Late season squirrel hunting can be a challenge because the open woodlands make squirrels very skittish. In this video I will be sharing some of my tips to help you be a more successful hunter.
You finished the season in style, only one miss in five squirrels, and a good follow up put him in the pot. Now, bring on the turkeys. I was happy to open RU-vid this morning and find another video of yours. I had a feeling you’d have something there to close out the season. As usual, good job!!!
That miss was actually the closest shot I got this weekend. All others were 30-60 yards away. Thanks for commenting Wayne, I figured you'd probably like a squirrel video.
@@leifhoklin2681 yes , Lief , I hunted all types of game from small to medium size. The state ( where I did most of my foraging) allowed hunters of squirrels 6 per day ( no Sunday hunting allowed ).
Another reason I always find a big tree or rock to sit with my back against is to protect me from other public hunters who might not be so smart with their guns. Some idiots out there will shoot in the direction of noise ( turkey calls, deer grunts etc ) instead of confirming their targets first. Nice video, I really enjoyed it. JT
Hi i'm from indonesia, i also hunt squirell but using multipump air gun cal. 177. We hunt and cook it. Mostly fried but sometimes roast it. Should be calm an make no noise so they come up eat fruits
Outside of deer hunting squirrel hunting is my second favorite game to hunt but I've have enjoyed hunting with my 32 and 36 black powder Hawken rifles I'd like to see you get you a 32 or 36 and give it try I'm sure you would enjoy it as well as I do. And if you take your time you can work up a load that will bring the squirrel's home I've taken squirrel's out to 50yds but not all fall to the smoke pole but that's hunting but I'm 68 years old and my eyes are no longer and good for iron sights so I put a old weaver K-4 on my 36 and let me tell you the squirrel's are in trouble now. Lol. Keep the good stuff coming I really enjoy your videos !! 🐿 🍻
We just had our annual squirrel tournament (last Saturday in January) here in SE Nebraska. Our "late season" hunt had wind chills of -17°F. Twenty-nine 2 man teams participated. Great fun. Watching this video reminded me WHY I miss the South so much! Froze my frigging butt off!, but the comeradery made it all worth it.
I found your channel a few months ago and have been binge watching, really enjoy your content your style is like mine. Keep up the good work and making videos. thank you 👍👍
I also have a Rem 581 but customized with a light weight match Broughton barrel and a Canjar trigger set at 1.25lbs. Late in the squirrel season, January - February, I use my Cooper 57M 22 mag for longer shots.
Another very enjoyable production! Since my inept typing and 'puter skills keep sending my comments off into the ether, let me just compliment your efforts. I hope you are having as much delight in the outdoors as your videos convey. I am again delighted in your never making small game ammo recommendations based on 'relative splat factor'! Again, thanks for your efforts. Pax
Thanks for your kind words. In regards to recommending ammo for small game, I always focus on accuracy first, and how effective it is while still saving as much meat as possible.
toughest time of year to hunt them. i really like to go out a day or so after a snow and sit near den trees in the afternoon. then i just sit like i'm hunting deer. i've gotten several from one tree before. one of my favorites was a big old white oak that was hollow and full of holes and was in the bottom of a gully. i'd sneak in through the hemlocks and park about 75 yards from the tree. unfortunately it blew down a few years ago. didn't get out yet in the late season but i have a few weeks left. hopefully we'll get some snow.
I'm new to squirrel hunting, let alone hunting in general, so don't take this as a guarantied way to bag squirrels. Now from my fresh and very recent experience, I've found lots of success by walking on farm fields that have been harvested (it just turned December today) and walking the outskirts of wooded areas. On a nice quiet day, with good sunlight, and at least 50degree temps, I can walk slowly along those wooded lines and listen for lots of leaf noise. I then hone in on the direction and find a decent clearing for a shot while stalking slowly to the noise. Nearly every time, I will spot 2-4 squirrels in the woods looking for food or playing around. I'm no perfect shot, but I've gotten atleast 1 squirrel with my 10/22 carbine in those encounters. Even though most of the leaves have fallen off of trees and brush becomes thinned out, it seems like they won't hear you, let alone see you coming during prime hours. Hope this might help someone new to hunting squirrels, or even more experienced hunters. I've been enjoying my first 3 hunts, bagging 5 squirrels so far in my lifetime. I do want to try to be more patient and sit, but the way I've been hunting so far seems to work out for now.
Hello Josh, I'm 50 and have been hunting since I was 6! I've hunted everything there is to legally hunt, and when it comes to squirrel hunting, my favorite time to hunt them is just after a storm! There's nothing like having one of those little boogers jumping on a wet limb supper loud when all that water is shaken off the leaves! Not to mention, you can sneak through the woods like a ghost when the ground is wet. Just remember to be careful that you don't shake a limb, lol!! KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY, Good luck, and I hope you have great adventures in your hunting life as I have!
.22 short hollowpoints have been a go-to round for me as long as I've been hunting. To my knowledge, CCI is the only ammo maker that still offers HP's in the .22 short.
@@CumberlandOutdoorsman its too bad most companies don't make 22 Short HP. but when 22LR became cheaper, people stopped buying the 22 shorts. Stock up when they become available.
