Squirrel season is open!

sheriff john said:

Missouri's season opens the 27th. Got out of the hospital four days ago, still fighting pneumonia a bit. Oxygen tank and possibles bag don't want to co-exist at the moment. Old guy advice = "If you have a chance to go hunting and don't take it, one day the chances are over. GO HUNTING!"

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Sheriff John, this is simply a suggestion on something I have found that works well and may benefit you while you hunt during difficult circumstances.

For squirrel hunting with a ML, I now were only cargo pants. The extra pockets makes it to where I really don't even have to carry a possible(s) bag. I could leave it in the truck or on my ATV if I so desire. I put premeasured powder charges in lab tubes with caps in one pocket, shot, capper and patches in the other pockets. This leaves me room for truck keys, wallet, etc.

Good luck to you and please don't over do it out there. Had a buddy that over did it shortly after being sick around last Christmas and he no longer gets to celebrate any more birthdays.

I’m a traveling turkey hunter but I can see in my future some out of state squirrel hunts too. I’d love to hunt where there are more fox squirrels. Maybe I’ll make a trip to Ohio and hunt them.

Son and I returned last night from hunting squirrels in Southern Kentucky. We better learned their habits last June, but, WOW, were they ever stealthy this May. Our first evening we spotted 7, reduced to our possession 3. After that saw in the distant tree tops 3 at most, heard 2 others without a sighting and pulled numerous ticks from our flesh over the next day and a half. . The same woods that produced good hunting last early season was almost a bust this early season. Hope you gents fare much better.
My NR tag runs through Saturday. Wonder if I can find a spot below Cincinnati for an afternoon that would be worth the drive?

ETipp said:

Early squirrel season opened here in KY last Saturday. Got rained out early. Sunday the wind picked up. So between the weather, I was able to get 3 squirrels.

Monday I got lucky and got 6.

Today I was only able to get 3 but it was a good hunt. Today wound up being a game of patients, marksmanship, some skill and a lot of luck. Even though I only got 3 squirrels, it was a hunt I will remember.

All Squirrels was taken with a .32 caliber Crockett Squirrel Rifle. View attachment 223529View attachment 223529

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Very cool, thanks for sharing. I have a Crockett, what’s your most accurate load? Thanks

büchsenmacher64 said:

Very cool, thanks for sharing. I have a Crockett, what’s your most accurate load? Thanks

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Been sticking with .310 round ball, .015" pillow ticking TOTW Mink oil patches and 20.0 grains of 3F black powder.

Christophero said:

Son and I returned last night from hunting squirrels in Southern Kentucky. We better learned their habits last June, but, WOW, were they ever stealthy this May. Our first evening we spotted 7, reduced to our possession 3. After that saw in the distant tree tops 3 at most, heard 2 others without a sighting and pulled numerous ticks from our flesh over the next day and a half. . The same woods that produced good hunting last early season was almost a bust this early season. Hope you gents fare much better.
My NR tag runs through Saturday. Wonder if I can find a spot below Cincinnati for an afternoon that would be worth the drive?

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Indeed. Much like later winter season, but not as bad, early season often requires one to join the Upper Cumberland Hiking Club to find the little buggers. Find the trees they are eating out of and most of the work is done.

ETipp said:

Indeed. Much like later winter season, but not as bad, early season often requires one to join the Upper Cumberland Hiking Club to find the little buggers. Find the trees they are eating out of and most of the work is done.

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Man, I wouldn’t have a clue how to hunt them in the spring. That’s interesting what you find them eating now.

Jim K said:

Man, I wouldn’t have a clue how to hunt them in the spring. That’s interesting what you find them eating now.

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Definitely not like the fall when I just about have to throw rocks at them to get them out of the way while I'm deer hunting. I have no definite answer as to what all they eat this time of year, other than walnut buds and poplar buds/flowers. In fact, I'm considering laying off of hunting until next week and see what develops. Perhaps something else will bud out that the squirrels like to eat by then.

Really waiting for fall when the squirrels are everywhere and eating acorns, hickory nuts, dog wood berries, beech mash, walnuts, etc. That's when its on big time.

In the fall, I concentrate on hickories if I can.

