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Post by drs on Aug 14, 2015 4:19:58 GMT -5
if you have corn fields bordering your woods, hunt the edge. They love corn on the cob When I lived and hunted Squirrels in a favorite Squirrel woods near Glendale F & W Area. The land owner planted corn and all I had to do is hunt just inside the woods. The Squirrels would come out of the corn field and climb-up boarding Hickory Trees. Very productive way to bag your limit.
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Post by Russ Koon on Aug 14, 2015 9:42:34 GMT -5
That's probably the result of those telltale hooves leaving their easily read marks in the dirt 8^)
The crows, groundhogs, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons and beavers don't leave those calling cards, and get by without their share of the blame.
I was trying to play detective out there and assess the blame more accurately, but the clues wren't very distinct. Some of the areas of heaviest damage I came across during my brief walk-through had many stalks knocked down in a more or less circular pattern about twenty feet in diameter. I had seen such areas in a cornfield once when a neighbor's steer had gotten loose and had taken up residence for a couple weeks in a friend's cornfield, but this one showed no tracks of deer or cattle in the immediate area.
Many of the damaged ears were along the edges of the field, and had deer tracks very plainly visible right there. The damage was also of the kind I had seen from deer before, with the ear having been bitten through the shuck, about in the middle, with one good bite taken as the animal went by.
In other spots the evidence was more spotty. No visible tracks, stalks knocked down, and then a variety of methods used to get into he shuck and access the kernels.
I did notice a good number of shucks that appeared to be finely shredded at the top ends. I had never seen that particular signature on corn damage until recently when my nephew told me about the damage something was doing to his dad's sweet corn, inside a fenced garden protected by electric fence as well as eight feet of good woven wire fence. He had finally caught the perpetrators in action just the day before, and said it was a crow, and there was a cardinal flying right along behind it as they flew in. The crow would perch on the stalk and shred the shuck with one foot to expose the grain, and the cardinal was busy at ground level picking up whatever edible crumbs the crow dropped as it ate.
Seems like most every critter in the woods is there when the corn starts to ripen.
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Post by trapperdave on Aug 14, 2015 15:40:55 GMT -5
if the stalks are down but still there..coons. If its a room size area along river cleared out...beaver.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Aug 15, 2015 21:09:09 GMT -5
I hunted my deer land this morning for 5 hours and didn't see a single squirrel. I did hear one way up in a hickory tree, but never could get a sight on him and he wasn't coming down. Lots of leaves and undergrowth was thicker than I remember it being in the past two years.
I did however, put together and put up my other treestand. Really happy to get this done. It is a two man, but much lighter than my other big cage one. This one is 17' and also a ladder stand. I have it set up for my food plot. I'm so excited.
Also, Archer's in Greenwood now takes deer for "Feeding Indiana", but they didn't two years ago. I didn't check last year. I'll donate some this year.
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Post by beermaker on Aug 16, 2015 11:21:38 GMT -5
I hunted a new woods yesterday that is full of hickory and beech. I did not see one single cutting, period. The only squirrel that I saw was high in a poplar eating the berries. It was getting late, hot, and I was not interested in cleaning just one. I'll get him another day.
My friend, who is a very good squirrel hunter, was in Pike county this morning and did not see a thing. Maybe too early here in the southern part of IN?
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Post by drs on Aug 17, 2015 4:08:36 GMT -5
I hunted a new woods yesterday that is full of hickory and beech. I did not see one single cutting, period. The only squirrel that I saw was high in a poplar eating the berries. It was getting late, hot, and I was not interested in cleaning just one. I'll get him another day. My friend, who is a very good squirrel hunter, was in Pike county this morning and did not see a thing. Maybe too early here in the southern part of IN? Here in Central Kentucky, our Butternut Hickory are being hit hard by Squirrels. Other varieties of Hickories are not being used yet by Squirrels, and normally they start on these after Butternut Hickories are gone. Actually, I fine our Squirrel hunting much better in late November - January, down here, after Deer season. This is when I harvest most of my Squirrels, best of all NO BUGS!!
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Post by nhunt46051 on Aug 17, 2015 7:13:06 GMT -5
After setting up a few stands Saturday morning near Crosley, I shot a limit in less then an hour not moving 50 yards in the process. All in hickory's, my buddy with me shot 4. It was a fun opening morning.
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Post by Boilermaker on Aug 17, 2015 10:15:02 GMT -5
I gave it a shot Saturday morning, mainly to check out the deer woods.
