Identifying Hickories for Squirrel Hunting

Here in Tennessee we have a good variety of hickory trees. In this educational video, I will take you in the woods to find different species of hickory trees to do some squirrel hunting with a .22 rifle.

[@bradbeals1741]

What a great educational video. Simply the best squirell hunting videos on the platform, IMO.. 5 stars. Thanks for the wealth of knowledge. From all of us beginner squirell hunters.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Glad you liked it.

[@garypark9934]

Fantastic video. I really enjoyed this. I've watched this three times. And I plan on watching it again. I love squirrel hunting. At this point in my life. At 66 years old .I have more enjoyment hunting squirrel than I do deer or turkey. Not that I can't wait to hunt deer or turkey. My squirrel hunts always take me back 50 plus years. Crisp fall mornings listening to the mast crop falling through the fall foliage. Squirrels rustling in the leaves. A single shot remington 510 target master in my lap. My father traded 5 dollars worth of gas for the rifle in 1965. The truck load of squirrel rabbit ,boogers in the hen house that rifle has accounted for is impressive. Can't wait until next fall. I'll be on the same ridges on frosty mornings waiting for the sun to crest the ridge and warm my shoulders , and the squirrels to bark and cut nuts in the shag hickory trees I've been hunting under for over 50 years now. The old remington is a worn silver patina now. And still shoots better than I do. And in October of 24 God willing we will be under the old oaks and shag hickory of my youth. I enjoy your very well done videos alot. .....Thank you

[@deniseandmarkfirestine7443]

Sometimes I just go out to my little woods on the corner of my property in Michigan and just sit and look and listen to the different wildlife I may see. It rejuvenates your mind and soul…

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

There is just something so soothing about being in the woods. For those that have realized this (as you have), it can be therapeutic.

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

Everyone that has watched this video needs to give it 5 thumbs up and become a subscriber of yours. I never miss any of the videos you make. Clean, clear ,honest, fun, and to the point.👍👍👍👍👍🇺🇸✌🏻🙏🏽😎

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Thanks for your vote of confidence. I appreciate the support.

[@robbie0884]

Great video sir! Love Squirrel hunting! 🐿🐿

[@yankeeastronomer1927]

Great content! Here it is, almost St. Patricks Day, and I'm now anxious to grab my Marlin 39A and walk through the woods. I can almost smell the autumn leafs.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

You should come to Tennessee in late spring. We have a spring squirrel season each year.

[@yankeeastronomer1927]

@@CumberlandOutdoorsman How is the grouse hunting in Tennesee?

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Good question, but I truly can't say because here in my area there are no grouse. They are present in the eastern part of Tennessee.@@yankeeastronomer1927

[@citrus602]

This has been incredibly helpful for me. I’m a 56 year old new squirrel hunter and am throughly enjoying and learning from your content. Respectfully, thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. 👍🏻

[@darrellbridwell588]

We have red hickory and pig hickory here in north east Florida and there is always a mound of discarded shells at there base.really impressed with your knowledge on trees thank you sir.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

You're welcome, but to tell you the truth, I have to research this information before I post it. I want to be sure it is correct.

[@kentowens2179]

Nice video. I always enjoyed hunting under thin shelled hickories because the squirrels cut them first. But, there were very few of them in my area. I used to dearly love squirrel hunting, and just being in the woods early Fall was great. Very informative video, you are blessed to have so many varieties of hickories in your area. I enjoy all of your videos, Great content, and well produced!

[@waynejenkins6259]

Since I haven’t heard from you in awhile, I figured you must be working on something big. This was a great follow up to your most recent squirrel hunting videos. Very in depth coverage of the various hickory trees. One thing is for sure, the more you know about what squirrels are eating, the better your squirrel hunting will be. I really enjoyed seeing your 512. I just finished working on a new walnut Boyd’s stock for my 512. It looks great, but not as good as you turn them out. At my age, I’m still learning and used a lot of your procedures you featured in your Remington 700 refinishing video. It is a lot of work, but really gives you a feeling of satisfaction. Finishing off the video with those brownies got me to thinking about whipping up a batch myself. I’ll talk to you soon about a couple of nice shooters I recently picked up, a 513-T and a 521-T.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

There was a good bit of effort and research involved in making this video, and I still didn't cover everything I wanted to. I think I will save that for another video. Congrats on those two rifles. The 521 has always eluded me, just like the Rem. 582.

