Hunting Small Game in America

[Alan]

Personal opinion: On-line sites about hunting small game animals, aren’t much more than advertisement repositories! There is a good UK site (The Natural History of British Wildlife) about animals (not specifically for hunters), but is complete otherwise. The same goes for the Americas (North American Wildlife). The question remains, where do you go when needing information on small game—Hunting, trailing, and baiting (if allowed)? Big game yes, small game no!

Thankfully, there is this site (MeatEater | Your link to the food chain) which has a specific section on hunting small game (The Rise and Fall (And Rise Again) of the American Small Game Hunter). There is a bit of airgun information, with emphasis on a bit! The bottom line here… Simply a dearth of misinformation!

To be sure, each state publishes information with regard to licensing, costs, and regulations; take limits, open seasons, and a few suggesting actual sites and areas to hunt on. They may even mention animal eating habits or mating information, but no real and/or usable information about the actual art of hunting small game! And airgunning information? That data is almost nonexistent!

I do not know what percentage of airgunners actually hunt (any) game regularly. Certainly there are a few (yours truly!) who do so almost every day. In my case, it is mostly pigeons and squirrels residing in the various exurban pecan groves I have permission to trespass on. This said, if an opportunity arrises for other small game (Eurasian doves, fox, coyote, skunk, raccoon, badger, etc.), I do my best to accommodate their pesky attitude! But to say I’m a repository of knowledge for all small game, is a gross misunderstanding.

But how about you, the reader of this diatribe? Do you have an expertise you could share on your favorite game animal? Speaking of myself, I’d much rather read such articles instead of ‘just’ posting photos of my kills, some of which aren’t fit for even this outlet.

What say?

 

[FL22]

In the wild, squirrels normally live for about six to 8 years. In captivity and safe environments, they have been known live up to 20 years.

Most squirrels mate twice a year, during winter and summer. The female carries the litter for a gestation period of around six weeks, after which she gives birth to two to eight kits.

i’m not a mathematician but in my mind, 1 female living for an average of seven years, giving birth to an average of four young twice a year equals 56 +\-. So those 56 squirrels X 8 annual kits X 7 years = 3,136 +\- more squirrels.

You can continue to work the math until you’re up to your eyeballs in squirrels.

I’ll call it ballpark math, but I don’t think I’m too far out in left field. if anyone thinks I’m wrong let me know or if I’m the only one doing squirrel math and that’s just weird.

I’m not counting for predators and hunters and blah blah blah.

Anyways as for the hunting part, I typically go for head shots.

 

[Solo1]

In my 67 years hunting small game ive seen a great deal of change. When i was young it was easy to find rabbits by jumping on brush piles and shooting when they ran out or buy stalking slowly thru heavy cover with a 22 pistol or rifle. For squirrels it was always sit in an area with hickory trees or oak and wait for them to forage for nuts. It used to be easy to find grouse and woodcock too but now a days you see very few small game animals near where i live. The game commission reintroduced coyotes to my area and as far as I’m concerned its really hurt the small game population. I only see decent amounts of game near populated areas and almost no grouse or woodcock.

 

[Danman]

I went pheasant hunting with my dad once as a kid (22LR) But there was a catch...they we're our own pheasants!! They had all gotten out of the run and I did my best to catch them over a week or so... I remember getting 1 or 2 back but as soon as you made eye contact they bailed, I could literally crouch beside them and grab them IF I didn't make eye contact. Anyways the last few my dad figured we might as well get back the easy way, but we never did shoot any, possibly became coyote food. They are around in small numbers but not anything like the rabbits, turkey, or tree squirrels here. Sadly hunting with Air Rifles is not really a thing so I pest instead

 

[Ezana4CE]

@Alan What I’ve learned from hunting in a few different states is that animals behave differently in different environs. After discussing hunting with other airgunners via forums it became more evident. For me the greatest repository is to study the animals in the habitat that you will hunt them.

