Sportsmen need to change tactics to bag winter bushytails
After deer seasons end, Louisiana sportsmen can usually enjoy the forests with little competition. Even on the most heavily pressured public lands, small game hunters typically see few other sportsmen in February.
Early in the season, squirrel hunters walk quietly through forests a few steps at a time, looking and listening for activity. They regularly sit for long periods on fallen logs, stumps or against trees scanning the treetops for movement. For late-season squirrels, sportsmen must change their tactics.
During the late season, focus more on the ground than on the treetops. By February, most of the nuts and other mast has already fallen to the ground. Thus, squirrels must spend significant time on the ground foraging for something to eat or searching for their hidden and probably forgotten nut stashes.
In addition, most trees still hold few if any leaves. When the biting, cold winds of late winter roar, squirrels don’t want to stay high in trees. Consequently, squirrels tend to stay in lower branches surrounded by woody cover and underbrush than in exposed wind-swept tops.
In many ways, squirrel hunting in February more closely resembles rabbit hunting than chasing bushytails in October. Make some noise! Rather than stalking quietly through the woods, try to flush squirrels foraging on the ground by walking through cover.
When startled, squirrels naturally run to the nearest tree. In trees devoid of leaves, squirrels find fewer places to hide so sportsmen can more easily spot them. While tromping through the forests hunters might also kick up a rabbit or two for bonus game.
Teamwork
After people hunt them for months, squirrels become skittish. They run at the first sign of danger. The bushy-tailed little speeders running on the ground or along the branches make very challenging targets. Therefore, most squirrel hunters in February carry shotguns. Sportsmen need fast reflexes and a good aim. Bring plenty of ammunition.
“If the lead doesn’t fly, the meat doesn’t fry!” quipped Chester Thompson, a champion squirrel dog trainer from DeRidder.
Many people hunt squirrels in teams. Bushytails commonly try to put as much wood between themselves and danger as possible. When a squirrel rockets up a tree and disappears, position one person in a spot with the most visibility. That person remains still and quiet watching for a shot.
The other person walks around the tree shaking brush, cracking limbs on the ground and otherwise trying to get the squirrel’s attention. That furball might slip around to the other side of the trunk, giving the standing hunter a perfect opportunity. When hunting with multiple people, surround the tree so everyone can see it from different angles.
Frequently, squirrels jump into a nest or other thick cover when danger approaches. In trees with little foliage, hunters can easily spot balls of woven leaves. A vine hanging down next to or through a nest and other bushy patches could hide a squirrel when tree branches become bare. Shaking vines or hanging branches can provoke the little tree climber to bolt from cover in a panic. One person vigorously shakes the vine while everyone else watches for movement and a possible shot.
Squirrel dogs
Since squirrels spend more time on the ground in late winter, many sportsmen use trained dogs to help them find bushytails. Squirrels scurrying along the ground leave more scent for dogs to smell.
“The dogs do the work and find the scent,” Thompson said. “It’s amazing what dogs can smell. I like when the squirrels are down on the ground eating. Dogs can smell things better on a cold day.”
Dog owners release one or two animals at a time and periodically swap them out throughout the day to avoid excessively tiring them. Hunters follow the animals through the woods. When dogs tree a squirrel and start raucously barking, hunters rush to take up shooting positions around the tree.
When hunting with dogs, sportsmen can talk and move around. Some dog owners even engage in a little friendly bantering over whose dog treed the first, fastest and most squirrels. With more action and less need for quiet, chasing squirrels with dogs offers an exciting way to introduce children or novices to hunting. On one good morning, youngsters can usually fire quite a few times.
“Dog hunting is a social event,” Thompson said. “People don’t need to keep quiet when hunting with dogs. People can talk and don’t need to worry about crunching leaves. It’s a great way to hunt with kids or families.”
The Louisiana squirrel season runs until February 28 with a limit of eight per day. Season dates and other regulations could differ on some wildlife management areas and other public lands. Always check the regulations before hunting anywhere.
Contact Thompson at 337-309-0908 or through social media.