[@jimkeller5538]

That was excellent. I hunt the hickories too. I believe the pignut hickories here are actually mockernuts. I’ll confirm soon. I just found your channel and subscribed. I love squirrel hunting.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Squirrel hunting is both relaxing, and challenging. Small constantly moving targets with great eyesight, and the uncanny ability to hide behind a tree limb the size of a broom handle makes them quite interesting for the rimfire hunter. Thanks for the support, I appreciate it.😊

[@edwardkawecki8101]

I enjoy all your excellent videos thank you, especially your 22 series since I'm a collector of Marlins and other 22 rifles. Would you consider doing a couple videos using your Marlins and other accurate 22 rifles using the most accurate ammo you found for each using the flyswatter challenge targets ? Not to enter it against all these thousands of dollars high-end 22s but just to give us a realistic result of what US normal guys can expect to do with our good old quality 22s? I especially enjoy your restoration and repair videos thank you and keep them coming. Ed K aka DoneWrenching

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

I'll have to check out the targets you mentioned.

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

Absolutely an amazing lesson on the Hickory’s of you area. Thank you .

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Thanks. Glad you liked it.

[@garrettstraffon608]

Loved this video. This helped me learn a lot as a hunter in general. A deer hunter mostly but now I will no what tree I’m climbing in and what nuts are on the ground. I used to call them all pig nuts. Well now I no there not just all pignuts. Great video thanks

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Glad I could be of help. Welcome to the world of hickory trees.

[@alexmorris3106]

You bring back my youth, I was brought up in eastern Tennessee long ago,bless you, Eck usmc

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Tennessee will always be my home, no matter where I go. From the high Appalachian mountains in the East, to the lush valleys and ridges along the Cumberland, to the Mississippi coastal plain. Tennessee is the gem of the South. 🙂

[@alexmorris3106]

You are blessed to live there, Eck usmc

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

@@CumberlandOutdoorsmanI left a comment about finding a hickory tree nut in Tennessee. That I plan on planting here in Michigan as a departing gift. I grew up and live in Michigan but with my recent visit to Tennessee. My goal is to sell my house and get a place in the state you so accurately described. I decided from the 2 days I spent there that’s were I want to live the rest of my life. Beautiful state I didn’t have much time to talk with the people but if they are anything like you Sir. I’ll be just fine can’t wait to get the heck out of this mess of a state I currently live in.

[@ian5780]

​@Johnny-jr2lq I recently left California for Tennessee. The neighbors are the best neighbors I've ever had and I've only been here 3 months. I grew up in the suburbs and the neighbor didn't judge me for it, but he just took me out in the woods without any hesitation and started pointing out all the deer sign and then when September came around he took me out to his dove field to hunt because were still brush hogging the property. Some people will tell you they don't want you to mess up their state but none have been rude about it.

[@scenicdriveways6708]

Good morning Tom, Great video, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for posting it. Happy hunting my friend. JT

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

That's great. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

[@swhedge71]

Great tutorial and some fine hunting. Sure do wish we had Hickory's here in south Texas. Congrats on your anniversary on KZbin. Cheers from Texas sir!

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Thank you.

[@ian5780]

Just moved into 15 acres in east Tn. Thanks man. Very helpful.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

You're quite welcome. 😊

[@Fresh-tw7ev]

Enjoyed this a GREAT deal. Thank you for researching so thoroughly.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

I appreciate your comment.

[@craigmichael974]

Great Video! Very informative and well done!

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Thanks!

[@grumpygrumpgrump136]

love the show. Much enjoyment from your videos. Thanks.

[@juniorcopeland9082]

Being born in Virginia until 57 we moved to Indiana, but I have great memories of the mountains that I spent so much time in as a kid !! I very much enjoy your video's....keep them coming 👍

[@CarlG2003]

Yes I needed this video I’m a new squirrel hunter

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Wishing you success!😊

[@ronkay1573]

Good luck on squirrel hunting. Great hobby.

[@charliemcelwain8874]

You have helped me so much love your show over and over and back and forth God bless you

[@roln2535]

Good video was informative. Do not have many hickory mainly oaks in my area. Thanks

[@sgharpsr]

Great video! The info on various trees is very helpful.

[@denniswilkins4514]

You're blessed to have such a great stand of hickory. Here in East Texas they are plentiful but scattered. Along the Neches river we have lots of pin oaks and white oaks. Just before daylight if you sit down close to a white oak, you won't have to walk and stalk to get a big mess of limb rats. 22 short hollow points and that favorite rifle means hours of fun. I heard a story of a young boy who ask his dad the best place to shoot one and he said, o anywhere in the eye.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Right! .22 short hollowpoints are great squirrel medicine, especially if you have a rifle that will shoot them well.

[@ronkay1573]

Lot of hickories in NW Louisiana in addition to oaks. You can hear a squirrel cutting on a hickory nut a long way. Good job on identifying hickories.

