# 1 hour in the woods = 14 squirrels



## Fish4Food

Last night, me, my dad, and brother decided to go do a little squirrel hunting. We only had about an hour, but that didnt keep us from thinning out the population a little. Ended up with 14 when it was all said and done, 7 of which were in the same Hickory tree. It was a fun night, and hopefully it will help cut down on the squirrel annoyance factor, come bow season.


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## Guest

dang man, Im sure you thinned them, more like hunted them out. TO each his own but thats crazy. My 2 cents


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## kasting king

I have shot them like that too, only once though. Seems once you shoot them like that they never come back!!


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## littleking

sounds like a darn good time!


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## Shortdrift

Squirrel hunting?  Sounds more like squirrel killing. Good luck on seeing something in that woods next time out.


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## bkr43050

I know that does sound like a lot of squirrels to most folks but let's not condemn someone for doing something within the legal limits. This is no different than all of the disagreements we have on fish catch rates. The bottom line is they were within the legal limits. In addition nobody knows what the situation is in the woods he hunted. I have hunted woods that have had enough squirrels that you could take twice that number and come back the next day and feel like you didn't make a dent. I know they were all in a tight area but if they were in the edge of a larger woods their most likely will be plenty of squirrels left. The state makes the limit of 6 per person because there are plenty of them to go around.

By the way it sounds like you guys will be eating stew for a while now. Congratulations on the hunt.


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## Shortdrift

"I know that does sound like a lot of squirrels to most folks but let's not condemn someone for doing something within the legal limits."

Who is condeming anyone?  There is a big difference between condemnation and stating one's opinion. Each of us has our views on what we consider a sufficient amount of game to harvest from an area at one time or on an overall basis as well as the manner in which they were taken.


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## bkr43050

His story sounds to me a lot like the folks who have been taking advantage of the great fishing up on Erie this summer. Those folks felt pretty good about their day as well and probably did not want to hear any comments about taking too many or catching fish in a barrel, etc.

Perhaps condemning is too strong of a word but "opinion" may be an understatement.



Shortdrift said:


> Squirrel hunting?  Sounds more like squirrel killing. Good luck on seeing something in that woods next time out.





traphunter said:


> dang man, Im sure you thinned them, more like hunted them out. TO each his own but thats crazy. My 2 cents


 Those just seemed a bit more opinionated than what he may have been looking for with his post. But as you said stating one's opinion is acceptable. I am done stating mine as well. No wait, one more thing!! Fish4Food, when will that stew be ready? I am getting hungry.


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## captnroger

Man I haven't been squirrel hunting since I went to high school. I loved it. I need to go again...soon.

My brother fixes this squirrel and rice dish that is fantastic.


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## Shortdrift

Comparing thousands of squirrels or even hundreds of thousands with multi/multi millions of walleye and other desireable fish is a pretty poor comparison. You can shoot down a woods as I have seen it done on more than one occasion but you will never be able to fish out lake Erie unless there is unlimited netting permitted as with the blue pike. What does a female squirrel produce as far as young, three to four or maybe five while a female walleye produces thousands of fry. 
Now, if you eat squirrel or other small game two times a week like I eat fish three times a week, then have at it and shoot the woods clear. Me, I'll settle for my occasional squirrel meal as I hunt with a .22 and getting a limit is quite a challenge in itself. Lotsa bushytails left in the woods I hunt.


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## bronzebackyac

This is starting to sound like a thread from a Peta website. If you go squirrel hunting with two buddies and you are hunting say... 250 acres. Do you set a bag limit under the limit of the State. Hell NO. If there is food there will be squirrels there. Do you say"If you hear me shoot three times and Jimmy shoots three times then you have to stop hunting because that mean that we each have three tree rats and ...." Get real guys. If squirrels were not abundant then the bag limit would not be what it is. Do you give a waterfowl hunter heck for shooting his limit along with his buddies. I think you need to look at the whole picture and realize that hunting is not catch and release. Man I can smell the gravy now!


