Squirrel Hunting?

[Guest TN_3]

Ok, so just recently I bought a little Mossberg Plinkster and I have been wanting to do some squirrel hunting, but I don't own any land myself on which to do so. Is there any place I can go and hunt squirrels on public land or would I have to find private land that the owner was willing to let me hunt on? What are the rules/regulations regarding hunting small game like this? I am not well versed in the hunting regulations.

[Guest clutepc]

I would go through this site.

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/

This is this year's hunting guide so it should help answer some of your questions to.

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/pdfs/huntguide.pdf

[Guest Fenris]

I love to squirrel hunt. I would talk up some deer hunters who hunt from a tree stand. A lot of them will let you thin out the squirrels around their stand, especially now after deer season is over.

As far as public land, when I was deer hunting out around WMA on Percy Priest I saw some land that had a few squirrels. I am planning on going out there.

Go to the end of Mt. View Road. The road curves hard to the right and changes names. There's a barricade at the end of the road and the wildlife officer told me to park there. Walk on back down the old road. Off to the left are some older hardwoods. To the right is a lot of scrub pine and cedars and I didn't see many squirrel signs.

Be very careful with a .22. They are allowed there for small game, but you are extremely close to some housing developments.

As far as rules for squirrel and small game, try here

Let me know if you go and how you do.

[Guest Jcochran88]

I would go through this site.

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/

This is this year's hunting guide so it should help answer some of your questions to.

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/pdfs/huntguide.pdf

+1 all the info you need right there. rules and regs and wma's that are open with all the dates.

[Guest TN_3]

Yeah, I was looking over the TWRA website at the different WMAs in Middle TN. Looks like Cheatham is a good one, as it is very large and seems to be set up well for squirrels. I would like for something closer to Franklin/Brentwood, but this might make for a fun little trip. Hopefully I can go soon, as the season ends Feb. 28th.

[Guest clutepc]

I was walking the Mt. View Road WMA yesterday and saw quite a few squirrels around the left side of the road by the lake. Plenty of Turkey and Deer tracks as well...

[Guest Jcochran88]

Yeah, I was looking over the TWRA website at the different WMAs in Middle TN. Looks like Cheatham is a good one, as it is very large and seems to be set up well for squirrels. I would like for something closer to Franklin/Brentwood, but this might make for a fun little trip. Hopefully I can go soon, as the season ends Feb. 28th.

Cheatam is great and hey if you can't find any squirrels you could always go to their range.

[ShaunM]

Go to Perry County (Linden) on my land and kill as many as you want.

[memphismason]

I Love Squirrel Hunting. Probably my favorite type of hunting. I am going this Saturday hopefully.

[Guest TN_3]

Go to Perry County (Linden) on my land and kill as many as you want.

Haha, might have to take you up on that

[ShaunM]

Haha, might have to take you up on that

Go right ahead. I haven't hunted them on that property in a long time. Last time I was deer hunting I saw a ton of them.

[DaveS]

I love squirrel hunting with my Flintlock. My .36cal does an awesome job. Except I'm about half blind now! Gives them tree rats a sport'n chance I guess! As ya'll can tell, I'm kinda fond of my ol' rocklock rifles!

Dave

[ShaunM]

That would be cool to shoot one with a blackpowder shotgun.

[Guest Rando]

Was my true love back in the day, I remember running through the front door dropping the books throwing on the camo and out the back door till dark. Hey have you ever gutted one with a shot. I hit one with a CCI stinger in the neck it went out his hind quarters and sucked the guts out as it went through made a perfect little gut pile and the squirrel was flat as a flitter. I am gonna have to take the little one out to shoot some tree rats soon. good luck on finding some hunting property, I am lucky here in East Tenn. I live where I can walk out the back door and walk and hunt all day and not look at the same tree twice Ocoarse thats the way it should be

[DaveS]

Rando, sounds like you got it made!

Dave

[Guest VolDaddy]

There are always squirrels downtown arround the Courthouse.

[Guest Rando]

There are always squirrels downtown arround the Courthouse.

and theres always a bunch of old nuts sitting around on the benches:rofl:

[Guest Traumaslave]

So how many squirrels make a meal??? I'm going to go hunting for them but don't know how many I need. Anybody have a good recipe for them?

[DaveS]

Around this house, about 2 gray squirrels or 1 fox squirrel per person. That's a start at least. When cooking mine, I flour in seasoned bread crumbs and lightly brown them in oil. Place them in a baking dish and bake at 350 until done and tender. Roughly 45 minutes. This will tenderize them also. Just experiment. Another good way is to take your favorite "chicken and dumpling" recipe and replace the chicken with plenty of squirrels....AWESOME stuff!

Dave

[Guest Fenris]

I went this afternoon.

There were plenty of squirrels at WMA on Percy Priest. Unfortunately, there were also a few people ATV-ing out there. I only came home with one tree rat. I shot at a couple of more, but I didn't feel safe taking some easy shots because I could hear those four wheelers tearing around the logging roads beyond my shot.

I think I will try during the week next time.

I *did* see about 30 turkey walk withing 40 yards of me. Counted at least 3 toms in the mix, but they were passing through some thick stuff.

No gobbling, clucking, or cacking, just walking silently.

I'll know where to ambush in March!

[ShaunM]

Around this house, about 2 gray squirrels or 1 fox squirrel per person. That's a start at least. When cooking mine, I flour in seasoned bread crumbs and lightly brown them in oil. Place them in a baking dish and bake at 350 until done and tender. Roughly 45 minutes. This will tenderize them also. Just experiment. Another good way is to take your favorite "chicken and dumpling" recipe and replace the chicken with plenty of squirrels....AWESOME stuff!

Dave

One of the ways I like my rodent. Also I boil them whole then marinate until tender then grill them.

[DaveS]

I cook them over a campfire at deer camp, and they are pretty good. I may try marinating some and grilling them to see how they come out. Why would you boil them first before grilling? I have not heard of cooking them that way.

Dave

[ShaunM]

I cook them over a campfire at deer camp, and they are pretty good. I may try marinating some and grilling them to see how they come out. Why would you boil them first before grilling? I have not heard of cooking them that way.

Dave

Ya know I don't know my grandfather told me to do it that way, he said they will taste better. When I boil them I put in salt, maybe it has something to do with helping with the game flavor. . My grandfather has been cooking them that way for as long as I remember and his mom and dad (my great grandparents) did it that way also.

[Guest Fenris]

I usually boil them as well. It helps tenderize the meat some.

Boiled then a quick dip in some hot grease with a flour and buttermilk coating.

[ShaunM]

I usually boil them as well. It helps tenderize the meat some.

Boiled then a quick dip in some hot grease with a flour and buttermilk coating.

I thought it might help tenderize. I just listened to my grandfather, older people know how cook thats why I don't ask to many questions when it comes to him cooking.