The first hunt is a rite of passage for the beginner. Akin to obtaining a drivers license or going on that first date, going hunting for the first time is a milestone for any young person. That first hunt with a parent while being entrusted to carry a firearm is an unforgettable memory that will last a lifetime. What better way to begin than squirrel hunting?
Squirrel hunting teaches skills and arts that can be used while hunting other game, both large and small. For the beginner, early success helps maintain interest and hone skills. Squirrels are plentiful, not so difficult to hunt, and provide good opportunities for success.
Scouting
The hunt begins before the season opens with scouting trips. Areas plentiful in food such as acorns, nuts, seeds and fruits are good places to start. These include oak ridges, tree lines along farm fields or near abandoned orchards, or almost any stand of hardwood trees.
During the summer and early fall, scout potential areas and look for squirrels and their signs. At the base of oak or nut trees, partially eaten or empty acorn and nutshells indicate squirrels. Along farm fields, watch for tiny trails and signs that they have been feeding on crops. Walk slowly, carefully and avoid making a lot of noise. Try to see at least a few squirrels and point them out to the soon-to-be-hunter. Find a place to sit quietly for an hour so they can hear the noise a squirrel makes moving around on the ground.
Techniques
Sneak-hunting, or still-hunting as it is called in the Midwest and East is a technique that requires stealth. The hunter moves slowly and silently through the forest a few steps at a time and pauses. With each pause, the hunter stands still a minute or two and scans the trees for squirrels. Later, this method of hunting can be used for deer, elk or other big game.
Two hunters together can fool a squirrel. They move into an area making plenty of noise and the squirrels will all disappear of course. One hunter sits down or leans against a tree to wait while the other moves on, whistling and shuffling their feet. Within ten minutes or so, the squirrels will come out and the waiting hunter gets a chance for a shot. This is an easy way to give a beginner a good opportunity.
Blending In
Hunting squirrels teaches you to be in tune with the forest. You quickly learn to identify the sounds and signs associated with squirrels, and as experience grows, you learn to identify other game activity like deer and turkeys that make similar sounds when moving along the forest floor. Deer take a few steps, stop and look around, as do turkey.
Squirrels scurry through the leaves in much the same way, moving a few feet, sniffing for nuts and moving on. Although they make similar sounds, they are not the same. Experience teaches a beginner to distinguish between a deer walking and a squirrel hunting for nuts. You learn to tune in and move like the other animals, creating fewer disturbances and blending in.
The Firearm of Choice.
The ideal firearm for squirrels is a .22 rifle with a low power scope. Head shots make the quickest, cleanest kills and are not as difficult as they appear. Practice on paper targets at the range until small, 1-1/2 inch groupings are easy to make.
Some hunters prefer a shotgun for squirrel hunting, but the wide scattering of pellets tend to make a mess of the meat. A .22 is easy to learn to shoot with a little practice, has little recoil and within a few minutes after a shot, the squirrels have forgotten all about that little crack. A shotgun roars and even the .410 has a small amount of kick to it.
Squirrel hunting is ideal for beginning hunters; it teaches patience, stealth, marksmanship and woodland skills useful in many hunting situations. A missed shot only means a short wait for another chance. The memories of that first hunt and first season will last a lifetime for both teacher and beginner. Take your son or daughter hunting today.