Squirrel Hunt by Calling

Tom Glick is an early bird when it comes to Kansas hunting. He’s one of the few who brave the summer woods to cash in on one of Kansas’ most underrated opportunities – squirrel hunting. Kansas, known nationwide for its deer, turkey, and pheasant hunting, also has an abundance of small game like squirrels and rabbits. But few hunters take advantage of these liberal seasons, which in the case of squirrels, starts June 1st and runs through the following February. Hunting is open statewide during these dates with a daily bag limit of five. Summer squirrel hunting is tough, given the wariness of squirrels and the jungle of foliage that hides them. But they’re active, and that same leafy screen can work to hunter’s advantage. By sneaking through the woods and calling periodically, a hunter can bring squirrels close. Then, it’s a matter of finding the quickly-moving targets and making a good shot. Glick, who is a wildlife biologist at Pittsburg for Kansas Wildlife and Parks, wasn’t always a squirrel hunter. Growing up in western Kansas, he had little opportunity to hunt these timbered animals on the plains where he lived: “I grew up in Russell, and the section I lived on had seven trees on the whole section, and five of those were in my yard.” But like many Kansas Wildlife and Parks biologists, he is an avid hunter, as well as manager, of the state’s game resources. And interestingly, he learned how to effectively hunt summer squirrels in a 1992 article of Kansas Wildlife Magazine, written by Wichita Eagle Outdoors Editor Mike Pearce. “From that article, I had word of where you could buy the calls and stuff, I got this Lohman call, same one I’m using today, and started using it and playing with it, and the whole method is just how it’s described in the magazine. “The first time I tried this, it worked, and I’ve been hooked on it ever since.” And on this morning, things were perfect, light winds and cool conditions. Glick hit the woods at daybreak, sneaked in about 100 yards, and cut a leafy limb. Then he found an opening in the woods, sat down, and demonstrated the proper sequence. There are several types of squirrel calls, but for early summer hunting, Glick uses a young squirrel distress call. This works best for fox squirrels. He begins by thrashing the nearby vegetation with his cut limb, to emulate the sounds of a hawk or owl grappling in the brush with a squirrel. Then, he blows his call, which mimics the frightened squealing of a young squirrel. Adult squirrels respond in several ways. Some sneak in without a sound, coming close to investigate. Others bark loudly and race through the treetops to the sounds of the calling. Either way, they usually come quite close. Glick uses shooting sticks to help steady his scoped Ruger .22, shooting long-rifle hollow point ammunition. Good eyes are important when watching for squirrels in the dense vegetation. Watch for any movement, but make sure of your target. And since squirrels tend to move constantly while searching for the call, choosing when to shoot can be tricky. Glick, a calling veteran, has all of that down. At the sound of his shot, a squirrel nearly always falls cleanly from the tree. Even when he shoots one squirrel, Glick stays put and often calls another at the same location. But remembering where each falls is important, since locating a downed squirrel in heavy ground foliage can be difficult. Glick usually calls at each location for about 15 minutes. If nothing appears, he sneaks for about 100 yards, sets up, and calls again. On this morning’s hunt, he set up six times, shot one squirrel at three locations, two at another, and saw nothing at two calling attempts. He had a limit of squirrels in two hours, already thinking about the tasty dinner they would provide. It was a great ending to another outing in the Kansas outdoors, where a world of experiences wait for all who go there. I’m Mike Blair for Kansas Wildlife and Parks.