When I was a kid, squirrel hunting was a big deal. On the opening day and for several weekends thereafter, loading up the trucks with dogs, friends and family for a morning hunt was not only common, but it was also a well-practiced endeavor.
I learned much watching the adults, listening to their stories of hunts long past and, of course, hearing about their dogs. It also taught me the basics of becoming woods-wise and how important it is to understand the daily habits and characteristics of game animals.
In short, I owe a great deal to those who not only had the time to go hunting but made a conscious decision to let me tag along. I also owe a great deal to the dogs who taught me quickly how to hunt hard and the dedication it requires to become a skilled hunter.
Those dogs were excellent squirrel hunters, and if you paid even a little bit of attention, they would quickly let you know where and on what the squirrels were feeding.
That information was valuable for a novice hunter trying to repeat the dogs’ efforts on my own when the opportunity and age were appropriate for me to be set free for an afternoon hunt.
Those hunts with dogs gave me the knowledge of at least where to start and which hunting grounds had the mast trees on which the squirrels were concentrating.
Later in my teenage years, I was introduced to the sport of bowhunting for deer, and that period lasted not only the rest of my time at home, but it also followed me through college, my first job, marriage and becoming a father.
Patterning deer movement, learning about deer behavior, and picking a spot to hang a tree stand for the best chance for success takes many hours of walking the woods and scouting.
My success as a bowhunter can be directly linked to the hunts of my youth following dogs around and being tuned into the food sources available for all critters in the woodlot. They let me watch them unlock the mystery of finding game firsthand.
Fast-forward to today and, yes, I now keep my own hunting dogs and have for many, many years, and I still am as excited to hunt squirrels with them as when I was a kid.
Why? I can only answer with the simple fact that following them throughout the squirrel season allows me to see firsthand the food sources available on my hunting grounds. I then share that information with the bowhunters in my hunting circle to assist them in their hunting efforts.
As the season goes on, the squirrels will move to new locations where wild foods are plentiful. From Sept. 9 through the end of February, the months that squirrel season is open, each month can provide a different strategy for locating food sources, and I know one thing for certain: The dogs will let you know when you are in the right food places because the squirrels will be there.
To become a successful hunter, no matter the species in pursuit, learning about the critter, its habits and food sources will allow you the opportunity to become immersed in the natural world in a way that I am convinced that only hunters can experience firsthand.
I owe a great deal to those early squirrel hunts. They not only taught me to become a hunter, but to live a lifestyle of hands-on wildlife conservation that depicts who I am and has provided for a lifestyle that I so deeply cherish.
This early fall, maybe give squirrel hunting a go. Who knows, you may just learn something. I know I always do.
Chris Ellis is a veteran of the outdoors industry. His book “Hunting, Fishing and Family from The Hills of West Virginia” is available at www.wvbookco.com. Contact him at chris@elliscom.net.
