Page 89 - South Mississippi Living - Ocotber, 2022

When possible, sit on a log, stump or lean against a comfortable tree trunk for a while. Stay still and quiet, just looking and listening. When hunting in pairs, one person should look in one direction while the other looks another way.
Masters of concealment, squirrels easily disappear into any cover, particularly early in the season before trees drop most of their leaves. Squirrels can always find multiple places to hide among the branches, nooks, holes or foliage. Watch for any odd shaped objects that seem
like they don’t belong on a tree branch or trunk. A pair of binoculars helps sportsmen spot well-concealed squirrels hiding in tall trees.
When alerted, squirrels habitually put trunks or branches between themselves and hunters. From behind wood, they listen for hunter movements. When hunting with a child, place the youngster in a spot with good visibility looking toward where that squirrel likely hides. Then, the adult can walk around the tree deliberately making noise. That might provoke a hidden squirrel to move to a new position, revealing its location and presenting the youth with a clear shot. Once a young sportsman learns hunter safety, a single-shot .410 makes a great starter gun for a beginner squirrel hunter. That youngster can graduate to larger, more powerful firearms as he or she becomes older and more experienced. Let the youth do most or all of the shooting. Nothing ruins a youngster for hunting than an adult game hog taking all the shots.
Mississippi allows a special youth-only squirrel season in September before the regular fall season begins on October 1. The fall season runs through February 28, 2023. The state also holds a spring season.
Sharing time in a forest teaching a child to hunt could form lifelong bonds and the memories that go with them. For hunting season dates and more information, visit www.mdwfp.com.
Squirrel hunting offers an excellent way to introduce children to the sport.
Gray squirrel.