Believe it or not I am 23 years old and have never been squirrel hunting, other than the occassional sniping session with my Gamo pellet rifle. I would like to use my Rem. 870 and will be hunting on a friends heavily wooded and quite hilly property. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Anybody out there have any squirrel hunting tips?
- Thread starter Eagles81
- Start date
Tips for squirrels
Early season walk softly and listen for calling and cutting of nuts.
Use #6 shot for the shotgun, guage not a hinderance. no need for magnums.
Get out eaarly in day espcially if bright and sunny go out late if same.
If overcasst and drizzling the better, squirells seem to be less cautious and on the ground more.
Don;t blast, try to make every shot count, waiting has it rewards.
Early season walk softly and listen for calling and cutting of nuts.
Use #6 shot for the shotgun, guage not a hinderance. no need for magnums.
Get out eaarly in day espcially if bright and sunny go out late if same.
If overcasst and drizzling the better, squirells seem to be less cautious and on the ground more.
Don;t blast, try to make every shot count, waiting has it rewards.
Jody Hudson
New member
Find a little grove of nut trees, Oaks, etc. Sit down at the base of another tree where you can see the tops of the nut trees and wait. The squirrels will be out in about 25 minutes or less after your last, slightest, move or sound.
After you shoot, they will be back in another 25 minutes or less after your last SLIGHTEST MOVE OR SOUND...
Once they start jumping through the tree tops again, you will eventually get another shot.
If you are really, really, still and quite - not a breath or twitch or blink of any kind... one or two may stick a nose out and then an eye, to look at you, after about 20 minutes, but you probably won't see them for another five or ten minutes... if you don't move or make the slightest sign of life!
After you shoot, they will be back in another 25 minutes or less after your last SLIGHTEST MOVE OR SOUND...
Once they start jumping through the tree tops again, you will eventually get another shot.
If you are really, really, still and quite - not a breath or twitch or blink of any kind... one or two may stick a nose out and then an eye, to look at you, after about 20 minutes, but you probably won't see them for another five or ten minutes... if you don't move or make the slightest sign of life!
CarbineCaleb
New member
+1 on that, and even sound of claws on trees can be heard on a scampering squirrel. Been a while since I did this, but my visual pattern was sort of looking at everything and yet nothing in particular - you're looking for something that looks out of place - something that doesn't look like a branch, trunk bark, or leaves. Anything "unusual" in that way draws some actual visual focus to understand what it is. After awhile, you will pick up "unusual" textures and outlines very quickly, even in corners of your peripheral vision, as you move through the forest.
chemist308
New member
I'm partial to number 4 shot, and a full choke (16 guage). By aiming at the air a couple or few inches past the head--range dependent--I get no bbs in the meat.
Jody Hudson
New member
IF, you are legally allowed to use a rifle and have the skill to make head shots reliably, that is the way to go as you will not get shot in the meat. I am one of those folks that don't like to pick out the shot and even less fond of crunching down on a piece with my expensive fillings. 
Are you allowed to use a rifle? Just be FAR more aware of what is miles beyond your tree!
Are you allowed to use a rifle? Just be FAR more aware of what is miles beyond your tree!
I've hunted squirrels with shotgun, 22 rifle, and 22 pistol. For shotgun I prefer #4 . Make sure you pattern the load so you know exactly what you have.Experiment with different loads and chokes. Find a good oak or other nut source ,be patient.You can sit in one spot or very slowly and quietly walk through.
chemist308
New member
I had one playing and scurrying right beside me last day of deer season. He came within three feet of my lap. Gave him a real good scare, as he jumped about that high when I chuckled at him from three feet away
Squirrel hunting with a squirrel dog is the absolute best. If you know anybody that has a squirrel dog, get them to take you. If you like squirrel hunting, consider training yourself a dog - terriers make great ones.