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## River Walker

I don't get the opportunity to hunt very often anymore,but when I did the limit on whatever quarry I was pursuing didn't really matter to me.Just because the law said I could kill 4,5,or 6 squirrels or rabbits,didn't mean to me that I needed to kill that many.If I was bunny hunting,two was more than enough.Same with squirrels,I only needed to take a couple,maybe 3 if I happened onto one on the way back to the truck.I've seen many woods over exploited by hunters feeling the need to limit out each time out.Back in the 70's before the blizzard wiped out the local quail population,I was bunny hunting at Knox Lake,and I watched 3 guys jump a decent covey of Quail.If you've ever hunted quail,you know how they never fly far,or after landing,run very far.At first,there was around a dozen birds in the covey,by the time these 3 guys got done chasing them around that field,I doubt if a single one survived.Legal-yes,ethical?


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## bkr43050

I am certainly not suggesting that everyone go out and limit each time but the thing is we have no idea what the situation is that the original poster was hunting in. If they were hunting a large woods then I still say that the number they killed is not substantial. Nevertheless, I have had similar days but more often with rabbits and if I felt that I was depleting the resource I would move on as well. It is all about holding capacity as we all know.

It has been a couple of years since I hunted tree rats. My oldest boy is chomping at the bit to get some so I hopefully will be eating some stew some time soon.


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## Whaler

What's the limit ?


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## Micro_Mini_Angler

the limit for squirrel is 6


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## Onion

Sounds like a great time. Wish I had some woods like that around me!


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## flypilot33

The cabin we go gun hunting at in southern ohio has a guy living in it that has lived there since he was a little kid and his parents lived there long before that. As long as he can remember they have killed a combined 100-200 squirrels a year out of there. Obviously they still have some left. And they keep the tails every year to keep count.


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## swantucky

Seems to me you had a good hunt. I don't know of very many guys that hunt squirrels much so I doubt they are gonna be wiped out anytime soon. Most times with hunting and fishing the "good" days like that are far out numbered by the so-so days as far as the harvest goes.


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## squid_1

I was down at AEP this past weekend and hunted fri/sat/sun and never saw another hunter or hunters car. Shoot all the squirrels you want, nobody is hunting them anymore. It takes too much walking and sitting for all the younger people to even bother with it. If they had fun shooting 14 then I say good for them. At $19 for a license get your moneys worth!


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## Rod&Reel

I don't hunt because I don't like killing animals. I may eat them, but I don't have to kill them, BUT even though I don't hunt, i aint going to knock people for doing so. What I don't understand is why people come here and complain about hunting and oh you killed tomany blah blah blah. It's like this people. If you don't like hunting and don't like reading about it, guess what..................stop coming to the hunting section of the forums and reading about it. It's that simple. Why come here and knock the guy for doing what he likes and is legal, just close the hunting section of the forums down on your browser and there you go. If you don't like a radio station, do you go and listen just so you can call and complain? no, you simply don't tune into that station. It isn't any different here. Don't like hunting or reading on it=don't come to the hunting forums. Why is that so hard for some to understand? It seems pretty simple to me. Oh and good job on the hunt and thats coming from somebody that doesn't hunt and never will. I respect (unlike some) others right to also have a hobby even if it is something I aint into myself. And it seems some of you need to learn to do the same.


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## Guest

Like others have stated what he did was legal, and I am not condeming him for it. But come on people, this is not ethical. I could go back in the woods tommorow morning and get my limit in an hour if I wanted to but guess what, I wont be seeing any more there for awhile. 

We as sportsmen and women need to learn to set our own limits. Just because you can get 6 or 10 or whatever does not mean that you need to try to get that many. Hunting should not be focused around the kill anyway. Take it from someone who is a squirrel addict, if everyone shot their limit there would be very few left. 

But people will reap what they sow, go out and try it and then tell me how many you see in that same area next time you go out. I challenge this to all of you who disagree with me. But a fore warning, you may not be eating squirrel anytme soon once your stash runs out.


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## Guest

Also this is sounding nothing like PETA. Just concerned sportsmen who care for the future. I have 4 squirrel tails down in the basement right now, out of the 15 or so I could have already taken.


