Hunting & Fishing PA small game season soon!!!

[JelloStorm]

Got a new 4.5-14x scope and a new Rifle Basix trigger on my Savage 17 HMR for the grey squirrels this year. Them little sons of bitches are going to pay for the let down that was last year.

Last year my buddy and I hunted up by his house and between the both of us took 1 squirrel all year. Most days, we didn't see one squirrel or it was out of range. Quite a disappointing year.

We seen lots of nests, a shit ton of oak trees all around but not one damn squirrel most of the time.

Any of you squirrel hunting experts care to chime in with some tips and tricks??

Things to look for, things to do etc..

 

[bohem]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

I can't wait either! I use small game season as a way to scout for deer season and I spent some time at lunch yesterday checking maps since I've moved and would like to hunt closer to home now.

When I hunt squirrels I pick a spot with good trees/nests/activity and sit and wait. I have never had much success by stalking them.

When I hunt with a buddy one of us takes a 12ga with a light load of 8 shot and the other takes the 22. It helps with covering all distances.

 

[bohem]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

I hunt small game on a very small private land area. Most of my big game hunting is SGL. If I'm at my parents' house during deer season I might climb up in the stand for a few hours in the back yard, but otherwise it's mostly just State Lands.

 

[silverarrow]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

I haven't hunted squirrel in PA only pheasants but I used to hunt them a lot in NJ. I used a 20g(22s are illegal in NJ) and we have always stalked them. As far as tricks we found a call that was a sort of predator call.I don't know how well it would work with a 22 but with a shotgun it works great. Basically when you use the call all the squirrels go running for their hides thinking a predator is in the area. Hitting a squirrel at a dead run with a 22 would be a pretty hard shot, but with a shotgun its pretty easy. Mock me if you want for using a call to kill squirrels but it was pretty effective.

 

[Amacron]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

How is the grouse hunting in PA??

 

[villhelm]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

i saw like 100 gray squrriel behind my house today could have taken them all with my 12ga but i was dear hunting and i actually shot a dear earlyer today so im glad i didnt ruin it by killing those squrriels lol it seems they like flat ground and tightly packed trees

 

[silverarrow]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

I was out in SGL on Saturday didn't see any squirrels did find two cock birds.

 

[JelloStorm]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Amacron</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How is the grouse hunting in PA?? </div></div>

I've taken two grouse in the past 10 years. Honestly, I never run into them and when I do they fly real fast.

 

[ssatt68]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JelloStorm</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Amacron</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How is the grouse hunting in PA?? </div></div>

I've taken two grouse in the past 10 years. Honestly, I never run into them and when I do they fly real fast. </div></div>

LMAO... I would add that when I run into them they scare me when they take off

 

[SgtKope]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

The southcentral region is very good for grouse. I use a call for squirrels also, a suppressed .22 is a real help too.

 

[silverarrow]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

SgtKope how far south are the grouse. Just curious I have yet to see one in my travels are talking south of York along the border.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

the NE of pa. has a good share of grouse also.

right now i should be sleeping rathe than foruming, as i have some squirrel miles to put in tomorrow.

 

[The_Hoff]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

as far as tricks, this year i decided to waste a little money and i bought a squirrel call from academy sports and doors. went for a walk in my spot and didn't see anything. I sat down and hit the call a few times (mimics squirrel barking) within a minute they were barking everywhere! took 3 out in about 15 minutes.

might be worth a try.

 

[jayd4wg]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

I swear by the "Two Quarters Trick" that has been handed down over time.

Take one quarter, hold it in your off hand with your index finger wrapped around it and your hand cupped to make a "drum" where the pad of the drum is the quarter on top. Now strike this quarter with the edge of the other one in your other hand. it makes a bright but semi deep sounding CLICK sound - supposedly mimicking the cutting of a walnut.

I have luck with this after I let things settle down and I sit against a tree for about 5 minutes silently. Start clicking for 15-20 seconds, wait for 30, then do it again and watch for movement. It's a curiosity call, and a call that seems to put the squirrels at ease again, allowing them to go back to munching their nuts.

A bark call is an effective locator if you are in dense forest. just walk 20 steps, fire off a few barks, and hang tight for a couple minutes. repeat. when they start barking back, move while they are barking. stop when they aren't. Lay the smack down once you see them.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TOP PREDATOR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the NE of pa. has a good share of grouse also. right now i should be sleeping ratheR than foruming, as i have some squirrel miles to put in tomorrow. </div></div>

...TOLD YA SO (from today).

 

[JelloStorm]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

Had a much better day today.

My buddy took 3 in the first 2 hours out (started at 6:20 am) and I had zero.

I was pissed. But finally I got one so I at least didn't leave empty-handed.

Last year, we seen a few, but between both of us, we took 1.. yes ONE, all last year. Today we brought home 4 so it was a good day.

I took a few shots and missed most, but overall just seeing shit move was a plus.

