Has anyone here ever killed a squirrel with a rock or a throwing stick?
No, Scout, but I’ve started trying. Yesterday, a matter of fact, I saw a eatern-fox-squirrel that wasn’t near heavy traffic, garbage, or other things that might worry me too much about polluting it’s meat so I looked around for a descent throwing stick or rock. Quickly, I saw a “squirrel stick”, picked it up and moved behind a tree that was about 25 feet away from the squirrel who was nibble at something on the ground underneith a mature douglas fir. This squirrel was wild and not hand fed I could tell which was what i’ve been looking for. I cocked back my throwing arm to get it ready, waited until I felt invisible, and finally came out from the side of the tree and threw the stick and missed. The squirrel looked at me and seemed to say to itself “what was that, that human seems like it didn’t do anything, oh well, I’ll go back to grazing.” I screened myself again with the douglas fir and found another descent stick and then returned to the tree, felt invisible, and came around the truck for another throw and I missed again. The squirrel was like “what the…? Did something just fall out of this douglas fir above me” and went back to it’s squirrel business. I then returned with a rock slightly larger than my fist, felt invisible, and came around the douglas fir for the third time, launched the rock and missed again. The squirrel seemed to not want to take anymore chances and darted up the nearest tree a douglas fir to a branch about 20 feet high. I found another stick and launched it up at the squirrel but missed again. I grabbed another stick and tried again. I think that time I hit the squirrel a little on side but not good enough because he just ran higher up into the tree where I couldn’t see him anymore. I turned to go and saw some human man watching me do this on the golf course so I left the area quickly.
It was a very exciting experience for me. I’m surprized to know how well I actually can launch squirrel sticks and that one rock. I could feel myself getting better and better with every launch and like I like that. I want more xp hunting like an aboriginal and I’m looking forward to catching a eastern-fox squirrel or wild rabbit soon since wild meat is the only meat I will voluneerily eat.
EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL
U Scout, want to help teach me how to process them. I have ideas how to do it but I’ve never done it so I have no tricks.
If you get one, or if I get one let’s call each other and I’ll teach you how to process them and we’ll take pictures and put it on the field guide!
You haven’t ever before?
I’ve processed many roadkill squirrels, I’ve never killed one myself.
Sounds like a plan. Do u have my cell number? Have you tried hunting squirrels with rabbit sticks or rocks? Does anyone know if there is a squirrel hunting season and how to tell from a distance what their sex may be?
In most states there is a squirrel hunting season, but since it is usually illegal to hunt primitively and in parks near cities anyway I wouldn’t worry about getting a license. On the other hand an officer might be more lenient in catching someone who has at least paid their dues so to speak. Looks like a basic hunting license in Oregon is only 22 bucks (no pun intended) For more info go to http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/big_game/. I know it seems funny but western gray squirrel is considered big game. It is on page 84 of the PDF. These species are illegal to hunt:
White-tailed antelope squirrel
Washington ground squirrel
Northern flying squirrel
Chickaree (pine squirrel)
Golden-mantled ground squirrel
Chipmunks
Oh yeah, now I remember…we legally can hunt eastern fox squirrels here in P-town. Gray squirrels are beautiful and not legal to hunt here!
I mean I like the feeling I get from watching gray squirrels, it totally gets me sometimes. I see now that I don’t want to say that they “are” anything. Peace.
I just realized why I don’t want to hunt squirrels, and how it creeps me out a bit.
We rely on squirrels to help us in the forest alarm system!!!
We want them to ignore us, and point out others!
But if we hunt them, one on one, they obviously need to alarm at us too.
I think we can get away with trapping them, but SERIOUSLY: , in hunting (not trapping), leave the fucking tree-rats BE!!!
[see…i used “be”…i must really have some feelings here]
true, I noticed you never use the word “be.” I like the sounds of that. Trapping sounds much more sustainable. Good one. But what about hunting rabbits, deer, rats, mice, cats, raccons, dogs, and oposum, Willem? well, maybe not dogs, they bark! Any body?
Willem,
Thanks for sharing your feelings.
processing squirrels is a lot like processing rabbits. if you’re good, debone the tail, and salt or tan it. then send it to me, i like the idea of a squirrel tail string silencer.
snares work awesome for rabbits. find a run and put the loop right outside the hole if you can, insuring the animal passing through it. for bigger animals, you can snare them ( in africa water buffalo were snared then speared! ), but i think this gets hard and pretty damn illegal. also with snares and traps in general be prepared to catch some other critters as well. sometimes cool, sometimes disheartening. i caught a fox on accident once, haven’t set a baited trap since.
Willem,
The squirrels as alarm systems totally rings true with me. I liken going after a squirrel with a rock or rabbit stick to charging into battle with guns blazing. Not such a great idea when you want stealth. I think the snare/deadfall traps would work around that, like going in through the back-door so to speak. Also, I’ve spoken with a few more people, none of whom have killed a squirrel with a throwing stick or throwing rock. Kiliii reccomended a bow and arrow, so I think it feels like now I need to make a bow & some arrows. Sweet.
i think slings are the way to go, man. especially in a city park. it’s a really discrete weapon, easily carried, easily stashed away when “the man” is around. projectiles can be found instead of constructed (like an arrow or atlatl dart.) and the construction of the weapon itself should be a lot easier.
i’m not disdaining the bow, but for urban hunting of small game, the sling seems to fit the bill.
Yo Roadrunner, I skinned a squirrel and posted some photos on my blog:
Thank you for sharing this, Scout.
i thought about making a spear to kill a squirrel but they are small and quick, i tryed making a bow, well i did make a bow, but then after a week of practice broke in my face (now i have nunchucks) im thinking about buying a recurve bow for 100 bucks.
the only problem with that would be carrying it around. i would just need a pack that doesn’t look like it would be carrying a bow inside.
Good thinking, New Tribal Revolution!