Squirrels feeding young?

[Doc Contender]

I usually don't hunt squirrels until after labor day. But the weather has been cool so I decided to go. However, a friend of mine said he shoot a female this time of years ago and she still had milk. I don't want to shoot squirrels that are still feeding their young. Does anyone know when squirrels are wean?

 

[Slowpoke]

Two litters of squirrels are born each year. The first litter is born between February and April. The second litter usually arrives in August or September. The baby squirrels are usually weaned at 10 to 12 weeks and then the mother squirrel chases them away for the next litter.

Squirrels this time of year usually have something called wolves (SP) and it's from bot fly larvae. It shows up as a large lump under the skin. It doesn't hurt the meat but they are nasty to look at after you've skinned one. That why I usually wait till after the first frost the go squirrel hunting.

S'Poke

 

[Keith]

New York actually studied this a few years ago because of the bunny huggers. Most of the female squirrels killed in Sept., in their study, were not lactating. As I recall the ones from the southern part of the state were most likely to be still lactating. I think it makes a difference how far south you are, later onset of winter allows for litters later in the year. Southern Illinois being farther south than even Long Island in NY the females possibly have later litters.
To answer your question specifically squirrels wean at about 8 weeks. The young are on their own maybe 2 months later.

 

[buckknife]

Doc most of the females are dry by early september here but i did get a big one once the second week of september that was carryen 4 younens in er.I figuared it would have been a late litter,dint know they possible had 2 litters a year.

 

I don't hunt them here,but the squirrel season here in Indiana opened on Aug.15,and has for years.I woudn't think that they would open the season while the young are still feeding,but I would be interested in finding out.Let us know if anyone has any information.

 

[shmrck1]

Doc Contender,
just a personal thing with but in central a southern ohio i have always waited until the first freeze
or opening season but never before the first frost.
:imo: :thumbsup: :m2c:

snake-eyes

 

[RussB]

Snake-eyes....When I was in squirrel hunting country it was always, as you said...after the first freeze. I always thought it was because of the larva usually found before that time, but seldom found after the freeze.
I don't recall ever having shot a female that had milk, but I also have to admit to not being concerned because it was "later" in the season.

Can anyone comment on the "wolf"..or whatever this larva is called?
It is one nasty looking affliction that could easily make the un-initiated give up the wonderful sport of squirrel hunting....cottontails too, maybe even more so.
I always heard it was harmless to humans, and as long as the animal was cleaned and cooked well, we need not fear.
However..........inquiring minds would like to know just a little bit more about this.
Russ

 

[Stumpkiller]

As mentioned above, it's the bot fly larva. I've only seen two in 25 years of squirrel hunting.

Here's a link to a good description.

http://botfly.ifas.ufl.edu/

There is a "human" bot fly in South America. The eggs hitch a ride on mosquitoes. Human Bot Fly I remember hearing a lecture from a biologist who was "infected" and allowed the thing to mature in his arm. Ack! Said it didn't hurt so much, but the itching was maddening. I think he was a bit loopy before to allow it to go on. Just two little breathing "straws" above the surface from the maggot. Ain't nature wonderful? A bad infestation can emaciate the squirrel - I think I'd pass on eating the poor critter in the above image - but does not otherwise harm the meat. Most parasites don't kill the host unless there are too many attached to a single host. And any weakened host is more exposed to secondary infection and disease. The larva is loose in the skin and, once the squirrel is dressed out, you can't tell it was there. The two I've handled were between the squirrel's shoulder blades.

Gross!

 

[RussB]

Good Grief!....maybe you should have just told the story w/o the pictures! Guess I did ask for it though.

Certainly gives one "second thoughts" on what's been said in the past. It would appear to me that "culling" may be very appropriate from here on.
Russ