How to Hunt Squirrels with a Bow

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why Choose the Bow for Small Game?
3. Essential Gear for Squirrel Bowhunting
4. Finding Your Target: Woodcraft and Scouting
5. Hunting Techniques
6. Shot Placement and Safety
7. Processing Squirrels in the Field
8. Practice and Preparation
9. Conclusion
10. FAQ

Introduction

Standing in a quiet grove of hardwoods, you hear the unmistakable rhythmic scratching of claws on bark. You spot a flash of gray tail sixty feet up an oak tree. Most hunters reach for a rimfire rifle, but taking a squirrel with a bow is one of the most challenging and rewarding pursuits in the woods. It requires stealth, precision, and a deep understanding of small game behavior. At BattlBox, we believe that mastering small game hunting builds the foundational skills needed for larger expeditions and survival scenarios. If you want to keep building your loadout as you learn, choose your BattlBox subscription. This guide covers the essential gear, specialized arrows, and tactical woodcraft needed to successfully harvest squirrels with archery equipment. Whether you are a seasoned archer or a beginner looking to sharpen your skills, learning how to hunt squirrels with a bow will make you a more capable woodsman.

Quick Answer: Hunting squirrels with a bow requires a bow with a comfortable draw weight, specialized flu-flu arrows to prevent lost shafts, and small game heads like Judo points or blunts. Success depends on stealthy stalking, identifying food sources like mast trees, and taking ethical headshots to preserve the meat.

Why Choose the Bow for Small Game?

Hunting squirrels with archery gear is not the easiest way to fill a freezer, but it is often the most enjoyable. Archery seasons for small game are typically long and offer high-volume shooting opportunities. This makes it the perfect training ground for deer season, just as Can You Hunt Small Game with a Bow? An In-Depth Guide to Archery Small Game Hunting explains. You learn how to move through the woods without being detected. You learn how to judge distances quickly. You also learn how to execute a shot under pressure.

The bow is significantly quieter than a firearm. In many suburban or semi-rural areas where firearm discharge is restricted, a bow may be your only legal option for hunting. The lower noise level also means you are less likely to spook every other squirrel in the woodlot, which is why What Animals Can You Hunt with a Bow is such a useful next read. If you miss, there is a good chance you will get a second shot.

Small game hunting provides immediate feedback on your form and accuracy. A squirrel's "vitals" are roughly the size of a golf ball. If you can consistently hit a squirrel, a deer’s heart-lung area will look like a barn door by comparison. It is the ultimate practice for any serious archer, and How to Choose the Right Hunting Bow helps narrow that setup down.

Essential Gear for Squirrel Bowhunting

You do not need a specialized "squirrel bow," but your setup needs to be tailored for small targets and upward angles. Using your standard deer hunting setup can lead to lost arrows and damaged broadheads. You need a configuration that balances power with safety and retrieval, and the Sharp Edges collection is a smart place to round out the rest of your woods kit.

Selecting the Right Bow

Most hunters prefer a recurve or longbow for squirrels. These traditional bows are lightweight and allow for instinctive shooting. When a squirrel is moving quickly through the canopy, you often do not have time to use a sight or wait for a mechanical release. Traditional bows allow for "snap shooting," which is essential for fast-moving targets.

If you're still building the rest of your loadout, subscribe to BattlBox and let the box do the heavy lifting.

Compound bows are also effective but require more care. If you use a compound, consider lowering the draw weight if possible. You do not need 70 pounds of kinetic energy to pass through a squirrel. A heavy-hitting compound bow will often bury an arrow so deep into a tree limb or the ground that it becomes impossible to recover.

Arrows and Fletching

The most important gear choice for squirrel hunting is the flu-flu arrow. A flu-flu arrow uses oversized, un-trimmed feathers. These feathers create significant drag. The arrow flies normally for about 20 to 30 yards and then quickly loses velocity and drops to the ground.

Flu-flu arrows prevent you from losing arrows in the high canopy. When you shoot upward at a squirrel on a branch, a standard arrow can travel hundreds of yards if you miss. A flu-flu will drop nearby, making it much easier to find. This is a critical safety feature when hunting in areas where you must be mindful of where your projectiles land, and it is a point covered well in How to Hunt Small Game with a Bow: A Comprehensive Guide.

