(Tips needed) Frustrating day squirrel hunting..

[modulation]

Squirrel hunting at a place (picture below). There are smallish hills with ridges you can't see over.
Before today, I would see squirrels up in the trees, I guess enough leaves have fallen they are all moving on the ground from what I saw today.

Four different times today I could hear a squirrel over a ridge (cause of the thick layer of dry leaves.) I would try sneak over the top of the ridge so I could see it, but every time I did that, it would hear me (even if it was 50+ yards from the ridge) and would start running as fast they could in the opposite direction of me. I had a 22LR and I'm a decent shot but can't hit a squirrel moving at full speed 25+ yards away from me. It got pretty frustrating..

Is it just time to bust out the shotgun again? Should I not be stalking them, but staying still and letting them come to me?

(Random note, I did see a coyote there today that was pretty cool, came through a couple of minutes after I tried my squirrel call out probably thought it was a injured squirrel. He's in the center of the picture. The tree that splits the photo in half, on the left side you can see his head and paw.)

 

[kmckinnie]

Sit still. They will come out 15 minutes later. Or that’s what I do.

 

[Blackhawk249]

if they bust me while they are still on the ground I just run em up a tree and then wait for them to get curious and take a look.

 

[Blackhawk249]

Also I would have put a .22lr in that coyotes head if it was me.

 

[modulation]

Also I would have put a .22lr in that coyotes head if it was me.

I wasn't sure of the legality of shooting a coyote in a place that has bow only deer/bear (besides small game hunting.)

 

[modulation]

Looked it up. Sure enough it's legal.
"Coyotes may be taken during any small or big game season with the appropriate lawful weapons."

Non-Native & Invasive Species | Department Of Natural Resources Division

Hunting Regulations Feral Hog Limit No limit, no closed season. Regulations Feral hogs may be hunted at night with a light (no voltage restriction), which is carried by the hunter or affixed to a helmet, hat or part of a belt system. Hunting over bait is allowed. No hunting from a vehicle.

georgiawildlife.com

I really now wish I would've had my shotgun.

 

[WishboneW]

Take advantage of any cover to sit still. 2 trees close together, a bush or bushes to sit under, etc. be still and quiet.

 

[WishboneW]

Oh, and have patience

 

[livinoutdoors]

Sit still. Its hard to be quiet with dry leaves all over. Hard to get close with open wood now too.

 

[Whitefeather]

Pretend you are deer hunting. They will come from all directions if you make them think you are hunting deer.
As other have mentioned just move slowly and take a seat for a spell about every 100 yards.

 

[mizzippi jb]

Something has happened to squirrels in a lot of parts of GA. They aren't around like they were early deer season. Drought, hot, something... I'm not sure. I talk to folks all over GA who hunt with squirrel dogs and most of them say the say the same thing as I am saying. And if a good squirrel dog can't consistently find them, they are in short supply.

 

[Toliver]

Something has happened to squirrels in a lot of parts of GA. They aren't around like they were early deer season. Drought, hot, something... I'm not sure. I talk to folks all over GA who hunt with squirrel dogs and most of them say the say the same thing as I am saying. And if a good squirrel dog can't consistently find them, they are in short supply.

They've all moved to the Atlanta suburbs with the big bucks.

 

[kmckinnie]

They've all moved to the Atlanta suburbs with the big bucks.

U don’t say.

 

[Blackhawk249]

Im knocking plenty out of the trees. Doesn’t seem any less than any other year

 

[mizzippi jb]

Im knocking plenty out of the trees. Doesn’t seem any less than any other year

You could also add "at least where I'm located" to the end of the sentence.

 

[RedFoxx]

we have killed about 150 and they are still everywhere.... "at least where I'm located" lol

 

[NE GA Pappy]

FYI,... 2 quarters make a really good sqwerl call. Rub the ridges on the edges of the coins together and it makes a clicking sound like a sqwerl eating acorns or something. Don't do it much, maybe 2 or 3 times after sitting still for 5 to 10 minutes, then wait about 3 or 4 minutes before trying it again.

you can't kill enough to affect the population of sqwerls, so have at it.

 

[WishboneW]

If you can’t find cover or are taking a child you might consider a pop up blind.

Look for places where hardwoods meet pines or creek bottoms or places where there are berries or other food sources like water oaks

 

[44magpastor]

Something has happened to squirrels in a lot of parts of GA. They aren't around like they were early deer season. Drought, hot, something... I'm not sure. I talk to folks all over GA who hunt with squirrel dogs and most of them say the say the same thing as I am saying. And if a good squirrel dog can't consistently find them, they are in short supply.

I thought it was just me. Saw very few during deer season. My sons mentioned it before I said anything. We tried to get a mess Tuesday. Worked ourselves to death to get 2. They are definitely not as abundant as previous years.

 

[mizzippi jb]

I thought it was just me. Saw very few during deer season. My sons mentioned it before I said anything. We tried to get a mess Tuesday. Worked ourselves to death to get 2. They are definitely not as abundant as previous years.

And a good dog can get 3x as many as a man with a 22 still hunting. Been tough running a young dog 5his yr but she'll be better for it next yr.