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Winter squirrel/rabbit hunting.

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L

Larcat

Member
May 23, 2021
664
301
TX, United States
Hi. I'm in the Midwest and have to hunt on public lands. Went out today and hoping to go a few more times before the season ends.

Anyone have any advice? I kind of know what to do and look/listen for in summer, but the woods are very different and guessing behaviors are different at this time of year. Maybe even time of day to go is different?

Didn't see any today, but I heard what I think was gnawing on bark a couple times. Had a good morning in the woods regardless, so not a wasted day :)

Thanks for any help/advice.
 
I've had good results sitting against a tree overlooking a ravine. The ravine gives you more area to cover, and long shots are easier because of the incline/decline. On a windless day you can hear their claws as they make their way down the trees. Listen for dry leaves rustling or nuts. Although I generally enter the woods before sun up, on cold mornings the squirrels don't start to move down the until the sun hits the tree tops. The afternoon brings a lull, but things pickup again an hour to an hour and a half before sunset.

This time of year they are foraging on the ground. Some will grab a nut and climb a tree, but I've found they usually will sit on or near a downed tree or branch and eat.

While sitting, keep your movements to a minimum and move slowly. Many times I've turned my head to spot a squirrel within 15 yards watching me.

Be patient, enjoy your time in the woods, and good luck!


 
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I hike nearly every day in the winter and I can sort of predict squirrel activity on the days with significant temperature fluctuations. A warm sunny day that follows a single digit degree day usually creates some Red Squirrel activity.

Fox Squirrel are much less common out here and I don't see them enough to make such observations.

Rabbit seems to require getting out early regardless of weather but I rarely hike early.

Note that our ratio of people to acres of public land is probably much different than yours. I used to hunt small parcels of public land in another state and that was a very different experience.
 
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I hike nearly every day in the winter and I can sort of predict squirrel activity on the days with significant temperature fluctuations. A warm sunny day that follows a single digit degree day usually creates some Red Squirrel activity.

Fox Squirrel are much less common out here and I don't see them enough to make such observations.

Rabbit seems to require getting out early regardless of weather but I rarely hike early.

Note that our ratio of people to acres of public land is probably much different than yours. I used to hunt small parcels of public land in another state and that was a very different experience.
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Good to know about early for rabbits -- the place I went over the weekend had some large corn fields in the WMA and I think the edges might be good for rabbit, but didn't see any this weekend.
 
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I'm hoping to cull some gray squirrels from the local forests here in PA. They are so thick that it's hard NOT to see one if you go anywhere near the woods.
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I went out a few weeks ago in Eastern Ohio (Youngstown) and I didn't see a squirrel in sight because I went out too late (2pm). I'm gonna try my hand tomorrow morning and see what I can kick up on public lands.

I'm also going to bring my FoxPro call to help me out a bit.
20220102_1341324.1641599007.jpg

 
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I'm hoping to cull some gray squirrels from the local forests here in PA. They are so thick that it's hard NOT to see one if you go anywhere near the woods.
Click to expand...

I went out a few weeks ago in Eastern Ohio (Youngstown) and I didn't see a squirrel in sight because I went out too late (2pm). I'm gonna try my hand tomorrow morning and see what I can kick up on public lands.

I'm also going to bring my FoxPro call to help me out a bit.<img src="
20220102_1341324.1641599007.jpg
" />//www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E
Click to expand...


@estarkey7 Let us know how that electronic caller works. Cool to see that’s a made in the USA unit. Is it weather proof? Can it hold up in rain and snow?



@Larcat Have you gone back out? Any luck since you posted? 
 
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@Larcat Rabbit or squirrel? It happens. We tend to learn from those experiences. Good luck to ya. Hopefully you bag something today. I’m preparing to head out just before dawn myself.
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It was a squirrel, @Ezana4CE -- I've seen lots of rabbit tracks where I've been going but none in the flesh yet, which is a bummer because I really enjoy eating rabbit 

I hope your hunt went well this morning.

I nabbed either a small fox or a large red this morning -- not 100% sure which. First time I've processed on my own, didn't do it perfectly but all in all it didn't go bad. I will need 1 more this size for Brunswick I think. Was a good, humane kill too -- hit it in the neck vertebrae and my hades didn't pass through. Was a really nice warm morning for it.

IMG_20220112_075236929.1642008367.jpg

 
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@Larcat Congrats on your bag. Did the squirrel make you work for it? You’ll get better at skinning and cleaning with practice. What gave you the most trouble?


I caught a glimpse of a gray on the ground on my way out of the woods, but it ran into the brush and I was unable to stalk it. It either ran off or took to a tree that I couldn’t see when I entered the brush. I’m having a helluva time trying to figure out when and where they’re eating. I ended finishing my outing with a bit of birding for about an hour. When the sun came out so did the birds. They were something to watch. Caught a few deer passing through too. 
 
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@Ezana4CE sounds like a lovely morning in the woods regardless -- sometimes they are sneaky like that.

This on absolutely did not make me work for it. Jumped up on a pine stump close enough that I estimated hold over and thankfully estimated right.

What's been working for me for finding them with the snow on the ground is looking for tracks, and then sitting still against a tree in an area with lots of tracks for 15/20 minutes. Won't work next early season obviously, but seems ok now. I'm going to try a different stand of hardwoods on this property next time it's warm enough for me to want to go out, especially now that I know I can squeeze in a session before the workday and still be at my machine by 9.
 
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The earlier I get going the more likely I'm going to see something. This time of year with all the leaves off the trees I move slowly through the woods when hunting squirrels. Earlier in the season when the leaves are still on the trees I sit tight in one spot. I always avoid windy days.

As a matter of fact I'm heading out tomorrow to some public land. Hopefully I'll be eating squirrel stirr fry in the near future.
 
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