Small Game Points and Heads

Never use a standard broadhead for squirrel hunting. Broadheads will pass right through the squirrel and bury themselves deep into the wood of the tree. This often results in a lost arrow or a broken tip. Instead, use specialized small game heads.

• Judo Points: These have small spring-loaded arms that snag on grass and brush. They prevent the arrow from "snaking" under the leaves on the forest floor.
• Blunts: These are flat-faced tips made of rubber or steel. They kill via blunt force trauma. They are excellent for squirrels because they don't get stuck in wood as easily as pointed tips.
• Small Game Grapplers: These look like standard blunts but have wire "arms" behind the head to prevent the arrow from passing through the target.

Key Takeaway: Use flu-flu arrows with Judo points to maximize arrow recovery and ensure safety when shooting into the tree canopy.

Gear Comparison Table

Finding Your Target: Woodcraft and Scouting

You cannot hunt squirrels if you cannot find them. Successful squirrel hunting starts with identifying their food sources. Squirrels are "central place foragers," meaning they stay close to their nests and their favorite trees. If you want BattlBox's broader preparedness playbook, The Survival 13 is a natural next read.

Identifying Mast Trees

Mast is the botanical term for the nuts and seeds of trees. "Hard mast" includes acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts, and beech nuts. These are the primary food sources for squirrels.

• White Oaks: These produce acorns that are less bitter than red oaks. Squirrels will often flock to white oaks as soon as the nuts start dropping in early autumn.
• Hickory Trees: Shagbark and pignut hickories are like candy to squirrels. If you find a hickory tree with "cuttings" (shredded nut shells) at the base, stay put.
• Beech Trees: In the late season, beech nuts are a vital food source.

Squirrel Behavior and Timing

Squirrels are most active during the first few hours of daylight and the last two hours before dusk. During mid-day, they often retreat to their nests or sun themselves on high branches. On windy days, squirrels tend to stay low or remain in their nests because the noise of the wind makes it harder for them to hear predators.

Listen for the "bark." Squirrels are vocal. They make a chattering sound to warn others of danger. If you hear a squirrel barking, it has likely spotted you or another predator. Use this sound to pin down their location, then wait quietly until they feel safe again.

Hunting Techniques

There are two primary ways to hunt squirrels with a bow: the "sit and wait" method and "still hunting." Both require patience and a keen eye.

The Still Hunting Method

Still hunting is the art of moving slowly through the woods. You are not just walking; you are stalking. Take two or three slow steps, then stop and scan for at least a minute. Look for movement, but also look for shapes. A squirrel's tail often hangs down, creating a vertical line that stands out against the horizontal lines of tree limbs.

Watch the forest floor. Many squirrels spend their time foraging on the ground. You will often hear them rustling through dry leaves before you see them. If you hear rustling, freeze. Wait for the squirrel to move into an opening before you draw your bow.

The Sitting Method

Find a productive mast tree and sit against its trunk. This is often the most effective method for bowhunters. By sitting still, you become part of the environment. Squirrels have excellent peripheral vision and are very sensitive to movement. After 15 to 20 minutes of sitting still, the woods will "reset," and squirrels will begin to move freely again.

Position yourself so you have multiple shooting lanes. Clear away dry leaves from your feet so you can pivot without making noise. Check your overhead clearance to ensure your bow limbs won't hit branches when you draw.

Step 1: Locate a group of mast-producing trees with visible cuttings on the ground. Step 2: Position yourself with your back against a large tree to break up your silhouette. Step 3: Remain motionless and silent for at least 20 minutes to allow the squirrels to emerge. Step 4: Identify a target and wait for it to stop moving before beginning your draw.

Shot Placement and Safety

Taking a shot with a bow requires more care than with a rifle. You must be certain of your target and what lies beyond it. That mindset belongs with the Emergency / Disaster Preparedness collection.

Aiming Small

The golden rule of squirrel hunting is to aim for the head or the high shoulder. A squirrel is a small, tough animal. A gut-shot squirrel will often make it back to its hole or nest before it expires, resulting in a lost animal. A headshot is an instant, ethical kill and preserves all the meat on the hind legs and back.