I was out this morning. Only saw one squirrel that I could line a shot up on, but it would not stop moving. I didn’t shoot. There was so much new growth and leaves that there were few unobstructed openings. Although I tracked the squirrel through my scope, it didn’t seem to be alarmed by my presence. I let if go once it crossed the creek because I left my shooting sticks behind and figured it’d take too long to find them if I pursued this anima. What I did make it a point to do was to reconnoiter this area. I haven’t hunted it in at least a year. I need to reacquaint myself with it. Seeing the one made my morning. I didn’t do much to educate it. But I ran into other animals and tracks on my outing. When I go back out I saw a few areas I can try on my next time out. Walking the creek bed I ran into this fella and almost stepped over it. Once I saw it I watched it until I could see its tail to see if it had a button (rattle). It had what appeared to have been a diamond-shaped head, so I gave it space and stood by observing what it was doing. See if you can even spot it.

Then there were these tracks. Can anyone identify them?


To your point about reading material. I study animal behavior in person. I live where they live so they’re all around me. I watch documentaries, hunting shows, and filmed hunts on YouTube. I also buy books. Used book stores are great for hunting materials and literature about animals. I look for hunting literature as well and will buy new hunting books from various sources. I learned to hunt deer by the aforementioned methods. When I see something anatomically questionable I’ll do a search engine search. If I’m still not clear I will ask other hunters. But foremost I was raised hunting and have been studying plants and animals on and off for decades. I realize that this is not everyone’s situation so I imagine folks in different situations will do what they can. There’s no single goldmine repository that I tap into, but the environment is a great place to start. I also look to various online forums for information, so my sources are myriad.

 

[FL22]

@Alan What I’ve learned from hunting in a few different states is that animals behave differently in different environs. After discussing hunting with other airgunners via forums it became more evident. For me the greatest repository is to study the animals in the habitat that you will hunt them.

I was out this morning. Only saw one squirrel that I could line a shot up on, but it would not stop moving. I didn’t shoot. There was so much new growth and leaves that there were few unobstructed openings. Although I tracked the squirrel through my scope, it didn’t seem to be alarmed by my presence. I let if go once it crossed the creek because I left my shooting sticks behind and figured it’d take too long to find them if I pursued this anima. What I did make it a point to do was to reconnoiter this area. I haven’t hunted it in at least a year. I need to reacquaint myself with it. Seeing the one made my morning. I didn’t do much to educate it. But I ran into other animals and tracks on my outing. When I go back out I saw a few areas I can try on my next time out. Walking the creek bed I ran into this fella and almost stepped over it. Once I saw it I watched it until I could see its tail to see if it had a button (rattle). It had what appeared to have been a diamond-shaped head, so I gave it space and stood by observing what it was doing. See if you can even spot it.
View attachment 6332
Then there were these tracks. Can anyone identify them?
View attachment 6334

To your point about reading material. I study animal behavior in person. I live where they live so they’re all around me. I watch documentaries and filmed hints on YouTube. I also buy books. Used book stores are great for hunting materials and literature about animals. I look for hunting literature as well and will buy hunting books. I learned to hunt deer by the aforementioned methods. When I see something anatomically questionable I’ll do a search engine search. If I’m still not clear I will ask other hunters. But foremost I was raised hunting and have been studying plants and animals on and off for decades. I realize that this is not everyone’s situation so I imagine folks in different situations will do what they can. There’s no single goldmine repository that I tap into, but the environment is a great place to start. I also look to various online forums for information, so my sources are myriad.

I definitely see the snake in between the two logs, unsure about the species as far as the tracks haven’t a clue, other than it’s a predator, but it looks like it jumped to there.

 

[Alan]

Those appear to be badger tracks. When most folks think of badgers, they think of Honey Badgers, and you stay away from those guys! Common badgers as somewhat smaller than Honeys, and although they're aggressive, they're nothing like Honeys!

