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OP
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...until S.C. squirrel season. I have two new places lined up to hunt them this year so it can't get here soon enough!
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Squirrel season has been open in Missouri since Memorial Day weekend but the high humidity and 90+ temps aren't conducive to fun hunting.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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Yeah, ours is October-March. Don't think I'd want to hunt them in hot weather even if I could.
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Around here the best squirrel hunting is September & October. November isn't bad either, just different because the squirrels aren't in the trees cutting hickory nuts or acorns. In November and on into the winter months the squirrels are on the ground digging through the leaf litter looking for acorns on the ground. It's still good, I actually like to use archery gear and kill a few then. I can usually recover arrows when they're on the ground.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Indiana opens in 43 days.....can't wait for "FREE RANGE ORGANIC LIMB CHICKEN SEASON".....just sayin'   maddog
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Campfire Ranger
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America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
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August 1st start for Illinois, south zone. wont be long!  dave
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Joined: May 2005
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Last year where I hunt, there were very few hickory nuts but this year is looking much better. I have already had some very good hunts.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Campfire Regular
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When I was a kid ,I always heard that squirrels were no good to eat until the first frost.Is there any truth to that?
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Joined: Feb 2004
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When I was a kid ,I always heard that squirrels were no good to eat until the first frost.Is there any truth to that? Can't speak for the whole country, but where I live, I've been known to fry a youngin' and eat it on the eve of opening day, and they're DELICIOUS!! And opening day is August 15th. maddog
Last edited by maddog; 07/13/16.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Last year where I hunt, there were very few hickory nuts but this year is looking much better. I have already had some very good hunts. You been hunting in this 90*+ heat and 90% humidity? You like to hunt them more than I do!
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: May 2005
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I try to get in the woods at first light and hunt for a couple of hours. When it gets to hot for me it seems to be about the same time it gets too hot for them as well.
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Joined: Jul 2011
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Campfire Tracker
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You want to wait till that first frost kills the warbles.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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You want to wait till that first frost kills the warbles. That's an old wives tale but if it makes you feel better then more power to you. I have very seldom found a warble/wolves on a squirrel. I have found them much more often on rabbits.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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I try to get in the woods at first light and hunt for a couple of hours. When it gets to hot for me it seems to be about the same time it gets too hot for them as well. How is the acorn crop looking in your area? I took a little scouting trip to my bowhunting spots on public ground Saturday. A good sized thunderstorm Friday had knocked out some limbs and blown some tops out and I found a bunch of overcup acorns in clusters on those limbs. Didn't see any of the bigger white oak acorns blown out. Or for that matter any black oak acorns or hickory nuts. The hickory trees out back here at the house have nuts but I couldn't find any on the public ground I was at.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: May 2005
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I haven't noticed a lot of acorns yet. The squirrels have been cleaning up some of the remaining acorns left on the ground from last year. I am seeing several hickory nuts so in about two weeks it should get real interesting!
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Yeah, by the end of the month the squawks will be hitting the hickories pretty serious. Man I hope we get an early cool fall.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
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You want to wait till that first frost kills the warbles. That's an old wives tale but if it makes you feel better then more power to you. I have very seldom found a warble/wolves on a squirrel. I have found them much more often on rabbits. Yeah, frost doesn't kill them, by then most have hatched and left their hosts....
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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You want to wait till that first frost kills the warbles. That's an old wives tale but if it makes you feel better then more power to you. I have very seldom found a warble/wolves on a squirrel. I have found them much more often on rabbits. Around here, just about any squirrel you kill in hot weather is apt to have at least one. I generally use the "first frost" rule of thumb myself. I know you can eat them regardless but those squirmy, squishy little bastards are just too disgusting to deal with...
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2013
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Squirrel season has been open in Missouri since Memorial Day weekend but the high humidity and 90+ temps aren't conducive to fun hunting. The first month is my favorite time here in Mo. Get out and hunt until 9 or 10 in the morn. Find a Mulberry tree and sit down about 25 yards away. You aren't killing young squirrels if you have to wait all summer. I like them lil uns that have twice as much tail as they do body. That is what a young good tasting squirrel is, about 6 weeks, 2 months old at max.
Last edited by 10gaugemag; 08/02/16.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Squirrels breed twice per year in Missouri. Litters are born in the spring and late summer. There are young squirrels around in September and October.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2013
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Squirrels breed twice per year in Missouri. Litters are born in the spring and late summer. There are young squirrels around in September and October. Never knew that. Surprised the MDC lets us have a season when their may be young in the den.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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I dunno, not supposed to harass them in the den anyway so I guess it doesn't matter. There's plenty of squirrels usually so I guess MDC gives us plenty of opportunities with squirrels. Like you I try to shoot the young ones, they are better on the table and easier to fix in different recipes. However, I do like the body to be at least as long as the tail - LOL. 
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: May 2002
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I'm still seeing and shooting young squirrel after the snow flies. Not sure if they ever stop breeding and producing.
Lost my 2 best squirrel spots. One was a quarry surrounded by oak and hickory. Sold to a corporate interest.
The other was a private farm timber and the owner has passed on. Sold and subdivided. Already one house finished in the timber, and another started...
"Chances Will Be Taken"
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Sorry to hear about losing your spots. Makes me appreciate the abundant public ground to hunt here in the Ozark's. I noticed cuttings around the hickory trees in the back yard. They're starting...
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I dunno, not supposed to harass them in the den anyway so I guess it doesn't matter. There's plenty of squirrels usually so I guess MDC gives us plenty of opportunities with squirrels. Like you I try to shoot the young ones, they are better on the table and easier to fix in different recipes. However, I do like the body to be at least as long as the tail - LOL. Not harrassing them in the den but if you kill a sow and there are little ones in the den it seems to me that they will die of an unpleasant death.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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