by Randy Augsburger

Created on: November 15, 2008   Last Updated: December 11, 2010

 Squirrel hunting is a great place to begin your hunting experience, or to hone the skills you already possess.

Beginning squirrel hunters should concentrate on three skills.

- Scouting

- Weapon

- Methods of hunting

These three areas will get you started right.

- Scouting

First you must find an area to hunt squirrels, start by looking for a food source. Squirrels like nuts, acorns and corn. Take a walk through the prospective hunting area looking for hickories, beech and oak trees. Squirrels really like big old white oak trees. A stand of timber next to a corn field is perfect. Look for discarded nut shells or partially eaten corn cobs laying on stumps or downed trees. If you find them, you know the squirrels are there.

- Weapon

The best weapon for a beginning squirrel hunter is a simple inexpensive .410 shotgun. These little guns have a light recoil that even a five-year old can manage. Some will debate that a .22 rimfire is better. Just remember that the target area on a squirrel is the size of a walnut. A new hunter most likely is not a crack shot and starting them on a weapon that requires precise shot placement is a recipe for disappointment. Another advantage to a shotgun is the shot does not travel as far as a missed .22 bullet and that's one less thing for the new hunter to worry about. Shot size should be #5, this is a good size that packs plenty of punch for a squirrel.

- Methods of hunting

There are a couple of methods you can use to hunt squirrels. The simplest is to find a spot, sit down and wait for a squirrel to walk by. Obviously this should be near the food source you found while scouting. Many hunters prefer to walk as it feels like you are doing something other than just waiting.

If the leaves are still on the trees, you just walk very slow and steady through the woods. You will keep your eyes open for movement in the tree tops or along the ground. You need to walk slow and steady because a fast movement is out of place and is what the squirrel will see.

If the leaves are on the ground it may sound like you are walking on corn flakes. Not only can the squirrels see you move they can hear you also. When confronted with this situation you will want to walk and pause. This involves taking a few steps usually between trees and stopping for five minutes or so to let things settle. Then after a few minutes you take a few more steps to the next tree and so on.

If you are quite and don't make any sudden movements you will soon be seeing all sorts of wildlife. These skills once learned can be applied in different ways to most game hunting situations. Great hunters aren't born. They are made.

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