squirrel hunting

[Panfish_Catcher]

My friend and little brother want me to take them squirrel hunting. i havent gone for quite some time but when i used to go i never did so good maybe one every few times alone. does anyone know any good set ups or any good tips for late season squirrel hunting? i know i can get them in a woods that has plenty of squirrels but i would appreiciate some tips so they can get a few. anyone ever use calls? i usually walk around and sit in a few spots but any tips on sitting 3 guys? should i make blinds? just spot and stalk? tips or thoughts would be great!

thanks!

[bobbymalone]

You can sit up on my roof and point your gun at my bird feeder. I've been fattening them up nice and plump for ya on black oil sunflower and cracked corn. I'll bet you and your hunting buds can limit out before the Burnsville PD shows up to investigate the gun shots.

I don't squirrel hunt, but unless you know a place where they are actively feeding you are probably best to keep on the move and look for them.

[harvey lee]

I would find a good feeding area and sit and wait. If you see a squirrel run up a tree, it will sit in the tree on the opposite side that you are sitting on. What I use to do is take a pocket full of rocks along with me and when they would run to the other side of the tree trunk, I would get ready and then throw a rock to the other side of the tree in the leaves and the squirrel would run to my side and try to see what was on the ground on the side he was on. Then I would shoot it.

Try and use a stick branch or snowball with snow on the ground to move the squirrel if there is only one person.

Otherwise if you have 2 or more people, slowly walk through the woods in the morning when they are active and tree one. get one person on each side and then one will be able to shoot him.

They can be tricly little buggers.

[lakeshoremunster]

spot and stalk is what works best for our group, but you cant just stop and wait for a few mins, we usually split up about 60 or so yards from each other and wait next to a tree for up to 20 mins in a spot and then move on to the next spot, with the snow on the ground it will be very easy to see them on the ground.

The morning after a snow fall is also a good time because you will see the snow drop fro the branches when they run across.

[Archerysniper]

Right now try to find a wood lot next to a corn field it's even better if you can find a field still standing walk slowlly and sit on a stump for a few minutes. Like Harvey said it's actually easier with 2 or 3 people more eyes to spot them and make them come to the side of the tree for the shooter.

[HandGunner]

from what i've learned.... private land squirrels are not as evolved as the public land squirrels. Just like how a big buck in private land is only as keen and smart as a decent public land buck

the reason being they see and learn so much from ppl being around the public lands were as animals in private land dont see much because your never out there as much as the hunting public would be at public land

what i have learned this past season was be patient... spot one dont rush take your time make your way up to it

calls DO work... i use the barks the most but sometimes give the old distress call a try, i have it on audio on my phone wich means its the best sound u can get i mean cmon its an audio of a REAL squirrel barking or in distress plus sometimes hand calls sound too off or too manufactured whatever that means. call for a few secs stop and wait for response then repeat.

dats about all i got i guess for my knowlege so far. not an expert just learning still and sharing my thaughts

[huntnfish]

Never thought about putting the sound file on my phone and playing it. Where did you find that? Would it be possible for you to email some of the files you have? huntnfishmn at yahoo.

[TooTallTom]

...i use the barks the most but sometimes give the old distress call a try, i have it on audio on my phone wich means its the best sound u can get i mean cmon its an audio of a REAL squirrel barking ...

Electronic calls are not legal for hunting in MN. (With the possible exception of coyote hunting. I just don't know anything about that.) I'm gonna guess that a CO that stops you will tell you your phone does qualify as an electronic call.

[huntnfish]

Electronic calls are not legal for hunting in MN. (With the possible exception of coyote hunting. I just don't know anything about that.) I'm gonna guess that a CO that stops you will tell you your phone does qualify as an electronic call.

I've searched the regulations and don't see anything on it being illegal for squirrels. Do you have a link?

[picksbigwagon]

from page 23 of the current hunting regulations:

Radios and Other Wireless Devices

• Using walkie talkies, cell phones, remote control or other radio equipment

to take big game or small game is unlawful.

• A DNR permit is required to take unprotected animals with the aid

of radio equipment, see page 20.

Dates and Times Inclusive

All dates and times specified in these regulations are inclusive unless

[huntnfish]

Maybe I'm wrong but to I don't think that is referring to a call of any kind. That looks like its talking about using a device to communicate with others to aid in taking game.

[picksbigwagon]

I guess you could call the local CO or St. Paul, not sure what their take would be then. Unfortunately, technology is leap years ahead of the legislature.....

[Panfish_Catcher]

I'm pretty sure that means communicating with radios and phones to tell another hunter that an animal is heading their way or in a specific area. aka making it definitly unfair for the animal or "cheating". well thats what it was when i took my gun saftey

[picksbigwagon]

as far as I know, the only animals you can hunt while using electronic calls are unprotected species like crows and coyotes (maybe snow geese too, but I haven't read taht part of the reg's in a long time). To be safe, I would call the DNR just to double check, a few years ago I called and asked them about using a walkie talkie system to make a wireless coyote caller. I was told that was illegal by the local and state DNR. If you want to challenge the state on it, that is your option, but if the officer confiscate's your gun and your cell phone because they feel the above passage relates to taking of game (using it as a game call for squirrels would be in the area of taking game) you might be wishing you had called.

Just my advice, take or leave it

[HandGunner]

whoops... hey were not all perfect ill definatley make sure to see if its legal or not so for now i wont use the calls on my phone.

[TooTallTom]

Sorry for the delay.

I couldn't find anything in the regs either. I'm "certain" that it's illegal to use electronic calls to take protected species, but it might just be one of those things that I remember from a while ago that has changed. Also, they note towards the beginning of the book that you pick up when you buy a license that that book is not a comprehensive collection of the hunting laws of Minnesota.

I have an email out to MN DNR about the use of electronic calls, and will post back when I get a response.

Tom.

[TooTallTom]

Well that was quick! Must be a slow day at MN DNR...

Jim Abernathy replied with the following:

Hello

Electronic calls would not be legal to take the following species: waterfowl or turkey.

Any other species can be hunted using electronic calls though they cannot be remote controlled.

jim

So there you have it.

[picksbigwagon]

that is surprising.....so a person could get a audio clip of two bucks rattling, bring a speaker and plug it into an Ipod and blare the sound of two bucks fighting? Or maybe an electronic call of a doe eustrus call? I will email the dnr today and see what they say as well......

[TooTallTom]

Hey PBW,

I'd be pretty interested to see if we each get different answers from MN DNR, and who those answers come from. I've often wondered what their question-answering protocol is. Does your email get sent to a specialist, or is it just the luck of the draw? Do these people spend lots of time looking up the answer, or just answer with what they "know"? (Like I "knew" that electronic calls were illegal.)

And if our answers are different, then what? The responsibility for knowing the law is on the individual, not the CO or the State, so what do we do when a reliable source (MN DNR personnel) is giving conflicting information? But hopefully the answers will agree...

[picksbigwagon]

crud, I forgot to email them. I will send it in the morning from work

[huntnfish]

Thats interesting. For the record, I wasn't disagreeing with anyone about the electronic calls. I'm actually surprised that they would be legal being its MN and most things aren't. Thanks for the update. It will be interesting to see what kind of response you get PBW.

[TooTallTom]

Hey, don't apologize! There was confusion about the facts, and you referred to the manual. That's the way to do it, and not apology is necessary. Now I just need to figure out how to wire a PA system into my deer stand. I think I'll have to get one of those camo generators I've been hearing about.