Mike Beech
Here in Texas, there are a few species for which we can enjoy no seasons and no bag limits, generally speaking. Squirrel is one of those animals. Where I live in Central Texas, the Eastern Fox Squirrel runs the show. The largest of all the tree squirrel species, each animal offers a surprising amount of game meat for such a small critter.
The ideal way, and probably the way most people imagine hunting squirrels, is in the forest with rimfire rifles or shotguns. Many hunters even enjoy especially training dogs to tree squirrels for them to aid in bigger bags. While these methods of hunting will definitely satisfy the outdoorsman in you, as well as fill in some freezer space, they do require some commitment and time in the woods together enough quarry to make meals.
When you think about it, where do you see the most squirrels? Those of you who have put in the time hunting squirrels in the woods can attest to the fact that you you will see 20 of them around your neighborhood as you are driving out to your favorite hunting spot. Squirrels coexist with humans very well, because we tend to push out predators, create great living spaces for them, and have plenty of food sitting around (especially if you are a backyard gardener). Why not try to take advantage of this critter’s prevalence in your neighborhood and turn it into a source for wild protein?
If you’re shaking your head, or are maybe just unsure about eating squirrel, you aren’t alone. However, the squirrel gets a bad rap in modern culinary discourse. The plain truth is that these little mammals have been nothing short of a staple in human diets for centuries. Their abundance, and their proximity to humans makes for a relatively easy meal. Plus, they are actually quite delicious! Squirrel meat is a great fit for many recipes, including those that would traditionally call for poultry.
So how do we set about hunting these furry tree-dwellers? The first thing any prospective suburban squirrel hunter should do is check your local regulations in regards to firing weapons or trapping. Many cities and towns have laws against discharging firearms in city limits, but very often there are exceptions for air rifles and archery equipment. As well, the taking of squirrels is often seen as pest control as opposed to hunting, so you may have additional rules (or exceptions to them) in your community.
So if you are game to hunt these little tree-dwellers, it’s time to gear up and start staking out your property. Pretty straightforward, right? Hold up there, killer. As mentioned above, make sure you aren’t breaking any laws with your weapon of choice. If you live in a true neighborhood (you can hit a neighbor’s house with a stone throw), you need to cut shotguns, center-fire, and rimfire weapons off the list. Your moneymakers are low-poundage bows and air rifles. If you have a garden full of delicious fruits and berries, you know where to find the squirrels and where you are most likely to plunk them. If they seem to come out when you are never home, consider tempting them with some apples or other tasty fruits tossed strategically in the yard. Bonus points for smearing a little peanut butter on them. Squirrels simply can’t resist peanut butter. It’s like wafting coffee under an adult human’s nose. Gets ’em moving.
So let’s jump into the 3 most tried and true methods for turning your local squirrels into backyard cookout fare.
Important note for hunting backyard game: Only take shots that have you shooting at a downward angle. Shooting at any angle parallel to the ground and up is asking for an errant projectile to go flying through the neighborhood and damaging property, or worse, injuring someone. As in all hunting, know what’s behind your target when you shoot. In close quarters, try to make sure there is soft ground to absorb your shot.
1. Arrow Them
My favorite bow for the purpose of squirrel hunting is the Bear Bullseye. It’s a takedown recurve bow (meaning you disassemble and reassemble it for transport), and the adult 62″ bow tops out at 29 lb. of draw weight. 29 lb. is an easy pull for any adult, and enough punch to do the job for small game.
Aim for the vitals. Even if you think you are a hot enough shot to headshot a squirrel with a recurve, don’t do it. Take the high percentage shot that gives you margin for error while still being ethical. Small game points and judo points do the job well. With game this small, it’s more the impact that kills them than the penetration. That being said, you can still use field points to get the job done.
1. Shoot Them
While this will certainly be easier than putting an arrow in their direction, attempting to take squirrels in the suburbs with an air rifle will come with much more concern for safety. BBs or pellets of any size travel fast and far compared to arrows, so you have to take extreme care to know what lies behind your shot, and furthermore what the risks of your shot deflecting/reflecting are.
That being said, the Crosman Phantom NP has been good to me in basically any setting with small game. It’s got a pretty stout break-open mechanism, so it’s not for young hunters or anyone not physically able to produce some substantial force to open it up. The break-open hinges the barrel open for loading your pellet, and serves the dual purpose of cocking the gun. The factory scope it comes with is nothing to write home about, but at 50 yards and under it does the job just fine. This is also plenty of gun to take down rabbits and other small game, for what it’s worth.
A shot at the vitals is still a safe bet, but once you are comfortable with your weapon, aiming just behind a squirrel’s ear is a sure-fire way to dispatch him quickly and humanely.
3. Trap Them
If your skill or schedule, prevents you from getting the job done with arrow or pellet, consider setting traps. I haven’t gone this route myself in my own backyard yet, but here is a link to the best-selling small animal trap on Amazon.
Once the animal is trapped, you still have to undergo the pesky process of converting them from a critter to a meal. That will involve killing (as it usually does). For this purpose, the air rifle is very useful. It can certainly be done with the bow, but the cage will create some difficulty. The one thing you can’t do is let the animal starve in there. For one, it’s cruel. You can also attract unwanted visitors in the form of predators and scavengers as well. Just do what you have to, and get to skinning and processing so you can fill in the nooks and crannies in your meat freezer.
MeatEater has what I consider to be the gold-standard squirrel processing method in this video with Small-Game Master Kevin Murphy. This method has saved me a ton of time, and conserved a ton of meat I might have otherwise shredded.
Happy hunting, neighbor!
