FINDING A PLACE TO HUNT SQUIRRELS IS EASY. Pick any
piece of public or private land that has woods on it and there will be squirrels. Stick to
the parts of the woods dominated by mast producing hardwoods like oak, walnut, and
hickory and you’ll find tons of them. All you have to do for shooting opportunities is sit
still for an hour in the morning or evening next to a tree trunk. Before long, they will
think that you are gone and start moving around doing squirrel stuff. Eventually, one
will hold still in long enough and close enough for you to get a shot.
A MORE CHALLENGING
HUNTING TACTIC you should
try after you have success sitting is still
hunting. Wild squirrels are constantly on
high alert and have excellent eyesight, so
sneaking up on them isn’t easy. Thankfully
there are so many of them you can get in
numerous stalks in a good hunt, whereas
hunting big game you might only get the
opportunity for a true stalk once every
three or four times you go.
When attempting to stalk squirrels, or
any species for that matter, pay special
attention to two factors: leaf cover and
moisture. These key environmental
factors, along with wind conditions,
determine how visible and audible your
movement will be. When squirrel season
opens, the leaves will still be on the trees,
but within a few weeks they will be gone.
In the early season when leaves are still
on the trees the limited range of visibility
makes it is easier for you to get close to
them but it is also more difficult to find
them and get clear shots. In the late
season, you can spot them easily from a
distance, but of course they have a much
easier time seeing you, too. If there has
been no rain for enough time that the
leaves on the forest floor are dry, it is
very difficult to walk through the woods
without sounding like a herd of elephants.
If the ground is wet, you can walk in
perfect silence as long as