[@daviddeaton1575]

Great video think shag hickory trees are called scaly bark hickory in Ky

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Here in Tennessee as well. "Scaly Bark Hickory" is a general term, and is also used in reference to the Shellbark Hickory.

[@kipkaniper4679]

Quick unrelated question please Marlin model 60 great for years reassembling bolt goes in Slides like butter action goes in bolt does not open now something small has changed any help

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Marlin 60's are some of my favorite rifles, so never be reluctant to ask. If I understand correctly you are saying the bolt will not slide rearward after the action/bar assembly is installed. Sounds like either the cartridge carrier, and/or carrier spring is interfering, or maybe the action bars are in a bind somehow. hard to say without seeing it firsthand.

[@mossescreekoutdoors5765]

Nice information! Enjoy watching from mcnairy county! I've made and shipped calls for years and i have a squirrel distress call i think you would enjoy! Would like to send you one as a gift. Squirrel will lots of times come down tree looking for sound.

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Thanks for your generosity. Please email me by going to my channel. Maybe we can do a video together some time.

[@robertpeters6923]

Good video Tom. I think you could teach a college class. Professor Tom sounds pretty good.

[@ronkay1573]

Hickory trees are very tough, of course, but Osage orange and live oak trees are harder. Best I remember, from my college forestry class, hickories have a density around 1800 on the hardness scale and 2200 for Osage orange. Live oak is around 2400. The denser a tree is the higher BTU’s it will have or burn “hotter”….put more heat out.

[@ronkay1573]

Mostly in the upland areas I’ll see hickories along with white oaks and red oaks. Bottomland oaks will be the following: water, willow, cow, and overcup. Squirrels eat acorns from all of those and those trees burn well. Red oak is easy to split.

[@GenX-Grampa]

The dried husks are great in a smoker!!

[@michaelshanahan4965]

Why hunt squirrels? Do they do damage. (I don’t care, not a LeftyLowLife asking, just curious).

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Great question actually. Here is a link to answer it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXbKeomDi81riqc

[@ronkay1573]

Another neat tree is the Hercules club, aka tooth ache tree, which is local in my hunting area.

[@bradh74]

Squirrel hunting is an enjoyable form of hunting maybe even better than larger game, but I don't want to eat them so I haven't been Squirrel hunting for years. They really are a rodent. It looks like a got a couple of nice squirrel there. If that's an average size they must get bigger in your area there, but still takes a few to make a meal. I enjoyed the video, and didn't know how many kinds of Hickory there was. At 49 years old I found out that a Hickory tree is where Pecans came from. In Northeast Ohio I'm not sure we have many if any Hickory so if you're squirrel hunting here you need to find Oaks that bare fruit (Acorns/Nuts) or Beach trees. We have Mulberries and I believe squirrels here would like the seed from Maples also, but a Beech grove would probably fill your bag limit. I don't think anything eats Buckeyes but the tree in my neighbors yard often has squirrels in it (could be it's part of their squirrel highway to the powerlines so they can avoid dogs and cats in town. We also have Red, Gray and Fox Squirrels plus Black Squirrel that came from the UK. As rumor has it the Black Squirrels hitched a ride in Professors luggage when He came from England to work at Kent State University. (it's a rumor but makes sense that the University drew attention to such small towns) They are close to Gray squirrel in size and mix with them and Fox squirrel both. (not uncommon to see multi colored squirrel here) You'd think they would be big eating from bird feeders and having plenty of natural food sources but they're not very big. Reds are still the smallest but you don't see them around town just in the woods. I really enjoyed hunting Squirrel when I was young but unless a reason comes up I can't see a reason to hunt them when I can eat chicken. Seeing warbles (not sure if that's how it's spelled but....) is enough to put a guy off of eating an animal that carries some nasty disease. Some people love it, that's great. You must live on a farm or the same property that you grew up on if you're hunting where you got your first animal. Which is cool really and you have plenty of Hickories to hunt. So enjoy and see ya next time!

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

So I picked up a nut of a red hickory in Tennessee a couple weeks ago. I wanted to try and grow it but idk how to germinate the seed I have. Or if it would even grow in Michigan

[@ian5780]

I didnt know the difference between shagbark and shellbark until this video. Thought they were the same thing. I noticed the shellbark in this video has moss around the base. So do the ones on my property. The shagbarks i havent noticed that. I thought all my shellbarks were sick shagbarks. Until this video of course.

[@briankelly2886]

Very good video.I'll give you a sub!

[@veronly2]

Just getting into hunting cool to find someone in middle Tn

[@ronkay1573]

Hickory is great for smoking meat too.