Yesterday I went squirrel hunting at about 7 in the morning. I saw two squirrels at about 7:10 but after that nothing. Does anyb

[thehunter98.6]

Yesterday I went squirrel hunting at about 7 in the morning. I saw two squirrels at about 7:10 but after that nothing. Does anybody have any tips for hunting squirrels in late summer when all the leaves are still on the trees.

[jhjimbo]

Get there before sunrise, move in quietly and take a position - they are starting early.

[ozarkghost]

Yep and be patient! Locate hickory, walnut, or other mast producing trees and stake them out.

[RockySquirrel]

The squirrels I see in the wild are a tasty meal for any hawk, owl, coyote or fox that can catch them unawares. So they are much more wary to movement and don’t operate on the same schedule as the ones in a suburban area. Early morning and dusk/Evening are preferred times, and on occasional mid day in autumn if it is warm. The colder it gets them more time they spend hibernating. Look for mast trees and for a high point on a log or rock where they can see a good ways while eating. If they are around they will leave a trail of acorn or nut bits near those high points. They like areas where the brush is not as dense, that can conceal the approach of a fox, but the top cover is high enough to keep from being seen by circling hawks. If there are chipmunks around, there is usually squirrels.

When the big birds start to migrate (Eagles, Hawks, Ospreys), and the leaves are off the trees, squirrels are on high alert and run everywhere. There us little time for standing shots.

Others may view that differently, but that is what I noticed hunting then for years.

[jay]

Hunt them with your ears instead of your eyes. Listen for them cutting on nuts and then hone in on the sound. You can hear them cutting on walnuts and hickory nuts for quit a ways away. Its harder to hear them cutting on acorns. Sometimes you can hear the cuttings falling to the ground. If you hear one cutting, there is probably more than one. After you shoot stay still and mark where the squirrel dropped. In about 5 minutes the squirrels will resume their cutting.

[ozarkghost]

If you want to learn more about squirrel hunting, go to squirrelsunlimited.com. great bunch of people there and lots of knowledge and help.

[small game sportsman]

Great advise jay.

[MattM37]

Was it windy that morning? Here in my area (upstate New York), the grays just don't seem to like anything above a mild breeze -- at least not before all the nuts have fallen. After that, I've noticed they're a lot more tolerant of the wind, spending a lot more time on the ground. You might also try calling. A young-squirrel-in-distress whistler can bring them in like crazy, even on days when they're otherwise holed up.