How often do you hunt squirrels?

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336A

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As the thread tiltle asks, how often do you hunters hunt squirrels or rabbit for that matter. As the years pass I've noticed that the popularity of small game hunting (e.g. squirrel and rabbit) has decreased drastically. I have yet to run into others hunting small game while I'm out and about. Such used to not be the case 20 years ago.
 
I can't say I go out looking for rabbits more than a couple times a year, but whenever I end up shooting one, I always enjoy the process of planning how I'm going to cook it. More often than not, I'll end up with a convenient rabbit while I'm out coyote or gopher hunting. You are correct though, when you say no one is doing it these days. When I mention to the fellows at work about the excellent stewed rabbit I shot, they look at me like I'm a cave man
 
In the last 15 years, I can count the number of squirrel hunting trips on one hand. I used to hunt 'em a lot and when I was a kid, I hunted 'em every free moment. We're about to move to a house in the woods that looks REAL squirrely, so I hope to start chasing 'em often, again. :D In that part of Texas, squirrel season is open year around.
 
I hunt squirrels as much as possible during the season. It is a lot of fun and both my brother and I love squirrel. I have never actually hunted rabbit, but I tried rabbit meat for the first time last year and it was good.

The only problem I have with squirrels is they are sometimes tough to clean. Of course, that could just be my technique.
 
I hunt them a couple times per month between September thru end of January. Usually up in the mountains where I hunt quail too, as well as other game.
 
In Ohio as in many other states small game season lasts several months (5 months if you're hunting squirrel). Plenty of time to be out in the woods, with no hectic race against time, weather, and the onslaught of hunters seeking larger game. It's challenging and will test your skills in every sense of the word. Squirrel makes an excellent dish in a variety of ways. When I camp out in the fall or winter, first thing in the morning I'll grab my .22, bag a couple and have one on the spit within about an hour. Quick and easy to skin and clean. I do it throughout the season every year. Great therapy and very enjoyable.
 
I used to hunt them 2-3 times a year
Now I am old & tired---I feed them chocolate cookies every morning out the back window.
One year I had one stay beside me all summer in the yard just like an old hound dog.
Like our country times do a change
 
as often as possible between the end of deer season and the end of squirrel season. It's a LOT of fun, but my priority is deer.
I actually don't like the way they taste, but know a lot of people who do and just give them away already cleaned.
 
Here in NE Kansas I hunt squirrels 5-6 times every fall, usually with my Rem 541S. In late fall or winter, I go 2-3 times and usually take my Ruger 77/17HMR because without foliage, I can take longer shots. One positive aspect of the unpopularity of squirrel hunting is that I am the only one who hunts them on a large ranch where I have had permission to hunt for the last 30 years. It is a great way to spend hours in the woods in the crisp cool fall weather. I can shoot a limit of squirrels (5) almost every time I go, but sometimes choose not to if I have plenty in the freezer. To me, it is much more enjoyable than sitting in a tree stand for hours. I walk, stroll, sit, snooze, snack, and enjoy every minute. I don't hunt rabbits anymore because the population of rabbits in Kansas have dropped dramatically over the last 30 years. But, back in the day, I have killed and eaten many of them. Squirrels, BTW, are delicious.
 
Last weekend. If fact I was actually dove hunting, but it was slow and a big Fox squirrel popped up on a log and started eating a nut. Dove load will take out a squirrel at 30 yards.

We made a pot pie of dove and that squirrel together. Tasted good!
 
Just recently started getting back into squirrels for the extra hunting opportunities and to try out a new .40cal Flintlock.
The problem where I hunt in NC is that squirrel opens just a week or so before deer, and then for several weeks, deer trump squirrels.
Then by the time I'm ready to get back after squirrels, it's December / January, leaves are off the trees and they can see me coming a mile away, plus I'm worn out from up early hunting the rut hard so many days, etc...wish I had a good squirrel dog.
I christened this .40cal last year...hope to repeat with a 28ga this fall...good luck to everybody.

112511Christenedthe40calLancaster.gif
 
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I used to hunt them 3-4 times a week, now I'm crippeled up and have not felt like going out yet this year. I always used to take the first day of the season off from work and hunt squirrel in the mourning and ruffed grouse in the afternoon. .22LR for squirrel and 16 ga for grouse.
 
In the last 14 months, I got #72 four days ago. All in my back yard with a daisy BB/pellet rifle.

I ate pears from my 20 year old tree this year for the first time in many years.
 
When they are too close to my house, I hunt them. I know people who have them crawling up behind the corners of their vinyl siding and living in the roof eave soffit. When they are to that stage, they are most likely living in the attic, getting into wall cavities, etc.

The problem with that is the extent of odor that will emanate from any that happen to die inside a wall, inside the eave and even inside the attic. Get enough dead ones around and the inside of the house will smell like dead animals, which is a horrific odor and is one difficult to eliminate!

I consider them to be nuisance-critters when they are beginning to dig up the garden bulbs, hide under a porch when I go outside, etc.
 
I usually get out once a week onState land and couple it with a hike. NYS season starts Sept 1, so there is plenty of early hunting. This really relaxes me from my hectic job.
 
I always take vacation during the opening week of squirrel season, which happens to start tomorrow. I'll hunt about every day during the next week,weather permitting. I then hunt ever weekend until Thanksgiving, which is around the time the rut starts. I don't hunt the rut because this is seeding next year's squirrel population and the big males that come out are really too tough to eat anyway.
 
I get out a few times a year some times specifically for them other times i'll be walking back empty handed from predator hunting and take a few so I don't get completely skunked lol. I do run into other hunters though that are rabbit or squirrel hunting pretty often and actually last year alone it got me 4 fox and a spike last day of muzzle loader rabbit dogs pushing me critters. I usually hear the hounds and set up ahead of them and wait its worked out nicely I'v even bagged a few rabbits that they missed and gave them to the guys with the dogs they did all the work I just was in the right place at the right time.
 
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