Registered: Nov 2025
Location: PA
Posts: 4

I have a 2 year old redbone that does good when the coon are there... Where I'm at in pa there isn't big chunks of private ground anymore it's all parceled out. So naturally my hunting grounds keep getting smaller by the year. I have state gamelands but coon seem to be very thin there. It's not uncommon to hunt gamelands and only tree once a week. Anyways... There's A LOT of squirrel around here. Would it be worth my time to trap one and let him chase it? Then try to get him hunt time during the day with squirrels? Just trying to get dog on more game. Thoughts? Thanks

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2023
Location: North Central OH
Posts: 84

I start all mine on squirrel in the day but I have a lot of coon as well. If your in thin coon don't get upset if the dog makes squirrel trees at night. Mine have always been good about leaving them alone at night but once again i'm in thick coon. I also coon hunt mine early mornings during the day and tree a lot of coon when the weather gets bad or kitten coon time.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2021
Location: Tenn.
Posts: 286

Do it .Youll get hooked on squirrel hunting with a dog.I squirrel hunt some of my Smoky River blue hounds.I have a blue female thats as good a sq dog as ive ever hunted .She opens on the ground but gets under a tree quick with a squirrel in it.Uses her eyes better than any curr ive owned.You dont realize how much a squirrel will run until you sq hunt a good hound.Currs are ussually silent on track.I coon hunt hard august thru november until the leaves are off then its squirrrl huntin time.I dont have trouble with treeing sq at night and if they tree a coon in the day then thats great.A experienced combo dog knows what your hunting for day or night.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2004
Location: NJ
Posts: 105

Go for it. My favorite dog of all was also great at squirrel hunting. A big plus for daylight hunting was being able to watch her work. In daylight you can also see if the dog is making any mistakes that could be corrected.

__________________
Gloria

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2004
Location: NJ
Posts: 105

*delete* double posted

__________________
Gloria

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Sheridan, WY
Posts: 1168

quote:

---

Originally posted by Whiskeyradar
I have a 2 year old redbone that does good when the coon are there... Where I'm at in pa there isn't big chunks of private ground anymore it's all parceled out. So naturally my hunting grounds keep getting smaller by the year. I have state gamelands but coon seem to be very thin there. It's not uncommon to hunt gamelands and only tree once a week. Anyways... There's A LOT of squirrel around here. Would it be worth my time to trap one and let him chase it? Then try to get him hunt time during the day with squirrels? Just trying to get dog on more game. Thoughts? Thanks

---

__________________
______________________________
Seeking Soli Deo Gloria through the hounds.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Nov 2025
Location: PA
Posts: 4

Yea I did all of that before. Putting feed out on gamelands here though is asking for trouble. Since posting this I showed him a caged squirrel to get a whiff then took him to the woods. He's treed 2 for me since and a couple others I couldn't find. 2 weeks of the orange army for deer season yet then I'll get him back out again. I can get sweet feed cheaper then corn now and it's not very visible so that might be an option now too. Like you said it's getting to be a lot of work. But yet we got like 15 squirrels per acre here it seems so I'm leaning that route with him plus have a cur pup to start soon.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2023
Location: North Central OH
Posts: 84

Were not allowed to put bait down on state land here in OH either. Private is ok for the most part, except for the CWD townships. I have put out sweet feed ( pellets if thats what you mean) and they didn't like it. If you have any bread outlets close, that works great. I use to have one 20 minutes from me and they charged $6 for a cart of baked goods. Most of the time they would give me racks if I bought one on fridays just to get it out of there store. I would sit and pull the bread apart and put it in grain bags. Then when I went hunting at night I would fill up 55 gallon barrels with it. I would last about a week. But the coon will check the barrels for months even when there empty. I am curious if sweet feed works in your area, but it runs high here and corn is 1/3 the cost for me.

Last edited by TN Quick Check on 12-02-2025 at 06:16 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Nov 2025
Location: PA
Posts: 4

quote:

---

Originally posted by TN Quick Check
I am curious if sweet feed works in your area, but it runs high here and corn is 1/3 the cost for me.

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged