Squirrel Hunting In Spring Not The Same

Since I was a little bitty kid, squirrel hunting was high on my list of fun things to do. Following along behind my dad, careful not to step on dry sticks or big brown leaves, I watched him as he sneaked up on a feeding squirrel.

Observing the way he did it, sneaking up behind a big tree to conceal his movements, he would get the squirrel in his sights, hit the trigger and to a kid, it was thrilling to watch the squirrel tumble to the ground in a shower of leaves. He would let me go pick up the squirrel, bring it to him as he slipped in in his vest.

As I grew older, dad got me a second-hand .22 rifle, gave instructions about how to handle the rifle safely and taught me to shoot it. Eventually, I was permitted to take my .22 with me as I tagged along with him, finally letting me try my hand at downing a squirrel. I’d miss; he’d finish the job with his shotgun until I was finally proficient at bagging a squirrel or two myself.

Once we got home, I helped him clean squirrels we had bagged where they were turned over to my mom who would convert a freshly cleaned squirrel to a fine meal. Older squirrels, too tough to fry, were slow cooked until tender. If it was young enough to fry, she would place the pieces of squirrel, all crispy and tasty on a platter alongside a bowl of rice and the gravy she made from the drippings. Adding a pile of her homemade biscuits, this was a meal that would rival anything Col. Sanders could produce with his yard birds.

Squirrel hunting, especially on opening day, became a tradition for me and I hunted them early in season for decades until walking the woods and sneaking up on squirrels became more than an aging body could handle.

A few years ago, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, (LDWF) opened a spring season for squirrels that took place during the month of May. I decided to try it but it just wasn’t the same as being in the woods on chilly mornings after squirrels.

Something about being there in woods that had greened up with purple martins twittering overhead just didn’t seem the same, so I never went back.

That time is on us once again as our spring season started on Saturday May 3 to run through May 25. Daily limit is three with possession limit of nine.

There are some who look forward to the spring squirrel season for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a great time to take a youngster out without having to worry about coming in contact with other hunters after deer or turkeys. Secondly, the quality of squirrels taken in spring is better on the dinner table than those you get in fall. According a friend of mine from Arkansas who loves to squirrel hunt in spring, the meat is sweeter because the squirrels are feeding on tender buds and shoots while in fall and winter, the diet is hard mast, and this apparently makes the taste stronger.

Season is open on private lands while some state wildlife management areas are closed. If you decide to give it a try on a wildlife management area, you’ll need to check with LDWF to see which areas are open.

Now that spring turkey season is coming to a close but you still have a hankering to hunt, you might want to give spring squirrel hunting a try. As for me, I think I might sneak out to a private pond where the bluegills are bedding. That just seems more natural to me.

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE –. Crappie have moved from the shallows and are suspending in 14 foot water. Jigs and shiners are picking up a few. Bass have moved off the banks and are suspended around secondary points where crank baits, Sinkos and soft plastics are picking up some fish. Bream both chinquapins and bluegills are on the beds and hitting crickets and worms. No report on catfish. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Lots of big bass to 12.7 pounds are being caught fishing topwaters early around shallow brush and flipping jigs and soft plastics later. Crappie have moved from the shallows to deeper water. The bream are bedding around the edges of the brush. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – High water. No fishing report. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass are in transition moving away from shallow spawning areas and are around the secondary points where soft plastics and crank baits are picking up some fish. Crappie have begun to move out to deeper water. Jigs and shiners are taking some nice fish. Bream are bedding shallow and hitting worms and crickets and catfish are good fishing off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie have moved to deeper water and are suspended in 14-18 foot water where jigs and shiners are picking up some post-spawn fish. Bass have moved to secondary points and hitting soft plastics and crank baits. Bream are on the beds and worms and crickets are working on them. Stripers are beginning to school and hitting shad imitations. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfish and bream are biting. Crappie and bass have moved to deeper water away from spawning areas. For information, contact the marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – Water is high with a slow fall just now starting. Lots of floating logs and debris making boating hazardous. No fishing report. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.