That can be because the mockernut apparently ripens earlier, for as tasty as the nuts of the mockernut are to me, the shagbark boasts even more flavorful nutmeat -- and there’s more of it as well. I tend to hunt the mockernut groves in early-to-mid September, gravitating later in the month toward the lone shagbarks scattered about in random groves.

A sole shagbark can entice legions of squirrels, and a hunter who takes a stand within shotgun or .22 range of one of these trees can often limit out in a few hours. An important caveat for hunting both mockernut and shagbark hickories: Multiple squirrels will often visit these trees for days on end until the nuts have all been consumed.

To prevent myself from wasting time at a tree or grove whose fruits may have been eaten, one of the first things I do on arrival is to scan the ground for freshly-cut hulls. If the hull shavings still have a touch of green to them, chances are good that the hunting remains quite worthwhile. But if the husks show a washed-out, dull brown, it’s very likely that the squirrels have moved on to another hickory grove or to white or red oaks.

One of those hickory groves in which the squirrels may congregating later in early fall is composed predominantly of pignut hickory (Carya glabra) trees. In ability to draw in squirrels, I rate the pignut a distinct third behind mockernut and shagbark trees, which may be the reason that these trees seem to attract squirrels later in autumn. I also believe the nutmeat is not nearly as tasty as that of the other two varieties -- but, again, who knows what the silvertails think? Often the pignut may even have a bitter taste; I never gather them for food.

Pignuts usually feature five light green leaflets that turn golden come fall. The light gray bark is smooth when the tree is young but becomes slightly furrowed as the tree matures. Typically just an inch or so long, the nuts are noticeably smaller than those of mockernuts and shagbarks. The husk is also thinner than that of either of the other two species, and tends to open later in the fall.

Pignut trees tend to grow better in uplands, either moist or dry, and, as is the nature of the family, often flourish in mixed hardwood groves.

Although these three species are the major ones in much of our region, other species of hickories are very much worth noting, as they can be real magnets for gray squirrels. For example, many sportsmen don’t realize that pecans (Carya illinoensis) are members of the hickory family. The oblong fruits, 2 inches long, feature a thin husk guarding a thin-shelled nut that, as everyone knows, contains exceptionally scrumptious nutmeat inside. The leaflets number from between 11 and 17 -- a large number for this family.

This species thrives in the lowlands, especially in floodplains and moist valleys.

As with many tree families, a host of other, very regional hickory species exists, among them the water, scrub, shellbark, nutmeg, sand, and black varieties. Interestingly, a very close relative of the hickory clan is the walnut; indeed, they’re both part of the same family, so it’s no wonder that squirrels gravitate toward both hickory and walnut trees. A good source of information is The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Eastern Region.

Nineteenth-century gold miners are supposed to have coined the phrase “There’s gold in them thar hills.” Modern-day squirrel hunters may be forgiven if they want to add the words “and the mountains and valleys, too.”