Just under a month left in the season
With deer hunting season over and turkey season still more than a month away in the Carolinas, squirrel season is a great way for hunters to stay occupied. But time is running short. Squirrel season ends on March 1 in South Carolina, and Feb. 29 in North Carolina.
Cody McAbee of Chester, S.C. enjoys squirrel hunting with his dog Moe. He said it’s a great way to extend hunting season and a great way to spend time outdoors this time of year. He doesn’t mind hunting without a dog, but he said having the dog adds something to the hunt for him and for anyone that’s hunting with him.
“It’s a lot of fun to watch the dog hunt. That’s a big part of it. And you’ll see more squirrels when you have a dog than when you don’t. They’ll find a lot of them that you wouldn’t see otherwise,” he said.
McAbee said the simplicity of squirrel hunting appeals to him. He mostly hunts private land, but has also hunted on some WMAs in the Carolinas.
“It’s easy to get permission to squirrel hunt on private land once deer season is over,” he said. “And you really don’t need much stuff to do this type of hunting. Just the dog, a .22 rifle or 20-gauge shotgun and some ammunition is all you need.”
Let the dog do the work
When he gets to his hunting grounds, McAbee turns Moe, a Mountain Feist, loose. From there, he follows Moe and the hunt begins.
“It’s easier if you have another person or two hunting with you. If you’re alone, the squirrel will hunker down on the other side of the tree from you. And as you ease around the tree, the squirrel will do the same thing. They can’t do that when you have another person on the other side of the tree. And whoever is in the best position shoots the squirrel,” he said.
Sometimes a dog will tree a squirrel that immediately runs into a hollowed portion of the tree. When that happens, McAbee said it’s best to call the dog off and move on. That squirrel, he said, isn’t coming out of that hole anytime soon.
Squirrels make surprising moves
When Moe trees a squirrel and McAbee sees the critter running fast down the tree, he said it’s best to take a shot at it before it gets too close to the ground, as long as you have a safe shot.
“If a squirrel is treed but he’s running to the ground, he’s got a safe place nearby that he’s heading to. It might be a hole in the ground, a hole in some roots, or just some thick brush. If he hits the ground, you’re not going to see it again,” he said.
McAbee also said one of the best things about squirrel hunting is it’s an easy way to get kids involved and interested in hunting.
“Kids love it. It’s a lot more exciting than sitting in a deer stand and hoping to see a deer. Squirrel hunting has a lot of action, and kids love watching the dog work too. If you want to introduce a kid to the outdoors, this is a great way to do it,” he said.