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## WISH IT WAS YOU

hay good for him leave him alone he just had a great hunt and you guys are trying to make him fell bad not all of you but some you not saying names but just leave him alone he followed the law so that is what matters as long as you eat them kill as many as the law allows good job again dont hear what the people that say you are doing a bad thing says just do what is the law says and if so you are in the right


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## flypilot33

Before you all come in here and get heated about someones good day educate yourself on nature. There is a certain amount of each animal that needs to come off every property every year. That population will be replaced back the next year. And for squirrels, unless it is a small lot you could kill over your limit many times a year and not hurt next years population.


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## johnboy111711

hey guys, no more shooting the deer either... and just and FYI, a lake can very easily be fished out. and yes...even erie. push those bag limits up to 10 or 8 like they used to be.


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## Onion

This is absolutely crazy. The guy didn't even shoot a limit of squirrels, and they left after an hour. They very obviously could have stayed and killed a full limit.

I can't believe the response he has gotten. What if I kill 7 deer this year (I have access to quite a bit of urban land), will I come on here and have people telling me I am gonna wipeout the deer population in Clermont county? Get over yourselves. None of you are the ethics police and unless you know exactly where he was hunting you can't make a judgement regarding ethics. How do you know this wasn't in Wayne nat'l forest?

How many people have been harping on folks for shooting a limit of doves? Of ducks? Why the heck not? Are all of you who are so concerned about squirrel populations doing something about declining hardwood forests? This is a far greater threat to squirrel populations than a group of guys shooting less than a limit of squirrels.


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## krustydawg

I agree shoot the squirrels and this thread right along with it. Everyone gets their panties in a bunch over 14 squirrels, hell they could have shot 18 if they wanted to. Fish4food go back to the woods you forgot 4 !


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## Whaler

What's the limit on squirrels ?


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## bkr43050

Whaler said:


> What's the limit on squirrels ?


 6 per person daily bag


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## newfish

yeah it could hurt the squirrel population if he was hunting on say an island with no other woods around for miles.


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## flypilot33

newfish said:


> yeah it could hurt the squirrel population if he was hunting on say an island with no other woods around for miles.



This has got to be my favorite response yet. So so funny... But very true.


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## fishingful

during deer gun season i dont know about you guys but that one big one that takes a half hour to work its way up over the hill and you just know is a deer........did you ever wander what a slug would do to it i mean you wouldent have to clean it or anything just scrape it into the pot haha

whos to say that they took 14 of them from the one spot and dont hunt that spot till next year i know the spots i hunt i can have 15 of them on the ground and still have that many in the trees around me


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## stumpsitter

If the squirrels were that easy to get, I seriously doubt that they hurt the population. I've seen days where it seemed like you could have shot 100.

I once got a limit (when it was 4) in 10 minutes! I got two of them with one shot. I can't brag because it was unintentional. I saw two squirrels in a tree. I finally got a shot at one that was standing still. I shot and two squirrels fell! They must have been huddled together.

Anyway, my guess is if the population is low enough that you could damage it by taking a limit, a limit would be almost impossible to take.


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## peple of the perch

can we just close this form


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## Rod&Reel

peple of the perch said:


> can we just close this form


lol why, it is actually calming down now. It is a bit to late to close it seeing everything is now easing up.


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## WISH IT WAS YOU

Onion said:


> This is absolutely crazy. The guy didn't even shoot a limit of squirrels, and they left after an hour. They very obviously could have stayed and killed a full limit.
> 
> I can't believe the response he has gotten. What if I kill 7 deer this year (I have access to quite a bit of urban land), will I come on here and have people telling me I am gonna wipeout the deer population in Clermont county? Get over yourselves. None of you are the ethics police and unless you know exactly where he was hunting you can't make a judgement regarding ethics. How do you know this wasn't in Wayne nat'l forest?
> 
> How many people have been harping on folks for shooting a limit of doves? Of ducks? Why the heck not? Are all of you who are so concerned about squirrel populations doing something about declining hardwood forests? This is a far greater threat to squirrel populations than a group of guys shooting less than a limit of squirrels.


 ya thats what i am saying


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## Guest

> How many people have been harping on folks for shooting a limit of doves? Of ducks? Why the heck not? Are all of you who are so concerned about squirrel populations doing something about declining hardwood forests? This is a far greater threat to squirrel populations than a group of guys shooting less than a limit of squirrels.
> 
> __________________


I think the main reason for that is that most doves and waterfowl are migratory. The ones we are shooting now most likely wouldnt be here in a few weeks anyway. Squirrels are stationary for the most part.. What is in a woodlot will stay in or close to that woddlot untill it dies. 

