How to Squirrel Hunt with a Bow

 

Learn how to squirrel hunt with a bow today with this guest post.

A good way to practice your skill or get ready for an upcoming season is to spend some time in the woods hunting squirrel. Like much small and big game, you have lots of weapon options.

Using a bow to hunt squirrel is a popular choice that requires skill and patience in order to be successful. A compound or recurve bow is a wise choice for squirrel hunting, but a compound bow could be used if you really wanted. Believe, we’ll go over tips on how to squirrel hunt with a bow.

 

 

Reasons to Kill a Squirrel with a Bow 

There’s always going to be hunters and anti-hunters that think using a bow to kill squirrel is overkill. But, those that love it know there are several reasons to do it. Here’s just a few. 

– Arrows can be reused
– Virtually silent (allows you to hunt more squirrel at a time)
– Great way to train for upcoming seasons

 

Know the Regulations 

Nobody wants to risk getting in trouble because they don’t know the regulations regarding squirrel hunting. Make sure you get a small game license. When you purchase the license, you’ll get a hunting regulation booklet. It’s important to read the pamphlet, even if you’ve read it before. Regulations, bag limits, season dates, time limitations, and more can change from one season to another, so it’s important to always read the information and make note of changes. 

 

Choose Your Choice of Bow 

Now that you’ve got your duck, er squirrels, in a row, it’s time to decide what type of bow you should use while deer hunting. Obviously, the bow of choice would be a recurve or compound bow. But, as hunting technology keeps getting better and more hunters keep pushing for better ways to hunt, the compound bow has become a good choice as well. 

When you choose the type of bow you want to use bow hunting, it’s important to think about what your purpose is. Are you just trying to pass time, or are you training for the upcoming season. If you’re training opt for the bow you’re going to hunt with in the spring or fall. If you’re introducing a young or new hunter to squirrel hunting with a bow, consider a compound or recurve bow. 

 

What You Need to Know About Bows and Squirrel Hunting 

You don’t need a ton of power to kill a squirrel with an arrow. If using a compound bow, you probably don’t need much more than a 25-lb draw. If you’re using a crossbow, think about the shots you’re going to take. A squirrel has a tiny kill zone and a small body. Missing the mark could guarantee you end up with a mangled arrow. Just think smart and shoot straight no matter what type of bow you use, and you shouldn’t have any problems.

As you would imagine, squirrels have teeny tiny attention spans. What this means for hunters is that you can be doing everything right and come home from a morning of squirrel hunting empty-handed. Strong winds, nasty weather, and the threat of a nearby predator can cause squirrels to hole up in a tree for hours, which means you won’t see a thing unless you have tons of time and patience. In fact, having time and patience is one of the best hunting skills you can take into the woods with you when hunting small game. Another bonus is having a bit of skill with the bow. 

 

 

Bow Hunting Squirrel Tips 

Squirrel hunting isn’t all about perfect aim and instinct. Sometimes, it’s just about being in the right spot at the right time. In most areas, squirrel is the most active in the early morning and late afternoon. If you schedule your squirrel hunting endeavors during those times, you’ll likely have better luck than any other part of the day. 

Another tip to help you provide the meat for your stew later in the day is choosing the right spot to stalk or move through. It’s good to know that squirrels go crazy for acorns, beechnuts, and hickory nuts. So, for the best chance to hit the bag limit for the day is to choose a location near hickory, beech, or acorn trees. 

Next, you need to know when a squirrel is close. Falling leaves, changing colors, and camo help hide you from squirrels but it also helps squirrels hide from hunters. What this means is you can’t just count on your eyes to let you know where the squirrels are hiding. Instead, you need to locate squirrels with your ears just as often as you see them with your eyes. Specifically, you need to listen for “cutting.” Cutting is a term to describe the sound squirrels make when they are eating. 

If you can hear squirrels eating nuts nearby, you know you’re in a good spot to get some squirrels. It’s a good idea to keep some leaves to rustle in your hunting day pack to try and cover any sounds you may make in the woods to cover your tracks.

 

 

Know Your Kill Zone 

It’s hunter’s responsibility to take out their prey as humanely as possible. In terms of hunting squirrels, there is one way to do this – a kill shot to the head. There’re several reasons to aim for the head and not everyone is going to agree on how and why you should do this. 

First, a kill shot to the head ensures the squirrel doesn’t have time to scurry away. If you hit the squirrel in the body, it may have a few seconds to scurry around, which means they could find a hole and bury themselves in. At this point, it could be nearly impossible to retrieve the squirrel and means it would take the animal longer to die as well. 

Another reason to always aim for a squirrel’s head during hunting is to preserve the meat. If you hit a squirrel in the largest mass area, it might not die right away. You may even have to fire a second shot to knock it down. With one or more shots to the body, eatable meat could be destroyed. When aiming for the head, you can preserve as much meat as possible. 

Know you have tips to make you a better squirrel hunter with a bow. Get out there and start knocking them down.

About Author:

Brandon Cox is the founder of StayHunting, who is passionate about all things of hunting and fitness. Through his hunting website, he would like to share tips & tricks, finest tech that will excite all of the intricacies of hunting whether you be an amateur or a professional.

 

 

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