An old-fashioned squirrel education
The topic of squirrel hunting has come up over the past couple of weeks while talking with fellow sportsmen and sportswomen. From what I can gather, everyone seems to think it is a fine pursuit. Fond memories were shared by us all regarding our “squirrel roots.” Favored guns entered our conversation and smiles crossed the lips of more than a few. Lessons learned that paid big dividends down the road for other game pursuits were common.
So this begs the question, “Why do we not squirrel hunt anymore?”
More than a couple folks were honest in claiming that their families won’t eat squirrel and that it is not worth the trouble of cleaning a mess of squirrels that no one will consume. Fair enough. Others tell me that by the time squirrel season opens they are in the throes of archery preparation and hunting. Again, I get it. We move on. Our passions take us in different directions, and for many of us that direction is pursuing whitetails as frequently as possible and the bow extends that joy. For others, duck season captivates our interests. But for the remaining large body of hunters, squirrel hunting provides an abundance of opportunity – hopefully, not missed opportunity.
First off, squirrel hunting is a great way to mentor a kid in the woods. What better way to immerse a youth in all things “woodsy” than to sit him/her down in an acorn woods and teach them to let the woods come alive to their witness. Demonstrating to a young person how easy it is to allow the woods to return to its naturally busy state just by sitting patiently for a few minutes may be one of my most cherished lessons I learned growing up. To this day, settling into my deer stand before sunrise and watching the woods come to life proves to be a never ending joy. I never tire of it, in fact. It is where I feel my closest connection to the outdoors.
In relation to hunting other game, squirrel hunting teaches lessons that cannot be learned any other way. Stealth in the woods is not acquired by accident. Learning to move about the woods without making a racket is the only way to take game unless you are in a stand and can manage to keep quiet for a bit. Learning to slow down even more than one can fathom makes the process possible.
Glassing as you go might pave the way for that big buck of a life time in years to come. Learning to use a set of binoculars proved helpful to me at an early age but I’d recommend holding off with the field glasses until the young one masters basic foot movement. Too many irons in the fire at once might prove defeating. Perfecting the cadence of taking a few steps, melting into a tree or simply sitting down for a few minutes, glassing an area, thoroughly, and picking up those subtle movements becomes the base. Catching the motion of a twitching tail, listening for the scratching of tree bark that betrays a squirrel’s presence, learning to turn one’s head slowly rather than snapping it around to and fro, all make a squirrel hunter and indeed, one day, a big-game hunter. I have had more than a few combat veterans tell me that squirrel hunting saved their life in combat. I can only believe this to be true to the nth degree.
Simply learning to sit, comfortably, at length, may be a lesson of the highest order. It’s hard for us to remember just how impossible it was to sit still at twelve or thirteen years old. Hormones, sugar, caffeine and screen time all factor in. Trust me, after 35 years in the classroom, getting a kid to sit still is an art form. Teach them to do some controlled breathing. Breathe in through the nose, hold four counts, exhale like you are blowing out through the smallest of coffee straws for an eight count. Hold for four counts. Do it eight or ten breaths. You’ll be surprised at how quickly their heart rate begins to dip and how much easier the sitting becomes. Even have them close their eyes while this is taking place. At the risk of missing some aspect visually, what they gain by tuning into the sound aspect makes up for it ten fold. This may also assist with steadying the rifle when it comes time to breaking the shot.
And speaking of taking the shot, squirrel hunting comes with its own set of ethics. What is ethical? What goes up must come down. What is safe? Can you take the same shot with a shotgun, safely, that you can take with a .22? How about a high powered rifle, come deer season? There is lots of productive opportunity for discussion to be had here between mentor and mentee. Don’t miss a great opportunity for some back and forth.
Even something so simple as field dressing can be accomplished more effectively with squirrels. Four hands make quick work. Learning about squirrel anatomy is not a big step from that of their first deer to come. Skinning while warm allows for quicker work and don’t forget the plastic bag.
All in all, squirrel hunting might just be the best primer for a youngster’s outdoor education? Come to think of it, it might be a pretty good refresher course for us all. Best of luck with your squirrel education.
Dave Bates writes a weekly outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter. He can be reached at alphaomegashootingsolutions@gmail.com