wanting to get in to squirrel hunting

I am very interested in goetting into squirrel hunting, what would be the best way to find a person who has such dogs. Augusta,Georgia

[electronrider]

Why would you need a dog to go squirrel hunting? Grab yer .22 or .410 and go fer a walk in the woods! LOL

Originally Posted by sledgehammer

I am very interested in goetting into squirrel hunting, what would be the best way to find a person who has such dogs. Augusta,Georgia

[Bob Mc]

Try here: http://www.sqdog.com/

[Dawndra]

We don't use dogs... go find a hickory tree & sit with a good shot line at it....

[almostthere]

My dh doesnt use dogs either. I would imagine that lots of people hunt that way tho , so I'm sure you'll get lots of good replies.

[Kevin and Laura]

A squirrel dog is an unussual thing around here. A GOOD squirrel dog is a very rare thing around here... But, I know how you feel. I'd love to hunt with a brace of dogs again. It is the cats meow in squirrel hunting, but you will walk more with the dogs....

I squirrel hunt both with dogs and without dogs. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. It's fun to have a 4 legged hunting partner but I can catch just as many squirrels without a dog. If you want to hunt with a dog you don't have to get anything pedigreed. A lot of heinz 57 will tree squirrels with a little trainning. Just about any terrior mix breed will make a great hunting partner as well as any mix breed of coondogs such as blueticks, black & tans, redbones. I would recommend starting out with something around 6 months old to 1 year of age and train no more than one dog at a time. If you take two dogs out at the same time they will spend more time playing with each other than learning. Once they have learned and know what they are suppose to do then you can start hunting two at a time which will make squirrel hunting even more enjoyable.

Start your trainning by using a live captured squirrel if your lucky enough to catch one. Place a havahart trap underneath a squirrel den tree and bait it with peanut butter. Once captured use the cage with the squirrel in it to tease and play with your new 4 legged hunting partner for a while. When the squirrel has captured the dogs attention and the dog wants it very bad have someone to hold the dog while you place the squirrel half way between the distance of a tree and the dog. Let the squirrel loose and as soon as it starts running for the tree let the dog go to chase it. The squirrel should make it up the tree before the dog catches it. Repeat this one or two more times and then take the dog on it's first squirrel hunt.

On the first hunt you and your 4 legged friend should arrive in the woods right at day break. Be there before the squirrels get out of bed. Once in the woods set down next to a tree and hold on to your dog. Once a squirrel comes out and starts skipping around on the ground let your dog watch it for a minute and then turn it loose to go chase the squirrel. Quickly follow behind and catch and tie the dog to whatever tree the squirrel climbed. Reward your dog by giving it a good pat and a scratch. Entice him to keep after the squirrel and stay on tree if the squirrel is still in it.

It will take a lot of practice for both you and the dog.

[uncle Will in In.]

Just go out in the woods and sit on a stump real quietly. When the squirrels decide you look like a big nut, they will come to you. My brother-in-law was a squirrel hunter. Some of them were so tough it took a steak knife just to cut the gravy.

[GeorgeK]

The east coast squirrel population has been identified as a potential carrier of prion diseases. To me the amount of work, for the amount of meat isn't worth the risk. But that's just me.

[Bob Mc]

There is squirrel hunting, and then there is squirrel hunting. There are squirrel dogs, and then there are squirrel dogs. For the uninitiated, there are pleasure hunting dogs and there are competition dogs. The world of competition squirrel dogs is HUGE in some of the eastern and southern states. $1500 can be a cheap price to pay for a really good competition dog. And then there are stud fees. Big bucks involved for what many consider to be ‘just a meat dog’.

[stonerebel]

I find that either a beagle or a good trained kurr dogs works good. Its all a matter of training. Look in the want ads for someone with beagle pups, usually find one for less than 150. Nothing funner than hunting with a good squirrel dog in a south Georgia swamp.

[big rockpile]

Around here I put out Feeders the Dogs go nuts over Squirrels,I let them smell one every once in awhile let them know what I what.They find them by sight,smell,and I got one that hears them real well.I put my Dogs on Squirrels and Rabbits.Been thinking of putting them on Coons,but I'm afraid a Coon will hurt my little Jack Russell.

Here is a pic of my Babies.



big rockpile

[Urban Dreamer]

i'm confused. i guess i don't know much about hunting with dogs. do you use the dog to retrieve the squirrel like with ducks, or do you use it to chase the squirrel up a tree so you can shoot it? i can't imagine letting the critter get way up in a tree where you can't see him. why not shoot him while he's on the ground?!?! Maybe this is because I live in Florida and the leaves are still on the trees...

[Queen Bee]

Around here--my dachshunds are great squirrel dogs.. When a squirrel comes to the birdfeeder my dogs run out the doggie door, down the ramp and out to the feeders and will chase them to the trees. If I wanted squirrel for dinner I could shoot 24-36 in about ten minutes.. But I agree with someone (on this forum--I think?) that said "squirrels are just furry tailed rodents"!!!

[big rockpile]

Urban Dreamer The Dogs tree the Squirrels,they will bark Tree,then you go up shoot it.

Funny my Dogs love chasing Squirrels,but won't eat any of the Cleanings.

big rockpile

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Funny my Dogs love chasing Squirrels,but won't eat any of the Cleanings.

Smart dogs? :haha:

Bob

[bigrandy]

My boy and his friend went out back today came back with three in about an hour

[SRSLADE]

Big rockpile. Good looking babies.Obviously well cared for.I find when i go to the woods to hunt, the squirrels find me to tell the rest of the woods.The red squirrels are the mouthyest.