I decided to challenge myself with the old Marlin 39A and took the scope off, I tell ya those dudes are hard to see with iron sights and all the leaves still on. I missed 3 but it was a fun hunt regardless. All the squirrels I saw/scared were in hickory trees.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Aug 17, 2015 11:39:09 GMT -5
That's probably the result of those telltale hooves leaving their easily read marks in the dirt 8^) The crows, groundhogs, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons and beavers don't leave those calling cards, and get by without their share of the blame. I was trying to play detective out there and assess the blame more accurately, but the clues wren't very distinct. Some of the areas of heaviest damage I came across during my brief walk-through had many stalks knocked down in a more or less circular pattern about twenty feet in diameter. I had seen such areas in a cornfield once when a neighbor's steer had gotten loose and had taken up residence for a couple weeks in a friend's cornfield, but this one showed no tracks of deer or cattle in the immediate area. Many of the damaged ears were along the edges of the field, and had deer tracks very plainly visible right there. The damage was also of the kind I had seen from deer before, with the ear having been bitten through the shuck, about in the middle, with one good bite taken as the animal went by. In other spots the evidence was more spotty. No visible tracks, stalks knocked down, and then a variety of methods used to get into he shuck and access the kernels. I did notice a good number of shucks that appeared to be finely shredded at the top ends. I had never seen that particular signature on corn damage until recently when my nephew told me about the damage something was doing to his dad's sweet corn, inside a fenced garden protected by electric fence as well as eight feet of good woven wire fence. He had finally caught the perpetrators in action just the day before, and said it was a crow, and there was a cardinal flying right along behind it as they flew in. The crow would perch on the stalk and shred the shuck with one foot to expose the grain, and the cardinal was busy at ground level picking up whatever edible crumbs the crow dropped as it ate. Seems like most every critter in the woods is there when the corn starts to ripen. Sounds like a crop circle. They're probably watching you.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Aug 17, 2015 11:41:56 GMT -5
I've had a tough time squirrel hunting so far this year. They seem to be very high and very hard for these old eyes to see.
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Post by squirrelhunter on Aug 17, 2015 17:16:46 GMT -5
I saw quite a lot Saturday for a woods as small as that. I didn't have to go far to see more,pretty much activity all over the woods,all in Hickory trees.
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Post by saltydog on Aug 17, 2015 21:15:39 GMT -5
Got called into work early Sat. morn couldnt hunt.Lots of time tho..
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Post by duff on Aug 18, 2015 21:24:47 GMT -5
Noticed a hickory on my road is getting a lot o cuttings under it. None in my yard though
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Post by drs on Aug 19, 2015 4:22:21 GMT -5
Noticed a hickory on my road is getting a lot o cuttings under it. None in my yard though Same situation here; got a few Hickory Trees along the road/lane near my home, where Squirrels have hit hard. I think they are riper than the Hickories in my woods due to heat radiated from the black top road. They got an early start and about a couple week ahead of the other Hickories.
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Post by duff on Aug 19, 2015 4:26:25 GMT -5
That makes sense
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Post by trapperdave on Aug 19, 2015 15:26:02 GMT -5
corn fields
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Post by Russ Koon on Aug 21, 2015 11:18:16 GMT -5
LOL!
Trapperdave, that pic is great. That's about as fat and happy a squirrel as I've ever seen.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Aug 21, 2015 15:01:18 GMT -5
I saw a fat one stuck down in a bird feeder. It looked like it had been eating good.
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Post by tedch on Aug 27, 2015 12:21:13 GMT -5
Where do y'all typically hunt? I agree with the hickory trees. I find a place about 20 yards from a big tree and sit. I plan to "scout" Atterbury over labor day weekend. Not sure where anyone else hunts in the central Indiana area. I'm going to go down to the outing on the 19th of September down in Owen county. But, I need to get our freezer replaced (we had a 35 year old freezer that died 2 winters ago, compressor froze up when it real code outside). And, get a rifle and get it sighted in before I can hunt for keeps. TedCH
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Aug 27, 2015 12:23:17 GMT -5
Where do y'all typically hunt? I agree with the hickory trees. I find a place about 20 yards from a big tree and sit. I plan to "scout" Atterbury over labor day weekend. Not sure where anyone else hunts in the central Indiana area. I'm going to go down to the outing on the 19th of September down in Owen county. But, I need to get our freezer replaced (we had a 35 year old freezer that died 2 winters ago, compressor froze up when it real code outside). And, get a rifle and get it sighted in before I can hunt for keeps. TedCH Hello Ted! I like that avatar. I will also go to Atterbury. I haven't picked up my handicap key yet, but hope to early Sept.
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