03/12 10:31 PM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: Gary]
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KRal
Shooting Expert
Registered: 04/06/05
Posts: 3109
Loc: MS
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Cotton, if I'm hunting a well known feeding area (loaded hickory) I'll stay seated and not retrieve after a shot. Usually, this method will produce 2-5 kills from one position. If I'm still hunting, I'll wait just a few minutes after a kill, then retrieve. I'll choot'em when ever they sit still long enough to squeeze the trigger (obviously, ensuring a safe direction). I'm usually hunting very large tracks of land, so shooting up in the trees is very safe. I prefer hunting in the mornings, but if I'm off work and have no other duties, I'll hunt all day or till I reach the limit (8). I'm also like Gary, I'd rather Clean'em before dark; but have spent many nights cleaning 'em. The best time to hunt, is like any other game hunted: when ever you get the opportunity!
_________________________
It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger squeeze.
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#99670 - 01/04/12 11:45 AM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: KRal]
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Whitworth
Distinguished Expert
Registered: 01/15/09
Posts: 4468
Loc: Virginia
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Awesome video, Gary!
_________________________
 Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
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#99672 - 01/04/12 12:46 PM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: Whitworth]
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lamina1982
enthusiast
Registered: 12/03/07
Posts: 377
Loc: Western New York
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Pretty much all i hunt is squirrels and deer, deer season is so short in Ny so all my other time is spent on squirrels. Last season i got 30something grey squirrels..which is alot for me. Up to 13 so far this year. As a kid it was always sitting with my dad and the 10/22..hed always fall asleep and me and my brother would wake him up nicely with a shot..haha, usually scared crap out of him. Nowadays its always a nice stroill through the woulds and i'v ebeen hunting same location for almost 20yrs so i know where all the squirrels usually are. I think if your going for numbers my ideal gun is my savage 22lr/20g ou.gives you the best of both worlds as far as runners or the long shots. but I mostly hunt with the handgun now-my buckmark got overhauled this year with a 14" barrel, forend and a 6X rifle scope..now that is one awesome squirrel gun. Took one at about 100yds this year..I was impressed. Usually i take my pitbull out with me..shes not necessarily trained and is mostly good for sight chases but she gets the general concept of it and really enjoys when I shoot them. She prolly scares alot away at times but there have been some I never would have gotten without her..a dog really helps chasing them around trees or those times when all they want to do is run on ground a dog works good for keeping em up in the trees. I'm almost 30 now and pretty much all my great hunting memories are ofsquirrel hunting..especially starting off with my dad. can't think of a better bond formed than hunting with your dad. Anyways its always a great time and pretty decent eating.. i guess im a squirrel fanatic!!
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#99681 - 01/04/12 04:43 PM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: mikefrompa]
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tracker77
addict
Registered: 04/27/11
Posts: 429
Loc: Arkansas
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Cotton
Mornings tend to be more productive for me as long as there isnt a lot of wind. If that is the case I stay to the creek bottoms and hardwood bottoms out of the wind. I trained and hunted Mullin's Feist and Jack/Rat crosses for years and for putting squirrel in the freezer a good dog is the most productive method. Finished squirrel dogs are expensive though but a pup from good bloodlines will be easy to train. If you have access to a creek bottom with oaks and hickery trees its a good place to start. Cast around on the ground while walking thru slowly and look at the bottoms of hickery trees for hickery nuts that have been chewed. We call these cuttings. Where you find piles of these under trees you have found squirrels. Now that I dont run dogs anymore I will sit in one of these areas and watch or stalk slowly thru to get to a better area. Keep your eyes open and move quietly and you will see squirrels a lot of times before they see you. Most of my shots on squirrels are less than 20yrds so I have never graduated beyond the 22lr but the 22 mag is a great squirrel round. Hope this helps and have fun!!
_________________________
On the plains of hesitation lay the bleached bones of thousands who while at the threshold of victory stopped to rest and while resting were killed by enemies.
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#99683 - 01/04/12 05:41 PM
Re: squirrel hunters
[Re: cottonstalk]
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leverman
enthusiast
Registered: 01/05/07
Posts: 260
Loc: Eastern Nebraska
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If you can shoot them from your tree stand go for it. I seem to get more squirrels that way.
Otherwise, if I hunt from the ground I prefer to hunt in an area such as a black walnut grove or near a corn field and catch the little critters coming and going to feed.
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