Pennsylvania Game News - February 2021 - 26

I adhere to the adage that you hunt when
you can, but picking the right days to hunt
squirrels in winter can mean the difference
between bagging a limit or seeing nothing.
Winter weather in the Keystone State
seems to fluctuate more than ever between
extreme cold and downright balmy. Hunting
a warm, sunny day after a stretch of windy,
frigid weather, or after a heavy snow sends
squirrels to their tree-cavity dens, can pay
off big.
While, in fall, I'll set up in a hardwood
grove before first light, during winter squirrel hunts, I usually wait until temperatures
climb a bit, start mid-morning and hunt until
early afternoon.
On an oak ridge I've often hunted, squirrels in the fall forage heavily during the
morning, then again from late afternoon
until dark. But they change their patterns
in winter, when they feed heavily from
late-morning to mid-afternoon, then quit
for the day.
Activity might be different in other areas,
but knowing your hunting spots will dictate
what you do.

Stand or Still-Hunt?
In both fall and winter, I prefer to stand
hunt for squirrels.
The biggest difference in winter is you're
more likely to spot squirrels foraging on
the ground for stashed food than feeding
on mast in trees.
Hunting from an elevated position offers
better visibility and better shot opportunities, and I often hunt squirrels from a tree
stand.
The absence of leaves and ground vegetation, makes spotting bushytails, - even
at greater distances - easier in winter.
Especially if there's a skiff of snow. It's a
two-way street, though, as squirrels can see
a hunter much easier, too.
And, especially on high-use public
hunting grounds, late-winter squirrels are
plenty wary and will spook at the slightest
26

movement. Hunting from a tree stand allows
a hunter to get away with a little movement,
especially when aligning sights.
Still-hunting can be effective if there's a
powdery snow or wet leaves that allows for
quietly slipping through a winter woods.
Stop often against a tree and scan for
feeding squirrels.

Guns & Gear

Unlike the September squirrel season,
when I used a shotgun because of the
leafed-out trees and thick canopy, a fartherreaching rifle is a good choice for winter
hunting.
I often use my Weatherby .22 rimfire,
topped with a 2-7x Leupold scope. And in
recent years, especially in small woodlots,
I've enjoyed success with a .22 air rifle,
adorned with a snow camo pattern that just
looks like a winter squirrel rifle.
While an orange hat and vest, shirt or
jacket are required while hunting squirrels,
if there's snow, I'll also wear snow-camo
attire, including gloves. With no snow, I'll
dress in a tree-bark camo pattern, in addition
to the required orange.
I carry binoculars, snacks, water and a
sharp knife in a fanny pack.
In earlier seasons, I carry my " Mr. Whistle " call mimicking a squirrel in distress,
but I don't use it in winter. I do, however,
carry my reliable old Olt call imitating a
bushytail's bark.
While I can't say the Olt has ever coaxed
a squirrel to come in running, like the
distress call has, it's been enough to bring
curious squirrels around from the back side
of a tree to offer shots.
While deer hunting on a farm this year, I
watched squirrels, day after day, feeding on
abundant fallen walnuts in the woods below
my stand. Returning with my air rifle is on
my list for this month.
And if you're not ready to quit hunting
for the season, you might give late-season
squirrels a try, too.
Pennsylvania Game News - February 2021

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