I love your channel and your videos. Very well done. Your videos are always interesting and informative. I have to tell you though, I crack up every time I hear other hunters say they “harvest” an animal. 🤣 It’s not a corn stalk, it’s an animal. We kill them, and that’s okay. I know it’s semantics, but I just thought I’d share my opinion, not that it matters. Lol. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the kind remarks. I use the term "harvest" because it is more "socially acceptable" so to speak. Both youtube and advertisers are quite sensitive on matters like that.
Great advice unfortunately in state of Maryland we have to wear orange no camouflage. I have a dear friend we have been hunting together since 73 he loves squirrel hunting, actually more then deer. He does not have the patience for a 22lr his favorite is a Ithaca 37 feather weight, let me say really any shotgun we still carry single or double barrel if they give us a late season deer day. Advice to the young always remember simplicity, I carry a break open single shot if I see a dear I like can use a slug, and if not take squirrel with #6 shot always going home with meat and memories. Also remember to mark where the squirrel falls if you wait a few minutes another one might come out, if you move to soon after you shoot other squirrels will stay in hiding I like hunting the morning or afternoon just after a hard rain the leaves are quiet and the squirrels are restless usually great combination
Late season squirrel hunting is a blast in South Louisiana I have a place I hunt next to interstate I 49 full of big old fat fox squirrels .Me my self I use a Ruger Model 77 .17 cal .But everything you sad about creeping up on these squirrels is spot on thanks and God Bless.🤠
I got 55 years experience the first time I found the hunting is right. After a rain, I left the hunt and heal the water falling off the tree limbs when they jump from one limb to the end
Do you have an opinion about the use of squirrel calls, cracking/rubbing nuts together or scent lures? I live in Commiefornia and squirrel hunting has been banned in the southern counties since the 1980s. This summer I’m going to go up north and squirrel hunt for the first time and I want to be prepared.
There are so many good rifles available, both new and out of current production. That is a subject that deserves a video all by itself. The rifle I was using is a Remington 581 bolt action, and the shells were CCI short HV hollowpoints.
down deep south here in Savannah GA, always, always clear the base of the tree as there will probably be a snake nest as a dumb friend of mine discovered
Birds may be a good indicator…but here in northern Arkansas I’m surrounded by red headed woodpeckers and they are the noisiest buggers! I’ve often given up trying to hear squirrels when they’re around.
Dear Sir at what yardage do you sight in your 22lr.scopes. I've watched a few videos on this. And heard several different things. Would you be kind enough to give me some. Advice I've not had dealings with scopes. On 22lr rifles now my eyes need a scope. Thank you very much
You just gave me an idea for another video. To answer your question....I normally sight in my rifles at 50 yards, and I strive for 1/2 inch groups, because squirrels are relatively small, and quite often make fleeting targets at ranges of 40-80 yards. A good variable scope with fine crosshairs is a nice addition to an accurate .22 rifle. I personally prefer a bolt action because in most cases they are inherently precise. The one in the video is a vintage Remington 581. I often see them on gunbroker.
Wonderful video! Beautifully restored Rem 581. I would love to restore mine! Quick question, and sorry if I asked this before! How do you deal with ticks? Thank you!
I think a nice inexpensive small lightweight set of binoculars around your neck to use in your search while walking in slowly and spot and stalk the squirrels as you're going in to set up for you still hunting area !! What size of binoculars would you recommend if you preferred using them ?
I use steiner 10x 26 lightweight awsum hot tip good binos worth everypenny don't buy expensive gun cheap ass binos love steiner n ziezzs good gun good nocks
How is it possible to blend in wearing orange. Unfortunately in my state of PA it’s the (law)by the FISH@GAME. . It is difficult in late season, my go to gun is my .32 blackpowder.
Here in Tennessee, hunter orange is required while big game hunting with either a gun or muzzleloader, but not during turkey season, and not while small game hunting. This video was shot after deer season was closed as well.
I would like to see how you cook these squirrels. I used to love squirrel hunting as a kid but they would just stay in the freezer and never get eaten so I quit going.
Gee, that’s just too bad that all that very good eating went to waste. There are plenty of recipes for cooking squirrels. Get a firearm of your choice and get yourself a pot full. Good luck!
Skin em, quarter them up. Parboil them for 30-45 minutes, season water with salt and pepper, bay leaf. Let meat cool a bit. Pull the meat from the bones. Now brown up some bacon in a skillet. Remove bacon. Brown up that squirrel meat in the bacon grease. Serve that with grits and gravy. Biscuits and gravy. Etc you get the idea. Hold on tight. You never had something so good before. Good luck.
I found that at a souvenir store in the Great Smokey Mountains many years ago. I think it was around 1980 or so. I saw some similar not long ago at a leather goods store in Nashville.....I think.
@@CumberlandOutdoorsman Nice! That series had a long run from the mid 60’s to around the early 2000’s or so right? . The 581 is a very accurate .22 rifle. Never owned one but have a few relatives that do/did. Smooth bolt and a crisp trigger I recall. Good shooter. I prefer a good bolt action myself. Thanks for sharing that.
Personally, I have never had an issue with the finish on my rifles in terms of spooking game. That's because of the way I set up for hunting. I usually sit with the sun at my back, that way what is in front of me is lit, and I can spot movement much better. By the time a squirrel or deer sees me, it's usually too late. Keeping movement to a minimum is the most important tactic for me.