I am one that is concerned about the populations but guess what? I am doing something about it. For one thing I try to educate others about stuff like this, and for another thing, we planted almost 20 acres of hardwood trees on our property a few years ago. So I am trying to do something about it.

ANd I dont think he was hunting a big woods like the wayne becasue he said right in the psot thta they shot 7 right out of the same tree.


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## Darwin

Traphunter,
Just FYI, squirrels will migrate. It's not for the same reason and it is not annually like birds but they will migrate. Google up "squirrel migration". It will bring up some interesting reading.


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## stumpsitter

Educate people on what? The limit is six, they took less than a limit. 

There is no shortage of squirrels, in fact it seems that I see more now when I am hunting than I did when I was a kid back in the 70's. 

I have hunted Wayne National forest and shot my limit of squirrels out of the same tree many times. Sometimes there is a tree that they are cutting on heavily and squirrels will come from all around to get to it. I came across a hickory tree once that had so many squirrels in it that it looked like it was snowing because all of the cuttings falling out of the tree.

If you eat them, there is absolutely nothing wrong with going out and taking a limit of squirrels once in a while. Remember that the possesion limit is 12.


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## TxTransplant

OMG.......anytime someone posts on this site about the number of ANYTHING ( fish or game) that they had the good fortune of getting they get blasted! It's a fishing and hunting site and no laws are being broken......build a bridge and get over it!

Gene


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## flypilot33

Get over it is right. He went out had a good LEGAL time, leave it at that. I bet there are people out there shooting over their limit and not hurting the population.


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## Lundy

traphunter said:


> For one thing I try to educate others about stuff like this,


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## Guest

> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *traphunter*
> _
> 
> For one thing I try to educate others about stuff like this,_


???????????


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## Fish-N-Fool

I just read this entire thread and I for one am shocked at some of these opinions. Killing 14 squirrels will have little to no effect on the population at all. It is obvious there is an abundance of them in this woodlot by the fact they took 14 in 1 hour.

And from experience I can tell you taking a limit form the same tree only means he knows how to pick the right spot and nothing more - I have shot 2, 3, & 4 squirrels from 1 tree many. many times. Like others stated they often travel to feed on certain preferred trees. 

I hunt Clark, Champaign, Greene, & Muskingum Counties and I see LOADS of squirrels everyplace. Where are you guys hunting that see "low" squirrel populations?  I've yet to see a wooded area with adequate habitat that does not hold a solid population  

My Dad has 24 acres - 14 of which are woods filled with nut trees and locust & spruce. He lets an old gentleman (nearly 80 now) down the road hunt the squirrels and he hunts only a 2 acre patch because he can't walk much. He shoots between 40 - 60 each year BEFORE the last week in October. He stops hunting last week of October in case we bowhunt the area - seldom do anyway. To add to the equation, I personally whacked 26 one year when I was asked to get some for an elderly lady at the church.

I'll just say the squireels are still everywhere over there on that property (turkeys now too) - go figure!


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## WISH IT WAS YOU

man stop telling this kid did some thing wrong he just did by the law which is fine if it was a 2 you were the law seed you can shoot and he shot 2 you guys would still be bitchen     !# ahahah


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## WISH IT WAS YOU

Fish-N-Fool said:


> I just read this entire thread and I for one am shocked at some of these opinions. Killing 14 squirrels will have little to no effect on the population at all. It is obvious there is an abundance of them in this woodlot by the fact they took 14 in 1 hour.
> 
> thats what we are trying to tell them he did the right thing he was in the law so shut up people


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## Micro_Mini_Angler

i agree with wish it was you. i am even going squirrel hunting sat.


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## WISH IT WAS YOU

Micro_Mini_Angler said:


> i agree with wish it was you. i am even going squirrel hunting sat.


thxs i am just pissed over this


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## Micro_Mini_Angler

everybody should be telling him good job and stuff, not anything negative


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## leeabu

Congratulations! Great to hear stories of an 18 year old and his brother having a memorable experience in the woods with their Dad. We mostly just hear of 18 year olds in gangs or doing drugs.