We have a lot of badgers here in SE New Mexico, but you seldom see them in daylight. They're never too far from a water source as well.

I should add, that I literally grew up in a sporting goods store in the Kansas City, area. I've hunted and fished in places that most folks have never heard of. At one time or another, if it swam, flew, walked, or slithered, I've probably have shot at it and/or eaten it. You think not? How about candied sheep eyes, live grubs, and even prairie dog stew. If you're hungry...

 

[FL22]

Those appear to be badger tracks. When most folks think of badgers, they think of Honey Badgers, and you stay away from those guys! Common badgers as somewhat smaller than Honeys, and although they're aggressive, they're nothing like Honeys!

We have a lot of badgers here in SE New Mexico, but you seldom see them in daylight. They're never too far from a water source as well.

I should add, that I literally grew up in a sporting goods store in the Kansas City, area. I've hunted and fished in places that most folks have never heard of. At one time or another, if it swam, flew, walked, or slithered, I've probably have shot at it and/or eaten it. You think not? How about candied sheep eyes, live grubs, and even prairie dog stew. If you're hungry...

I just did some research to see if Florida has badgers and we do. The article was talking about honey badgers, and the fact that they are not real badgers. They’re just called that because they resemble a type of badger. They’re actually more related to weasels and skunks they also have a defense mechanism like a skunk.

I haven’t tried everything that Florida has to offer, but I’ve eaten plenty of my home fair either homemade or from a restaurant. Seafood, Swampfood and red meat it’s all good.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@Alan I am unsure what these are. I’ve never been a good tracker. The rear track looks like a racoon track. But for the others I was thinking dog, but only because of the tracks that I saw close by that I didn’t photograph. They aren’t too deep and this is fresh sand that washed down this creek bed from recent rains. I was thinking that a small dog came behind the coon sniffing around or something. I know someone in the area with a small dog and I’ve seen a few others ambling through these woods in years past. I’ve never seen or heard of badgers living in East Texas. The reason I mentioned and posted a photo of the tracks is because I can Googgle animal tracks and try to compare what I’ve photographed to what others have posted online. Like those seen on this site

The Importance of Knowing How to Read Animal Tracks

Has This Become a Skill of the Past?

realtree.com

After viewing this I figure it may also have been a fox, but they’re close together so it may not have been a fox. I have only seen a handful of foxes in person so I have studied foxes less than most other wild animals that I might hunt here.

 

[Alan]

You may be correct, but they don't seem large enough to be a fox.

From Amazon....

 

[FL22]

You may be correct, but they don't seem large enough to be a fox.

From Amazon....

It looks like it has five front digits, so I would say badger.

 

[Ezana4CE]

Another resource that I can point to comes from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. I’m not sure if all states department of wildlife or natural resources publish this part of info. Here’s a link to a wildlife guide that we have.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_k0700_0517.pdf

I have seen similar things published in Louisiana. University extensions also seem to publish good info on local flora and fauna. I’ve read some good stuff published by various universities too.

 

[FL22]

Lots of good hunting information here, including rules regarding airgun hunting in Florida.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.

myfwc.com

 

[Alan]

I find that most state wildlife agencies' web sites to be a mixed bag of tricks. Yes, the actual game bios are good, and in some cases appear to be 'lifted' from the same source. Certainly their individual game laws are well defined, and that is as it should be. However, a few just seem to defy logic.

For example, the state of New Mexico prohibits the taking of Nutria, but our neighbors (Texas, etc.) have no such law. They're a real nuisance in the SE part of the state. Another example are squirrels. Most urban and exurban areas are overrun with them. The damage they cause to the state's second largest crop (Pecans) runs in the millions of dollars. Thankfully, if they're in the pecan orchards, they can be considered a pest.

No doubt the worst of the worst, is information on taking game with airguns. We're lucky here in New Mexico, because we can use airguns for a variety of game. Other states, not so much. In fact, some actually disallow them for any game. Too bad really, forcing some to use .22LR instead.