How cold is to cold?

[markhooper]

I'm in eastern MO, and I haven't seen a squirrel in over a week. Too cold. They're in torpor.

their hibernation like I wish I could.. hopefully if I ever do i don't wake up to being shot like them..
great to see you i always like you posts.
Mark

 

[markhooper]

I've been seeing a bunch of squirrels from my window. Too cold for me personally but they are still out there running around, just not as much in this cold snap.
My cat has caught 2 flying squirrels in this cold weather snap. Little turd brings them in alive and lets them go.
I might go sit in my blind this afternoon and look for squirrels. I was in it the last 2 days of deer season this past Sat and Sun. It was brutally cold and all I saw were squirrels.

Edited to add that I've hunted down into the single digits with PCPs and haven't had an issue. I usually put the gun outside to acclimate as I start to get dressed. I also leave them out with scopes uncovered when I come back inside until they are room temp and then I'll wipe them down with a Ballistol soaked rag for safe keeping.

what do you do about the squirrel your cat turns loose in the house? do you end up with a indoor shooting gallery
Mark

 

[thevinoman]

-5 here yesterday in NW Indiana…. No way….

 

[addison]

-5 here yesterday in NW Indiana…. No way….

Yeah I'm out in that one!

 

[addison]

 

[Back_Roads]

Game will brave the cold, me if it is below 10 f not so much. Wind is a factor also. Though a crappy day of hunting is better than a great day at work

 

[AmosBurton]

what do you do about the squirrel your cat turns loose in the house? do you end up with a indoor shooting gallery
Mark

Hahaha. I shot one once with my old Daisy 10 pump inside my log cabin. I didn't shoot my eye out but can tell you a lung shot flying squirrel can cover a lot of "ground" before it expires. Made a bloody mess!
In this particular case I got lucky and herded the cat into the bathroom. When he let it go I threw a towel over the squirrel and scooped it up.

 

[HogKiller]

Bobsled track.

Oh ok, though it was a shot of the salt flats.

 

[beerthief]

This last week ? i went out to shop last Friday , Tuesday 1/20 i went to get ear check up , Wednesday i took the garbage can to the front for pick up .
Yeah that was it outside . this coming week it should be in the low 40's daytime / mid to low 30's at night , back to more normal winter .

 

[addison]

This last week ? i went out to shop last Friday , Tuesday 1/20 i went to get ear check up , Wednesday i took the garbage can to the front for pick up .
Yeah that was it outside . this coming week it should be in the low 40's daytime / mid to low 30's at night , back to more normal winter .

Hoping for rain here at some point to get the squirrel moving again and get ground soft for them to dig.

 

[Teep]

I usually end my airgun hunting when it gets below 40, I think this is the point the lubes get too stiff in the spring guns. I will still hunt squirrels down to around 20 if the wind isn't blowing but I use a .22lr then. I don't think the wind bothers the squirrel but I chill out much faster when it's windy.

 

[DeanB]

Squirrels are not very active when it gets below 20 deg or so, you will still see some out but not many.. If it gets above freezing and nice and sunny then they are usually out in force. As far as when I will hunt, mid 30s prefer 40/sunny and no wind is about as cold as I will do anymore.

 

[Iowa Airgunner]

It depend on the time of year. In the fall forty degrees is to cold. In the spring forty degrees is what I’ve been waiting for all winter.
It was -14 yesterday . That’s to damn cold.

 

[AirSmithCA]

Depends how hungry I am!!

 

[MAUMAU]

I was hunting Wolf up near the Arctic Circle.

That was the day I learned that - 40* C was the same thing as - 40* F.

Within a few minutes, the wolf's eyes were frozen solid.

 

[Jman4183]

Yeah, I have to be honest. Here in Wisconsin I find myself actually feeling bad for the tree rats when it’s below zero. They are already suffering enough . Just feels cruel to shoot them besides.

 

[JimD]

20 years ago or so my son and I used to deer hunt whenever we had time. Couldn't be too cold. But we had insulated coveralls and good boots. I got rid of the heavy clothes when we moved to SC and I now don't really even like being out much below 50 degrees. With appropriate clothes it can be done reasonably comfortably down to around zero Fahrenheit but I prefer just to wait for it to warm up. The squirrels seem to agree.

 

[addison]

Status update walked 4-5 miles today through woods and corn fields and then through swap and then through old farm house and not 1 squirrel!! Where the heck are these squirrels. Look out my window there's 6!! I don't shoot the ones around the house unless there are more then 12. Just my thing to keep the numbers around my house to a healthy level. It was warm here today.

 

[rspanagel]

My friend and I shot my fun field target match in the winter storm at our club Fairfield Sportsman Association and in 26 degree weather and snow, and all of our equipment worked flawlessly. Scopes ranged accurately, D.O.P.E. was dead on. It was good to confirm also.

 

[Ezana4CE]

Status update walked 4-5 miles today through woods and corn fields and then through swap and then through old farm house and not 1 squirrel!! Where the heck are these squirrels. Look out my window there's 6!! I don't shoot the ones around the house unless there are more then 12. Just my thing to keep the numbers around my house to a healthy level. It was warm here today.

@addison What were the temps today? Is there ripe corn on the ground?What time did you look out of your window?What time of day are you going out? Are you going to areas where there have been consistent signs of squirrel activity? Are you posting up in these areas? If so, for how long? Was it windy today?