Learn to Hunt Squirrels

Squirrel hunting is often partnered with other types of hunting. For this reason, you will sometimes see it considered as: 1) part of upland game hunting; 2) part of small game hunting; 3) paired with rabbit hunting; or 4) grouped with rabbit and dove hunting. We’ve done this ourselves in past webinars (as you may notice below), but we are beginning to consider them as their own category here at Illinois Learn to Hunt, as they have different requirements and tactics compared to the species with which they are often grouped.

You can also find these episodes (and more!) on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or on our podcast’s YouTube playlist.

Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

Physical Characteristics

• Head to tail base is around 8 to 11 inches long and generally weighs around 1 1/4 lbs
• Tail is roughly the same length as the body and white fur borders the bushy gray tail
• Gray (agouti) back, sides, and head with cream eye circles, a white belly, and white tips on ears
• Other color variations can occur, such as all black (melanistic), leucistic (white or pale, or with white or pale splotches, dark eyes), and albinistic (albino), but all three of these variations are still the same species. All three can be found in IL.

Habitat Preferences & Behavioral Characteristics

• Common across Illinois, especially in close-canopy forests with nut-bearing or cavity trees and in cities
• Most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular)
• Eats buds, leaves, fruits, berries, fungi, pecans, acorns, hickory nuts, tree bark, walnuts and the seeds of various other trees
• Primarily arboreal (lives in trees) but does store nuts in holes in the ground (caches).
• Commonly makes a “kuk-kuk-cut-cut-cut” call, but females will “bark” when pursued by males during the breeding seasons

Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

Physical Characteristics

• Largest Illinois tree squirrel: head to tail base is around 10 to 15 inches long and weighs between 1 3/4 and 2 lbs.
• Tail is long and tinted orange
• Belly, ears, and face are also tinted a rusty orange
• Rusty yellow fur is mixed with black, which gives an overall orange tint to the body
• Other color variations (generally with more black, especially in the face) can be found, but they are generally found in the southern US, not in Illinois.

Habitat Preferences & Behavioral Characteristics

• Common across Illinois, but prefers forest edges and clusters over dense forest. The most common place to find eastern fox squirrels is along the edges of agriculture fields where they meet small forests. Can be found in urban areas, but less common than gray squirrels
• Not commonly found in the same areas as gray squirrels
• Diurnal (active during the day)
• Eastern fox squirrels tend to spend more time on the ground than gray squirrels do
• The eastern fox squirrel makes a series of sounds, but the “bark” is the most commonly used
• Eats fruits, tree buds, hickory nuts, acorns, walnuts, Osage orange fruits, corn, flowers, leaves, fungi and insects. The type of food eaten depends on the season and availability and they will cache, or store, extra food.

Using Squirrel Behavior and Ecology to Become a Better Squirrel Hunter

• These two squirrel species are most active at dawn and dusk. For this reason, you are more likely to be successful if you hunt squirrels at dawn and dusk, as they are more likely to be moving around in the trees or on the ground.
  • In the early season, especially, hunting in the early morning is better because there is less wind and it is significantly cooler than later in the day, which again, means the squirrels are more likely to be active (as hotter and windier weather tends to encourage squirrels to return to their dreys).
    • Squirrels rely on their vision and hearing to avoid becoming prey. When it is windy, trees, foliage, and other plants move and make it difficult for squirrels to tell when predators are around, so they tend to retreat into their nests.

• Early Season Behavior
  • Squirrels spend most of their time in trees and nest in dreys (which are cooler than tree cavities)
    • More active on cool mornings with little wind, but are rarely on the ground
• Mid-to-Late Season Behavior
  • Spend more time on the ground collecting and caching nuts in the mid-season
  • Once colder weather hits, squirrels have reduced periods of inactivity (but do not hibernate), until they enter one of their two breeding seasons in January/February
    • During courtship, males engage in lively chases to vie for females, who may mate with multiple suitors. As a result, they tend to be very active during breeding season, rather than hunkered down in a cavity, which provides good hunting opportunities in the late season
      • The other breeding season is in late spring/early summer, so is not relevant for hunting opportunities
      • Once pregnant, the female carries the young for about 44 days before giving birth to a litter of two to six kits, typically in a secure den high in the trees

Common Food Resources

The images below illustrate several of the most common squirrel food sources: acorns, hickory nut, beech nuts, and black walnuts. Becoming familiar with these types of tree nuts is a good first step in learning to identifying good squirrel habitat.

Squirrel Scouting

When looking for a good spot, we recommend looking for a somewhat open oak-hickory forest area. These spots provide ample food for the squirrels to draw them in and it is much easier to see the squirrels in these areas than it is in some of the denser area with thick underbrush.

Look for oak and hickory trees, which are favorites of squirrels, as well as old, dead trees that have cavities, which provide areas for squirrels to nest. Often, squirrel cavity nests will have chew marks around the hole in tree, from the squirrel gnawing on the opening to make it larger.

Squirrels generally prefer cavity nesting to dreys (nests constructed from twigs, leaves, branches, and other materials that squirrels make themselves), but in warmer weather and in areas that lack good cavity trees, be sure to keep an eye out for dreys higher up in the tree branches.

