Fall doesn’t start officially until next month but squirrel season starts this month in most of the country and there’s no better way to get "tuned" up for bigger game later on this fall than to go squirrel hunting.

  Generations of youngsters have learned their hunting skills from pursuing these crafty, tree jumping varmints. I have to admit that I too learned a lot about hunting, the woods, and nature once I started to hunt squirrels. I had deer hunted for many years before hunting squirrels. Several reasons kept me from doing so. It might have been there was no place close to home to hunt or I just didn't want to take the time go. But it was probably the fact that I lacked the skills and know how to pursue these little devils. I owe most of my squirrel hunting schooling to my brother-in-law Kenny. He showed me a few do's and don’ts and some of the in's and out's. The rest I picked up on my own after spending time in the woods and from reading articles like this one.

  There is no right or wrong way to hunt squirrels, but there are several different ways to hunting squirrels and it took me a while to learn the techniques that work best for me.

  The first thing I do is while approaching a woodlot is to look it over from afar. You can often see squirrels jumping from tree to tree and they can give you an idea as to where they are or where they maybe headed. You can sometimes pick out a few nut trees that squirrels will visit. If hunting with a buddy, work out a set of hand signals ahead of time to communicate. Keep talking to a minimum.

  Once I get to the woods I stop and look it over real good, looking for squirrels jumping about. When I do enter the woods I'll move in maybe five to ten yards and then stand still. I try and stand behind some small trees or under some lower limbs to help conceal my whereabouts. It may be hard to see sometimes but a squirrel can see you and move away before you see it. Once in place I'll start looking at the trees out in front of me and to the sides. Just like hunting deer, I concentrate on one area at a time looking for squirrel movement. Scan the tree tops and work your way down through the lower limbs and finally to the ground. But the most important thing to remember to do is listen. Listen, Listen, Listen. You'll hear the sound of limbs crashing together as they jump from tree to tree. Listen for the sounds of nuts or nutshells falling from the tree tops. You will hear them running across the ground. How many times has a squirrel jumping and scampering across the ground behind your deer stand got your heart to thumping? To many times to count I'll bet. And finally the most important sound I like to hear is the sound of squirrels barking to each other. I don't know for sure that they are talking back and forth but I have heard squirrels barking from two hollows over and I know that they aren't barking at me.

  When I hear squirrels barking I hone in on their location. I start slowing moving in their direction keeping an eye out for any movement. I try to move from cover (tree, bush, etc.) to cover walking an irregular pattern. Just like still hunting deer, three steps, pause, five steps, pause, etc. I try to keep a tree between me and the squirrel, peaking out from behind it to locate my query. Try not to step on any big limbs but if you do don't despair. There is always some sort of noise in the woods. The key is to not sound like a human coming through the woods. My dad told me that when he was young he would hunt barefooted. He'd leave his shoes on one side of the woods, go around the other side, sometimes this was a long way and then hunt back to his shoes. Well, I for one am not hunting barefooted. I used to go without shoes when I was a kid but now if I step on a dime while barefooted I could tell you if it is heads or tails.

  I’ve tried various calls over the years with varied success. One call I’ve tried is a squirrel-in-distress call. It is a small disc with a hole in the middle that you suck air through. The trick is to blow or rather suck on the call while thrashing some brush or a bent over sapling on the ground. The idea here is the imitate the sound of a young squirrel being attacked by a predator triggering the “mothering” instincts of other squirrels in the area forcing them to show themselves offering you a shot. Much like a fawn bleat works on deer.

  Another type of call is a “barking” call. They’re small and lightweight and allow you to imitate squirrel barks getting squirrels in the area to respond to your calls thus revealing their locations.

  Here is a trick that works for me. When I hear a squirrel chattering, I only try to move when they are barking. When he stops barking, I stop moving. Sometimes they stop never to start again and then you have to search him out. I once stalked a squirrel for over half an hour doing this. I had heard him from quite a ways out and stalked to a position directly under him. He was about thirty feet or so up in a tree sitting on a limb three to four inches in diameter. His head was over one side of the limb while his backside was over the other. A perfect setup. He had no idea that I was under him and kept barking away. I placed the cross hairs of my scope under his chin and pulled the trigger of my Marlin model 60 - .22 rim-fire rifle. Needless to say the bullet came out the top of his head and sent him crashing down almost on top of me.

