squirl season
 

opening day is only 2 weekends away for us in north miss...bow season also opens on same day for deer....i m no bow hunter dont know why seems like i never had time....i m really fired up about squirl hunting this time got that new 8 ga davenport single barrel to use on them full choke 36 inch barrel and 4 inch chamber who was it that said all ways use enough gun....last night i loaded up 10 rounds of ammo more to follow i used winchester 3 1/4 inch hull winchester primers 40 grains bluedot powder then 1/8 inch over powder wad then a sp8 plastic wad with a 16 ga 1/2 inch wad for filler then 2 ounce of no 6 lead shot then a split 1/8 inch wad over the shot and then roll crimped....this should be a pretty good load for them old tough boys.....charlie

Charlie,

We'll expect a report from your squirrel opener, and hopefully a photo with that cannon you will be using. If you do indeed shoot any of those tough old boar squirrels, my guess is that they will be tenderized after meeting their fate at the hands of that beast of a gun. Based on posts over the past couple of years, I think you and I may be the only squirrel hunters in the Association. Hey, just more fun for us, eh?

Good shooting!!

Our season opened 9/15. A friend and I were talking about doing a squirrel hunt just yesterday. I favor a nice scoped .22 rifle.

Hey, Rich,

My Dad always used a .22. He liked short hollow points and mounted a high powered rifle scope on his .22 rifle. He would not shoot unless he could see the head. I waited on the "other side of the tree" when I was his "dog" at age 6 while he zeroed in on one in the top of the tree. It seemed like hours waiting for him to shoot, but they (at least in my memory) always fell dead with a shot to the head.

How 'bout post a photo or two of your squirrel hunt? Good shooting!

our planed hunt for this am got rained out. I leave for a month or so of grouse hunting in a week so the squirrels will move to the back burner probably until the first week of November. A morning sitting in the woods with the leaves off and a scoped 22 is good practice for deer season.

i use to use a 22 but need a shotgun now seems like...to me squirl hunting is one of most favirite game to hunt...i know the 8 ga is to much gun for squirls but heh i just turned 71 yesterdayso i need a little excitement ....i ve got to make a disicion on were to hunt opening morning...my grandson wants me to hunt in a large river bottom with him or else i can hunt around home by some pecan trees...aint made up my mind yet...we will all meet up at our spring to camp and have dinner....charlie...

Happy belated birthday Charlie! We Virgos were born during hunting season so it is only natural we are happiest hunting. I used to get up early and squirrel hunt every day I went quail hunting, giving the birds time to come off the roost and move a little to give the dog a scent trail. Then in the afternoon I would quit early enough to give the birds time to get back together after we flushed them and go after squirrels again. Now that was a full day.

love to hunt squirrels, scoped .22 rifle most of the time, but couple of times each year I hunt with a Ruger MkII 22/45 with a 4x Leupold handgun scope...

You guys should come to NH this fall to hunt grays. We have a long season and I do not know anyone who hunts them. I never have, just not a tradition here. But this year would be outstanding. For some reason our Gray population has exploded. Even the state TV station did a report on the number of grays that are being hit on the roads. It is unreal. Last weekend I loosely counted 45 hit in a five mile stretch of road. :shock:

I have noticed the same Steve, from Nashua up through Concord where I regularly travel. Never seen anything like it. The squirrel carnage on the roads is just incredible. I have seen a few exit ramps where there easily 20 plus carcasses in a couple hundred foot stretch. It is interesting in that it seemed to begin just a few weeks ago. About the time the acorns started falling like rain.

I admit I am biased and nostalgic when it comes to squirrel hunting, but when CWD takes the deer and WNV and habitat loss take bird hunting from the next generation, we’ll need to have some way to keep hunting alive.

Charlie, shoot one for all of us!!

