A Different Way To Hunt Squirrels

[Wifeshusband]

Back in the 50's, 60's, and even into the 70's, guys I knew, particularly one older cousin of mine, would take long float trips in john boats down creeks that emptied into both the Georgia and Alabama sides of the Chattahoochee River, below Columbus. It was a wonderful, leisurely way to hunt squirrels, picking them out of hardwoods that lined the creek banks. The hunt would last the better part of a day and my cousin would regale me with stories of those hunts, all on creeks with Indian names: Upatoi, Uchee, Hannahatchee, Hatchchubee, Ihagee. I will always regret not going on one of those trips.

I don't hear of anyone doing this anymore. Perhaps because of landowner issues (think of all the different landowners whose property you flowed through) and I don't know if Georgia or Alabama will allow you to take small game from a boat. Fifty, Sixty years ago no one worried about stuff like that. A bygone hunting era?

 

[Mattval]

I would love to do that. I have read a few magazine/online articles about floating for squirrels to. But you are right. I do not know if you can do this in GA cause of the landowner issue.
I wonder if the branches are hanging over the water if then you could shoot?

 

[Wifeshusband]

Ah, there's the rub, my understanding of Georgia law: if a landowner owns property that adjoins/abuts a stream, the landowner owns all the way to the middle of the stream. Unlike 50 years ago, we have some very picky (shotgun in your face, I'll get my lawyer Daggert, I'm callin' the sheriff) landowners today. Still, there are ways to do it. E.g., if you're allowed to hunt on say, Ft. Benning, I don't see why you wouldn't be allowed to float trip for squirrels down the Upatoi. I floated it twice in high school (although not for squirrels). Really had a fun time.

 

[Lilly001]

When I was in high school in Pa. (a few years ago) we used to hunt squirrels from a row boat on the larger creeks.
Never had any issue with land owners.

 

[fishfryer]

The problem here would be trees across the creek or in the water. You'd stay busy pulling your boat over downed trees or under them.

 

[Rabun]

Could always try some creeks within wma's...assuming it's legal to shoot small game from a boat

 

[across the river]

Ah, there's the rub, my understanding of Georgia law: if a landowner owns property that adjoins/abuts a stream, the landowner owns all the way to the middle of the stream. Unlike 50 years ago, we have some very picky (shotgun in your face, I'll get my lawyer Daggert, I'm callin' the sheriff) landowners today. Still, there are ways to do it. E.g., if you're allowed to hunt on say, Ft. Benning, I don't see why you wouldn't be allowed to float trip for squirrels down the Upatoi. I floated it twice in high school (although not for squirrels). Really had a fun time.

If it is a creek, the property line indeed runs to the center of the creek, so you can't shoot a squirrel out of the tree legally anymore than you can shoot a deer off the bank. If it is navigable river, you can freely flow within the river itself, but that doesn't give you the right to shoot a squirrel out of the tree that is on someone else land. With that being said, there are plenty of WMAs with creeks or rivers flowing through them, so you have the opportunity to do it if you want to, without trespassing.

And I love how it is always the "picky " landowners fault when people don't have a place to hunt.

 

[Dusty Roads]

GON had an article about that- canoeing the Toccoa for squirrels which brought me to Fannin county -wish I could reread it.Not sure what year/month-LONG time ago.
Went from Deep Hole to Toccoa Valley Campground(much of it Chattahoochee NF)-I did(not hunting)canoe it many times with Mr Long dropping me off.
His family now runs it.

 

[Anvil Head]

GON had an article about that- canoeing the Toccoa for squirrels which brought me to Fannin county -wish I could reread it.Not sure what year/month-LONG time ago.
Went from Deep Hole to Toccoa Valley Campground(much of it Chattahoochee NF)-I did(not hunting)canoe it many times with Mr Long dropping me off.
His family now runs it.

Did that many times when I was a youngun, before they built the campgrounds on Big Creek. Herman and family were good friends of our family and always very accommodating. We used to "deer camp" in the old log Family house up on the hill. Killed a lot of squirrels, few deer and slayed a lot of trout, smallies and a few walleye from the river right there below Herman's. Always a great time. The Long's were a great family to know.
As far as hunting squirrels from water, I used to wade Pumpkin Vine with a buddy of mine and get a limit of tree rats almost every time. No issues with land owners back then. But, things change, can't even access the creek bank anymore.

 

[j_seph]

My grandpa loved squirrel hunting, so much when he passed away he was fpound at the base of an oak tree. Old single shot 12 across his lap and a few squirrel hanging on his side with the old metal shower curtain clips. In earlier years he would take granny with him. Her main purpose other than maybe some company was to get that squirrel where he could shoot it. If that squirrel went on the back of the tree, granny would go around the other side and "shake a bush" as they called it. Seemed to work pretty well.