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## Guest

> man stop telling this kid did some thing wrong he just did by the law which is fine if it was a 2 you were the law seed you can shoot and he shot 2 you guys would still be bitchen     !# ahahah


I cant understand one word of this. 

As far as age goes, im 18 also, so I dont think that has much to do with it. If you shoot 60 squirrels from a 15 acres woods every single year or even every 5 years then man dont take it for granted because you are in squirrel paradise. This deffinatly isnt the norm.


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## stumpsitter

The kid comes to a fishing/hunting forum excited about his hunt and is shot down by the very people that he thought that he had something in common with??


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## jeffmo

wow!what a thread.
i've had days like what's being talked about in this thread and there's one thing about a good squirrel hunting spot,as long as the food source is good it'll always be a good squirrel spot.a few years back i took 4 out of the same tree and since then it's the spot where i start each time i squirrel hunt.MOST days i take at least one from that same tree.but,the general area itself is a very good one for squirrels and there's one thing i know for sure,i can't shoot all of them!i take what i will eat through the winter then i'm done for the season.
so the guy had a good day.my hat's off to him for it and i'm glad that he enjoyed his time in the woods.


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## saugeyeslayer1

CONGRATS!!on your hunt .I hope I get a few when I go on Sunday.


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## Fish4Food

wow...havent checked the site for a few days and was surprised to see over 50 posts concerning probly the most fun ive ever had on a squirrel hunt... which i could negatively respond to about half of, but wont.....but "traphunter" DO NOT EVER CALL ME UNETHICAL, have you ever hunted with me? no you havent, and dont assume that because we got 7 out of the same tree means we were hunting a little block of woods, and now the population is ruined in that whole area, when really you werent there to see maybe the 4 or 5 squirrels we passed up because they were tiny...and the couple my dad missed with his .22 Its not like we werent out there with our shotguns just blasting away, but to the other posters, thanks for the support! And for "Mr. Squirrel Enthusiast" who is just trying to educate everyone else....you do sound 18 years old.
Boys the squirrels are tearin up the hickory trees, some of the ones i found while hunting that night looked like they had hickory hull mulch around the bases of them. I probly wont get to squirrel hunt but a few more times this year, unless i am fortunate enough to get my buck early, and my brother only gets to come in town and hunt about twice a year, so i thank God that he gave us a great evening like HE did.
A shortage on squirrels, maybe where you are, but not the case where i hunt, I am planning on taking my 82 year old grandfather to the same spot next weekend, hopefully we will have good results again.
Good luck to everyone this fall


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## Guest

> you do sound 18 years old.


 According to your profile, you were born in 88', so that would make you right around the same age, so not really much room to talk there. ????   

Dont take me wrong, im glad you all had a good time. And hopefully your grandpa can get him a squirrel or 2 if there is any left. I just wish people would try to practice some guidelines for themselves, even though they are not breaking the law.

Your right that I have never hunted with you, and I never wish to hunt with people who think they need to kill that many, but I never called YOU as a person unethical. I said I think taking that many squirrels from one area is unethical, which I truely believe it is, but I never once said you were an unethical person. People have a different view point on what really is ethical, and what is not. I just hope you come to releize what I am saying. MAybe there is 10000 squirrels in the woods you hunt, but i really doubt there is enough to repeately stand that kind of harvest. Just be smart in what you do, becasue remember if this is your land then you are only hurting yourselves next year when you wont have near as many to kill.

By the way, even though Im pretty sure you all wont care, I went out squirrel hunting this morning from before sunrise untill about noon. Those darned squirrels were right above my head in an old oak tree dropping nut shells all around me. Even had one of the burgers in my crosshairs. I had a great fulfilling time. Never fired the first shot.


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## Fish4Food

Well there chief, we may be around the same age, I never claimed to be older, but by the comments you have made, YOU DO SOUND 18....lets get that straight right now. 

