Squirrel " Buster " call

[30-6]

So, I've after about 5 years thinking about it, bought a squirrel call. Waste of time or no ?

[spandit]

I was given one once, but before I ever started shooting. No idea where it is now but will be interested to see if it works

 

[Walker570]

Will also be interested in the results but my initial thought is, why let them know where you are ?   IF they come they are going to be looking for whoever is making the noise.

BUT, I am not putting it down because if I am sat in my pop up in the wood watching some pheasant feeders and it goes quiet, then will a call get some action or will they just sit up a tree vocalising, where instead on want them on the deck where I can see them.

Give it a go and come back.

[Sciurus]

I would also  be very interested to hear other people’s experiences with callers.

I was watching the Squirrel Hunting Channel yesterday and he was trying to entice a grey out that was hiding behind and chewing the rear of a feeder He tried a caller and clapping his hands. To be honest the grey seemed more interested to find the source of the clapping than the caller.

In similar circumstances, I have tried the old recommended  trick of rubbing and tapping two coins together  with little success. (They took no notice).

Whilst, a caller might not work well on a feeder, they might be more useful when walking through woodland  to try and entice a grey to show itself after it has run up a tree or when you hear one calling but can’t see it.

Mice has a caller, no doubt he will give us his opinion soon.

[30-6]

You don't seem to see much about them as you do fox callers ( which we know work ), so I am sceptical. Thought about getting one several times but have never got round to it.

However, my apprentice ( my farmer friends 11 yr old ) , has acquired his father's old Webly Vulcan, and has desperately been trying to get near the squirrels. So it is going to be some fun for him ( and me ).

Just been playing with it and actually sounds ok.

[Ultrastu]

When a hear and see a squirrel  chuck chuck chucking .i always feel its a territory thing .more of an angry stay away call .they often chuck at me when im walking in the woods or park .

Again a go away call rather than a come here babe  call 

[Mice!]

I've had very mixed results with my caller, a couple of times I've used it and watched them come from a long way off to see what is making the noise, few times I've had them rush in on the ground and charge off again. But I've also used it with no joy at all. You still have to be unseen when your using it, but I've found i get the best results if you have seen some movement in the trees, then you know there out and about .

A fella did a write up on the R7 forum a while back which was really good, I'll message him and ask him to put it on here because it was a really good read.

[Accuspell]

I have been asked to respond to this. I will try to put up some useful information on the method.

There are times when a call works, and times it doesn't. I take mine with me on every trip. If you are shooting on an intercept point to a feeder (don't shoot ON the feeder!), either on the way to or from the feed station, then there is no need to educate the local squirrels about YOUR call - each call is different, and give the same call to two different people you will get two different calls out of it, either in intensity, or pitch, or rhythm. YOU need to practise with YOUR call, no different to crow calls or fox calls, the local inhabitants will get to know YOUR call and if you miss, associate it with danger.

Do squirrel calls work? MOST DEFINITELY. But they are not intended to have squirrels running to your feet like a fox call does. More like a crow call, they work by getting rival squirrels to show themselves - because you are basically imitating a newcomer on the patch, and the locals will want to know who the intruder is. Best times are early spring and autumn. Summer is a waste of time squirrelling, you can tell where they are, but you can't see to shoot due to the leaf cover. The most productive time for me is as soon as the leaves have fallen enough to give clear sight through branches, same as roosting pigeons - Mid October some years, possibly mid November in milder autumns/winters.

TIP - use your local park to practise! You can't shoot there, but you can call and see what effect it has on the squirrels. If you have them running for cover, then you are making a noise like a Godzilla squirrel. You need to tone it down - gentle barks are better than loud ones. You are not trying to get squirrels to run 200 yards, you are trying to coax out ones that are within 50 yards, they have very good hearing and eyesight - get in the shadows AND KEEP STILL. I take people and they tell me there are keeping still but to me they are like a semaphor flagman, Head moving, hands moving.... MOVEMENT is the first thing the eye catches. Think about it, you are sat in your hide, or the front room looking out, and somethig flits by. You see the flit, then you focus on it and identify it. It was the movement that alerted you. MOVEMENT, SOUND, SILHOUETTE and SHINE are the worst giveaways in the woods. Scent less so, but you do need to be aware of it and use the wind accordingly. The squirrels are way above you, so scent doesn't get up there as much as it does when stalking ground game.