Remember the "aim small, miss small" mantra. Don't just aim at the squirrel; aim at a specific hair or a spot on its ear. This level of focus is what leads to consistent success in archery.

Backstops and Gravity

Gravity affects your point of aim when shooting at steep angles. When shooting upward into a tree, your arrow will tend to hit high. You must compensate by aiming slightly lower than you think you need to.

Always consider where your arrow will go if you miss. While flu-flu arrows are safer, they can still travel a significant distance. Never shoot toward a road, a house, or another hunter. If a squirrel is sitting on top of a thin branch with nothing but blue sky behind it, wait for it to move to a position where the tree trunk can act as a backstop.

Myth: You need a heavy 60lb or 70lb bow to hunt squirrels. Fact: A bow with a draw weight as low as 30lb is more than enough to take down a squirrel. Lower draw weights are often better as they make it easier to hold your draw while waiting for a moving squirrel to stop.

Processing Squirrels in the Field

Once you have successfully harvested a squirrel, you need to process it quickly to ensure the meat stays fresh. Squirrel is excellent table fare, often compared to dark chicken meat or rabbit.

We recommend field dressing your squirrels as soon as possible. Use a sharp, small-bladed knife like the Tactica K.120 Flipper Pocket Knife. The "shirt-and-pants" method is the most common way to skin a squirrel:

1. Cut through the skin across the middle of the back.
2. Insert your fingers into the cut and pull in opposite directions (one toward the head, one toward the tail).
3. The skin will peel off like a pair of clothes.
4. Remove the head, feet, and entrails.

Keep the meat clean and cool. In warmer weather, place the dressed squirrels in a breathable mesh bag or a small cooler using items found in the camping collection.

Bottom line: Ethical shot placement and rapid field processing are the keys to high-quality squirrel meat.

Practice and Preparation

You cannot expect to walk into the woods and hit a squirrel if you only practice on flat ground at 20 yards. Squirrel hunting involves awkward angles, varying distances, and tight windows.

Practice shooting from a seated or kneeling position. Practice shooting upward at targets hung from tree limbs. You can even make your own small game targets by stuffing a burlap sack with old clothes and hanging it at different heights. This mimics the three-dimensional nature of squirrel hunting, and a Bigfoot Bushcraft Fire Starter belongs in that kind of woods-ready kit.

Learn to judge distance without a rangefinder. In the thick woods, you often don't have time to use electronics. Practice "stumping"—walking through the woods and taking shots at rotten stumps or clumps of moss at unknown distances. This builds the instinctive accuracy required for small game hunting, especially when paired with a dependable light like the Powertac Valor 800 Lumen AA Battery Waterproof EDC Flashlight.

Conclusion

Hunting squirrels with a bow is one of the purest forms of woodcraft. It forces you to slow down, sharpen your senses, and master your equipment in a way that target practice never can. By choosing the right gear—like flu-flu arrows and small game heads—and focusing on stealthy movement, you can become a highly effective small game hunter. This pursuit is not just about the harvest; it is about the journey of becoming a more skilled and self-reliant outdoorsman.

At BattlBox, we are dedicated to providing the tools and knowledge you need to excel in the wild. Every piece of gear we select is intended to help you build your skills and your confidence. Whether you are building a survival kit like the SOL Scout Survival Kit or heading out for a weekend hunt, remember that the best gear is only as good as the person using it. Adventure. Delivered.

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FAQ

What is the best bow for squirrel hunting?

A traditional recurve or longbow is often considered the best choice because they allow for fast, instinctive shots. However, a compound bow with a reduced draw weight is also very effective, especially if you prefer using a sight for increased precision.

Why do I need flu-flu arrows for squirrels?

Flu-flu arrows have large fletching that creates drag, causing the arrow to drop quickly after a short distance. This is essential for safety when shooting upward into trees, as it prevents the arrow from traveling long distances if you miss your target.

Can I use regular field points for hunting squirrels?

While field points will kill a squirrel, they often zip right through the animal and get buried deep in tree limbs or the ground. Small game heads like Judo points or blunts are much better because they deliver more shock and are easier to recover.

Where should I aim on a squirrel with a bow?

You should always aim for the head or the high shoulder area. This ensures a quick, ethical kill and prevents damage to the meat on the hind legs, which is the most substantial part of the squirrel for eating.