Squirrels at dusk

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Got this guy going for his hidey hole in my tree just before sunset. Anyone else do their hunting/pesting around that time? I've noticed this time of year they tend to take longer to get active in the mornings and I have better luck when they're on their way back home for the night.

I took him with a JTS dead center 25.4 going 800 fps. Took a pass thru just ahead of the shoulders and through the neck. Not bad since the light was fading fast and I was shooting at him into the light.

 

[SteveV]

Nice shot, big holes lol

 

[Vetmx]

Yes, sometimes they wait until it’s almost dark for one last feeding frenzy. Good optics and a healthy SFP reticle makes it a bit easier. I prefer morning hunts on all animals.

 

[Ezana4CE]

In the woods around me they have and will wait me out until there is little to no usable light beneath the canopy. I hunt mornings and evenings, but prefer mornings.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Yes, sometimes they wait until it’s almost dark for one last feeding frenzy. Good optics and a healthy SFP reticle makes it a bit easier. I prefer morning hunts on all animals.

I'd prefer mornings, but I'll take any opportunity they give me lol. Barring unsafe shots obviously.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

In the woods around me they have and will wait me out until there is little to no usable light beneath the canopy. I hunt mornings and evenings, but prefer mornings.

This time of year, they're usually not active here til about 9 or so. I used to get a couple before work, but now I gotta take the night shifts the squirrels are giving me lol.

 

[Ezana4CE]

This time of year, they're usually not active here til about 9 or so. I used to get a couple before work, but now I gotta take the night shifts the squirrels are giving me lol.

I haven’t compared their patterns over the last few years. There are some days in autumn where they’re busy burying nuts into the afternoon. Some days it seems that they’re in the pine tree earlier than others. On windy days they behave differently. The weather this year has been strange so I haven’t taken the opportunity to observe how their behavior has changed since the cold front blew in.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

I haven’t compared their patterns over the last few years. There are some days in autumn where they’re busy burying nuts into the afternoon. Some days it seems that they’re in the pine tree earlier than others. On windy days they behave differently. The weather this year has been strange so I haven’t taken the opportunity to observe how their behavior has changed since the cold front blew in.

Windy days they tend to hunker down. I try to spot them in nooks of trees, or knot holes. Easy pickings if you know your windages.

 

[Vetmx]

The abundance of feed dictates their activities also. I’ve been in my stand since before sunrise. There is an abundance of acorns this year compared to last year. You would think it would be better than last year but it’s not. They have been casual this morning and starting right now. Last year when only the hickory’s had nuts, the squirrels were nuts too. I could shoot 4 in 10 minutes without having to move. Now I’m buck hunting and missing squirrel hunting but I did see this under me about an hour ago.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

The abundance of feed dictates their activities also. I’ve been in my stand since before sunrise. There is an abundance of acorns this year compared to last year. You would think it would be better than last year but it’s not. They have been casual this morning and starting right now. Last year when only the hickory’s had nuts, the squirrels were nuts too. I could shoot 4 in 10 minutes without having to move. Now I’m buck hunting and missing squirrel hunting but I did see this under me about an hour ago.

View attachment 401763

Very nice. Is it bow season where you're at?

 

[Nutcracker]

I like it just after daylight till noonish. I used to hunt all day, but don't do that much anymore. As a kid in school, I hunted mainly in the evening till dark. We have an acorn mast here that we have not seen in over a decade. All game here is scattered. I have at least 6 acres of winter rye and/or clover; the deer & turkeys barely touch it now. Bumper crop of walnuts, and hickories. There is hardly a square yard in the woods that there is not some kind of nut on the ground. Next year will be the good squirrel year and big bucks.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@Vetmx Good point. @Nutcracker Same here. There are acorns everywhere. I busted a couple open and they look pretty good. Good acorn crop this year. Pecans seem decent too. Haven’t checked the hickory trees yet.

 

[Vetmx]

Very nice. Is it bow season where you're at?

I’m at my camp for about 20 days so the sooner I can knock out a buck that I’m satisfied with, the sooner I can hunt squirrels. Brought two guns with me just in case.

 

[JimD]

I am sniping them in my yard so I take them when either I or my dog see them. The weather is certainly a factor. They don't move as much when it is windy or raining. Cold weather seems to make them hungrier so they eat more. Time of day seems to depend some on the squirrel. With leaves on the trees it is not unusual for us to see them and not get a shot for several days. Some squirrels seem to have my 7 oaks in their am schedule and some visit more in the pm. Some come both times. Difficult to say for sure that exactly how often they visit because I am sure we miss seeing them sometimes. But late in the afternoon right before it gets dark does seem to be more frequent time for visits than any other part of the day except the first couple hours of sunlight.

Often I can only see part of a squirrel if I can find them at all. But I had one sit there fully visible on a branch eating an acorn last week. He got a pellet and was DRT. Before the last couple I missed several shots. My impression is that being missed makes them extra prone to hide and run. I think I got that one when it was vertical mainly on the back side of the tree, vertical with it's head down and peeking at me in the crotch of a tree. I saw it's eye and shot it under the ear with the pellet going down the neck and coming out under the off side front leg. I suspect they often get into positions where most of them is not visible but they can still see me. But I also frequently take them facing away from me. They seem to think if they cannot see me I cannot see them.