Ground squirrels... Gotta get better

[JimNM]

I have had some limited success with the GS this week. Getting between 3 and 6 each time I drive through the farm. The pressure is starting to show... More runners and fewer shelf sitters watching me drive up and take careful aim.

The area that I am improving on the most is seeing the crafty little bastages hiding in the burrows with just their noses exposed. I want to see if I can coax them out a little farther. 

My question to the experts is.... Does a distress call any effect on ground squirrels? I have had rabbits respond to my coyote calls.... Have you all had any experience with this idea?

 

[socaloldman]

One of our hunting buddies (eyeshot25) Derek uses a squirrel call on his phone. Plays it and in a minute or so the little rascal pop up to see whats going on. Ask him what recorded call he uses. Works most every time . Then he kills em before anyone else can! He's bad!

 

[kayaker]

JimNM Sorry this is off the subject you had mentioned, but last year I hunted the Yakima Indian Res. on my buddies farm. We baited the area with piles of gma corn seed he had left over- the piles were one ft. dia. x 6 ins. tall they could not resist the food had shooting all day long . Think you could use the crack corn they use for chickens too, not to expensive, that is if you have no other animals in the fields your shooting in. Darell

 

[JohnL57]

I've never used a call, that's an interesting idea.
The dumb ones are easy-as you get down to the more wary ones you'll probably need to set up early and get them as they emerge to feed in the morning. If you get down to a few wary adults you'll need to figure out their schedule and be set up near their basking spot before they get there. Does this eat up a lot of time? Yes!
Some folks have had good luck ghillying up or using a blind, I've never tried that-not sure I could put on a ghilly suit without laughing myself to death, LOL!

 

[JimNM]

Thanks for the input fellas. I will give it a try and follow up with y'all.

 

[Buckeye]

Try a squirrel distress call.
If you can get a squirrel call they usually have a small squeeker on the side .

 

[Calbarry]

This is the call I use when I shoot ground squirrels. It doesn't actually call them to you but when runs into a den, a couple of chirps on the call can make them come back out. When they are crouched over on the ground, blowing on the call makes them stand up, giving you a better target. I didn't use a call until I went with a friend and he had one of these. They work more often than not. 

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/haydels-game-calls-mr-squirrel-whistle?affcode=42&cm_mmc=ps-_-Dynamic-_-Dynamic%20Search%20Ads-_-Google&gclid=CLnZ6fn-084CFQINaQodH3cMQg

 

[JimNM]

Calbarry, thank you. I did not expect to have them run up to me, rather get them to expose themselves. Sounds perfect.

 

[Calbarry]

You're welcome. Good shooting

 

[heggie]

I have found that binoculars are a great help. The squirrels often just barely peek out of their holes. The binoculars really helps spot them. I also use a high frequency whistle which sometimes work. 

 

[JimNM]

I have to say WOW! Thanks is guys for the confirmation of my theory. Using a distress call does have a positive effect on ground squirrels.

I had a 2 hour block of "me time" today to spend at the farm. I hopped on the play store to find a predator calling application and then burned rubber on the ATV with the Kral Puncher Breaker loaded with air and lead.

I doubled my previous experience, taking 15 this trip. I almost had a double, two young one poked heads out if the same hole and had me lined up for a head/chest combo. I got excited and pulled the shot into the head of the rear squirrel.

Here is a photo of one that i called out of a rubbish pile. I have seen a good bunch here in the past but was unable to drive up on them before. I took up position under a tree and started the talker. Within 20 seconds she popped out andgave me a good profile shot. I hit her just a tad higher that I was aimed. Lights OUT (a Hunter one trademark saying...)

 

[Calbarry]

congrats, now you know how to get those pests to expose themselves.

 

[SquirrelWar2]

Here's a YouTube video that worked for me in the past. It's almost an hour of the bastards squawking and screeching. ????

"Grey Squirrel Vocalizations". 

I'd open the back window, set up with my pellet rifle at the dining room table, and watch the backyard. Play this on the tablet with volume 3/4 cranked, and they come out of the woodwork every time, in a few minutes usually. 

If you get sick of one particular screeching, the video's long enough to where you can just fast forward randomly to play another squirrel until you get sick of that one's noise, too. Here's the linky:

 

[JimNM]

That's another good idea! Thank you for your help.

 

[JimNM]

Not a bad day, 14x lights out, with 6 misses and one into the dirt for the ride home.

The noise of the atv engine masked the thwack on several kills, making me think I missed, only to see the helicopter tail kick into action confirming a solid hit.

This guy ran to the ditch bank and paused with a broadside pose. I snap shot him, letting fly when I had fur under the crosshairs. He flipped a 180 degree turn and looked like he was about to streak away. I re-cocked the bull pup and held him in the scope, waiting for a move. After 15 seconds, I realised he may have been hit. When I walked up to him, it was evident immediately that he was going nowhere.

Entry wound from 62 yards

Exit wound

 

[Monkyshine]

Sure looks fun hunting those ground squirrels. 

 

[JimNM]

I would trade you a day of hunting ground squirrels for a day of hunting iguanas. The desert Jackrabbit is a fearsome foe also. I am blessed by having public land all around where I live. Come Come on out to West Texas or New Mexico and we can have some fun.

 

[Monkyshine]

One of my friends just went out to west Texas today to make the run out to Roswell ,NM area with long brown box (Chuck) for more piegon, collard dove and grackle shooting on the dairy farms. When I go back I will PM you and maybe you can school us up on those dirt squirrels. I enjoyed the west but am more at home in tropics. It is such a nice thing that all the people on this forum have there different ways and places to hunt and all the different choices of airguns that we use.

 

[Cardinell06]

Can someone tell me what regions ground squirrels are found all we got here in upstate ny are reg gray and reds and some black squirrels. And I have seen a lot of videos where people are having a blast with the ground squirrels 

 

[JimNM]

At the moment, I am on mobile. Search Bing or Google.

Ground squirrel is a general term. The are California ground squirrels, Rock Squirrels (my target of opportunity), 13 lined ground squirrleS, and many other pest rodents.

Prarie Dogs are prime target for powder burner guns to. Have a go with the search engine and let us know what you find in your area.


I stopped at an even dozen today. That 13th bugger evaded me for the baker's dozen. I did get one of my Nemisis Squirrels today. That dude gave me the middle finger-tail salute the last 5 trips out. Got him napping at the door to his burrow. Haha! More to go.