Successful Strategies For Hunting Squirrels From A Boat

Palmettos, slashing briar vines, low-growing foliage and a layer of thick, sucking mud blanketing the Delta swamp would have made walking both noisy and quite exhausting. Instead, we slipped slowly and silently over the shallow water in the faint light of a new morning, listening and looking for signs of squirrels. Soon, I spotted a tree trunk with an odd-shaped knot. As we got closer, that knot suddenly hopped up on a branch to reach an acorn. Our first bushytail had been sighted, and though a scant 20 yards from us, it remained completely unaware of our presence. The acrobatic rodent presented my son Daniel with a clear shot, and a moment later his shotgun shattered the stillness of the swamp.

“You missed! Now, he’s running up the trunk,” I said.

“No I didn’t! That’s another squirrel. I dropped mine,” Daniel replied.

Without wasting a second, I pointed the muzzle of my gun in its direction and downed the scampering critter.

“I see another one, Daniel. He’s running to the—” BOOM! My son’s next shot interrupted me mid-sentence and sent nearly a dozen squirrels dashing away from adjacent trees.

Rather than smash our way through the swamp’s jungle-like tangles like a three-legged buffalo, we glided comfortably and stealthily along the water’s edge in a canoe. Our sneak attack continued to pay off the rest of the morning, requiring only that we propel our simple watercraft with paddles until the next target was pinpointed.

SUITABLE VESSELS

Sportsmen frequently use boats to transport themselves and their gear to and from certain hunting areas. But once they reach the shore, they get out and go at it on foot. If it’s squirrels you’re after, however, you’re better off remaining afloat to search the good mast-producing trees along lake shores and stream banks.

As long as it provides a stable shooting platform and lets you get close to shore, even in fairly shallow water, any lightweight watercraft—be it a wooden skiff, aluminum johnboat, kayak or canoe—will work for squirrel hunting. Keep in mind that wooden or plastic watercraft don’t emit nearly as much noise as those made of metal. The bang from dropping something in an aluminum boat can spook squirrels from a long distance. But if that’s all you have, you could easily carpet the decks and floor and affix rubber strips cut from bicycle inner tubes along the gunwales to minimize noise.

Canoes and kayaks offer a major advantage, as they enable hunters to get into many places where larger craft will seldom fit or float. In addition, paddlers don’t need a boat ramp. They can drop a canoe or kayak virtually anywhere they find the few inches of water their shallow-draft vessel needs to float.

FLUID GAME PLAN

With help from a small watercraft, folks can hunt areas on public properties that remain underutilized because gaining access to them on foot is a challenge most people won’t undertake.

“Squirrels use the hardwood edges next to streams quite a bit,” says Rick Hamrick, a biologist with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “In many areas, there’s a little higher ground right next to the shoreline because of the flooding regime for that particular waterbody. Often, sand or silt deposits along a shoreline during a flood. That builds up slightly higher ridges where hardwood trees often grow, providing good habitat for squirrels.”

But even when hunting from a boat, one must keep the essentials in mind. That means moving slowly and using our eyes (aided by a good binocular) and ears to locate our quarry. Carefully scan the trees for flicking tails, shaking branches and other signs of activity. But also stop paddling periodically to listen for the high-pitch chirps squirrels make when excited, the barks they let out when they feel threatened or the chattering that goes on as they communicate with other bushytails. Also take notice of leaves rustling, claws scratching tree bark and acorns, nutshells and other debris plopping into the water from overhanging branches.

On calm mornings, sound travels long distances over water. Yes, you’ll be able to detect squirrel noises better, but they will also hear you coming if you’re not careful. Ease your paddle into the water and keep it in for prolonged intervals to keep splashing and dripping from alerting wary game. In shallow, hard-bottom areas, use the paddle like a push pole, pushing off the bottom without lifting the paddle out of the water. On stream bends and in lake coves, ease around the turns and hug the shoreline, using any available cover to keep the boat and its occupants hidden.

If you hunt solo, position your gun in a safe, convenient place while paddling. If hunting with a buddy, one of you can paddle while the other is on the gun. After a shot is taken, the roles reverse. Some people like the “cast and blast” option. Squirrels commonly see anglers in boats and simply ignore them, so ease along the shoreline with your gun in a safe but handy place, and make a few casts as you look and listen for squirrels.

