very true where I love (Georgia). I actually hope I can skip a weekend or two of deer hunting this fall to shoot some squirrels after reading this article.

I am actually going squirrel hunting this saturday in VA. This year the season opens in Sept, instead of oct, so while I am out doing some last min scouting for bow season, I will be packing my .22 with me and hopefully shoot a couple squirrels. Should reduce the movement in my stand this fall since there wont be little feet scurrying behing me causing me to think it could be the big boy.

Phil you hit it dead on the head. Deer fever has afflicted more and more folks and squirrels have taken a back seat. I too am from Georgia and hunting squirrels served as my introduction to the hunting world. It also put some fine eating on the table. I still salivate when thinking of my Grand Mother's squirrel and gravy, hot biscuits (with cane syrup or honey), grits, field peas and fried (creamed) corn.

In my area I still see a few folks out stalking the woods for bushy tails and also hunting them with Squirrel dogs which is becoming more popular.

I do feel that the extension of deer seasons in my state has had a profound effect on perceived safety and also opportunity. Archery season opens the second Saturday of September, muzzleloader the second Saturday of October amd Firearms the third Saturday of October running through Mid January in the Southern zone and January 1 in the Northern. WMA's and NF areas do provide short small game seasons during this time but complaints of inconvience ring out. Private land is almost entirely engrossed in the pursuit of old Odecoleus virginianus.

Our Squirrel season opens August 15. This is an effort to provide "extra" opportunity for squirrel hunters before the deer seasons commence. This also coincides with the tail end of Warbel (wolf) infestation of the squirrels. While this does not affect the quality of the squirrel meat, it does affect the appetite of the hunter and many refuse to kill a squirrel until a frost has fallen and wolves are gone from the squirrel!

The prime time for squirrel hunting in the old days for us was about mid October, the season usually opened around October 15. Acorns were falling, tupelo berries were ripe in the river bottoms, squirrels were feeding heavily, leaves were on the trees and the obligatory frost was close enough that warbles were not a problem. Opening day of squirrel season was a tradition for my family along with the meal(s) that followed.

Now most folks hunt squirrels after the deer seasons are over. The woods are open and stalking up on a feeding squirrel is a real challenge, probably too much for some. I feel this is the reason squirrel dogs are becoming more popular.

I'm very new to the hunting world. In fact, I'm taking a Hunter Safety Education class later this month in order to be qualified to purchase a hunting licence. Squirrel hunting sounds like a LOT of fun from your description, Mr Bourjaily, but I don't know anyone who does it. How do I get started? Any gear recommendations? Also, I've got a single-shot .410. Will that be sufficient, or should I invest in a good .22?

Your .410 will do, but everyone needs a good .22.

Boy, I shot a lot of squirrels in my day. The problem was that when I was young I could not find anyone willing to show me how to clean them properly and my dear old mom certainly wasn't going to cook them. I didn't actually eat any squirrels until I returned to the sport after college. I have a nice 22 and some time on my hands and I taught myself how to get em in my belly. Luckily, my wife loves them and I spend about a week or more in the fall squirrel hunting while checking out the deer signs. I would not be caught dead out in the woods during an open season (In WI that is from mid September through end of January) without at least my 22 pistol. I've tried a few squirrel calls but have not had much luck.
I have been trying to get my nephew into hunting. He is at that age right now where he plays a lot of video games and could go either way with hunting. Last year I took him rabbit hunting and squirrel hunting a few times and he loves it. I gave him a call and send him through the woods and he feels like a wild man. The problem is that he is terrible luck and I have not given him the opportunity to eat a single squirrel yet. This year he is hunting deer and I am very excited to get him out this fall to shoot some critters before that and I know that he will love it.
If we are so focused on trophy deer and big game it takes the fun out of it for younger people. It would be like taking a 12 year old trophy musky fishing for his first time out and not getting a single bite, or worse, getting a monster on the line and scarring the living day lights out of them. Every kid starts out fishing pan fish because they bite quick, fast, and often. So it should be with hunting. I think that kids started on squirrels and rabbits will get the feel of having fun rather than the pressure of making a good shot on a trophy white tail from 100 yards.
I am also Turkey hunting this fall for the first time in my life. I am really excited about it but I am also conflicted because the opening of Turkey season is the same day as the opening for squirrels. I will have to hurry up and bag a Turkey so I can get back to stalking furry lil tree critters.

