Looking back on my first squirrel hunt as a teenager, hunting the piney woods of Southeast LA, I was about as green as they come. I’m amazed how I was able to kill a single squirrel. But that’s how you learn in this game – one mistake at a time, one lesson at a time. After years of stumbling through the timber, missing easy shots, and spooking more squirrels than I care to count, I’ve figured out what works and what doesn’t. These five tips aren’t fancy theories – they’re battle-tested tactics that will put more squirrel meat in your freezer. They’ll help you skip the trial-and-error that took me years to work through and get you hunting smarter, not harder. Here are our 5 squirrel hunting tips to get you off and running towards success.
Squirrel Hunting Tip #1: Choose the Right All-Around Gun
If you’re looking for one gun that’ll serve you well throughout the entire squirrel season, grab a quality .22 rifle. It’s light enough to carry all day at just 5 pounds, accurate enough for precise headshots at 50 yards, and reliable enough to work when you need it. Top it with decent glass, and you’ve got a rig that’ll handle everything from early season treetop shots to late winter ground-feeding opportunities.
What makes the 10/22 stand out is its versatility. The semi-auto action gives you quick follow-up shots when needed, but it’s still plenty accurate for those precision headshots that keep your meat clean. The standard 10-round magazine is perfect for a morning in the woods, and the gun handles both standard and high-velocity loads without flinching.
Sure, you could go with something fancier like a bolt-action or step up to a flat-shooting .17 HMR. But for an all-around gun that won’t break the bank and will still be putting squirrels in your game bag 20 years from now, it’s hard to beat a 10/22 with good glass. Just remember – any .22 is only as good as the shooter behind it.
Squirrel Hunting Tip #2: Find the Food, Find the Squirrels
Finding squirrels isn’t rocket science – it’s about following their stomach. These tree rats are creatures of habit, and their habits revolve around food. Your first move is to locate the right trees. Hickory, white oak, and pecan are prime targets. Beech, red oak, and pine will work too, but they’re second-tier food for squirrels.
The key is finding active feeding zones. Look for “cuttings” on the ground – those shredded nut hulls and half-eaten morsels squirrels drop while feeding. Fresh cuttings mean squirrels are working that area right now. If you find a spot where pine cone bits litter the ground near some nut-dropping hardwoods, you’ve hit the jackpot.
Don’t overlook travel routes either. Squirrels aren’t stupid – they know hawks and owls are watching. Look for thick vine growth or low-hanging branches connecting feed trees. These are their highways, keeping them safe from aerial attack while staying out of reach of ground predators.
Squirrel Hunting Tip #3: Double Your Odds with a Partner
Those old bushytails might be smart, but they can’t outsmart two hunters working together. Having a partner doesn’t just give you an extra set of eyes – it lets you outmaneuver squirrels that have been playing hide-and-seek with hunters their whole lives.
Here’s how to work it: Space yourselves about 20 yards apart when walking. The lead hunter naturally draws the squirrel’s attention, while the trailing hunter often gets the shot when it tries to slip around the backside of the tree. It’s a simple trick, but it works.
Got a squirrel pinned in a tree? One hunter stays put while the other circles. Squirrels will try to keep the tree between them and the moving hunter – and that’s exactly what you want. They’ll shimmy right into the stationary hunter’s sights.
Want to really stack the odds? Have one hunter carry a shotgun for those quick shots at moving targets, while the other packs a scoped .22 for precision work. You’re ready for whatever the woods throw at you
Squirrel Hunting Tip #4: Take Advantage of the Rut
If you want to see squirrels acting crazy, hit the woods during the breeding season. Just like deer, squirrels throw caution to the wind when love is in the air. Those normally cautious bushytails will be running up and down trees, chasing each other through the canopy, and giving you shot opportunities you won’t see any other time of year.
December is prime time for this action. On a sunny winter day, you’ll see boar squirrels chasing sows all over the woods. They’re so caught up in their breeding routine that they’ll sometimes run right past your boot tracks. This is when you can really rack up those clean head shots – the squirrels are too busy chasing tail to worry about hunters.
But here’s the key: you need to be patient. These breeding squirrels will give you plenty of shot opportunities, but rushing things will still send them into hiding. Post up with a good view of several trees and wait for the show to start. When they’re rutting, you won’t have to wait long.
Squirrel Hunting Tip #5: Use Your Ears
Most hunters spend too much time scanning treetops and not enough time using their ears. Smart squirrel hunters know that listening is often more effective than looking. These bushytails make all kinds of noise – you just need to learn their language.
That crunching sound up high? That’s a squirrel cutting nuts. The rain of hulls hitting leaves below tells you exactly where to look. Hear that angry chatter coming from a den tree? That’s likely a sow running a boar out of her territory. Even the sound of claws on bark can point you to a squirrel trying to slip away quietly.
Want to really up your game? Try working with squirrel calls. The basic bark call works, but here’s a trick that’ll fill your limit faster: Hunt with a buddy and double-bark. Space yourselves about 75 yards apart and take turns calling. When one hunter barks and the other answers, it sounds natural to the squirrels – they often can’t resist joining the conversation. The closest hunter takes the shot, then you move 50 yards and start again.
Whether you’re using calls or just listening, remember that early morning and evening are prime time for squirrel sounds. They’re most vocal when they’re most active
Final Thoughts
Squirrel hunting isn’t complicated, but it demands your full attention. These rodents have survived countless seasons of hunters and predators hunting them down. They’re playing defense with their lives on the line. The hunters who consistently tag out are the ones who stay sharp and use every advantage they can get. Put these tips to work, and you’ll start thinking like a squirrel instead of just hoping to see one. That’s when the real hunting begins – and that’s when your game bag starts getting heavier.
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