Squirrel hunting has much to offer in developing young outdoorsmen

Jim Casada:  The Herald; Published: Sunday, Oct. 09, 2011 / Updated: Saturday, Oct. 08, 2011 11:04 PM

With the advent of each year’s deer season, strangely enough, I think about how most young hunters today actually get shortchanged in the classroom of the outdoors. Too often they start off “big” with whitetail and turkeys and never get the solid grounding and fine apprenticeship small game can offer. That’s particularly true of the joys of squirrel hunting, which loomed large in shaping me and most other sportsmen of my generation, as we grew up in an era when deer and turkeys were scarce indeed.

Yet squirrel hunting remains a grand opportunity, one with plenty of potential to educate as it entertains, and with that in mind let’s look at what squirrel hunting has to offer the youthful hunter. For starters, successful squirrel hunting demands alertness, awareness of the woodland world around you, and full use of one’s eyes and ears. A seemingly out-of-place knot on the side of a tree or atop a limb may be a “frozen” squirrel, and sounds such as rustling leaves, a barking squirrel, dropping nuts or scurrying noises all tell a tale.

Patience is a must. It may take the form of waiting, still and quiet, until the woods settle back to normal after you have intruded, found a likely spot to still hunt, and settled into place. Once comfortably situated, avoiding movement and noise is of paramount importance. Usually it takes somewhere between a quarter- and half-hour before squirrels resume feeding activity. Patience also enters into the matter of shot selection, because often a squirrel does not offer an immediate opportunity for a clear, clean shot. Wait long enough, though, and that will change.

As for taking shots, sound marksmanship is another part of the overall picture. While a shotgun is the weapon of choice early in the season, once leaves are gone from the trees, a .22 comes into its own. Whatever the gun of choice, shot selection, good distance judgment, steadiness and accuracy all come into play.

Another part of the equation is learning to read sign. In the case of squirrels, it comes in many forms. Recently made nests, holes in den trees slickened by constant use, nut cuttings, mast on the ground and disturbances in leaves where squirrels have been digging for or burying nuts are all an open book to the veteran squirrel hunter. Experienced hunters look for preferred mast trees such as hickories, black walnuts, oaks (especially red oaks) and in pre-season almost automatically check to see if they are laden with nuts. Knowing places squirrels like to work on nuts – stumps, downed logs, atop old fence posts and, early in the season, in the trees bearing mast – is also of note.

Understanding preferred habitat relates closely to knowledge of preferred foods. Areas of mature hardwoods, especially if there is the occasional hollow tree ideal for “denning” (in the case of squirrels, a den is simply a place to spend the night or find cover in bad weather such as heavy rain or snow), are favored hangouts.

The youthful squirrel hunter should also learn stealth. That means the ability to move through the woods quietly, and when easing through the woods there should be a lot more watching than walking. Hunting squirrels afoot is a matter of sneaking and peeking, and it is best done when leaves are still on the trees or when the forest floor is damp once leaves have fallen.

Another appealing aspect of the sport is its many faces. They include still hunting, walking and watching, or, especially later in the year, hunting squirrels with a dog. The latter approach, if one has a capable canine companion, is the ultimate when it comes to putting heft in the game pouch of a hunting jacket.

It is certainly worth noting that the sport is one which consistently gives solid promise of success. In years when there is a good population of bushytails, any foray into the woods will produce action, and for youngsters a great likelihood that things will happen is important. If the day ends with a brace or so of squirrels, along with ample exercise, togetherness and time simply spent outdoors, it’s a fine one. Add to that the pure culinary delight afforded by a properly prepared meal with squirrel as the featured dish, and you have something approaching magic.

The great outdoors writer Robert Ruark once commented that he never knew a youngster who got into trouble while hunting, and the hunter’s road leads to good places in terms of character development and avoidance of trouble.

Introduce a boy or girl to squirrel hunting, see that they learn the sport’s lessons well, and you have given them a strong first stride down the path to a lifetime of hunting pleasure.

jimcasada@comporium.net

via York County, SC | Squirrel hunting has much to offer in developing young outdoorsmen | The Herald – Rock Hill, SC.