When we were kids we couldn't wait until the first frost, when we got the okay from our parents to hit the woods. It is definitely a great way to introduce new hunters to everything from woodsmanship to the eating. My favorite gun was a little Savage 24, .22 over .410.

Fist day of last grouse season a squirrel stuck his head around a tree and ended up in my game vest. I get out hunting for them in the late season, mostly. With so many of them irritating me during deer season last year I might take a few during deer archery season.

Squirrel hunters really appreciate the value of a sharp knife. Their hides are tough.

i love hunting squirrel. they are fun, challenging at times, and best of all delicious.

never really hunted small game but might have to give it a try this season.

Lack of opportunity to hunt them. Woodlots big and small are all gone. We can hunt squirrels all summer through the fall, but where? Public land? LOL.
It's not like when we were kids, walk out the door and start hunting.
I got plenty of them around my house in town, when I drive out to where I was raise the trees are gone just flat corn/bean fields.

I love squirrel hunting and quail over dogs. I'd really like to try squirrel over dogs. I don't have time anymore since moving from Alaska, but should be getting into it again this winter, along with hogs for the first time. Hope I'm lucky w/ my little 10/22.

I tried hunting them w/ a 10/22 in 17HM2 a few years back. How disappointing. I got rid of that barrel QUICK!

Most people I know with land don't want anyone hunting squirrels for fear they'll "mess up" their trophy deer hunting in October.

Sign of the times I'm afraid....

I'm an Iowa man, and I'll be up before commonly deemed sane to be going at the squirrels AND rabbits. You forgot to mention they open up Saturday too!

I, like many others, first learned woodsmanship as a youngster chasing squirrels. The thing that now bugs me the most is the look you get from the non-hunters when you say you are going out after what I consider the tastiest of all wild game. I just smile and thimk about the next batch of stew made from "Chicken of the Tree".

Nothing has happened to squirrel hunting with me. I look forward to the first day with nearly as much anticipation as the first day of a big game season, getting immense pleasure and satisfaction from slipping thru the early fall woods with either a .22 rifle or my T/C Contender with either a .22 WMR or .410 barrel in place, or sitting on a hardwood ridge watching and listening to the life going on around me. There is no pressure as there is with big game, the game is still calm, the weather is beautiful, I revel in this season and time of the year. My wife makes a wonderful white squirrel gravy with fried or mashed potatoes and biscuits.

I know a couple of guys who squirrel hunt pretty seriously - but they're many generations older than me. I squirrel hunt once or twice every year. I used to do it more, but then I discovered duck hunting and bow hunting.

yrs-
Evan!

I shoot a lot of squirrels with my bow while deer hunting but wait until after our deer tags are full to harvest squirrels. My land is all hardwoods and is infested with squirrels. We shoot as many as we can and never seem to put a dent in the population. I hear they breed 4 times a year.

Nobody's gonna pay $3,000 a year for a lease to hunt squirrels! Lack of land is the problem. Hunting is becoming a rich man's game, like everything else. Real, open leisure time has all but disappeared. Today's parents get tied up on the weekends with their kids' team sports. Probably the single biggest killer of dads taking their kids hunting is team sports.

ChevJames is right. When all day Saturday and (gasp) Sunday is taken up with soccer practice (another un-American activity) and other team sports, neither Dad nor kids have time to hunt or fish. Another example of the pussification of the American male.

I killed too many squirrels to count as a kid. I hunted every afternoon and Saturdays. No hunting was allowed on Sundays by executive order of Mom. No huntable populations near me these days anyway.