My buddy went up the mountain to where we'll deer hunt and seen a doe and a 4-point buck following her. While I was down the mountain 6-7 turkey approached where we were hunting squirrel.

Right after I got my squirrel, which was about 60-70 yards away, I stand up to see if the squirrel moved and a few moments later here come 6-7 turkey.

So I'm watching them through my scope in awe and here the sons of bitches start approaching my downed squirrel. Now, there are quad trails all around there, so they must be used to humans, because it took me waiving my arms and yelling before they flew off.

While my buddy was apparently making his way back to me, I was like "he'll never believe that I seen wild turkey". He meets me at my spot and I'm telling him about these turkey, and then the dumbasses come right back. Same spot and all.

My buddy and I just watched them through our 17HMR scopes.

Even though I only bagged one squirrel, today rocked!

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

some other squirrel "tricks"

acorn scent.

put your fist to your lips (thumb side), start "smooching" makes a chatteringsound. tends to call in coyotes if you high pitch it.

kinda make a noise like your "hawking a luggie", is several series, sounds like barking when practiced.

the quarters mentioned above works good too.

rustle leaves with stick or hand to make squirrel movement sounds while calling

or shake the hell out of the tree the nest is in until they come running out, less sporting, but works well.

 

[Amacron]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

My mouth is watering for a taste of the grouse... yummy

 

[JelloStorm]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

Top Predator,

That is one badass looking rifle doing some badass shooting! What is it and what kind of stock is it sporting? Did you do the camo job yourself? That's awesome.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

it's the "stock" stock. just hacked up and sanded with some extra rails and stuff added. krylon camoed myself.

thanks for the compliment.

 

[JelloStorm]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

Went out today and missed two, buddy got two.

I just can't fuckin win.

Maybe the 4.5-14x40 scope I switched to is what's throwing me off. While the Nikon Buckmasters scope is great, maybe the 4.5 lowest setting and a more limited field of view is messing me up. Just seems like you're looking down a paper towel cardboard tube.

Maybe it's just me, but I recently changed the scope from a 3-9x40 to the above mentioned, and the trigger to a Rifle Basix and I seem to be shooting like shit this year.

Maybe it's time for a heavy barreled 17HMR with that Nikon Monarch 3-12x42 that's like $350 on Gunbroker.

 

[fillmore]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

I love to hunt squirrels and eat 'em too. The best squirrel hunters I know cover a lot of ground. Squirrels seem to either be in a spot or not around here. Tomorrow they might be a few hundred yards from where they are today. If your not seeing any move 50 yds pretty quickly and then wait a little bit. The quarter trick works and so does the kissing into your fist. I use both of those tricks at times. I might just fry some up tonite !!

 

[jayd4wg]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

i got out for a 2 hour walk yesterday, light rain had the squaks hanging out in the tops of the oaks drying out. It was wet on the floor, made for some very quiet walking but it was hard to hear much. I realized they were running the tops when one of the little acrobats landed on a branch right above me showering me with acorns. quickly changed focus from ground to treetops and started seeing alot more squirrels but none of them presented a safe shot. I did get 2 to come to the ground by clicking the quarters hiding behind a tree, but they were VERY cautious and the moment they saw the rifle they hit the next county. Took a running shot at one of them and missed hard. Squirrels 2, Jason 0.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

kinda duplicated in the squirrel countdown, but here's the count:

2 trips = 8 squirrels (7 grey, 1 red.), 1 grouse.

10-23-2010 6:00 am to noon

went to a squirrel hunting competition, my brother in law and it came in 5th out of 40 teams. prizes were judged on weight.

12 squirrels

"NEPA squirrel snipers"

1st place 15.92 lbs.
2nd place 15.02 lbs.
3rd place 14.47 lbs.
4th place 13.28 lbs.
we were 13.18 lbs.

entry was $20.00 a team, x 40 teams = $800.00 prize! (i don't know if they used some of that prize money for the heaviest squirrel prize ($50.00) and some of the other things, but even if they used half of it, that's still $400.00!

that red squirrel cost us, but all i seen was the head..

oh nuts!

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

23 through 28

01-17-2011

 

[jayd4wg]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

:jealous:

My squak collection didn't do nearly as well this year. didn't have the time to put into it. would love to be hunting them in the snow right now though...home projects won't allow. I may get out for a coyote or two now, but no more daytime away from the family hunting while there's a bathroom thats been needing finished since last year LOL

I did end up with a few big reds, and a nice rabbit. 22WMR vs. rabbit head is pretty wicked. Just sayin

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: PA small game season soon!!!

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

.22wmr vs. squirrel

if you hit the right way, they are self cleaning!

you have fox squirrels out your way? i tried to find someone out in the western part of the state that would give me a clue to a decent area to hunt in that has a decent population of fox squirrels.

i've been itching to make a three or four day weekend hunt for those monsters.

PM me if you have a direction to go.