I am 17 and have alot to learn, but you know what, I went out, enjoyed an evening in the woods with my family, legally shot some squirrels, and had fun, just like I have been doing since I was 9 years old.
You sit here and say I did not use good ethics?
Your right, there are many viewpoints on what is ethical, and i do realize what you are saying, you are saying that your viewpoint is the right one. I appreciate you trying to impose your code of ethics on myself and trying to educate so many others on proper hunting ethics, but not only was i complying with state game laws, but ...Now correct me if I'm wrong here, in my last post did i not say that, we passed up about 5 that were just young, small squirrels, so if i wished, could have easily filled my limit,... But according to you, I have no guidelines, and did not use proper ethics...get real

And don't you worry about the land I hunt there buddy, I did not say i go kill 14 squirrels 3 times a week. Id rather be in my treestand, i just thought i would let you guys on here know about a fun evening i had.


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## junkyardbass

I tried my hardest to stay out of this one but I just cant take it anymore. I hunt squirrels every year, never had a day as good as the one fishforfood had, but believe me I wish I would. The guy didn't even take his limit for cring out loud!!! They could have killed 18 total and still been within their rights. So what is the problem. According to someone its only ethical if you dont pull the trigger at all. Does that make you a better person because you went hunting and didn't kill anything? All that does is make you a bad hunter. The state pays experts with college degrees to empose limits on what you can harvest. So dont try to say you know better than they do. If you feel bad for the cute wittle fuzzy animals then stay out of the hunting forum. You are allowed to take 6 per person per day for a reason, squirrels are everywhere. If you get 7 out of the same tree, guess what there is no shortage of tree rats in that area. And one other thing, long before a person can kill all the squirrels in the woods, the squirrels will simply move. Squirrels are not dumb animals, if they are stressed from over hunting they will move to another area. Everyone needs to just calm down, Squirrels are far from being on the endangered list.


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## Guest

First off let me state that this will be my last post on this topic. Its getting to childish for me. With that being said, well.........




> YOU DO SOUND 18....lets get that straight right now.


I was thinking I sounded more like 18 1/2 or 18 3/4. I am sad now. It disappoints me that you think I act my age!  Thanks for setting it straight though.


> I am 17 and have alot to learn, but you know what, I went out, enjoyed an evening in the woods with my family, legally shot some squirrels, and had fun, just like I have been doing since I was 9 years old.


Like I said before Im glad that you enjoyed your self and had a good time hunting with your family.



> You sit here and say I did not use good ethics?


Right, I dont think it was very ethical. You obviously disagree. SO is it alright for you to disagree with me, but not alright for me to disagree with you? Are you confused yet?



> Your right, there are many viewpoints on what is ethical, and i do realize what you are saying, you are saying that your viewpoint is the right one.


Of course I think im right about what I said, just as you think that you are right about what you said and did. Thats what makes the world unique,everyone is different.



> I appreciate you trying to impose your code of ethics on myself and trying to educate so many others on proper hunting ethics


I never tried to impose anything upon you or anyone else here. I wrote what I thought and believe very strongly in. I wrote what my ethics were on the subject, and I also wrote that I wish others could see the same way, but never once did I say that you must do the same as me or your a horrible person.



> now correct me if I'm wrong here, in my last post did i not say that, we passed up about 5 that were just young, small squirrels, so if i wished, could have easily filled my limit


I dont think that there is much correction to do there, thats pretty much what you wrote. Thats nice of you to pass them up, but you also just passed up the most tender meat that you could have shot.



> And don't you worry about the land I hunt there buddy,


Im not at all worried about it, but you might want to be becasue your the one that will be hunting it in the future

Good luck to you in the future, and remember, keep a cool tool


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## Fish4Food

Thanks junkyardbass, I hope you do have a day like i had, it was awesome, but i must warn you, skinning that many squirrels is not fun. lol, My dad, brother, and I formed an assembly line and passed them down, in order to take care of them


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## Orlando

Sounds like you had a good time. Don't let the tree huggers get to you. I would bet there are more squirrels around now than years ago. People just don't hunt them like they used to. Take all you can within your limit as long as you can use them.


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## DaleM

This thread has gone far enough, now it getting to name calling. Please use PM's as they are meant to be used.Not as public information.


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