2022-23 squirrel season!!!

[dekeshooter]

Mrs. dekeshooter and I ventured out this morning to set a couple trail cameras and to also thin the local squirrel population out a little. We had no luck with the rodents. I missed an easy shot on a fox squirrel and she and I both whiffed on the same piney.

My wife stayed in the truck when I walked out to set cameras and like the fool I am I left my rifle in the truck with hers. After setting the second camera a piney showed himself and after a little game of “Circle the Tree”, he finally gave me a 30’ shot with the .22 revolver I had with me. The first shot connected solidly but unfortunately the critter fell into a tangle of vines a good 15-20 feet in the air and nothing I could do would knock it loose. Man I hate losing game!

 

[Brad69]

@Keith_Indy
Yeah woods squirrels are not gonna do that. Gotta move slow and watch how much noise you make. Sometimes it’s best to set in a good area and wait.
The best squirrel hunters put most other hunters to shame.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Man I hate losing game!

Are what you're calling "pineys" what I call chipmunks? I've never considered cleaning and cooking any of the chipmunks I've killed in my yard.

 

[JimH]

Are what you're calling "pineys" what I call chipmunks? I've never considered cleaning and cooking any of the chipmunks I've killed in my yard.

Pineys are red squirrels-not fox squirrels or chipmunks. I have only seen a couple in southern Indiana-smaller than a grey. More common in the northern part of the state.

 

[patience0830]

Mrs. dekeshooter and I ventured out this morning to set a couple trail cameras and to also thin the local squirrel population out a little. We had no luck with the rodents. I missed an easy shot on a fox squirrel and she and I both whiffed on the same piney.

My wife stayed in the truck when I walked out to set cameras and like the fool I am I left my rifle in the truck with hers. After setting the second camera a piney showed himself and after a little game of “Circle the Tree”, he finally gave me a 30’ shot with the .22 revolver I had with me. The first shot connected solidly but unfortunately the critter fell into a tangle of vines a good 15-20 feet in the air and nothing I could do would knock it loose. Man I hate losing game!

Pineys? All the piney squirrels I ever tried tasted like turpentine. Not worth cleaning. Most of 'em need shot if they are anywhere near the house or garage.

 

[dekeshooter]

Pineys are red squirrels-not fox squirrels or chipmunks. I have only seen a couple in southern Indiana-smaller than a grey. More common in the northern part of the state.

Yup

 

[singlestacksig]

Are what you're calling "pineys" what I call chipmunks? I've never considered cleaning and cooking any of the chipmunks I've killed in my yard.

Red squirrel, NOT red FOX squirrel.. There is no closed season on them.

American red squirrel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Red squirrel, NOT red FOX squirrel.. There is no closed season on them.

American red squirrel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thanks, I didn't know that!

 

[singlestacksig]

Thanks, I didn't know that!

Indiana used to have a split squirrel season ( starts X north of US 40, starts Y south of US 40 ) to try to control Reds.. But now they just allow taking reds all the time... Some public lands allow hunting only in Fox SQ season, so the year round open season might be private land only.. Reds are more aggressive and do more damage to trees, sometimes live in the ground, or your roof....
people sometimes see them & think they are young Fox .. but they are not.. and they are larger then a chipmunk..

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Indiana used to have a split squirrel season ( starts X north of US 40, starts Y south of US 40 ) to try to control Reds.. But now they just allow taking reds all the time... Some public lands allow hunting only in Fox SQ season, so the year round open season might be private land only.. Reds are more aggressive and do more damage to trees, sometimes live in the ground, or your roof....
people sometimes see them & think they are young Fox .. but they are not.. and they are larger then a chipmunk..

I don't know that I've ever seen one in the wild. I think I assumed that pineys and chipmunks were the same thing.

 

[singlestacksig]

I don't know that I've ever seen one in the wild. I think I assumed that pineys and chipmunks were the same thing.

the eyes are a good thing to watch for..

Is that American red squirrel or fox squirrel?

Advice from a squirrel: Plan ahead, stay active, spend time in the woods, go out on a limb and its ok to be a little nuts!!

bonnersferryherald.com

 

[Basher]

For those using an optic, what’s your preferred magnification range for squirrel?

My background is in long-range precision stuff, so I gravitate towards medium to high magnification levels and front focal plane reticles. But for hunting in the woods, I worry that an FFP reticle will get lost easily at lower magnification unless it has illumination.