SQUIRREL MIGRATIONS
 

In the book Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose there is one thing that sticks out in my mind forever and that is the massive squirrel migrations. I believe what we see with so many killed on the road is that in a smaller version. Lewis had his dog Seaman, a Newfoundland, catch them and they feasted on them. I can just see him in the water now catching squirrels as they swam the big rivers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaman_(dog)

https://www.deltafarmpress.com/massi...-north-america

Massive squirrel migrations recorded in North America

Wayne Capooth Freelance Writer wcapooth@gmail.com | Jul 21, 2006

September 1803, Meriwether Lewis and his faithful dog, Seaman, traveled down the Ohio near where it joined the Mississippi. He recorded: “I made my dog take as many [squirrels] each day as I had occasion for. I thought them when fryed a pleasant food.”

He assumed they were moving south because of the weather as they were swimming from northwest to southeast. He observed the phenomenon of migration for several days.

In 1811, Charles Joseph Labrobe wrote in The Rambler in North America of a vast squirrel migration that autumn in Ohio: “A countless multitude of squirrels, obeying some great and universal impulse, which none can know but the Spirit that gave them being, left their reckless and gambolling life, and their ancient places of retreat in the north, and were seen pressing forward by tens of thousands in a deep and sober phalanx to the South …”

Squirrel migrations across the upper Midwest, New England, and the Carolinas were observed in 1809, 1819, 1842, 1852, and 1856. In southeastern Wisconsin in 1842, a gray squirrel migration lasted four weeks and involved nearly a half billion squirrels.

Robert Kennicott in his article “The Quadrupeds of Illinois” in The Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents for 1846 stated during one of these peak population occurrences when the squirrels were on the move that “it took a month for the mess of squirrels to pass through the area.”

As a boy, squirrel hunting was my obsession, and when I killed some squirrels, I always called it “a mess of squirrels” as my Dad had taught me. Now, I know where that “mess” word comes from.

Because of the numerous squirrel migrations, John Audubon and John Bachman were convinced that the squirrels on the move were a separate species from the gray squirrels and used the scientific name Sciurus migratorius.

One of the earliest referenced migrations occurred in 1749 in Pennsylvania. Records show the state spending 3 cents for each squirrel killed. Over 640,000 were turned in for bounty.

Sometimes, hunts were organized to control the migration. One hunt in 1822 killed almost 20,000 squirrels. These hunts continued through the 1850s. In 1857, it was reported a hunter killed 160 in one day.

The earliest recorded migration in the Mid-South I can find was reported in the Memphis Daily Appeal, Oct. 3, 1872: “Sportsmen may be seen coming into Memphis every evening from the Arkansas shore, loaded down with squirrels, which are counted by the dozen. They say the woods in Crittenden County are full of the little animals. Yesterday and the previous day countless numbers of them were seen crossing Marion Lake…”

September 1881, another large migration occurred near Reelfoot Lake: “Squirrels are crossing the Mississippi River south of Hickman in fabulous numbers. They are caught by the dozens by men in skiffs. They enter and pass through cornfields, destroying everything as they go….”

In the Arkansas Gazette, October 1885, it was reported: “Where the million of squirrels have come from, or what extent of country could ever produce so many, is the question…. A similar emigration of squirrels occurred in 1877…”

These migrations occurred mostly during the month of September preceding a year in which there was a large production of food (acorns). Many squirrels the following year had two liters in response. But nature threw them a curve ball when the year turned out to have low food production. Because of this, squirrels migrated trying to locate food. Even large rivers like the Mississippi were no deterrent.

When was the last migration? One occurred in 1968 in most of the eastern U.S. The last I can find for the Mid-South was in the fall of 1998. Many drowned squirrels were reported on the shores of Bull Shoals Lake, Ark. The incidence of road kills was several times higher than normal.

Jerry, I can see your reasons for the squirrel migrations, but this year in NH I really think it is as simple as a very high squirrel population and a very high acorn crop, which is dropping acorns on our highways and the vehicle crushed nuts being fed on by our grays. For some reason our mouse population is out of control also. Everyone has had there homes invaded, included me, with mice this year. And it began in mid August.

Dang Jerry that is the first time I have ever heard of a squirrel migration being mentioned so prominently. I always thought squirrels were like deer and maybe born lived and died within a very small area. But I guess it would make sense if big populations would be on the move for food.

There was a time when squirrel and rabbit was a mainstay for table fare in some parts of the country.

I think they don't migrate very far like they did in the story but they still migrate to the food and we have the same thing with them being run over here. Some years I have none around my house and recently I've had tons of them.

