DWR encourages hunters to consider squirrel hunting this season

Squirrel hunting offers one of the best ways to introduce young or inexperienced people to the outdoors and to hunting, according to an article by Emily George with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, who describes the small-game pursuit as engaging, educational, and rewarding.

“Squirrel hunting should be the first activity to pursue when introducing youth or the inexperienced to the outdoors and hunting,” George writes, noting that time spent in the woods listening for movement and watching the treetops can be both calming and exciting. She describes the experience as “stress-relieving,” adding that few things compare to “listening to the wind whirl through the treetops of the forest while looking for a bushy tail on a late-afternoon hunt.”

George points out that squirrel hunting is action-packed and keeps hunters moving. “They move a lot, which means you’ll likely have to,” she writes, explaining that the activity requires walking, stalking, listening, and reacting quickly when a shooting opportunity presents itself.

Beyond the excitement, George emphasizes the foundational skills squirrel hunting teaches. “Squirrel hunting will probably not be attractive to the modern hunter because it’s not hunting for a trophy class buck,” she writes, “but it is the foundational activity that makes a wise hunter.” She explains that the patience, persistence, and woodsmanship developed while squirrel hunting help create skilled outdoorsmen and women and translate to all types of hunting, from ducks to deer and bear.

George also notes that squirrel hunting can be challenging, which she says is part of its appeal. Squirrels are quick to spot danger and disappear, requiring hunters to move quietly and understand seasonal behavior. In spring, she notes, squirrels are often found higher in trees feeding on buds, while in fall they congregate near mast-producing oaks. For added difficulty, George points to fox squirrels, which she describes as “wilier, smarter, bigger” and more frequently found on the ground.

Affordability is another advantage George highlights. Compared to waterfowl or big-game hunting, she writes, squirrel hunting “doesn’t require much equipment,” often needing only lightweight camouflage and a small firearm such as a .22-caliber rifle.

Finally, George addresses the culinary side of the hunt. Despite some hesitation about eating squirrel, she writes that the meat “makes delicious fare” and is easy to prepare, sharing that squirrel casserole is a personal favorite and noting that a large harvest isn’t necessary to make a good meal.

“Get outdoors, take someone who has never been, and get after some squirrels this season,” George writes, calling the experience “a breath of fresh air, literally.”