I’m looking to scope an air rifle to use some of the time, and I want to keep optic weight down. I’m exploring options from the 2-7x up to 3-15x range with a second focal (simple duplex, most likely) reticle. I’m open to suggestions. Thanks!

 

[AndreusMaximus]

For those using an optic, what’s your preferred magnification range for squirrel?

My background is in long-range precision stuff, so I gravitate towards medium to high magnification levels and front focal plane reticles. But for hunting in the woods, I worry that an FFP reticle will get lost easily at lower magnification unless it has illumination.

I’m looking to scope an air rifle to use some of the time, and I want to keep optic weight down. I’m exploring options from the 2-7x up to 3-15x range with a second focal (simple duplex, most likely) reticle. I’m open to suggestions. Thanks!

I have a 3-12 scope on my rifle, and that about perfectly encompasses the range of magnification I'd ever use while squirrel hunting. If I was ever to change that, I'd probably move towards the lower end of magnification, rather than higher, since lower magnification is great for finding the squirrel quick in the scope on close range shots, while the 12x magnification is a bit more than needed. I'd get by just fine even if it only went up to 9 or so. Maybe if I was a better shot I'd be more comfortable with longer distances and thus want more magnification, but 30 yards is pretty much the farthest I'd ever take a crack at a squirrel, so it doesn't take much magnification.

 

[Bigtanker]

For those using an optic, what’s your preferred magnification range for squirrel?

My background is in long-range precision stuff, so I gravitate towards medium to high magnification levels and front focal plane reticles. But for hunting in the woods, I worry that an FFP reticle will get lost easily at lower magnification unless it has illumination.

I’m looking to scope an air rifle to use some of the time, and I want to keep optic weight down. I’m exploring options from the 2-7x up to 3-15x range with a second focal (simple duplex, most likely) reticle. I’m open to suggestions. Thanks!

My squirrel rifle has a 2x7 on it. It stays on 2 power the majority of the time.

 

[singlestacksig]

i have a 3 - 9 x on mine.. no real need for more magnification.. snd as mentioned above, most shots are done with lower setting...

 

[Basher]

Thanks gentlemen, that’s kind of what I thought.

I’ve done out to 1,000 with a 3-9x and a fixed 10x, so I know more isn’t needed or always better, but the current trend for most is crazy mag ranges like the 7-35x or 6-36x lately. I’m more of a 4-20x, but a 3-15x or 5-25x are great as well.

But in thicker woods like it seems we have out here, I kind of figured a 3-9x would be about the happy middle ground. Now I just need to decide if I want a 3-12x or so (in case I fee like I need it on occasion), or if I want to cut weight and stick with a little 2-7x.

 

[Mij]

My old 10-22 has a cheap (k mart) fixed 4 power same one for about 30 yrs. I’m only squack hunting, not punching groups at a hunnert yards. If I walk about two corn rows away from my small woods my longest shot might be 30 yards. But that’s just me.

 

[singlestacksig]

Thanks gentlemen, that’s kind of what I thought.

I’ve done out to 1,000 with a 3-9x and a fixed 10x, so I know more isn’t needed or always better, but the current trend for most is crazy mag ranges like the 7-35x or 6-36x lately. I’m more of a 4-20x, but a 3-15x or 5-25x are great as well.

But in thicker woods like it seems we have out here, I kind of figured a 3-9x would be about the happy middle ground. Now I just need to decide if I want a 3-12x or so (in case I fee like I need it on occasion), or if I want to cut weight and stick with a little 2-7x.

for hunting, better glass & light collection is more needed than X power.. esp if you are going to hunt in thick woods.. and at twilight

 

[AndreusMaximus]

Thanks gentlemen, that’s kind of what I thought.

I’ve done out to 1,000 with a 3-9x and a fixed 10x, so I know more isn’t needed or always better, but the current trend for most is crazy mag ranges like the 7-35x or 6-36x lately. I’m more of a 4-20x, but a 3-15x or 5-25x are great as well.

But in thicker woods like it seems we have out here, I kind of figured a 3-9x would be about the happy middle ground. Now I just need to decide if I want a 3-12x or so (in case I fee like I need it on occasion), or if I want to cut weight and stick with a little 2-7x.

I'd recommend going with the 2-7, unless you have an unusual area to hunt in where you're gonna be really reaching out, you won't ever need more than 7x.

 

[JimH]

Finally made it out with the air rifle this morning.