But can you imagine this from the story: In southeastern Wisconsin in 1842, a gray squirrel migration lasted four weeks and involved nearly a half billion squirrels.

A half billion, 500 million squirrels? They would eat everything in sight.

They probably helped all of my families during the depression, and when I was a kid my mother could fix them to taste as good as anything one could eat. Man was the squirrel gravy so good. The old timers would take the handle of the table knife and bust their heads open to eat the brains. I never was that hungry though.

I know what you mean about squirrel for dinner. Looking at a family photo taken in front of the old family cabin in the hills of Eastern Kentucky. I know for a fact my kin did not cull much and ate as much wild game that was available. Cabin is long gone but we still own the land and just this year had it timbered at same time as some of the neighboring properties. It had not been timbered in last 40 years. I think it a few years time that area will be good for grouse hunting hopefully again. We used to hunt it back when I was a kid but even then the woods were way too big and old.

Unfortunately I think the resurgence of Turkey's the last several years will mitigate grouse comebacks in the Appalachians. All I can say is eat more Turkey.

Jerry,

Thanks for all of the information regarding squirrels and their migration. Last year we had an extraordinary hard mast crop in Northern Missouri. All of the oaks produced strong crops, and so did each of the several species of hickory we have. It was the heaviest crop I have seen in over 38 years. Squirrels are thick this year as a result. I have seen more in the roads, although I don't sense any migration, but will be looking more closely now that I've read your posts.

Good shooting to every squirrel hunter out there!

Reading these posts brings back a lot of memories and makes me want to go squirrel hunting again.

It's hard not to believe that many Parkers were choked for squirrel hunting. Those nice tight chokes and 30 inch barrels will bring 'em down from some very tall trees.

Mike, you should hit the squirrel woods soon.

i got mixed up on my squirl season opening for several years it always opened on a saturday be it the last saturday in september most of the time...guess what it opened today yes on a monday...i had to be in memphis tenn..to the v a hospital for a routine checkup so the old 8 ga sets unfired at the moment i think us squirl hunters need to have a talk with them fellows that set the seasons openings....on top of my other dutys my daughter ask me to help her this weekend....maybe i can get in some hunting time in the afternoons this week bow season has started have helped cole my grandson with feeders and tommorrow got to fill them up again....oh well....charlie

Charlie,

It sounds like you need to retire! :) Life's not good without that "hunting time," so when you do get that 8 out for a spin through the squirrel woods, let us know.

Keep busy and having fun!

Vermont is also subject to the squirrel invasion big time this year, both reds and grays. Since early spring at my house we have had hundreds and they keep coming. They get into structures and tear insulation and Im concerned about their propensity to chew wires.
Weapon of choice is a Hi Standard pistol, mostly a 22 short sub sonic. Usually pop a few each day and there are more the next day.
Papers report a bumper food crop in certain areas for past two years has led to a boom in population that now pressures the food supply, so they are moving everywhere to find eats. This is the year for bears and rodents. A friends kids counted 200 squirrels on an I-91 trip to Mass the other day.

I must say Im getting plenty of practice and am pretty happy with my pistol shooting in all this.

maybe some of them squirls will migrate down my way.keep you from wearing your pistol out....ha squirls are great wire knawers dont blame you for trying to keep them out of the house...i hope to take a few with the old 8 ga before long......charlie

I was twenty five miles from home one night at a Gander Mountain. Ready to pull onto major highway and car cut off. Would not crank. Wrecker came to get car and said he smelled gas. Don't know how it made it that far. Squirrels had chewed through the rubber gas line.

Double glove while cleaning, and skip the brains
https://www.foxnews.com/health/man-d...quirrel-brains

Beat me to it Drew. I just read about this incident on the Daily Mail. What a shocker.

Based on the above, I'm glad I never acquired the taste for squirrel brains!

jerry i with you no squirl brains for me too....charlie

just saw this. Squirrel can be real good eating. But.....
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...Kf91inTDbSoVyn

When I was a kid growing up in central Illinois one of the favorite squirrel hunting guns was a Savage Model 24; .22 over a 410. I used a Westernfield copy of the Winchester 67 single shot. I still take it to the range couple times a year, it now has a Lyman Alaskan and still is extremely accurate.

