TIPS FOR SQUIRREL HUNTING
The fox squirrel varies from gray squirrels in behavior and environment due to its reddish, fox-colored hair. Some hunters believe it is simpler to fool and be less suspicious.
Fox squirrels spend more time on the ground than gray squirrels and have fewer escape options in the trees. They flee to their caves or hide beneath trunks or branches when they are threatened.
They don’t eat early in the morning like grays. During the noon hours, they become more active and leave their dens. Fox squirrels are often seen sunbathing on a branch.
The fox squirrel is also known as the red squirrel by many hunters.
The actual red squirrel, on the other hand, is significantly smaller and not a game animal.
Forests are not as appealing to fox squirrels as woodlots, agricultural groves, and timber strips. Acorns and other nuts are what they consume, just like grays. Corn and other crops account for a large portion of the diet in agricultural regions. The majority of the water used by squirrels comes from the food they eat.
Squirrels, both gray and fox, have a wide range of vocalizations.
Other squirrels are warned by a succession of fast cherks or barks. Squirrels are approaching one another, as shown by the usual chatter. Contentment is indicated by a low-pitched giggle.
SQUIRREL SIGNS
Squirrel-hunting
Look for oak or other nut-producing trees in dense clusters. An historic apple orchard near timberlands might provide excellent hunting opportunities.
Squirrels congregate around this food, which changes from year to year. Squirrels consume wild cherries, poplar buds, maple seeds, mulberries, gum berries and fruits, and seeds from early-ripening trees in the late summer.
Squirrels begin their biggest feeding of the year as the season continues, as they prepare for the winter. Pecan, hickory, walnut, oak, and beech tree nuts are chopped or consumed by them. Cuttings, or piles of little fragments of chewed nut hulls, are signs of eating beneath these trees.
Squirrels congregate around cornfields in agricultural regions; search for evidence of squirrels climbing cornstalks to eat the kernels off the cob or pulling the cobs down.
Throughout the warm days of early and mid-fall, squirrels may begin eating at night and continue until dawn, resting during the day and feeding again in the late evening.
As the season develops, feeding and storing nuts for the winter takes place later in the day. Squirrels spend more time collecting, excavating, and storing food as the season progresses.
During the squirrel’s peak mating season, which begins in December or January, hunting might be beneficial.
As they begin courting, squirrels lose their usual caution and pay less attention to hunters.
The still-hunter listens for the cutting of teeth on nuts or the skittering of claws on bark and looks for the tiniest movement, the twitch of an ear, the flash of a tail, the glitter of an eye. Freeze for a moment and listen carefully to each sounds. When the weather is windy or wet, your voice is muffled, enabling you to travel through the woods more quietly.
When the woods are too loud to still-hunt, stand-hunting might be the most effective method. Watch for movement while sitting quietly in a feeding location. After you’ve shot one, stay motionless for a few minutes to see whether the squirrel returns to regular activity.
Squirrel hunters often use.22 rifles with 4x scopes. Carry a.410, a 20 or a 12-gauge shotgun with No.6 shot.
SQUIRREL HUNTING FROM A STAND POINT OF VIEW
Sit calmly with your binoculars, gazing at the woods.
Pick a location with the sun behind you.
You’ll be able to see squirrels in this manner, but they won’t be able to see you.
To get squirrels to come out of hiding, make a call. A blow call (on the left) and a bellows call are examples of calls (right). Barks and chatters may be made using any of them.
To simulate a scolding squirrel, click coins together. One coin should be somewhat lower than the other, and the lower coin should be snapped first.
OTHER TECHNIQUES FOR SQUIRREL HUNTING
With a partner, go on a search. Squirrels can’t hide on the other side of a tree using this strategy since they’ll be spotted. When a squirrel approaches your side of the tree, be prepared to fire.
Toss a stick or a rock from one side of a tree to the other. Alternatively, attach a thread to a shrub on one side of the tree, then pull it hard on the other side. Squirrels will flock to your side because of the movement.
98 Float-hunt along waterways that are surrounded by nut trees in The Complete Guide to Hunting. Squirrels are drawn to the area because of the abundant sunshine and moisture.
TIPS FOR SQUIRREL HUNTING
Prairie dogs are a western plains critter that may be found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It reaches a maximum length of 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm). Prairie dogs are found in vast colonies or dog villages that may span hundreds of acres (ha).
They live in pairs, with one male and two to four females in each group. Females produce one litter each year and have three to four puppies on average. Prairie dogs eat grass, insects, and broadleaf plants, among other things. This critter can dig 15 feet (4.5 m) underground and 100 feet (30 m) in a lateral direction, making it an excellent tunneler.
There are usually many escape tubes in a tunnel system.
The prairie dog possesses color vision and is capable of detecting danger from a long distance. Prairie dogs utilize vocalizations to communicate with one another.
Rim fire rifles may be used for hunting, but most hunters feel that a center-fire rifle is a preferable option for shots on animals at distances of up to 400 yards (366 m). Prairie dog hunting with the 204 Ruger, 223 Remington, and 22-250 Remington, all loaded with thin-jacketed bullets, is a terrific alternative.
On the range, a variable rifle scope comes in handy.
When every millimeter of precision matters, a bipod or shooting sticks may make all the difference. The quarry is sometimes obscured by a pile of earth, leaving you with a target little larger than a silver dollar.
Prairie dogs may emerge from their caves during late-winter warming trends, and they stand out against the snow. Prairie dogs have dichromatic color vision, which helps them to see predators from afar. They can immediately disseminate the alert thanks to a voice communication system.
SQUIRREL ON THE GROUND
Ground squirrels seldom get out of balance when they don’t have access to human-cultivated food. Birds of prey and sharp-toothed predators keep them in tiny groups and keep them under control.
When a rat is given an alfalfa field, though, everything changes. Food gets so abundant that they have nothing left to work at but breeding before long. Soon, a rancher will be unable to feed all of the ground squirrels.
Ground squirrels belong to the Sciuridae family, which is part of the Marmotini tribe. Ground squirrels come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The ground squirrel is sometimes found in small quantities and may still be hunted.
A hunter in cultivated fields can spend the whole day in one spot, shooting from a high position.
Two hunters may take turns spotting and shooting as a team. The spotter may use binoculars to assist guide the bullets. Both hunters become more skilled as a result of this labor.
The practice is crucial for the young shooter who is looking forward to his or her first major game season. As crops emerge and flourish through last year’s stubble, April and May are ideal months for photography. The grass may be too long for spotting by mid-June.
Property owners are often willing to allow you to photograph their property, but you must first acquire permission. Keep in mind that well-traveled roadways carry the most hunters, and off-the-beaten-path access may be simpler to get by.
Prior to the hunt, establish contacts with landowners or call an outfitter for a guided shot on private territory.
For years, hunters have relied on rimfire.22s, but there are now better options. Except in the hands of the most experienced shooters,.22s are seldom accurate beyond 100 yards (91 m).
One of the 17 caliber rimfires is another option.
The 17-caliber bullet, which is based on the.22 Long Rifle or.22 Magnum case, has half the weight of the.22 projectile and may be accurate to 200 yards (183 m).