Don’t discount squirrel as part of small-game hunting
If you’re focused solely on big game, you’re missing out on some fun.
Perhaps due to deer seasons starting in September and going into January, small-game hunting doesn’t seem to be as popular as it once was.
Pennsylvanians definitely fixate on bigger critters seemingly more worthy of Facebook wall space.
Granted, quite a few species of small game are more effectively hunted with the help of a well-trained pooch, but even without the dog there is one critter offering up fun in the woods when deer get frustrating – the majestic squirrel.
This stately creature donning a two-tone coat and bountiful bushy tail won’t be hard to find and is far more suited for the skillet than most people believe.
Long, unmoving sits yielding nary a sighting of your quarry isn’t exactly in the squirrel hunters’ playbook, so any parents wanting to include their children on hunting adventures would be wise to chase this rascal of the woods.
That’s not saying stealth and technique can be discarded when hunting squirrels; they just tend to be a bit more forgiving of a novice hunter’s graceless ways.
Everyone can join in the fun right now, and with the exception of a two-week break after Thanksgiving, Pennsylvania’s squirrel season goes until the end of February, with a daily limit of six for combined species.
For sharp shooters, .22 or .17 caliber rifles will be the go-to firearm, allowing hunters precision shot placement for quick kills and meat preservation. For others, a shotgun will do quite nicely.
Small-game hunters use a variety of gauges and shot sizes to achieve certain patterns or maximize the effective distance of pellets. Online hunting forums are littered with opinions from seasoned hunters sharing their experiences for just about any gun or situation imaginable, though a common thread seems to be keeping shot size reasonable to avoid destroying meat.
Like many other animals, squirrels’ activity peaks in early mornings and late afternoons. The most direct approach is to find their food source that is the typical mast produced by our many predominantly deciduous forests; acorns, walnuts, beechnuts, berries, seeds and walnuts are heavy favorites.
Urban squirrels tolerate human behavior; wilderness squirrels not so much. So respect their sight and hearing abilities.
Take a seat on some deadfall or enjoy a lean against a tree, and be relatively still. Hopefully before long you’ll catch a glimpse of their tree-top acrobatics, impressively using that big tail to balance when jumping or running on thin branches.
After the leaf drop, their ground travel is easily detected by the rustle of dead leaves in their wake, a sound that savvy hunters can duplicate to try to coax in a curious squirrel.
Skinning squirrels tends to be easier when they’re still warm, so carrying a knife and Ziploc bags is a great way to get ahead of the game while still afield, especially in frigid temperatures. YouTube contains many quick and easy skinning methods that can be mastered in no time.
Just like guns, ammunition and skinning, squirrel recipe options are in abundance. Baking, frying, making a stew or even sausage are possible with squirrel meat. Many recipes stem from bygone days when wild game constituted a bigger portion of diets.
It’s understandable many people don’t feel squirrels and deer belong in the same category when it comes to the thrill of success, but that hearty little game species shouldn’t be discounted. They provide the perfect balance of challenge and success to keep things fun.