I also still chase after squirrels, squirrel pot pie, yum!
Here in PA Archery Deer opens October 3rd, then Squirrel opens October 17th, only giving me 2 weeks to chase deer before squirrel opens and I'm torn on which to go for, deer or squirrel! I do carry a couple field point arrows for squirrel, but have yet to actually hit one of them with an arrow, did arrow a rabbit once though, little bigger target!
That and rabbits have the wonderful habit of turning sideways to you and freezing in place, makes for a much easier target.
And legally (at least as I understand the law) I cannot carry my 22 revolver while archery hunting to pop an occasional squirrel, but I can carry field points for small game. Go figure.
I wonder if I could argue that I was not carrying a firearm while archery hunting, but was carrying a bow while firearm hunting? Which as far as I know would not be illegal. Interesting idea.......

Zermoid,
PA changed the rules regarding carrying while archery hunting. You may now carry a handgun while archery hunting if you have a Concealed Carry License. I don't believe you may do the same using the Sportmans Firearm permit. I don't know that they specifically addressed taking a shot at small game legally harvested by firearms while archery hunting for big game. You should be aware though that the CC License is just that. No one's ever supposed to know you're carrying except for dire circumstances. I don't know that an overly curious squirrel qualifies. Happy hunting and good luck during archery. I live in WMU 5C so the early archery for me starts on the 19th.

Zermoid,
From the PA regs.

Firearms - Handguns: A Sportsman’s Firearms permit or a License
to Carry Firearms is required to carry a handgun, or have in a motor
vehicle. Licenses to Carry Firearms permits are issued by county sheriffs
or the Philadelphia Chief of Police. The License to Carry Firearms
permit only entitles bowhunters or spotlighters, for instance, to
carry firearms that fall within this classification. County treasurers
issue Sportsman’s Firearms Permits. A person holding a Sportsman’s
Firearms Permit may not carry a concealed handgun or a loaded
handgun in a vehicle, and may not carry a handgun while
bowhunting or spotlighting.

I started back squirrel hunting about four years ago when my wife and I bought a place with a pecan orchard on it.
I like borrow my old man's Winchester 1890 and get out a box of .22 shorts for those occasions. I also have a blue heeler mix who is a squirrel machine. Beekeeper, you are preaching victual and squirrel gospel there! Amen, brother!

Squirrels were the number one game species in Louisiana for many years. Then deer became readily accessible state wide. At the same time most hardwoods in upland areas were poisoned or clearcut and replaced with pure pine plantations. Then tens of thousands of acres of riverbottom hardwoods were bulldozed for the soy bean craze in the 70's & 80's. Next came leasing for deer and with long deer seasons,many don't want to "disturb" the deer on their lease by squirrel hunting.

Unfortunately, many of the younger generation now think hunting is sitting in a box stand, watching a corn feeder and being bored spitless.

Blue-
Good comment. Could be a viable theory. I was always told that the old boar squirrels castrated the young boars when they were mating in the spring. I have never personally seen this, but have heard a lot of squirrel screaming at times in the woods, and have killed several castrated squirrels.
One note on the cleaning of squirrels- they have glands under their front legs (kernels) that should be removed after skinning or the squirrel will taste gamy and rank. I believe that improper cleaning is the reason that a lot of people shy away from eating squirrel, and other types of game.

"Chicken of the tree", PapaB? That's a good one!

You fellas make me hungry, talking about squirrel with gravy, fresh biscuits, grits, and fresh peas. When is suppertime?

Wvotter, I'm assuming you are from West Virginia, I'm here in Eastern Ky. and Squirrel hunting used to be the Past time until deer or Grouse season opened. A few still hunt them here but it's been years since I have. Maybe I need get the .22 out and try it. I just have to walk from home and there are plenty of them...

sorry, don,t know where that y= came in there, should have been But...Maybe there's a squirrel in my computer....

Why I don’t Squirrel hunt, perhaps telling you my Wife is from California! LOL!

