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Squirrel calls.....opinions.

3K views 21 replies 18 participants last post by  Grinnin Bear 
#1 ·
I've tried a couple different types, but at best all they have meant is I had something that makes a squirrel noise.

Anyone have a different experience with them?
 
#4 ·
I bought a call a decade or 2 ago, and never had much luck with it. it had a bubber bellows that you could shake and a squeaker if you covered up the horn part and squeezed the rubber. Then i started tapping 2 empty shotgun shells together, 5 or 6 times, rapidly, then wait a few mins and repeat. worked ok I guess. Then one day sitting in my treestand deer hunting i saw a black and white cat come sneaking thru the brush, and every squirrel in 5 acres came out on a limb and started barking. I went to a toy store a few weeks later and bought a life size stuffed black and white cat. I keep it in a garbage bag untill i deploy it on a stump or log, move back about 60 yards or so and sit on my bucket seat and wait. I shoot my limit almost everytime in just under an hour or 2 with a scoped 22 lr. The trick is to shoot them, mark the kill mentally, and dont get up to get them until you are ready to leave.
This tactic has worked better than any call I ever tried.
 
#5 ·
Great idea. I have heard of a lot of things and saw a lot of things but you turned an observation into a real good idea. Hats off. I proably wouldn't have shared that with everyone like you did. A fellow has to have some secrets. Bet in conjunction with the righ kind of call to get them out looking and you got a real thing going.
 
#6 ·
Curly Maple said:
Moss said:
Rub two pennies together
yep..makes a squirrel noise. Can anyone say it actually called a squirrel?

Never really tried it, it was supposed to sound like a squirrel eating a nut, or so I was told. I had one of those rubber ones like mentioned above but never called any in with it.
 
#7 ·
roland45 said:
I bought a call a decade or 2 ago, and never had much luck with it. it had a bubber bellows that you could shake and a squeaker if you covered up the horn part and squeezed the rubber. Then i started tapping 2 empty shotgun shells together, 5 or 6 times, rapidly, then wait a few mins and repeat. worked ok I guess. Then one day sitting in my treestand deer hunting i saw a black and white cat come sneaking thru the brush, and every squirrel in 5 acres came out on a limb and started barking. I went to a toy store a few weeks later and bought a life size stuffed black and white cat. I keep it in a garbage bag untill i deploy it on a stump or log, move back about 60 yards or so and sit on my bucket seat and wait. I shoot my limit almost everytime in just under an hour or 2 with a scoped 22 lr. The trick is to shoot them, mark the kill mentally, and dont get up to get them until you are ready to leave.
This tactic has worked better than any call I ever tried.
That is such a cool idea! I got to look for a toy cat. Thanks Roland!
 
#9 ·
I have a Primos hand caller. It works about 70% of the time for locating. The bark upsets them enough to bark and chatter back to give up locations. The key I found if I sit for 20-30 mins, sometimes longer, and then hit 3 barks and a chatter. I've never had luck with the squeaks. That just brings in predators.
 
#10 ·


I've been making game calls and squirrel calls for a lot of years. They do work. It's how they are tuned that sometimes makes a difference. A spooked squirrel will generally not respond at all. It's best to just remain quiet for a while till they settle down. The majority of squirrels will become excited, and start twitching their tails, and chattering. This helps you locate them for the shot, or holds them still while you line up. The key, like with any calling, is not to over do it. And as was previously mentioned. Every predator in the woods (air and land) will be hearing a dinner bell. So be prepared for the unexpected. LOL!

HuntnCarve
Dave
 
#11 ·
Before I had dogs I clinched my molars put tongue againsts my top molar and used it to control the air I sucked through from my cheek. It seems to work or at least kept me busy while I was waiting.
 
#13 ·
5150 said:
I have a Primos hand caller. It works about 70% of the time for locating. The bark upsets them enough to bark and chatter back to give up locations. The key I found if I sit for 20-30 mins, sometimes longer, and then hit 3 barks and a chatter. I've never had luck with the squeaks. That just brings in predators.
I've never been able to get a reaction that I could honestly attribute to a squirrel call. It could very well be the tuning is the most critical element. I'm hunting the same way everyone else seems to say they are...except not getting a result.

I had a great sounding call ,but it has disappeared. Replaced with a Primos but the reed fell out after a couple days and I lost it. Thought about replacing with another call. I was curious what experiences others have.

Maybe my wife is responsible for my bad luck with losing such things??
 
#20 ·
Squirrel calls do work well......a lot of you know I call them in regularly.....best tip is don't over due it....the barks as someone said are good for locating them but also does bring them out from hiding and they start sounding off their alarms....the shaker type with the chatter is really good for getting them to come and investigate what the heck is going on......cutter calls work well to suppose to sound like a squirrel cutting a nut which tells everyone else that its ok to come out of hiding......the penny rubbing technique is the same idea.......but the cutters do work better.....good sound out of them that carries a bit more
 
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