Here’s a pic of those poplar flowers/buds. When they freshly hit the ground from squirrels chewing them off, they look like tulips. As you can see, the one on the right is not as mature. Perhaps that’s what the squirrels like best?

ETipp said:

Here’s a pic of those poplar flowers/buds. When they freshly hit the ground from squirrels chewing them off, they look like tulips. As you can see, the one on the right is not as mature. Perhaps that’s what the squirrels like best?View attachment 223642

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That looks like yellow poplar.

büchsenmacher64 said:

That looks like yellow poplar.if that's what it is, then we know the name of what KY squirrels are eating right now.

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Could be, IDK. All I know is they came from poplar trees. If it is from yellow poplar, then we have a definite name of what the KY squirrels are eating right now.

I know that all the poplar trees that I know squirrels have been eating on have been in lower terrain. Haven't seen the first one up top of the mountains or ridges. Also, most all the squirrels I've seen lately have been down low.

Interesting. We have loads of poplar but no spring squirrel season. So poplar is a no issue in the fall.

ETipp said:

Well, to be honest, for many years I wanted a .32 ML squirrel rifle. Finally got the Crockett and found I had mixed feelings about it. Then after finally finding the proper sight combination it all came together. I was also sometimes having difficulties dealing with the small .310 RB due to my old bumbling and numb fingers, but it appears as if I have, for the most part, learned how to deal with that. Now I am happy with the Crockett Squirrel Rife and for my vision, it works great on squirrels. Just have to get a bit closer to them. But hey, that's part of the fun, eh?

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I put new fiber optic sights on my Crockett rifle, and ordered a solid brass ramrod from the Log Cabin Shop. Helped accuracy so well, I put a set on my CVA Varminter.

snakebit said:

I put new fiber optic sights on my Crockett rifle, and ordered a solid brass ramrod from the Log Cabin Shop. Helped accuracy so well, I put a set on my CVA Varmint

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Snakebit, does the new solid brass ramrod fit snugly in the thimbles unlike the shoddy stock ramrod does? And could you please forward a link to which particular ramrod you purchased? I've been to that site but have not been able to come up with anything.

Thank you.

I know several states have such early seasons, but I would not hunt them this early. I don't know anyway to avoid leaving motherless litters of squirrels in their nests waiting for mom.

Brent said:

I know several states have such early seasons, but I would not hunt them this early. I don't know anyway to avoid leaving motherless litters of squirrels in their nests waiting for mom.

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Per my research.

Gray squirrels have two litters per year of young. First breeding is done Dec and early Feb. Young are out and on their own now. They wean at 10 weeks and reach full body mass by 8-9 months. Gestation is about 44 days.

Second breeding May through June. Little ones will be borne by end of July and out on their own.

Thus, early squirrels season is from May 20th to June 15th.

Late season begins in August and ends in Jan.

Only one in four baby kit squirrels survives to be one year of age.

Due to the lack of folks hunting gray squirrels, the population has been steadily increasing.

ETipp said:

Well, to be honest, for many years I wanted a .32 ML squirrel rifle. Finally got the Crockett and found I had mixed feelings about it. Then after finally finding the proper sight combination it all came together. I was also sometimes having difficulties dealing with the small .310 RB due to my old bumbling and numb fingers, but it appears as if I have, for the most part, learned how to deal with that. Now I am happy with the Crockett Squirrel Rife and for my vision, it works great on squirrels. Just have to get a bit closer to them. But hey, that's part of the fun, eh?

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Could you tell us about your “sight combination”? Thanks

büchsenmacher64 said:

Could you tell us about your “sight combination”? Thanks

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Sure thing. Installed a Tom A Hawks peep and a taller but thinner diameter fiber optic front sight. Do not know the name of it, had the thing on another ML since about 2004.

Certainly works for me.

As for the poplar flowers, yes, I noticed them on the ground but never knew that squirrels eat them. Makes sense, though. They don't just nibble on nuts all the time. Those pictured above are yellow poplar, aka Tulip Poplar due to the flowering buds. Hmm, all I was really searching for were squirrels in the top of the oak, beech and hickory trees. Now I will begin looking on the poplar trees this time of year. Learn something new daily, if I keep an open mind.