If you see stumps or logs with cracked nut shells on them, especially in a small pile, it is a good indication that squirrels are active nearby. The same is true if you see disturbed leaves on the ground where squirrels have been either stashing or searching for nuts (see image on the left).

Finally, tracks in snow or mud are also a great indication that there are squirrels in the area. Familiarizing yourself with squirrel tracks, especially compared to racoon tracks, rabbit tracks, and opossum track, can be helpful (see the image on the right).

We also recommend:

• Tree Squirrels (Wildlife Illinois, IDNR)
• Eastern Gray Squirrel (IDNR)
• Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) – A Small Game Species Profile by Ryan Lisson
• Eastern Fox Squirrel (IDNR)

One of the best things about squirrel hunting is that there is very little equipment required to be successful (although if you want to maximize your gear, you can do that, too).

At its most basic, you need your means of take (bow/arrows or gun/ammo), your licenses/FOID, camouflage clothing or clothing in natural tones, and something to put your squirrels in, should you harvest any (like a small cooler or ziplock bags).

You are not required to wear blaze orange while squirrel hunting unless:

1. You are hunting another game species (like rabbits) that requires blaze orange/pink;
2. You are hunting squirrels during youth firearm deer season; or
3. You are squirrel hunting during other deer firearm seasons

That being said, most of us here at LtH will have a little blaze orange on us while we’re squirrel hunting on public land, just to be on the safe side.

A game vest is nice to have to hold your ammo and any squirrels you harvest, and a chair or pad is nice to sit on if you like stationary hunting tactics (see below). Bug spray, water, and sunscreen can also make for a much more comfortable squirrel hunting experience, especially early in the season.

We also recommend:

• Video: What’s in Your Bag: Squirrel Hunting (Ohio Department of Natural Resources)

First and foremost, the site you are hunting will determine whether you are allowed to choose between a shotgun or a .22: although Illinois statewide hunting regulations allow for the use of either option, many IDNR sites do NOT allow the use of .22s, so be sure you know if using one is even an option for you.

If you do have the option to use either, there are two things you should consider:

1. How do you want to hunt on this occasion
2. Is a .22 a reasonable choice?
   • Many squirrel hunters prefer the .22 and tend go with that option when they can unless there is a reason that a shotgun would be a better choice.

Pros and Cons of Squirrel Hunting with a .22

• Pros
  • Quieter
  • Precise (less meat waste)
• Cons
  • Much more difficult when leaves are still on the trees (early season)
  • Much more difficult to hit a squirrel when it is running

Pros and Cons of Squirrel Hunting with a Shotgun

• Pros
  • Better for when the leaves are still on the tree (early season)– requires less precision and more of an opportunity to harvest a squirrel when it is partially obscured
  • Better for when squirrels are running

• Cons
  • Very loud
  • Less precise (more potential for meat waste, especially if the squirrel is close when it is shot)

Stationary hunting is also known as “sit and wait,” and you essentially do just that! This is tactic that is most like deer hunting.

If you choose to try this approach, we recommend that you:

• Try to get in position before sunrise and give it some time for the squirrels to start moving around — don’t expect immediate action
• Sit for 15 to 25 minutes in one spot. If you aren’t seeing or hearing any squirrels after that amount of time, consider moving to a new location.

• Listen for crackling leaves, bark scratching, or nuts and twigs dropping to the forest floor
• Shotguns are best in early season while leaves are on the trees making most shots close, while a .22 rifle is great to use in late season when targeting squirrels from a distance is much more likely
• Bring a cushion, pad, or chair to sit on!
• Remain silent and still — remember, squirrels rely on their vision and hearing, so if you’re noisy or fidgeting, they will be aware of you and woodland squirrels are often much more wary of people than urban/park squirrels are

This is a great tactic to use when taking a new hunter, a child, or a small group out hunting because although you don’t want to be loud, you can talk a little bit and staying still is no longer a factor. This tactic is also great earlier in the season when you still have leaf cover to help conceal your movement. It’s also great for the exact opposite reason later in the season because although the squirrels can see you, you will be able to locate them from much further away, too.

If you choose to try this approach, we recommend that you:

• Practice moving through the woods as quietly as you can using cover to hide your movements
• If a squirrel does escape, don’t waste too much time waiting it out. Just remember that tree next time or for the walk back, and try again
• Never shoot a nest or into a tree cavity to scare the squirrel out

It is legal to hunt squirrels with a dog in most areas of IL (check the Hunt Illinois site directory for site-specific regulations, as some sites don’t allow it and other sites allow it but require your dog be leashed).

This is a much less stealthy approach, but for a lot of people, it is also a lot more fun! It’s also a great way to bond with your dog and get to know their unique body language and barks. Dogs are also handy for recovering squirrels, especially when the ground foliage is still dense in late summer and early autumn.

We also recommend:

• How to Hunt Squirrels with a Dog by Marc Gray
• How to Get Started Hunting Squirrels With a Dog by Larry Case