  Once you pop one, stand in place for a minute or two, there maybe another one or two in the same area that you hadn't seen. I once shot a squirrel and while loading another shell in my gun I spied a squirrel in the fork of a tree. He was sitting there looking like a bookend. I thought to myself, "I see you" and then boom! Down he went.

  Slowly work your way through the woods looking and listening. Sometimes while stalking one they just simply disappear. You can wait him out or move on. I generally don't wait to long for them to come back out. If I don't see or hear them in a span of ten minutes or so I'm on the move.

  There are times when I sit down close to a nut tree and wait for the squirrels to come to me, but not too often. I like to keep moving and see if I can out smart them by sneaking up on them. I stand hunt when deer hunting so I figure that I sit enough when hunting so why not get up and move. It's just more fun to me. Stalking helps to sharpen my senses to the sights and sounds of the woods. You could say that it tunes me up and gets me ready for deer season.

  I forgot to mention it earlier but remember to wear camouflage or at least dull earth-tone colors. I also use a cover scent to help mask my odors as I am usually hunting the same areas that I'll be in later in the fall bow hunting and besides, it can't hurt. I usually use an earth scented cover scent. Though you may use a pine or cedar scent if those types of trees are prominent in your hunting area. A great invention that came out some years back is a product called "No Stinkin' Bugs". It is an insect repellent with a cover scent made right in it. Not only have I used it for squirrel hunting and during early bow season, I've used it while walking through the woods, while scouting and turkey hunting. It is probably available at your nearest, (dare I say it) Wal-Mart or you can order it from any number of on-line stores. At the very least make sure to spray yourself with some kind of insect repellent. Ticks and chiggers don’t take holidays. Protect yourself.

  Remember to move slow and listen to your surroundings. Have a fun, safe time this fall getting your limit of squirrels.

  The following article could be written about any number of regions of the country this summer. - Editor

  Texans are seeing more wildlife in the city because of the ongoing drought, but it’s something of an urban myth that wild animals are coming to the city from the country in search of food and water.

  "Actually, the animals people are seeing already live in the city," says Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist John Davis. "No question, the drought is stressing wildlife, but a field mouse or rabbit that lives out in the country has no concept of cities or that they will find food or water if they go there. That’s a common thought process, but it’s more anthropomorphic than people realize."

  Still, the lack of water is definitely affecting the behavior of resident urban wildlife from deer and coyotes to raccoons and opossums. Even snakes and insects are affected. All are in search of scarce water and food.

  "Animals that are normally nocturnal are being seen more during the day because they’re out looking for water or something to eat," Davis says.

  In considering the impact of an extended drought on wildlife, Davis says, the key is the overall population of a particular species.

  "It’s easy to get caught up on individual animals and have a heart-felt desire to help them, but since it’s the weak who don’t survive, in the long run a drought strengthens a species’ population," he says.

  While most wildlife species will come out of the drought OK, Davis said he is worried about short-lived species that require rain to breed.

  "The endangered Houston toad lives 2-3 years and only breeds after sufficient rain," Davis says. "If a population of these toads doesn’t get rain at the right time, an entire year’s worth of breeding opportunity could be lost. This could drastically reduce the population."

  The drought also is affecting Texas’ birdlife, since summer is when birds are raising their young. The drought tends to drop insect numbers, which is not good for birds.

  "In the summer," Davis explains, "even seed-eaters feed their young insects for protein. When insects are harder to find, it’s hard on the birds. If you put out water and feed for birds, be aware that could attract other animals."

  Of course, many homeowners are finding insects from ants to scorpions, in their homes this summer. They’re looking for water, but again, they’re not coming from the country. "A scorpion, for instance, stays in the same local area all its life," Davis says.

  Snakes, including venomous varieties like the western diamond rattlesnake and copperheads, may be moving more in search of water or food, but they are not migrating to the city from rural areas.

  "But people don’t need to panic," Davis says. "If people watch where they put their hands and feet when they’re gardening or hiking, they can safely live alongside snakes of all kinds."

  One other impact the drought is having in some urban areas is suppressing a fungus that helps keep grasshoppers in check.

  "Right now, Texas has a lot of grasshoppers," Davis said. "And since food is hard to find, that’s a real treat for lizards, birds and mammals."

  If you do encounter a wild animal in the city, Davis went on, it’s best to just leave it alone, even if it appears distressed.

  "It’s tough out there right now, especially if you’re a critter having to deal with a lack of water and food, but in the long run most populations will be stronger and tougher than before," Davis says.

  For more info about hunting and fishing the great state of Texas visit their web site at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/