Squirrel season is starting very soon, and frankly, my son and I couldn’t be more excited. Sadly though, you don’t see many people excited about squirrel hunting anymore. That’s a shame because some of the most enjoyable hunting moments can occur while sitting at the base of a tree scouring the treetops for bushy tails. Unless you take mosquitoes into account! Nonetheless, squirrel hunting still brings back some of my best memories and reminds me of when I was just a kid.
I had more free time back then (though I didn’t think so) and found that squirrel hunting was the kickoff to all the wonderful things to come with the other seasons soon to follow. It was exciting being in the woods. My eyes scanned the ground for signs of deer as my mind wandered and drifted to visions of large deer strolling.
When I was young, squirrel and rabbit hunting was what the kids did. Days spent in the country with my father and eventually alone or with friends are what many of my childhood memories are made of. Sure, I eventually graduated to chasing deer and then turkey, but small game came first. And small game still holds a special place in my heart.
You don’t see much of that these days. However, you see a lot of kids going with their parents to hunt deer and turkey, which is great, but it’s not the same as hunting squirrels, nor does it serve the same purpose. While it may sound simple, grabbing the .22 and going out and trying to pull some bushy tails out of trees lays the groundwork for becoming an accomplished hunter.
In my opinion, introducing children to any type of hunting is important, but introducing youngsters to deer and turkey hunting before they’ve had a chance to chase squirrels and rabbits seems a little backwards to me. I mean, it’s almost like expecting a kid to skip T-ball and the minor leagues and have immediate success in Babe Ruth. When deer numbers were higher, it wasn’t too bad to include them in some deer sightings and the like, and it still isn’t, but still, don’t overlook squirrel hunting.
With deer and turkey hunting, the odds of success are proportionately lower compared to squirrel hunting, even with current deer populations and enlarged turkey flocks. Also, the required skill level and failure rate are higher when chasing deer and turkeys. Let’s face it, some of the most necessary skills that bring success when hunting deer or turkey are first learned and perfected while hunting for squirrels. Whether it’s sneaking through the woods without alerting game or learning to be patient to take the right shot, many of the skills and mindsets that make hunters better can be learned while trying to outwit a bushytail.
As is the case with fishing, when introducing youngsters to hunting, it is important to keep them interested and have them experience some success in catching an animal as well.
Squirrel hunting accomplishes this feat much easier. Sure, killing a squirrel may not seem like as much of an accomplishment as killing a deer or a turkey, but the odds of success are also much greater, which is important to remember when taking the kids hunting.
I am in no way claiming that for a hunt to be successful, an animal must be hunted because this is not true, but honestly as hunters, and especially children, I think it’s crucial to take something home sometimes. Kids need action, and waiting patiently for hours on end in the cold isn’t always the way to go if you plan to keep them interested.
So while many state Department of Natural Resources agencies were definitely on the right track by starting juvenile seasons for deer and turkey, they should also be looking at ways to increase participation in small game.
There really is no better time to get back into squirrel hunting. Many DNR employees I have spoken with, both in Indiana and surrounding states, say they see far fewer squirrel hunters now than they did years ago, and that because of this, squirrel populations are high and hunting pressure is short. This is the perfect combination to reacquaint yourself with hunting bushy tails or introduce newcomers to the sport of hunting.
Try to make it a point this season to shake off the .22 and get back into the woods after the Chipmunks. You may remember how much fun it actually is and how good it tastes.
