Thursday, January 21, 2010

How to hunt squirrels?

I have a .22 cal rifle and I need some tips on geting more Squirrels. I am 11 years old, live in ohio, and use birdshot.How to hunt squirrels?
You need to know that 22 bird shot, or rat shot as we call it here will not in any fashion kill a squirrel, unless inches away from his eyeball.How to hunt squirrels?
Definitely use .22LR and DEFINITELY do not have your buddy running around the woods scaring up squirrels in front of you.





As far as strategy goes, well that is the beauty of squirrel hunting. You can hunt how ever you want. Knowing the area really helps out because you can predict where the majority of the game will be located.





You can quietly walk around enjoying the beauty of mother nature and just hope to walk upon a scampering squirrel or you can pop a squat somewhere comfortable until they come out of their holes.





Remember safety first.
First,22 bird shot isn't that great for hunting squirrels inless you are 10yds away.Its better to use 22 hollow points.i like subsonic 22 hollow points,cause they don't scare them as bad,they do more damage to the insides and they cheap most of the time.Don't use round nose bullets cause they have a bad habit of going though squirrels and not doing much damage.The best way to bag more squirrels is after you shoot one let it lay there and the other squirrels will come back in a few minutes then you can shoot them.Normally the best time to hunt squirrels is from an hour after sunrise to 11:00am,the squirrels will not be as active in the afternoon,they will be active in the evening,but not as active as in the morning.The for the best place to hunt squirrels is in patches of oak,hickory,pecan or chestnut trees,also squirrels like persimmons,muscadines and corn.The 2 best ways to hunt them is to either sit up against a tree and wait or you can still hunt them,but its up to you how you what to hunt.
First of all, bird shot is not the correct ammo for squirrels. The effective range of .22 caliber birdshot shells is only a few feet. You will have to use bullets instead of birdshot when hunting squirrels. My favorite way fo hunting squirrels is to first go through the woods looking for squirrel sign such as cuttings. These are pieces of nut shells that you will find around the base of nut bearing trees where squirrels are eating the nuts. Once you find several of these spots, that is where you will want to go to hunt squirrels. Get out into the woods either just before or just after daylight and position yourself near where you saw the cuttings. You will have to sit or stand very still and just watch for squirrels. They have very sharp eyes so if you are wiggling or moving around, they will see you. For heaven's sake, leave your tunes at home. They will hear them better than you will. Be patient and keep your eyes open. If you sit or stand in one spot for at least a half hour and don't see anything, quietly and slowly move to another location and sit or stand quietly for another half hour. Squirrel hunting takes patience and a keen eye to see movement in the trees. Keep your ears open to listen for cuttings hitting the ground under a tree. This is the sound of a squirrel eating nuts. Listen for squirrels to bark and slowly move toward the sound. If you have spent the time to learn how to properly use a call, sometimes it will bring one out where you can see him. If you haven't learned how to properly use a call, do not use it because an improperly used call can scare them away.





Go to your local library and pick out some books on hunting and read what the experts have to say about squirrel hunting. Good luck, you are on your way to a really enjoyable pastime that will put some delicious food on your table.
Squirrel hunting works best with two hunters. When a squirrel sees you, he'll scamper around to the other side of the tree, and can play that game for hours. If you don't have a friend that hunts, maybe find a friend who will walk out with you and go to the back side of a tree when the squirrel pops out. My brother and I used to hunt squirrels when I was a kid, and we got the ';herding'; of squirrels down to a science.


Remember, if there are two of you carrying guns, make sure you know where the other guy is before you shoot.
I'd suggest you not use birdshot. Probably .22LR high-speed hollowpoints would be the best option. .22 birdshot opens up too quickly and doesn't throw enough shot for humane kills.





As far as tips for more squirrels, hunt in areas where there is cover, food, and water. Be patient. When you first settle into an area wait a while for the squirrels to come out of hiding/start moving again before you decide there aren't any squirrels in the area and move on.
I dont think that birdshot .22 stuff works that well....... Use regular lead bullets.... Practice more to be a better shot......





Use this type of bullet....





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.22_Long_Ri鈥?/a>





Have your parents order this stuff.....
To start with do not use 22 bird shot on squirrels, use 22 long rifle hollow point bullets Only.* You can sit still in a spot in the woods and patiently wait for them to appear, or you can stalk or move and walk very very slowly through the woods until you see some.* I prefer doing both.* Early Morning, late mornings, early afternoon and late afternoon are the most active and productive times to harvest Squirrels.*
Here is something for you to try Jason. I use to hunt squirrels and I found that young tender squirrels especially are very curious. I would go quietly into the woods and sit down by a tree. I would wait a few minutes then whistle real loud or make a yelping sound. Then sit quiet without moving much and wait. Often if a fox squirrel is anywhere near he will have to come see what you are. Sometimes even coming into the tree you are sitting under and coming right over you to get a good look. I got many squirrels this way. Sometimes more than one at the same spot.
you are limiting your range by using bird shot. i all ways liked the 22 shorts for squirrels,but these days they cost more,so i use the 22 long rifles.as you have been hunting them,you know where they are,so just find a good tree to sit against and wait for them to come into range.you may try baiting them with corn or peanut butter or using calls it it is legal in your state.
try to shoot them in the head so you don't ruin any of the meat that is not much to begin with.
Dynomite! Seriously, it works like a charm

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