by Charles Cunningham

Created on: July 28, 2009

Squirrel hunting can be a very enjoyable and challenging pastime for the outdoor enthusiast. The small, bushy-tailed animals, akin more to the rodent family, are hardly ever still, requiring some skill with your weapon. They also provide the restless deer hunter some time to move about the woods, scouting and discovering other areas or evidence that could benefit their future endeavors.

Squirrels are small in size, and therefore do not have much meat. Do not expect to feed your family on one or two. That in fact, the meat is delicious when prepared and well worth the time and effort. I love to deer hunt, but I sometimes feel that deer hunting the sole hunting experience for sportsmen. Squirrel hunting is becoming a lost thought, and we truly do not know what we are missing out on.

My father loved squirrel hunting, and would always carry me with him. Some of my fondest memories come from the time he and I shared together, alone in those woods. He always had some tidbit of information to share with me, a hint or trick here and there, or some wild story from one of his past hunts. Those memories are something I cherish to this day. This being said, squirrel hunting can be something you and your child do together. Trust me, they will remember such times.

Before we rush off to cleaning a squirrel, let me offer some other advice and information. When you shoot a squirrel, and you walk over to where he fell; take the time to make sure he's dead. Give him a quick nudge with your gun barrel. Then, pick him up by the tail and strike his head against a tree. I'm not telling you to get into your best Babe Ruth batting stance and attempt to cause his head to explode from his body. A simple medium-force hit will do. Cruel, you say?

Let me relay this to you. My brother-in-law was, I believe, born in the woods. He hunts everything that there is a season for. One of his best hunting tales should be taught in every hunter's education class.

He was enjoying an early morning squirrel hunt one Saturday morning. He's dressed his hunter's best, camouflage pants, shirt, hat, and the standard squirrel vest. For those who may not know, the squirrel vest is the one with the large pouch on the back with access on both sides to place your small game in after a kill. He finds a large fox squirrel scampering about on a tree limb and fires. Just what actually occurred to the squirrel is still a mystery. He doesn't know if he wounded the squirrel, or cause it to fall,

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