# Question - Early Squirrel Hunting



## CoonDawg92

I'm planning on taking my kids squirrel hunting this fall and see the season opens on September 1. Up here in north Ohio is it common to be able to harvest and eat squirrels that early in the fall without any concerns?

In the deep south where I'm from, early squirrels may have "wolves" or "warbles" which is a bot fly larvae embedded under their skin like a lump and many hunters won't eat them although it is not supposed to affect the meat quality.

Would like to find out if everyone is comfortable with early season squirrel eating up here.

Thanks!


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## ya13ya03

We kill a pile of them early. Mostly while deer scouting public land. Only ever seen one warble and I've killed 100's of squirrel. I'm far northeast ohio though. Hit the big hickory trees. Shag bark is what I look for first. Early season with a 22lr is my favorite time of year. I'm ready.


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## ezbite

ya13ya03 said:


> Shag bark is what I look for first. Early season with a 22lr is my favorite time of year. I'm ready.
> View attachment 317505


yep, I like to walk under nut trees and see if I can find cuttings. when I do, I find a tree about 10 yards away, take a seat and wait for movement or sometimes you can hear them cutting on a nut. I like to take the shotgun with some #6 instead of a .22 because a lot of time you only get to see a leg or part of the tail.


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## garhtr

I hunt early in s/w, few warbles, 0 last season. 
Mosquitoes can be an annoyance but other than that I enjoy it.
Good luck and good hunting !


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## CoonDawg92

Thanks for the info! Looking forward to it.


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## M.Magis

I only hunt early, its just more fun. I kill some with warbles, but it has to be pretty nasty before I worry about it, they peel right off with the skin. The vast majority are clean.


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## stonen12

I plan on hunting early this year and was wondering the same thing. Thanks for the post!


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## $diesel$

ya13ya03 said:


> We kill a pile of them early. Mostly while deer scouting public land. Only ever seen one warble and I've killed 100's of squirrel. I'm far northeast ohio though. Hit the big hickory trees. Shag bark is what I look for first. Early season with a 22lr is my favorite time of year. I'm ready.
> View attachment 317505


I'm with ya on that, brother. I kill 75% of mine out of a shag bark patch.


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## Doboy

I might start hunting them WAY sooner than Sep 1 !!! :<( 
And YES, they will go into the crock pot!

I was up the lake for 3 days last weekend, & when I came home, my English Wallnut tree was totally WIPED CLEAN! Over 100 nuts this year,,, & they were only 1/2 ripe,,,,, all GONE!!!
Empty Shells all over my wood pile.
I wanted to cry,,,,,,,,,, I just can't win.

One way or another,,, I'm gonna get my nuts back! ;>)


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## chadwimc

Early season = one word "Thermocell" !!!


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## Turkinator

I’ve never missed an opener for squirrel season! Love early season squirrel hunting!!!!!


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## Mi-Mic-Kay

Nice mixed bag Turk! What's the brand of SxS you're toting? SKB?


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## Turkinator

Yes skb 100. I have it set up for turkey hunting. It has thin wall choke tubes and rifle sights.


Mi-Mic-Kay said:


> Nice mixed bag Turk! What's the brand of SxS you're toting? SKB?


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## RogerS

I’m ready. I’ve got a few every year with warbles, one had 3 in its neck.


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## All Thumbs

what make and model is that RogerS? haven't seen one like that before.
picture says that it is accurate


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## Popspastime

Doboy said:


> I might start hunting them WAY sooner than Sep 1 !!! :<(
> And YES, they will go into the crock pot!
> 
> I was up the lake for 3 days last weekend, & when I came home, my English Wallnut tree was totally WIPED CLEAN! Over 100 nuts this year,,, & they were only 1/2 ripe,,,,, all GONE!!!
> Empty Shells all over my wood pile.
> I wanted to cry,,,,,,,,,, I just can't win.
> 
> One way or another,,, I'm gonna get my nuts back! ;>)


Thats why I only shoot the males, the females won't do that.


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## RogerS

Popspastime said:


> Thats why I only shoot the males, the females won't do that.


FX is the manufacturer and the Model is Wildcat MKI .25 caliber.


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## garhtr

Squirrel, gravy n biscuits, my fav.
It's been hot but most mornings have been calm -- would be nice to have some cooler mornings.
Still mostly in hickory's in my area but some are in oaks and walnuts, plenty of buckeyes but they're not touching them here.
Good luck and good hunting !


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## All Thumbs

garhtr said:


> Squirrel, gravy n biscuits, my fav.


sunday supper growing up - except mom, she wouldn't eat squirrel but would eat rabbit or raccoon or groundhog or deer but not squirrel - to me there is not much difference between rabbit and squirrel


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## Turkinator

Hickory and beech are about gone except for pignut, oak and walnut from here on out. Killed these in pignut and black oak in a new piece of public land I checked out.


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## snag

Went out for some bushy tails this past week on public land, saw three first day got one then today saw four got two, most were on the ground and still a lot of underbrush so a bit hard to get a good shot. Got a nice gray and this little guy ,was chasing around after a black squirrel .










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Drm50

The squirrels will be after mast that ripens first. Here first Hazel Nut thickets and they usually cut them out before season comes in. Then Buckeye & Beech and then hickories. Oaks and dead last Black Walnut & Butternut. My neighbor has Chinese Chestnuts in his yard and squirrel stripped them early in September.


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## buckeyebowman

All Thumbs said:


> sunday supper growing up - except mom, she wouldn't eat squirrel but would eat rabbit or raccoon or groundhog or deer but not squirrel - to me there is not much difference between rabbit and squirrel


To me there is. Squirrel is a much "richer" meat. It's as lean as rabbit, but darker and earthier. Rabbit reminds me of chicken. 

My BIL started his hunting career with squirrel when he was 7 or 8 years old. He learned to bark like a squirrel using only his mouth! Turns out that buck squirrels are very territorial, and if they hear an interloper stepping on their turf, they will come looking for him! This is a great way to induce activity if there doesn't seem to be anything going on in your woods at the time. There are squirrel calls available. You just need to learn the cadence.


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## Drm50

My old man used a penny on butt plate of his rifle to coax fox squirrels into investigating. Doesn't work on greys.


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## Popspastime

The males eat much better, leave the does.


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## buckeyebowman

Drm50 said:


> My old man used a penny on butt plate of his rifle to coax fox squirrels into investigating. Doesn't work on greys.


My BIL grew up hunting greys. That seems to be all that's down there. The property is in SE OH not far from Marietta. All squirrels are a PITA in the woods, but I think greys might be the worst! They notice everything. I had one in those SE OH woods climb a tree next to me, and hang there motionless for 20 minutes checking me out! 

Then, it climbed up the tree, switched to my tree, and began cutting nuts directly above me, dropping caps and hulls on my head, just to piss me off I think!


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## RogerS

“Then, it climbed up the tree, switched to my tree.”
I’ve had them do that also and then come down to within 2’ of my head. They’re just super curious animals. But I do enjoy hunting them.


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