I like to get settled in against a tree in the shade, you don't need a hide, just use natural cover well. Go the SHADE side of a tree, avoid walking through sunny clearings - you might as well shout your presence.

 

 

[Accuspell]

I am still trying to work out how to post on this forum.... You will do better to cover your hands and face, but it is a pain when trying to take pictures with the self timer!  The dog is a great help. He is my early warning system, and retrieves the fallen. I carry everything I need either in the stock pouch/comb raiser or the rucksack (tools for hide pruning and training. I have several natural hides to 'maintain' around the woods). Rucksack is also useful for carrying out the bag and a flask and something to eat.

Notice, all you really need is a small bit of cover but a solid background behind you (avoids silhouette). SLOW movement too, that includes lifting the rifle.

Call little and often - if you hear other squirrels barking, you know calling will work, even if it just gets them running through the branches to see what the fuss is about. That is all it is for, to get them to show themselves. I have had squirrels creep in and sit 20 feet away, tail curled over their head, just staring at me, wondering what the hell is going on. Then I suddenly see them, and provided you keep movement slow and DO NOT STARE AT THEM, drop your eyes, get in position then you will have time for the shot.

Squirrel calling... the rhythm is a sort of bap, bap, bap, braaaaap - pause, bap, bap, bap, braaaap..... bap, bap. Pause, Bap, bap. Pause. Bap, bap. Pause, Bap, bap, bap, braaaaap.  If you get a reply, copy the sequence that comes back to you. Don't over call. If you get no response in about 5 minutes, LEAVE IT. Sit absolutely still and keep your eyes peeled... they wil probably be out to see where the intruder is off to next.

[Walker570]

Some excellent information but I am intrigued with why you would not shoot one off the feeder.  I shoot all of my tree rats either on pheasat feeders or on flip tops and I get my share.

In my view it is like missing and educating a fox. Do not miss. My best 2hrs just sitting in my Land Rover passenger seat with the window half down and a flip top 20 paces away was 18 that was with my 22RF sub sonic rounds.  All of my main set ups have permanent blinds and the one I shot this morning (2 plus a jay) in 1 1/2 hrs on a flip top I have take 52 off when the farmer said he didn't have any squirrels.  The important thing with feeders is do not let them run out of food.  Now the Keeper on the other two areas I shoot is not feeding I will be putting up flip tops which as you can see have a hopper, so plenty of peanuts.  I have found , fi you keep the food coming they will travel a very long distance to get at it so most of my flip tops are a good 800yrds apart.

Many thanks for your invaluable information.

Edited February 17, 2019 by Walker570

[Accuspell]

The reason I say to avoid shooting ON the feeder is so they don't actually associate it with danger - you have  a huge food reserve and squirrels coming from a long way. It is 8 miles to my wood for me, and I can't afford that amount of peanuts - the fuel to get there and back limits how often I can go. So mine do run out, but they soon know when they have been topped up again. I buy 2kgs at a time, when I can. Hence why I call and stalk, more than sit over a feeder. If I had someone paying for my peanuts, I would use the feeders more.

Edited February 17, 2019 by Accuspell

[Mice!]

Cheers Accuspell, I've found my caller brings in magpies as well, and i get what you mean about not shooting on the feeder, its been a while since I've had a chance on a feeder, most of mine tend to be in the pines, the nuts tend to vanish when we're not about.

