Bark, Bam, Thud, Squirrel zero, Tug one

Dust off your 20-gauge, and dig out your game bag, cause Spring squirrel season opens this Saturday! When I was a young man growing up here in Knox Co., I always looked forward to squirrel season. It was a time that I could go out into the woods, find a nice big Hickory tree to sit underneath, and wait for the fun to begin. I perfected my squirrel call and could bark, chatter, and squeal with the best of them. I used to love hearing the first squirrel bark of the day. I would peer around the woods, squinting through the sunlit branches until I spotted my prey. Then gingerly I would lift my shotgun, take perfect aim, pull back the hammer, squeeze the trigger, and BAM! Down the squirrel would fall with a loud THUD on the ground. I would always bag my limit when I went hunting. Of course being from a family of meager income, we often dined on squirrel; squirrel stew, dumplings, rice, etc... I remember dad hanging the the victims by their tails from the backyard clothesline in preparation for skinning. I would save their tails afterwards and tie them to my bicycle handlebars. I sure miss those days, however, I don't particularly miss eating squirrel!

From the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency:

SPRING SQUIRREL SEASON
Tennessee’s spring squirrel season will open 30 minutes before sunrise on Saturday, May 10, 2008. This year, the season will run through June 8, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

As in fall hunting seasons, fox, red, and gray squirrels are allowed to be harvested, with a daily bag limit of 10 squirrels.

Several wildlife management areas are also open for spring squirrel hunting during this time. Some WMA’s in East Tennessee with a spring squirrel season are: Buffalo Springs, Chuck Swan State Forest, Cove Creek, Kyles Ford, Nolichucky, Royal Blue, Sundquist, and Tellico Lake.

Hunters need to refer to the 2007/2008 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for specific regulations and license requirements.