Squirrel hunting in NJ

[fab]

The 410 is great.  Just limited in range as compared to the 12 was my point    

I used the 410 this year for pheasant with 5 shot. I like the 20 more.  Did ok with the 410 on quail with 9s

 

 

[vdep217]

8 minutes ago, fab said:

The 410 is great.  Just limited in range as compared to the 12 was my point    

I used the 410 this year for pheasant with 5 shot. I like the 20 more.  Did ok with the 410 on quail with 9s

 

 

Try a 28 perfect for both.  I switch it up on conditions rain wind etc

[Bucksnbows]

6 hours ago, archer36 said:

Tired of these bait stealers. SOB's, they walk away with whole apples. 

Don't they hibernate anymore? 

Squirrels are not a hibernating animal. They leave their nests all winter long. Chipmunks will hibernate in our area. 

[Northcountryman]

May invest in a pellet gun to pop a few Grays on the Jersey side. Should probably aim for the head , If I do, right? 

[Rjtfd]

1 minute ago, Northcountryman said:

May invest in a pellet gun to pop a few Grays on the Jersey side. Should probably aim for the head , If I do, right? 

Yes

[bucky]

All you need is a corn pile and a pellet gun

[vdep217]

8 minutes ago, bucky said:

All you need is a corn pile and a pellet gun

Not in jersey unfortunately can't hunt squirrel over bait 

[bucky]

9 minutes ago, vdep217 said:

Not in jersey unfortunately can't hunt squirrel over bait 

That sounds about right for NJ, cant kill a bushy tailed rat over bait but deer are ok 

[mike033089]

17 minutes ago, vdep217 said:

Not in jersey unfortunately can't hunt squirrel over bait 

I don’t recall ever seeing that in the compendium. I could be totally wrong but seems silly.

[mazzgolf]

42 minutes ago, vdep217 said:

Not in jersey unfortunately can't hunt squirrel over bait 

 

24 minutes ago, mike033089 said:

I don’t recall ever seeing that in the compendium. I could be totally wrong but seems silly.

 

Pages 22-23 in this year's digest talks about this under the "General Hunting" regulations. In general, IF you are hunting from a tree stand or a structure (which I assume they mean something like a ground blind) then you cannot hunt anything over bait (except deer).

"No person shall hunt ... from a tree stand or in a structure within 300 feet of a baited area except for deer."

 So I take it this means you can be sitting on the ground out in the open next to a tree next to a bait pile and hunt squirrels. You just need to be out in the open, not up in a tree or in a ground blind.

When the baiting rules are more strict than those "general regulations", I have noticed the digest will mention it in the species-specific sections (e.g. the more strict turkey baiting law is mentioned on page 50, the more strict bear baiting law is mentioned on page 46). And I don't see anything in the small game regs (pages 57 to 60) that talk about baiting specifically when squirrel hunting. So this on page 22-23 should be the rule when squirrel hunting:

 

[mike033089]

10 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

 

 

Pages 22-23 in this year's digest talks about this under the "General Hunting" regulations. In general, IF you are hunting from a tree stand or a structure (which I assume they mean something like a ground blind) then you cannot hunt anything over bait (except deer).

"No person shall hunt ... from a tree stand or in a structure within 300 feet of a baited area except for deer."

 So I take it this means you can be sitting on the ground out in the open next to a tree next to a bait pile and hunt squirrels. You just need to be out in the open, not up in a tree or in a ground blind.

When the baiting rules are more strict than those "general regulations", I have noticed the digest will mention it in the species-specific sections (e.g. the more strict turkey baiting law is mentioned on page 50, the more strict bear baiting law is mentioned on page 46). And I don't see anything in the small game regs (pages 57 to 60) that talk about baiting specifically when squirrel hunting. So this on page 22-23 should be the rule when squirrel hunting:

 

Thank you, I was wrong. Silly law but laws are law. I just couldn’t imagine someone actually baiting squirrels but taking a couple off a bait pile seemed like it would be ok.  

[Droptine 26]

Wait until next when they outlaw baiting for everything in NJ.

[huntyctyboy]

16 gauge 6 shot works well for squirrels.

[GetOutdoors]

On 12/29/2023 at 11:13 AM, Northcountryman said:

Ive got a 12 gauge but thats too much power; can you use a smaller shotgun in Jersey for squirrel? I didnt see it in the regs. 

Nah, no it isnt.  I suggest going UP in shot size.  It'll thin the pattern out alleviating fears of blowing meat all to hell and the increased shot mass will make pass throughs more likely. 

I know a lot of guys kill a lot of sqrls with 7.5 or 8, but I never use finer than 6 now and prefer 5's.  

 I like 1  1/8 oz 5's at around 1200fps but I reload so have options.  

Store bought 1oz of 6's is a nice lite 12g sqrl load. 

 

That said, shot a lot of em as a kid with 3" 3/4oz #4 in a 410.   

 

I'd really like to get back to using a 22, but NJ says no.  

 

 

[joeyguts]

On 12/29/2023 at 11:10 AM, fab said:

.just watch nj’s regs on air rifles 

 

I had a heck of a a time getting a gamo that was nj legal 

I’m thinking of getting a gamo, but I can’t find a list of Jersey legal air rifles. I think the whisper line are all illegal (or undocumented if you are a progressive) What did you end up buying?