Squirrel dogs / East Tx

[Justintime99]

Been a lab/waterfowl guy for a few dogs now but have 3 kids under 5 at the moment. Thinking about getting into a squirrel dog but don’t really know where to start. All I know is that I need to get this tassel of boys in the woods…and daddy needs to get out of the house too. With so much public ground around east Tx, it seems like chasing squirrels with a herd of boys would be a Solid use of our time….burn a bunch of their energy…and be a solid way to build an outdoor foundation for the boys.

Anyone here into squirrel dogs? Bonus points for anyone with squirrel dogs that run in east Tx…

Any info appreciated. Open to all family friendly breeds.


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[stevieray54]

I didn’t think people even hunted squirrels anymore. You are absolutely right, get those kids out in those woods.

[Seatruckn]

Get a couple small cur dogs. Trashy ones

[AntlerCollector]

There’s a man on my hunting lease in Hardin County that has squirrel dogs. That is his favorite animal to hunt. He kills about 200 a year. I’ve gone with him a few times. It’s amazing to watch those dogs work. They are Jack Russells by the way.

[Phillip Fields]

For squirrels the Mountain Feist is the way to go.

https://www.mountainfeistsquirreldog.com/

[skulleton]

I've seen some Jack Russell's work over a pecan Grove. It was amazing watching those dogs work.

[Rwc]

For squirrels the Mountain Feist is the way to go.
https://www.mountainfeistsquirreldog.com/

Growing up, Mr. Tibbets had two of these dogs along with an old cur that would tree squirrels and stay locked in like no others.

Hands down my favorite way to hunt them. We still hunt them late season now with .22's cause I love fried squirrel, but would love to run through the woods again chasing those dogs.

Good luck OP in locating a dog or two.

Rwc

[Flex]

We used to breed and raise them in SWLA. I absolutely love squirrel hunting, and with dogs it is even more fun. Definitely a fast paced exciting way to get kids into the woods and blood pumping.

Ours were a decades long concoction of Walker hound, pocket beagle, blue tic, and aussie shepherd. They were super feisty little guys but great family dogs and also did a great job keeping snakes, and any other critters away from the kids and house at home. (We lived in the woods less than 10 miles off the coast)

Training is pretty easy, basic obedience, make sure they come back, teach them the scent, start tying dead squirrels to a string and dragging them across the yard to a tree, and make longer and longer tracks as they get better, then turn them loose. Most dogs that have any kind of hound or terrier in them and some prey drive can do it. My last lab would tree them and retrieve them when I shot them. Not sure if they are all equal, but our mix were not like the hog dogs and bloodhounds, they would come back pretty quick if they were getting too far out in front of us and we called them back.

There are plenty of dog hunting groups on FB, check it out, find what you want and go for it. I preferred hunting at least two dogs, 2-4 was about perfect in my opinion. But also spent a lot of time by myself with just one dog as a kid and she did fine.

[TX_Hoghunter]

My youngest has a dachshund that loves to tree squirrels but I would suggest a jack russell or a feist.

-john

[LAW]

Feist dog

[El Paisano]

I had rather hunt squirrels with a 22 than deer any day.

[AgHntr10]

One of my good buddies has a couple mountain currs. One he bought from Georgia and then a pup of hers. I tagged out early last year and had the month of December off work so i went a bunch with him and had a blast.

[Cooper]

Love to squirrel hunt for sure!!!

[AntlerCollector]

I had rather hunt squirrels with a 22 than deer any day.

Well it’s illegal to hunt deer with a .22 so......

[AgHntr10]

Well it’s ill-eagle to hunt deer with a .22 so......

Whats a sick bird have to do with anything?