I go to this every year. Hard to imagine there are this many ways to fix squirrel.

https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/wor...ear/1422233447

In the early 60's Dad acquired a Savage Model 24 ,22 Mag over 20 Gauge at Bob Kissels Sporting Goods ,what a place ! We /HE had Beagles at the time and Old Cleo his best dog was a slow runner but never seemed to lose a Bunny ,if the Rabbit was running Dad would use the 20 Gauge and if it would hop and sit he would use the 22 Mag ! It was suppose to be a Turkey gun but I don't think it ever killed a Turkey just Rabbits and Squirrel ! The day Dad bought it we took Cleo out she brought the first Bunny around ,I was about eight years old and Dad handed the Model 24 to me and let me try to get the Sitting Rabbit using the shotgun barrel I was so excited " I MISSED " we laughed but I was hooked , I have it in the safe as we speak ,Thanks for Posting George your post brings back Great Memories !

russ the first gun i ever shot at the age of 8 years was my uncles model 24 stevens it was the plastic stock version in 22 over 410..my tarket was a 55 gallon drum i closed my eyes pulled the trigger and missed that 55 gallon barrel....a few years back i traded for a plastic stock 22 and 410 on the bottom i still have it and use it with my squirl dog and i go hunting...charlie

These accounts of squirrel hunting past are intriguing. Small game was once the gateway to deer and turkey. Now rabbits and squirrels get ignored by so many. Too bad. I can read the nostalgia in these accounts.

Charlie, now that we have discussed our boyhood squirrel guns, we need to share tales of those squirrel dogs we grew up with (and, in your case, have now). There's nothing quite like a good squirrel dog. Charlie, tell us about yours, please.

For the gentleman squirrel hunter ;)

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../414034641.jpg

wow....charlie

my present squirl dog is actually belongs to my granddaughter katie haynes.... she stays with me dureing the daylight hours and is picked up by my daughter after dark...if they come after her before dark she will run away back to my house...we only live about 400 yards apart across an open field....now the dogs name is daisey she is a jack russel she has a long tail because my katie would not let them chop her tail off as most jack russels are bob tail...at the age of 1 year old daisey began hunting and treeing with another small dog we called spot...spot would really tree them squirls but was gun shy when spot and daisey treed i would go to them but if spot seen the gun she would come off the tree and hide....but little daisey was never gun shy for some reason...dogs growing up with gun shy dogs will usally be gun shy too...as dasiey became 2 years old one day they were out hunting but spot was caught by a coyote and eaten...daisey made it back to the house ok...i went hunting for spot the next day found her all that was left of her was a little hide and hair...i and family were heart broken over this...for a whole year daisey never hunted or treed another squirl nor wood she follow me into the woods...but the following year she began to take interest in hunting again....she turned into a really good squirl dog over the next 6 years she and i stayed in the woods when the leaves fell off... one time a friend of mine came over with his beagle it was a super good squirl dog...he wanted to see how daisey stacked up to his dog...at the end of the hunting day daisey had treed 6 more times than the beagle she had a great day ...i had to brag on daisey i asked my friend what he thought of daisey he said she just got luckey...my friend never told no one about his dog being beaten... daisey has the best bark you have ever heard at the tree...she will start out growling far about 15 to 20 secounds before she barks then she barks about 5 times then starts the growling again....i tell everyone she has to get wound up before she barks treed...for the last 2 years i have not got to hunt with her very much i had a heart attack and my energy and will to hunt was almost gone...but about 4 1/2 months back my energy began to increase and my will to hunt has returned as if by magic i thank GODfor this every day...as soon as the leaves get off daisey and i will hit the trail again....charlie

A squirrel would have to be privileged to be shot with that gun.

Charlie. I hope you put that little dog on a diet. She looked a little chubby the last time I saw her. Good luck with the squirrels.

shes still pretty plump but gets around mighty good to be that big...she is 10 years old now so in dog years she is the same age as i am i m 71....she treed 2 times yesterday while i was putting out a feeder for deer....shes in good shape i got to get in shape myself... charlie