Hickory Nuts

[Stretcher_Jockey]

Recently got back into small game hunting. Haven't done much since I was a kid and even then it was mostly just me wandering the woods hoping to see squirrels. The area I hunt has tons of hickory trees/hickory nuts. How much do squirrels frequent these compared to Oaks? Do they prefer one over the other? Acorn crop in my area isn't looking too hot for this year so I've been trying to come up with other game plans.

 

[Mike Belt]

The squirrels should be cutting on acorns and hickory nuts any time now. It won't be hard to find the hickories they're cutting. The ground will be littered with droppings and you can hear them a good ways off through the woods. I like to familiarize myself with the woods and where these trees are located. Once you do that you can take a run through the woods checking each location. I sometimes get bored sitting and waiting on more squirrels to come to a tree where I've just done some shooting so I make the rounds hitting each known location. By the time I get back to my starting point the squirrels are likely to be cutting again in that tree.

 

[Stretcher_Jockey]

Yes, the squirrels feed heavily on Hickories, especially in the first few weeks of squirrel season. I haven't noticed any yet, but they should be ripened any day now. I've killed a limit from one Hickory a couple of times before. I carried a 22 with short hollow point ammo. The shots were quiet enough that they kept right on cutting. What gun do you plan on using?

Best of luck to you!!

I've always used light 12ga loads or my 20ga but this summer I've finally tricked out my 10/22 so I'll likely use that as much as possible.

 

[Andy S.]

This past weekend, in SW TN, I found some pignut hickories that the squirrels were starting to work on pretty good.

 

[brass magnet]

I've got a shag bark hickory over part of my shed and the past few days they been working it hard. It's loud enough the neighbors prolly wouldn't notice a few air rifle shots, if that sort of thing were legal. And if someone were to do it, but, they can't, so, they wouldn't, prolly!

 

[Stretcher_Jockey]

Much appreciated guys.