With all due respect to everyone, and Minnesota Dept of Natural Resources, squirrel castration is not a legend. Don't know about the reds cutting the greys, but I have seen enough castrated animals to know the difference between a mature vs a young squirrel, and I know a scarred nut sac from retracted testicles. May not happen that often, but it does happen.

jcarlin,
Yeah, I do have a concealed carry license, and you don't need a license to carry openly in PA, so even if it's not fully concealed you are not "illegal" as far as I know. BTW, I live in 4D, and sometimes hunt in 4E as well.
That regulation really says nothing about USING the pistol for hunting. "The License to Carry Firearms
permit only entitles bowhunters or spotlighters, for instance, to carry firearms that fall within this classification." Within this classification? What does that mean? Is there a list of guns you may carry for defense? I've no idea........

Personally I have always carried a 1911 during bow season, legal or not. We got bears around here and I figure the 45 is low power for bears but better than an arrow if I get a bear POed at me! Figure a load of 9 rounds of 45 ACP should at least slow it down some, if not I carry 2 spare mags as well.

The regulation sounds like a "you can carry it but you can't use it" type of thing. Not sure but That's my take on it. At least now it sounds like if you are using a spotlight and have a defensive handgun on you it won't be illegal as long as you have a CWP.

I've always wondered why people buy the sportsmen's permit? It really does nothing not already covered by other laws, you still have to unload it before getting in your car, can't conceal it, so what's the use? According to the law it's already legal to carry a gun while hunting or fishing, so people shell out money for what? A piece of paper that says you can do the same things you can do without it? Makes no sense to me, I'd rather pay the money for the CWP that at least grants you some extra things you can do.
Let's face it, an empty gum makes a lousy weapon, ain't even worth much as a club or hatchet type weapon!

Hey, Thanks for the info, is it in the hunting book or did you find it online? Because I missed it.....

Sorry guy's I just cannot wrap my mind around eating a RODENT! Maybe if it was a case of starving I might. And I don't shoot anything I won't eat unless its trying to kill me, so I limit myself to Any Venison, Elk Dear Moose,Bison but don't care for Carabou and don't shoot them either, Pheasant Ducks and Quail is about it for me.

moishe, you will eat a duck, but not a squirrel???

Moishe,fried squirrel tastes good!Squirrel brains taste better than pig brains.My dad grew up as a poor man and how many shells he had sometimes ment how much food was on the table.He never ate opossum,but he did eat more of the squirrel then I did---including the eyes.

Dr.Ralph, spoken like true Man from Tn. Here in E Ky. I just walk a little way to Tygart Creek and shoot as many squirrels as I want, just don't want any now, but they are there.

My young son coming of age to begin going with me to the woods has reawakened the long buried squirrel slayer inside me that has lain dormant for the last 20 years. He gets bored in a shooting house but he loves tromping into the woods, settling down next to the bole of a big tree and waiting the five minutes it takes for the squirrel that hid from you when you walked in to lose his wits and make a run for it. "There he goes, Daddy. Get him! Get him!" Repeat the process every 30 minutes all morning and another hunter has joined our ranks. Season opens in Oct here in Alabama, I can't wait.

This article is not true for me. Squirrel hunting is the best and I go out about once a week to go after the little critters.

Thank you Bella.

I still squirrel hunt and rabbit too both are great ways to keep your skills honed while puttin meat on the table. My dad took me when I was a boy I used a single shot 20 ga. a couple yrs later I upgraded to a 12 ga. No problem with that. Shotguns are good squirrel guns with the right choke (Modified for me) and the right shot 7-1/2, 6 or 8's. As soon as my youngin is ready I'll take him out to find a bushy tail or ten.
I've got no objection to 22's but where I'm from Shotguns are the way to go.
I love to watch em run up and down trees and jump from branch to branch or tree to tree and listen to em bark nothin like it at all. They can entertain you any day in the woods.

86Ram-
Was going to write something about shot gun squirrel hunters, then realized it was self explanatory. As to how to eat squirrels, read above post.

Some years I only get an opportunity to hunt deer, waterfowl, and Fall turkeys briefly by invite, but I go after those bushytails without fail every year. I am running into less and less competition!

Some great reading here need to go back and give all a +1
!

Oh, and by the way, my favorite is a squirrel pie. Brown the meat, then put in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes and the meat falls off the bone. You only need one or two for a pie.