Hunting squirrels from a boat provides an excellent opportunity to involve novice hunters or young children that would otherwise find it difficult to hike through challenging terrain. Let the youngster sit in the bow seat, ready for action with the gun pointing in a safe direction, so he or she can do most of the firing. From the rear, you can better control the watercraft and help spot game. After locating a squirrel, position the boat so the shooter can make a safe, ethical shot. In a tippy craft like a canoe, try to line up the shot over the bow (always clear of other boat occupants) to keep the vessel as stable as possible.

ACCESS AND LIMITATIONS

While paddlers can go where larger boats cannot, one can only paddle so far in a day. Naturally, the best hunting typically occurs in smaller, isolated backwaters and tributaries off the main channels. Some folks tow or carry kayaks or canoes with big boats. They park the larger craft at the mouths of smaller tributaries, then launch the paddlecraft to quickly reach and hunt several unpressured spots.

In some places, you can make drift trips on streams flowing through large tracts of virtually inaccessible wilderness where you’ll seldom see other humans, even on opening day. Heavier, powered boats usually cannot run in these swift, shallow streams, so plan accordingly. You’ll need to park one vehicle at the likely take-out point and drive another vehicle to launch your watercraft upstream.

GAME RETRIEVAL

Unfortunately, squirrels don’t always fall in convenient places for easy retrieval. Sometimes, one must visually mark where a squirrel fell, land the boat as close as possible and get on shore to retrieve the downed game. When getting in and out of the boat, always play it safe and unload the guns. It will only take a few seconds to reload and resume hunting.

Also, carry a long-handled landing net. When shooting a squirrel over water, remember that bushytails can sink fast, so paddle quickly to reach the spot where it fell. If it sinks in shallow water, you might still be able to retrieve it with the net.

KNOW THE REGS

Navigable waterways belong to the public, but adjacent lands might be privately owned. Therefore, many float hunters visit national forests, wildlife management areas and other public places crisscrossed by streams or dotted with lakes and ponds so they won’t violate trespassing laws when shooting or retrieving game.

During waterfowl season, sportsmen with the proper licenses, weapons and ammunition can jump wood ducks, hooded mergansers, mallards or other legal birds while paddling stealthily along a stream. But keep in mind that federal laws prohibit hunters from shooting at migratory birds from boats under sail or power (including trolling motors) unless the motor is shut off and the boat’s forward momentum has ceased.

Many states allow sportsmen to hunt resident game like squirrels from powered boats. Nevertheless, some allow squirrel hunting from boats powered by electric motors but not those that require gasoline. As always, check the laws and regulations before your hunt.

Squirrel Skiffs

• Quality rides and other essentials for a water-based bushytail hunt.

Many companies make lightweight watercraft ideal for squirrel hunting. For instance, the Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman by Old Town ($1,299.99) offers the simplicity of a classic canoe and the stability and handling of a kayak for folks who wish to hunt bushytails solo.

Meanwhile, the company’s Saranac 146 ($899.99), which incorporates a pair of contoured seats with backrests and a small center bench seat with storage, is perfect for double-teaming squirrels and bringing along a child.

Bass Pro Shops also sells some great options for reasonable prices. There’s the Ascend H12 Sit-In ($849.99), a hybrid kayak for solo hunters with generous storage and a tunnel hull that affords extraordinary stability. The Ascend 15 DLX ($699.99) is another great offering. It’s a canoe that accommodates up to three people and features a lightweight, multi-layer polyethylene hull and rugged, aluminum gunwales.

NuCanoe offers a terrific sit-on-top kayak for hunters, the Frontier 12 ($1,699.00), which combines a 20-inch-wide open deck, a raised seat and a track system that enables different configurations. You could even put an electric or small gasoline motor on it.

While many canoes and kayaks come with built-in seats, they don’t always have backrests. I like a portable, cushioned seat, like the folding GCI SitBacker ($50), for better all-day comfort.

I also recommend carrying a portable dry box for stowing gear and valuables. Plano, Pelican and others make boxes of various sizes to fit any watercraft. Pelican’s cost more, but their boxes float and I’ve used one for my cameras for more than 25 years. Inside the dry box, place wallets, phones and keys in floating plastic dry bags for extra protection.

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• This article was featured in the February 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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