The opening day of squirrel season has always been an easy date for me to remember. It also happens to be the date of my wedding anniversary. For most outdoorsmen and women, opening day of squirrel season may not be so memorable, nor carry the same importance as heading to the woods the first day of turkey or deer season. But to one hunter I know, it ranks right up there!

In recent years, Steve Carpenteri has mainly targeted pine forests for bushytail action. Photo by Polly Dean.

Steve Carpenteri has hunted bushytails for nearly 50 years. I've hunted small game with Carpenteri on many occasions and have yet to meet another person with as much passion for the sport as he has. In addition to squirrels, Carpenteri hunts rabbit, quail, deer, bear and turkey, and he does so on a regular basis. During the fall and winter months, you may find him hopping in his truck and driving across six states to hunt another spot, even if it's just for the weekend!

With so many years of chasing game under his belt, Carpenteri knows the ins and outs of bagging his limit. While walking the woods with him, it didn't take me long to learn that these bushy-tailed rodents that live in the wild are much more cunning and elusive than the critters we see running around our back yards. Spotting bushytails can be a challenge at any time, but especially so in early fall when the squirrels are high up in the treetops hidden among the leaves.

Over the years, Carpenteri has honed his uncountable hours stalking bushytails into a reservoir of knowledge.

Where To Hunt
What should you look for when scouting for a good spot for hunting squirrels? They eat a great variety of mast crops, including hickory nuts. Carpenteri's first choice of location for locating bushytails is in and around hickory trees. Early in the season, the nuts are still on the trees, and that is where you will find the squirrels. They will zero in on hickory trees and most likely will be way up in the tops hidden in the leaf canopy.

In recent years, Carpenteri has also had success in finding the bushytails in pine forests. He looks for an area that contains only mature pines. He finds the oldest and biggest dominant pine -- or "wolf" tree as he calls it -- that remains untouched by foresters. Usually, there will be a number of squirrels in the vicinity. They feed on the tiny seeds found in the bracts of the pinecones.

If hunting in a hilly area, position yourself high up on a ridge if possible. Squirrels are generally looking down toward the ground and this gives you a better angle for spotting the bushytails without being spotted by them.

During a season of low mast production, locating squirrels may even be easier, especially if the prior year produced a good crop. The squirrels will be more abundant following a year of plentiful nuts and acorns. If a not-so-good mast production follows a good year, then by simply locating a decent source of food, squirrels will be gathering from greater distances to that site.

Squirrels are especially sensitive to sound and movement. It may be difficult to approach your location without making noise.

"If you barge into the place where you want to go and sit down and wait, usually in about 20 minutes or so, they will come out," Carpenteri said. "Squirrels are everywhere, millions of them; they will be out eventually."

Look And Listen
Use your ears to locate bushytails. You can hear the sound of the squirrel's sharp teeth gnawing on nuts and acorns. Also, listen for the shells fall­ing to the ground. That's the easiest way to accurately pinpoint the prey's location directly overhead. The sound of branches and leaves rustling also gives them away.

Look up in the treetops for any leaf or branch movement that stands out from the normal ruffling caused by a light breeze. This can indicate a squirrel moving silently through the canopy.