3 hours ago, Accuspell said:

The reason I say to avoid shooting ON the feeder is so they don't actually associate it with danger - you have  a huge food reserve and squirrels coming from a long way. It is 8 miles to my wood for me, and I can't afford that amount of peanuts - the fuel to get there and back limits how often I can go. So mine do run out, but they soon know when they have been topped up again. I buy 2kgs at a time, when I can. Hence why I call and stalk, more than sit over a feeder. If I had someone paying for my peanuts, I would use the feeders more.

 

[Accuspell]

Try getting there 30 minutes before dawn. get yourself snugged in, very quietly and with NO light or torch. You don't need it, you know where your hide is! Night vision in your eyes is all you need, feel with your feet to get in position as quietly as possible. Get settled and just wait. As it starts to get light, just the first vestiges of dawn will see the crows wake up and head off. Then the squirrels will be about within a few minutes of the sun showing. I have had them running about in the pre-dawn.

[Walker570]

4 hours ago, Accuspell said:

The reason I say to avoid shooting ON the feeder is so they don't actually associate it with danger - you have  a huge food reserve and squirrels coming from a long way. It is 8 miles to my wood for me, and I can't afford that amount of peanuts - the fuel to get there and back limits how often I can go. So mine do run out, but they soon know when they have been topped up again. I buy 2kgs at a time, when I can. Hence why I call and stalk, more than sit over a feeder. If I had someone paying for my peanuts, I would use the feeders more.

Cost...tell me about it.  I don't know if you know of them but on the web is a company Garden Wildlife Direct and I have found them to be the cheapest and also they deliver to my back door free of charge. You don't have to buy huge amounts but of course it does get cheaper the more you buy. I have 100kg delivered at a time and they don't go mouldy if stored properly but you can buy much smaller amounts. Have a look and see if they are better than your supplier.  Try whole maize, not as good as peanuts but a pot of Aldi peanut butter mixed with some maize works very well. I pay around £8 for a 25kg bag. One of my areas is 70 miles away so i only get there every four weeks or so therefore I use big feeders and use whole maize with just a handful or so peanuts mixed in.

Fully appreciate your situation, keep whacking and stacking 'em as often as you can and thanks again for your contribution.

 

on edit...just read your last and I fully agree. I try to be in my hides before the light comes up and have found that about 40 to 45 mins from the first glimmer they will move, although I have two(they no longer exist)on my trail cams which must have been right at the dge of darkness because the cameras are not showing in colour.

Fortunately I have an illuminating reticule or I would not have been able to shoot.  Saw a cock pheasant and a big buck tree rat having a real go this week, the cock pheasant took a long hard look when it's opponent suddenly dropped dead, as much as to say..."Did I do that" cracked me up as it walked away chest fluffed out and head held high.

Edited February 17, 2019 by Walker570

[Fisheruk]

1 hour ago, Walker570 said:

 

Fortunately I have an illuminating reticule or I would not have been able to shoot.  Saw a cock pheasant and a big buck tree rat having a real go this week, the cock pheasant took a long hard look when it's opponent suddenly dropped dead, as much as to say..."Did I do that" cracked me up as it walked away chest fluffed out and head held high.

😂 I had a similar experience a couple of years back, but a grey chasing and barking at a Red above a feeder. Eventually the grey got into a good position and it dropped to the ground beneath the feeder. The red couldn’t believe it’s eyes as it saw the previously aggressive grey just lying there. Eventually the red came on the feeder for it’s breakfast. Free meal for a Red. Last meal for a grey.

[30-6]

Well first try.

Friday, nice sunny day predicted after fog, so left it until 11am to warm up a bit. Undecided on the 20g or fac air but settled on the fac air running at 34 lbs. Within 100 yds of the car walking up the lane squirrel feeding on the floor under a chestnut tree, gun is zeroed at 40 yds ( shoot out to 60 ), guessed it to be about 30 yd, easy one, 1 nil to me. Had pre thought in this scenario to try out the call as squirrel was relaxed to observe reaction but got excited.

