| Turkey and deer catch a lot of kudos around here, | | | | only at the ground. Place your feet carefully, and |
| but the common and abundant squirrel is the nearly | | | | when you set your foot, don't try to tip-toe. Place |
| perfect hunting target. | | | | your heel first and roll your foot forward. |
| All of the most experienced and even famous | | | | Try to use the available brush to conceal your |
| hunters I've known agree: If you can learn to be a | | | | movements, but don't go through it or move it to |
| good squirrel hunter, you can hunt anything in the | | | | the side with your hands. Duck or crawl if you have |
| woods. They provide the best opportunity to | | | | to, but don't disturb anything. Squirrels notice shaking |
| develop or hone woods hunting skills. | | | | branches quicker than anything. Whenever possible, |
| Of course, there are a number of ways to hunt | | | | move from tree to tree and lean against them to |
| them, but my favorite is to slip quietly through the | | | | break your outline. Try to avoid stopping in the open. |
| woods, pausing often, using my ears and my eyes to | | | | Moving from tree to tree is especially important if |
| locate and stalk them. This, to me, is hunting in its | | | | you hunt with a .22 rifle, because the sides of trees |
| purest form. It stirs something in me that I inherited | | | | provide a solid rest to steady your aim. If I happen |
| from ancient ancestors. | | | | to spot a squirrel when I'm not next to a tree, I'll |
| I've been hunting this way for almost 50 years. In | | | | usually ease up to the nearest tree before taking aim |
| fact, squirrels were the first thing I ever hunted, and | | | | because I'm about twice as accurate that way than |
| this method, known as "still hunting," was how my | | | | if I try to shoot off-hand. Of course, you don't have |
| mentors first taught me to hunt. | | | | to worry about this if you hunt with a scatter gun, |
| Patience and stealth are the most significant aspects | | | | but moving from tree to tree will still help conceal |
| squirrel hunting teaches one about moving through | | | | you from the lofty eyes of bushy tails. |
| the woods like a hunter. I once did a survey of the | | | | Make all of your movements slow and deliberate. |
| best squirrel hunters in the country for an article. | | | | Don't jerk your head or body around to check out |
| These were all guys who harvest hundreds of | | | | noises, and don't swing your gun barrel around quickly |
| squirrels every season, and every one of them said | | | | when you shift its weight or raise it to aim. |
| patience is paramount. | | | | Pay very close attention to minor sounds. Some |
| That's what it really boils down to for squirrels or | | | | experiments I did once proved to me that almost all |
| turkeys or deer: being more patient than the quarry. | | | | of the squirrels we see, we hear first. We may |
| So, don't leave a tree you know a squirrel is in just | | | | forget about the little noise once we spot the critter, |
| because you can't spot it readily. Like some hunters, | | | | but it was a noise that first directed our eyes in that |
| squirrels quickly become bored with one spot, thinking | | | | direction. Listen for nuts falling, leaves rustling, claws |
| another part of the tree offers better opportunities. | | | | on tree bark or teeth gnawing on a nut. I think it is |
| Instead of just moving a few feet to another | | | | more a matter of concentrating on and being able to |
| cluster, they'll usually follow a limb to the trunk, go up | | | | identify sounds than it is actual hearing ability, but if |
| or down and out onto another branch on the other | | | | you suspect a defect in your hearing, try a Walker's |
| side. If you exercise more patience than the squirrel, | | | | Game Ear. |
| you'll get a shot. | | | | Scientists say that squirrels are relatively smart |
| Whenever you drop a squirrel, don't rush over and | | | | animals-every bit as smart as our beloved dogs. The |
| pick it up. Make a mental note of where it lies and | | | | squirrels you hunt in the woods are as different from |
| stay still for at least a half an hour. If there are other | | | | the ones people feed in the parks as wild coyotes |
| squirrels in the tree, or others on their way to it, it | | | | are from puffy poodles with pink bows in their ears. |
| usually doesn't take them long to get back to | | | | In the wilds they are just as cautious of a man as |
| business, as long as they don't detect movement | | | | they are of owls and other predators. They aren't as |
| after the shot. This is how the best squirrel hunters | | | | easy to bag as some believe, and trying to stalk |
| collect a limit from one tree, especially from hickories. | | | | within shotgun range of one teaches you a lot about |
| Whenever you do move, pick a path that will make | | | | reading the body language of animals to know when |
| the least noise underfoot. I know of no studies to | | | | to move and when to stand motionless. |
| this effect, but I'm sure squirrels hear very well. Old | | | | Those who bag a bunch, treat them with the same |
| deer trails and logging roads are ideal. Hunting after a | | | | esteem that others only show to much bigger game. |
| rain is always more productive than when everything | | | | Squirrels, however, are so abundant that even a |
| is dry and brittle. | | | | beginner can scratch out one or two while he or she |
| Move only a few steps at a time and pause for a | | | | learns things that will help them later harvest deer, or |
| few minutes between moves. Scan the trees only | | | | turkey or anything else in the wild and wooly woods. |
| when standing still. Each time you take a step, look | | | | It is, I believe, the perfect hunting sport. |