When you see a squirrel disappear into a tree and you are looking for him, look for his eye. The eye is a black perfectly round spot and once you get the knack of spotting the eye you will zero in on the squirrel much faster. A squirrel will generally get up into the tree and lay flat along a branch, but will try to keep you in sight with as little of his body showing as possible. Look for that eye.
Second best thing to look for is the tip of the tail either twitching or moving from a breeze, that motion will often attact your attention. An older than hills trick that sometimes works is to keep some rocks in your pocket. If you know the squirrel is up in the tree you are looking at, but you can't see him after a while, flick a rock to the other side of the tree - don't make a big arm movement doing it. Sometimes it will startle the squirrel into moving around to your side, giving his position away.
And never never never shoot into a squirrel nest.
When you see a squirrel disappear into a tree and you are looking for him, look for his eye. The eye is a black perfectly round spot and once you get the knack of spotting the eye you will zero in on the squirrel much faster. A squirrel will generally get up into the tree and lay flat along a branch, but will try to keep you in sight with as little of his body showing as possible. Look for that eye.
Second best thing to look for is the tip of the tail either twitching or moving from a breeze, that motion will often attact your attention. An older than hills trick that sometimes works is to keep some rocks in your pocket. If you know the squirrel is up in the tree you are looking at, but you can't see him after a while, flick a rock to the other side of the tree - don't make a big arm movement doing it. Sometimes it will startle the squirrel into moving around to your side, giving his position away.
And never never never shoot into a squirrel nest.
When you have a squirrel on the trunk of the tree, it will always scurry around to the side opposite you. This is my favorite situation.
Pick up a rock or stick from the ground, toss it around the otherside (where the squirrel is hiding) and he'll run around to your side where you can get a nice shot. Toss the rock/stick high if possible so you have time to shoulder your shotgun, ready for the squirrel to appear.
Good luck.
Pick up a rock or stick from the ground, toss it around the otherside (where the squirrel is hiding) and he'll run around to your side where you can get a nice shot. Toss the rock/stick high if possible so you have time to shoulder your shotgun, ready for the squirrel to appear.
Good luck.
additional follow-up
Look for Hickory trees in the early season, as they drop/ripen their nuts early and leave turn yellow, the go for the white oak acrons then the red oak acorns as they are biiter until the late season.
If using .22 rifle, make certain you can consistently hit @ 50 yds the end of a small orange juice can, then take your shots.
#4 shot on a squirrel will carry through the body beter than #6, your prefence.
A corn field and woods side-by side are ideal as squirrels LOVE sweet corn and apple so check the orchards.
Wear a pair of yellow safety glasses, it sharpens the defintion (almost 3D) of the woods.
A mewwing (cat-like) call belongs to the gray, sharp bark is the Fox and a shrill trill is a LOUDMOUTH RED!
Look for Hickory trees in the early season, as they drop/ripen their nuts early and leave turn yellow, the go for the white oak acrons then the red oak acorns as they are biiter until the late season.
If using .22 rifle, make certain you can consistently hit @ 50 yds the end of a small orange juice can, then take your shots.
#4 shot on a squirrel will carry through the body beter than #6, your prefence.
A corn field and woods side-by side are ideal as squirrels LOVE sweet corn and apple so check the orchards.
Wear a pair of yellow safety glasses, it sharpens the defintion (almost 3D) of the woods.
A mewwing (cat-like) call belongs to the gray, sharp bark is the Fox and a shrill trill is a LOUDMOUTH RED!
sniping sq heads at 30 to 40 yards with old rem 511 in
the fall after the leaves drop and most of the bugs are
gone is a pretty good way to spend a mornning .sq
come out about 8:00 am so you don't have to get up
before sun comes up just find a comfortable place to set
and enjoy the woods .
the fall after the leaves drop and most of the bugs are
gone is a pretty good way to spend a mornning .sq
come out about 8:00 am so you don't have to get up
before sun comes up just find a comfortable place to set
and enjoy the woods .