There are no game shoots here to draw them into feeders but little hot spots in the small woods / spinneys. Got to the first , and immediately disturbed one on the floor that ran away from me, no interest in the call. Onto a small wood same thing happened with two disturbed. Further on in the next wood sat on a bank and called blind, there are some big Oak trees here so using a small pair of binoculars spotted one clamped to a branch ranged at 51 yds, but unshootable. Was it already there or did it come in ?, can't honestly say.

So on this first outing, caller did not have a proper test. One thing I noticed was caller was quite loud, so needs to be used with kid gloves.

[Accuspell]

It is a waste of time trying to call a squirrel you have spooked. It is in flight mode and will not stop to converse with anyone!

It is a waste of time trying to call when the other squirrels are not calling. Use your call when you hear other squirrels calling. Get into position where you have good cover and a decent arc of fire. NOT under the tree you expect them to come into..... they will be on boughs that provide them cover from below. Better to have a shot across to them if possible, or catch them in the smaller branches.

 

[bruno22rf]

Mmmmmm - 90% of my "victims" are shot clean off the feeder - they may associate it with danger but that's normally the last thing on their mind when they actually realise that all may not be well. If several come at once and one gets deleted then the others normally soon reappear so I'm not totally sold on the advice of not shooting them from feeders - in fact I would say that feeders are the very best place to kill them - known range and usually a hide already in situ. I have found no advantage whatsoever to setting up before sunrise - in my experience the majority of Squirrels start to feed about an hour after sunrise. Oh - and who says that you cannot shoot them in  Parks?. Peanuts, Peanuts and more Peanuts is the answer - Squizzers love them - one of my Hoppers was showing little signs of use about 2 weeks ago so I made 2 trips to top up with Peanuts - had to mix them in with the Wheat - shot this last Saturday morning and found the Wheat scattered all over the floor where they had scratched at the feeder to reach the Nuts - then shot 4 (off the feeder ) in less than an hour. No wish to be argumentative, just me experience . Bap, Bap, Bap, Braaaaap - pause, Bap, Bap etc - always wondered why I got chased by Squirrels on my Moped.

Edited February 19, 2019 by bruno22rf

[Sciurus]

Accuspell, what a great and interesting article. Plenty of food for thought. Thanks

It was good to see a dog involved as well. Without derailing the post, does anyone else use a dog, if so what breed?

Cheers

 

[Rimfireboy]

On 17/02/2019 at 12:32, Accuspell said:

I am still trying to work out how to post on this forum.... You will do better to cover your hands and face, but it is a pain when trying to take pictures with the self timer!  The dog is a great help. He is my early warning system, and retrieves the fallen. I carry everything I need either in the stock pouch/comb raiser or the rucksack (tools for hide pruning and training. I have several natural hides to 'maintain' around the woods). Rucksack is also useful for carrying out the bag and a flask and something to eat.

Notice, all you really need is a small bit of cover but a solid background behind you (avoids silhouette). SLOW movement too, that includes lifting the rifle.

Call little and often - if you hear other squirrels barking, you know calling will work, even if it just gets them running through the branches to see what the fuss is about. That is all it is for, to get them to show themselves. I have had squirrels creep in and sit 20 feet away, tail curled over their head, just staring at me, wondering what the hell is going on. Then I suddenly see them, and provided you keep movement slow and DO NOT STARE AT THEM, drop your eyes, get in position then you will have time for the shot.

Squirrel calling... the rhythm is a sort of bap, bap, bap, braaaaap - pause, bap, bap, bap, braaaap..... bap, bap. Pause, Bap, bap. Pause. Bap, bap. Pause, Bap, bap, bap, braaaaap.  If you get a reply, copy the sequence that comes back to you. Don't over call. If you get no response in about 5 minutes, LEAVE IT. Sit absolutely still and keep your eyes peeled... they wil probably be out to see where the intruder is off to next.

Cracking post accuspell, good advice indeed.