How much planning do you guys do for small game?

[OrangeMan73]

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

Same.

 

[loganwayne]

Small game trip was a success. We got into woodcock 4 outta 5 days. Figure that's pretty good for first time trying to find them with a pup that had never smelled one before. We hammered some squirrels as well. We did have to change plans due to flooding so didn't get to get into the "prime" areas for woodcock and fox squirrels.

 

[mi650]

I'm 'planning' on going out back on the next sunny day to see about shooting a couple squirrels.

I have my Ruger American Target sitting next to the door hoping to spot a rabbit in my yard before letting my dogs out. I have 1 in the freezer, want to get another to make a pot of stew.


Years ago, I'd drive about an hour and 1/2 to hunt squirrels on my grandparents farm. There's a couple good size patches of oaks that were always good for a few bushy tails. Sometimes my dad, brother, and I would plan a trip a few days ahead of time for some general small game. Usually that revolved around pheasants early & late, rabbits & squirrels mid-day.

 

[Laramie]

Sliding screen on my office window here as well. My pellet rifle gets shot a lot.

I do plan upland trips yearly but rabbits and squirrels are backyard game for me and my son. He lives for snow days lol.

 

[SoxOnDMoon]

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

Smart man

 

[jmibarra]

I try and get out a couple times a week locally when in season. Good way to get outside and stay in shape

 

[johnnyboots]

I'm a wholly opportunistic (when I have some time) squirrel hunter. I rarely go during deer season, although this year I plan on bringing a suppressed 22 single shot. I always treat it as hiking in Jan/Feb. with a rifle. The leaves are down so they're extra squirrely which makes it extremely challenging and rewarding.

I drive across a fair bit of NC for work, so I keep a Chiappa Little Badger in the car along with some light hunting gear. I'll pop into a gameland on the road and just explore. Even when I don't shoot anything it's great to be outside and clear your head.

I did get on Fox squirrels in southern NC while hunting turkeys. I've never shot one of them so definitely planning on making the 1.5hr drive to get those. Typically I drive about an hour to chase squirrels.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

In my younger days, I used to carry a .357 Sig whenever I was rifle hunting. If I was on my way back to the truck, with or without a deer, any squirrel that would stand still within 25 yards would earn a headshot from me.

These days, all my squirrel hunting is intentional and done as a way to get me out into the woods and get my nieces and nephews hunting.


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[green river]

I just grab my gun and start blasting at the treetops

 

[KurtR]

Pretty much scouting year round for waterfowl. This time of year taking notes and what fields are planted where and keeping tabs on the geese for early season. During the season driving around and scouting i put way points out in color codes to know what kind of birds are using it and what year it is

 

[MunsterMash16]

Hunting the King of game birds (Ruffed Grouse) over my own dog along with my dad is the single biggest hunting rush that I get to enjoy year after year. We have mainly hunted public land in Michigan, but we did take a road trip to upstate NY for a hunt a few years back.

Because it's public land with a short season, and I feel like I am responsible for my Dad's time, I do e-scouting months in advance, along with scoping out an airbnb in decent proximity to wherever we are trying to hunt. You never know what spots are going to be overhunted, or age out so I like to have at least 5 Prime covers with another 5-10 marginal+ covers that I want to try out in any new location that we go just in case we get skunked out. Our trips are anywhere from 2-4 days depending on how tired my dog gets.

It never pays to be over-prepared, but I have had trips where I tried to wing it, and was disappointed with my lack of preparation.

 

[JDT1982]

No planning, just take walks around the farm and focus on areas that have a good number of hickory trees.

 

[204_ruger]

Only planning I do is. I take a day and load up 30 to 35 boxes 410 ga 3 inch 5 or 6's. I do load some 28 ga too. I crow and quail hunt with a 410 too.

 

[Rotnguns]

Not much here. Weather looks good for hunting, I just go. One of the benefits of being retired

 

[lyle_destroys]

It’s squirrel heaven where I live now and I can hunt them for 6 months. No planning. I grab the shotgun and go. I’ve been dreaming of taking a trip to the Midwest to hunt pheasant but I don’t know when that’s going to happen. Elk trips trump everything else for me.

 

[Birdybird]

i just drove around in the roads i know... so not much