Squirrel hunters

TooManyHobbies · July 13, 2010, 01:55:00 PM

Was just wondering how many arrows you go through in a season? I can't imaging you find a lot of them when shooting into trees. I hate the thought of losing a $10 arrow every time I miss a squirrel. I've only shot at two so far, but one arrow hit a rock. Yeah, I found it, but it was junk. lol. BTW, I missed both bushytails besides.
I plan on hunting small game this year with the recurve.

Gordon Jabben · July 13, 2010, 02:20:00 PM

That is the biggest problem with squirrel hunting. I shoot wood arrows and paint them orange with orange feathers and that helps a lot. Also I foot the broken arrows back together which is a lot easier than it sounds if you have a band saw. I have become more selective on where I hunt. Some areas are just easier to find arrows in. It is all worth it because squirrel hunting especially with a dog and good friends is just a blast.

buckeye_hunter · July 13, 2010, 02:38:00 PM

Conntact the guy that owns Twig Archery and order up a bunch of his wood "seconds" shafts. If you google Twig Archery you will find his site. He isn't a sponsor here or I would post the link. Anyway, they are still good quality shafts and you won't have much in them if they get lost. A guy I know bought like 6 dozen seccond grade shafts for $40 I think.

I also second the all orange arrow! Have fun!

Cottonwood · July 13, 2010, 02:45:00 PM

I shoot our Richardson Gound Squirrels here, but haven't tried a tree squirrel yet.

stevemfwills · July 13, 2010, 03:04:00 PM

well i guess im lucky cause all the local 3d shoots thinks its cool yhat i only hunt with a recurve so they let me pick threw the found arrow piles.i only take ones that have a rusty point so i know its been there awhile.i shoot flu flus so spine isnt a big deal....

waiting4fall · July 13, 2010, 03:25:00 PM

I'm fairly new to squirrel hunting w/ trad equipment. I've broken a few arrows, but I try to take most of my shots at squirrels that are on/near the ground. Here's some vids for your trad squirrel hunters!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl34IHMLN04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncnZKDsMQoI&feature=related

18thcentman · July 13, 2010, 03:48:00 PM

I purchased some hickory shafts from Allegheny Mountain Arrowoods and they work great.Talk about some tough shafts. They make great stumping and hunting arrows.

lpcjon2 · July 13, 2010, 03:53:00 PM

The last squirrel I shot I hit him on the ground broadside and by the time I got to him he had chewed the crap out of my cedar shaft.

July 13, 2010, 03:57:00 PM

Find some cheap cedars (oxymoron?) paint 'em and fletch wi/ fluflus. You'll lose some to the trees but mostly not. Also, I use old broadheads on the buggers--they're tough!

Ragnarok Forge · July 13, 2010, 04:20:00 PM

Flu Flus go the shortest distance. I also tend to make them a bit lighter than my hunting shafts. With flu flu's the spine of the arrow isn't particularly relevent so you don't have to shoot super straight, matched spine, or even proper spine arrows. The heavy fletching straightens your arrows right out for you. Plus if you miss they slow down a whole lot sooner.

TooManyHobbies · July 13, 2010, 06:02:00 PM

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.

bornagainbowhunter · July 13, 2010, 06:41:00 PM

rubber blunts will save your arrows from the rocks and they work well on small game.

RC · July 13, 2010, 06:46:00 PM

I save all the bent aluminums I have in a year. I hand straighten them and use a field point with a nickel size washer behind it.Works great and you can shoot a practice shot with them to see if they fly.decent. I use my normal stump shooting quality arrow for the ones on the ground.Arrows that get damaged and have to be shortened a tad work as well. Also at wall world I have bought carbons at the end of the year for 2 bucks each.RC

Thumper Dunker · July 13, 2010, 06:56:00 PM

I shoot mostly ground squirrels out here. Im an expert at destroying arrows.How many ? I take the 5th. I do paint them floresent orange.

ishiwannabe · July 13, 2010, 07:10:00 PM

I dont shoot at them in the trees normally. A. Lost arrow(usually) and B. Never know who or where people will be in the woods around here.

I move VERY slowly.I stalk. Stand. Take ground or low tree shots. I would be hesitant to use rubber blunts though. I shoot 56#, and dead centered one with a judo. He rolled around, ran up the tree and then did his best impersonation of an angry NYC cabbie from the tree tops. I have since switched to old BHs, ace hex heads, or the like for squirrels. Just my two cents.

Jerry Jeffer · July 13, 2010, 08:24:00 PM

I pretty much only shoot at squirrels on the ground or on the lower part of a tree trunk. Other wise I use Flu Flus.

LostNation_Larry · July 13, 2010, 10:52:00 PM

When I see them I can't resist shooting. When I skin them I ask "why do I make so much work for myself?" Then when I eat them I remember why.

LimbLover · July 13, 2010, 11:35:00 PM

Great thread!

I didn't lose any last season but I didn't hit anything either. I learned a lot in my first year of hunting them. Like many of you I have a whole bunch of arrows I've fixed, chopped, or have bought on clearance. They are all relatively the same size in length and weight.

I'll definitely be using a bladed head this year - probably adders or some old Zwickeys I've got laying around. Rubber blunts just upset them.

I'm not taking shots into trees either. If you are anywhere near a sun nest with squirrels nearby, they will almost always come back to that spot and end up on the ground. I would have been more successful had I been patient and waited for them to run by me.

After you scare them away, leave for a few minutes, they'll come back and you will get another chance.

John Scifres · July 14, 2010, 09:21:00 AM

It's like casting fishing lures into the thick stuff. If you''re afraid to lose 'em, why have them? If you love something, let it go...

You could always buy dowels and make up what used to be called "nutters" around here. Basically a fletched dowel with a nut screwed onto the end. Simple and only a couple bucks. Do a search and you might find something here.

John Scifres · July 14, 2010, 09:33:00 AM

http://www.americanwoodcrafterssupply.com/wooden-products/dowels.htm#Dowels