Autumn is the upon us and there are a multitude of squirrels out there just waiting for you to shoot them. Don’t think you have to make it complicated to enjoy an afternoon chasing these furry denizens of the forest. Here are ten tremendous tips to help you come home loaded down with delicious white meat.

1. Hunt the yellow. Like any game animal, hunt the food source. In the early fall, yellow leafs are a dinner bell for limb chickens. Black walnuts in Minnesota, hickory in Wisconsin, and pecans down in Illinois. Find a yellow tree and find your squirrels.

2. At sunrise, don’t shoot the first one. Letting more than one squirrel make its appearance before shooting works well at day break, and results in a some fast action shooting.

3. Wear camo. You don’t have to step into the woods dressed like Rambo, but it’ll help you see more squirrels. For some reason, a slow creeping camoflage blob just pisses a lot of squirrels off. They come bark at you, and you shoot them in the face. Good times had by all.

4. Stay on the move. I like to put a time limit on my ambush locations. Usually, in 20 minutes squirrels will appear if they are active and in the area. When I change locations, I do it slowly and normally don’t travel more than 100 yards if I’m in good hardwood forest.

5. Bring a friend. Squirrels naturally circle to the other side of the tree as danger approaches. Having a friend along will keep them moving to the other side presenting a shot to one of you.

6. Choose your gun wisely. If you fancy yourself the sniper type, try using a 22 or a powerful airgun. But if like me you’re only an average or poor shot I highly suggest you go with your shotgun. Many of my shots come at fleeing squirrels when they are moving from tree to tree (timbering). I can go through .22 bullets pretty fast chasing a cat squirrel. Plus, that whole notion of a 22 bullet travelling a mile. So I use a 12 gauge shotgun with a modified choke, size 4-6 shells.

7. Follow your shot. Unless you see the squirrel lying there dead, go to it. Otherwise, they can cover a lot of ground and their instinct is to crawl into a hole. DO NOT STICK YOUR HAND IN A SQUIRREL HOLE.

8. Float a squirrel. I love hunting from canoes and learned early in life a squirrel will float–for a while. However, they don’t take the best photos when wet.

9. Use Blanket Pins to carry your take. Upland game bird bags were my go to choice for years. But now I don’t like them for squirrels because they leave the squirrel in a curled position once rigor mortis sets in. This makes skinning a chore. Second, in warm weather they can get too hot. These gigantic safety pins are the answer. Clip them to a backpack; or even better a belt loop, and proudly show off your bloody pants leg to all your friends.

10. Bring some high-quality game shears. Take a look at this video about how to clean a squirrel. Simple, effective, and much better than the traditional casing method. Art in its highest form.


Any of yall nab some squirrels this weekend? Do you have any tips for a better squirrel hunt? I’d like to hear them. I have some pictures over at my blog: http://wp.me/p3bCKM-sd if you'd like to check them out.

don't over hunt em. seen on t.v. were Keith Warren if ya on here appolagies if spelled name wrong took till turd grade be4 learned ta spell me own name. he used high-tech pellit gun on pigions, poormans dove, they good eaten too, hey, i'm a member they quiet. if solo hunt, do lots of that, rock or stick thrown on other side can bring hiding squirrel around. ya got some good tips, best wishes enjoy time spent

I'm glad you posted this. I've just started squirrel hunting. I got my first one yesterday while sitting and looking at a snag in the middle of a young hickory stand. It took me 3 times out before I got the first one.

Great tips! I haven't hunted squirrel since I was a child but definitely a fun time and great way to introduce youth hunters to the woods.

Copper plated #5 or #6 pheasant loads make great squirrel shells. Shoot til they fall or at least doin the single pawed inverted small limb death grip - like you said they like to crawl into holes and there is no getting them out. If you are stand hunting hang tight after you shoot one. Usually when things quiet the others will come back out or you will catch one tying to slip back to his nest. A shotgun blast and they will all hunker but I have seen them not even notice a .22 report.

They are much easier to clean warm. Sometimes I'll carry a Ziplock or breadsack along and clean them as I shoot them. Less hassle at the end of the day.

Great post! Lots of good memories hunting with my Dad & brothers on Gray Branch, Mohon bottom, and below LL floodgates. Those days are long gone now though. Cleaning a squirrel as in the video would get you severely chastised from the old timers!

Hunt in the shadows and with the wind. Use all available brush and trees to conceal your presence and stay out of the sunlight as much as possible. Use the wind or any type of mechanical noise to conceal your movements through the woods. Use a game trail if available to keep you feet off of dead twigs and dry leaves. Hunt down a dry creek bed, the high banks conceal your movements and the clean bottom cuts down on your noise level. If you hunt deep East Texas where the trees are extremely high I would suggest using a full choke on your shotgun. If you are still hunting in the early part of the season and begin to sweat you are moving too fast. Use a face mask or camo paint to hide your face remember that they have the advantage of height the better to see your movement. If a cat squirrel barks go towards the sound he will often continue long enough to reveal his position and give you a shot. I hope that these tips will help in your quest for this excellent hunting experience and opportunity. GOOD HUNTING!!!!

Buffalo those are all apt and correct. I need a full choke gun myself.

thanks for sharing

I grew up in East Texas hunted cats and fox squirrels both used a single shot 20ga with #6s,had black lab dog trained for them too latter on,and used a call sometimes.... and a latter on an old timey marlin semi auto .22lr 5 shot magazine..that Im sure was mythological in squirrel bars,and likely to this day Id imagine! got my first black phase squirrel with that rifle! Id still like to hunt them if only find someone in the DFW area that liked to as well!

Great Post!

Thanks for sharing, some I rememeber other tips I never considered till now.

I grew up hunting the River Bottoms in Louisiana and the piney woods around Cleveland TX. I have lived in DFW now since 2010 and only made a few trips out to some Public areas with no results. I am gone more than I am home so I can not scout out all the spots like I used to growing up. Good \Luck one and All stay safe.
My weapon of choice is a 22, but have taken 1965 Sears and Roebuck 20 Ga..

I just got a Savage .22/.410 over/under...it's a great squirrel gun! I just wish .410 shells weren't so expensive!