10/10 Bushytails

Sure, you can find at least a few squirrels randomly in a hardwood forest, but the fact is your most exciting hunting action will probably occur where squirrel concentrations are highest. Simply, where you find their preferred foods, you'll find the biggest numbers of squirrels.

In the northern states, acorns are the most sought-after mast, and those from the various white oak species are generally favored over red or black oak acorns. Hickory nuts, butternuts, black walnuts and beechnuts are among a squirrel's other food sources.

In the South, the squirrels' preferences remain largely the same, but you can also add pecans, almonds and palm nuts to their list of favorites. In the West, pinion nuts comprise a good part of their diet.

Obviously, when you go out scouting for squirrels, it helps to recognize which trees produce their preferred foodstuffs. Perhaps the simplest way to differentiate one tree species over another is to consult a pocket field-identification guide that depicts native tree species in your region. They're available in most bookstores and cost only a few bucks. I especially like the type of books that provide color photos or drawings of the mast trees and include illustrations of their leaf and bark patterns--this allows for off-season tree identification when there is not yet evidence of mast.

When you find what you might think is a squirrel-feeding tree, approach it for a closer look. Be on the lookout for signs of nut chips, broken hulls and cuttings on the forest floor, especially at the bases of tree trunks and on cut-off stumps. They are the best indications that at least a few squirrels are actively using those specific sites.

However, if you're feeling ambitious, don't be content with merely finding squirrels here and there. Instead, try to find entire cities of them. Once you do, you can pick a strategic vantage point overlooking the area, park your britches right there and shoot 'til you're done.

Should you live in a state that imposes bag limits on squirrels, you might be headed home within the hour with your full lot. But in states where the bag limit is liberal, if it exists at all, you're liable to enjoy all-day shooting action.

Biologists who study squirrel populations use the "10-10" rule to locate the probable whereabouts of the greatest concentrations of squirrels. The 10-10 rule is an easy one to remember: Look for at least 10 10-inch-diameter mast-producing trees per acre. It's an especially easy rule after you've learned to recognize the various tree species. At that point, all you really have to do while scouting is stop occasionally to survey your surroundings and count how many mast-bearing trees are within an acre (in case you didn't know, that's the same square footage of a football field) of your immediate area.

If you can see and count at least 10 trees, rest assured you're in prime squirrel territory. Start looking for those particular trees that contain leaf nests or den holes and pick a spot that lets you cover most of them with your rifle or shotgun.

I usually keep a pencil stub and scrap of paper in my shooting vest. Once I plunk myself down, I make a sketch of the immediate area, including reference features such as an old log, cut-off stumps, an odd-shaped forked tree trunk and so on. I can record the location of each squirrel I shoot, and therefore I don't have to disturb the area by retrieving downed squirrels each time I drop one. I can gather them after I've finished in a given spot.

Also, savvy hunters know that it's not wise to over-shoot a squirrel city. Even though other bushytails will migrate into the favorable habitat to replace the ones you've taken, this natural restocking can take many months. For this reason, I advise finding numerous squirrel cities in different locations and rotating among them on successive hunting days.

"Tens or better" is the name of this game, and any straight shooter can become a star player.