Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game SQUIRREL SAFARI 2006

Just tell her your old rifles are worn out and the BATF prevents you from selling them. Hence all the new ones.

Good idea, Shreck! I'm sure she wouldn't want me to get busted for dealing without a license.

Here's where we're at:

Dates: Oct. 13-15 (Friday through Sunday)
Location: TN, preferably in the NF in Johnson, Cart, Sullivan, Green, Cocke, Sevier, Jefferson, Blount, Monroe, or Polk counties.

What's needed?

Someone/ya'll with familiarity in that region to post up some good places.

Requirements: It has to be large enough for probably up to 20 people or so, and it has to be accessible to those with mobility difficulties. At least one of our members is not very mobile, and perhaps some others that'd like to be there have some problems as well. Finding a spot that's accessible enough for them is a must.

So, ya'll out there, any suggestions?

I'm gonna e-mail TN F&G and see what they have to say, but some first hand knowledge or recon would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Update:

Here's the e-mail reply that I received this morning from a F&G Biologist in TN re: the squirrel safari and locations:



Both of the Cherokee WMA are right on the TN/NC line, putting them about exactly where we've decided to do this.

I'm gonna post over at the Hunter's Campfire a thread re: info on these WMAs, with details as to what is needed.

Hopefully, someone over in that area can/has done the recon beforehand to narrow the location a bit more.

The TN fall season starts generally about the end of August, and the bag limit is 10/day/hunter. Sunday hunting is permitted, and the dates for the hunt (weekend after Columbus Day, this October) should be about perfect for bushytails. License fees run $17 for non-residents for the Cherokee WMA small-game-only permits; an additional $50.50 might be needed for the 7-day small-game non-resident tag if someone decides to hunt outside the WMA.

VAnimrod, I hunted bear in the Cherokee four and two seasons ago. I was amazed at how scarce small game seemed to be there. It looks like primo country for squirrels but we saw very few. Saw some grouse and turkeys and three or four deer. It was just incredible the amount of stuff we didn't see. Just saying that I think it's very important to get some first hand information about where the squirrels are to be found.

Don't forget Sasquatches!

Some years, squirrels are very scarce due to poor mast crops. Other years, they are very abundant. Right now, in WNC on the TN border where I live, there seems to be a squirrel in every other tree! Will they be abundant in October? Probably, but not that is not a certainty. One thing is certain and that is that hunting pressure on small game is much less than it was when I was growing up.

Bandukwallah;

THAT's some of the on-site info that's gonna be useful. Thanks!

Are you in for the "safari"?

I'll do my very best to make the drive down from Kentucky. I'm getting married about a month prior, but suspect I could probably sneak away for a weekend. Surely she will be sick of me after a month or so! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My congratulations early. After a month, she'll hopefully still have enough "afterglow" to smile when she turns you loose. Send her to the spa for the weekend, and you're probably good to make the trip AND buy a new rifle for the outing... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Just don't do what a friend of mine did. He postponed his wedding date one day because the proposed date was opening day. Their oldest granddaughter is expecting, and it still hasn't been forgotten.

Can't believe I just found this thread. What a great idea. If work doesn't get in the way I believe I'll join you gents.

I almost never get in on something like this, but this is very doable for me and I would really love to meet y'all face to face. Count me in, TN is drivable but SW Va would have been better, nonetheless I can make this. Keep us all informed, maybe I can pick up 7mmbuster on the way or even 284luvr. Even if the actual squir. shooting is a bust it would still be a blast just to get together.

Are semiauto's legal in TN and VA? I've got a nice 10/22 I can't hunt with in PA and I would sure love to take it afield.

I know 10/22s are legal in VA, and I THINK (and will check) that they are legal in TN as well.

It'd be really good to have a few of you PA boys in on this, and Dix, I am hoping you can make it... even if you drag the other two with ya... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Whats happening on the West Coast? Its a long trip to the East, for squirrels (pigs may be a different story). Anybody out here planning something like this?
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I'm up for it!

There's sum heap big fox squirrels down in Dixie...

Here's one of my trophies from when I lived there.....

How come his belly is white?

Have seen a bunch of different color schemes on fox squirrels...one of the wildest was a tawny sorta blonde body with a pure white head and black tufts on its ears and tip of the tail...I wanted to get that one and mount it but it was deer season and my .270/150 grainers wouldn't have left much...never saw it again...

Saw a mostly white one once too.....

Generally though most of 'em I was used to seeing are colored somewhat like the one in the pic with a yellowish belly......