Small Game Archives - Page 10 of 16 - Mississippi Sportsman

Trey Graham and dog Leo with three squirrels they killed after they treed seven.

Spring squirrels, take 3

May 12, 2017 Bobby Cleveland

In 2015, Mississippi squirrel hunters had their first opportunity to hunt in a spring season. Going into the third year, it appears that it is a slowly developing and acquired taste. […]

Green grass next to heavy cover is an excellent place to ambush rabbits once the dogs get them running.

Female cottontail rabbits are called does, and they begin breeding in January and continue through September, with litter sizes ranging from four to five young. A single doe may add 20 to 25 young to the population in a single year. Gestation for the cottontail is 28 days, and the female may rebreed while still nursing young. The average age of a wild cottontail is 15 months. […]

February is prime time for rabbit and goose hunters in Mississippi, which offers up a daily double for hunters in the Delta.

Smaller, but tasty

February 8, 2017 Bobby Cleveland

February is small-game month in most of Mississippi, a time for rabbit and squirrel hunters to hit the fields and woods in a search for ingredients for a pot of gumbo, sauce piquant, dumplings or just plain ol’ fried happiness. […]

All the rabbits run — Best rabbit-hunting tactics

February 1, 2017 David Hawkins

Rabbit hunting provides a great opportunity for some old-fashioned family time. And the resulting stews aren’t bad, either. Here’s everything you need to know. […]

Seven guided squirrel hunts, including firearm and wildlife instruction, will be held around Mississippi on Feb. 11.

Seven youth squirrel hunts set Feb. 11

January 25, 2017 Bobby Cleveland

Seven youth squirrel hunts have been scheduled around Mississippi on Feb. 11, all geared around introducing new hunters to the thrill of hunting small game with dogs. […]

Hunters rarely get a clean shot such as this, but when two are hunting together, pulling a vine or shaking a limb can force a squirrel to move and make a fatal error.

What about bots in squirrels?

October 15, 2016 David Hawkins

Bot Fly infestations affect squirrels and other mammals such as cattle and deer. Perhaps because of a squirrel’s size, the bot just seems larger and can be a turnoff to many hunters. […]

A 22 long rifle, such as this Browning T-Bolt, remains a top choice of squirrel hunters.

Air rifles for tree rats

October 15, 2016 David Hawkins

Little-known fact: The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803 used an air rifle to harvest game and keep hostile peoples at bay. […]

Tips for early squirrels

October 14, 2016 Andy Crawford

Jeffrey Wood is a die-hard small-game hunter. Here are his tips for getting the most out of the early squirrel hunting season. […]

Dove hunting reopens Saturday in the Southeast Zone, but closes Sunday in the North Zone.

Southeast Zone dove season reopens on Saturday

October 6, 2016 Bobby Cleveland

Dove hunters in Mississippi’s Southeast Zone can resume hunting on Saturday (Oct. 8), but sportsmen in the rest of the state have only a few more days to hunt before they go idle for two weeks. […]

When a squirrel spots danger, such as a hunter, it has an uncanny ability to make itself a part of the tree. This Pearl River cat squirrel was crossing a slough on a river birch limb when shot with a camera rather than a gun.

Tree rat treasures — Best public lands for squirrel hunting

October 1, 2016 David Hawkins

Squirrels are fun to hunt and great to eat — and there are plenty of public places to fill your limit. Here’s a rundown of what you need. […]

Mississippi's statewide youth season opens Saturday (Sept. 24) for hunters aged 15 and under, accompanied by a licensed or exempt adult over the age of 21. The regular season opens Oct. 1 for all hunters.

Youth squirrel hunt opens Saturday

September 23, 2016 Bobby Cleveland

Tim Spencer had a hard time measuring just how long he’s been waiting for Saturday (Sept. 24) to arrive.

“It’d be easy to say I’ve been looking to this day for eight years, since that’s how old my son Henry is,” said Spencer, an avid outdoorsman and a longtime fan of squirrel hunting. “But honestly, I think it’s more like 35 years, because that’s how many years it’s been since Dad and Grandpa took me on my first squirrel hunt. […]

6 tips for better dove hunts

September 15, 2016 Patrick Bonin

It’s too late to get in much practice time at the range before the opening day of dove season, but there are some things you can do to get ready. […]