How much planning do you guys do for small game?

[philos]

Do you travel significant distance? Do you hunt out of state for small game? Are your small game hunts done spontaneously or do you make plans in advance like folks do on big game hunts?

I will be traveling a bit this fall looking for fox squirrels. The only place I feel confident in finding them is about an hour and a half away.

I would definitely travel for a good rabbit hunt over dogs any day.

What about y’all?

 

[justinspicher]

Nope, I wake up and if I feel like going it’s probably going to happen.

 

[Cannonball2500]

Usually just a few days in advance. I don’t small game hunt out of state and there are plenty of places I can hunt that are close. Good luck in your pursuit of fox squirrels this fall.

 

[IsThisHeaven]

No planning. I hunt squirrels (mostly fox) and rabbits a lot with my kids. Great hunting for both without all the hassle of big game hunting. Long seasons. No one else does it. Great public land options close by with both. What’s not to like? I love it.

 

[TheRepeatOffender]

I’m on the front range of CO and it is stupid how far I have to got to get into small game on public land. I have to travel about 2hrs to get to where I know we can consistently get into rabbits. There are some state lands out east that are a bit closer but it has always been hit or miss for me. Even squirrels are difficult. There are some nearby spots I can get into a few pine squirrels but they are always pretty small once they are dressed. So yes, it takes advanced planning but I have yet to ever run into another small game hunter. That’s one of the reasons I love it so much. I’d definitely go out of state if there were some good potential spots close by. One day I’d love to go squirrel hunting in a dense deciduous forest.

 

[DawnPatrol]

I take the screen off of the sliding window next to my desk and leave a tin of .22 pellets on the window sill. Planning complete!

 

[JCS271]

I take the screen off of the sliding window next to my desk and leave a tin of .22 pellets on the window sill. Planning complete!

Yup. Put on boots, grab dog and a .22, start walking.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

None. If I'm scouting, hunting, driving in the hills, etc. I usually have my trusty litlle 20 ga single shot with me for grouse in season. I'm never really hunting birds, but it is mostly a bi-product.

 

[CobraChicken]

I'm usually scouting/looking when I am hunting. Especially for upland and waterfowl. I tend to find honey holes looking for big game and just do two fers

 

[Squirrel Master]

I love to squirrel hunt, and fortunately they're plentiful here so really not much planning involved. With that said, I wouldn't be opposed to traveling to hunt small game. Normally if I travel I just want that trip to be for big game of some sort, so I've never really thought about traveling for small game.

 

[loganwayne]

We have a fox squirrel and quail hunt planned that's about 5.5-6 hrs from my house. Plan on taking my bird dog and my buddies squirrel dog for 3 days down there. Its only about 1.5-2 hrs from him house, which is where i spend most of the weekends deer hunting anyways.

 

[Sean Riley]

I live in pretty good game country large and small game. I usually get out in the morning and evening during season.

 

[Brianc]

Same


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[billday]

In recent years, I’ve mostly hunted squirrels with my youngest while my eldest was hunting Youth Deer season. Makes for some great family time and wonderful meals which both kids contributed game meat to!

 

[ByrdHunter]

I take notes on where I see the most annoying squirrels during deer then head out when I have a free day. Lately have been enjoying going with a friend who is training squirrel dogs. Still a quick spur of the moment afternoon hunt.

 

[Te Hopo]

Most of my small game hunting is spur of the moment locally, but I do plan and head off to out of state areas once a year to explore new hunting.

 

[TSAMP]

It's funny how difficult squrriels can be to pattern. What makes it a good day vs a bad one? Who knows. It seems they are quick to come out post storm but early to hunker down with one approaching. My planning consists of if it's very windy I won't go. Otherwise I cross my fingers and head out. I hunt them with a dog so that plays a part. I target hunting areas that have trail systems, especially if I didn't have a dog, but it makes walking easier. I don't want to sit still, I do that for deer. I travel a couple hours to larger public sections for different terrain and scenery but have no issues finding squrriel locally.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I watch the weather mostly. I've never had much luck with rabbits or squirrels with sustained winds over 15mph or so. My favorite time to hunt rabbits is after a fresh snow. My favorite time to hunt squirrels is on calm, cool, damp mornings, that allow you to move in the woods without making a ton of noise.

 

[loganwayne]

we just wrapped up planning a trip for us in January. 5 days of fur and feather hunting. woodcock and quail, and fox squirrels two different dogs. and probably lots of miles in a truck on sand roads. should be a fun trip.

 

[mjh]

Planning right now. Getting maps printed of some WMA's that aren't too far away for a decent day trip. I know some of them but want to be sure of the boundary's. Small game until the end of Feb. No more birds Jan. 1.

Will watch the weather--gear is mostly ready to go--I should have some time.

Plan on getting out.