Squirrels???

[Grimord]

Anyone here in the Northeast (particularly CT) know where all the squirrels have gone? I haven't seen a squirrel in over a month. Normally I have 3-5 squirrels under my bird feeder at any one time. There are alot of hickory nuts and acorns currently in the woods, but I haven't seen a squirrel in 4 outings since the season opened. I am not even seeing squirrels crossing the roads or dead on the side of the road. What gives? Disease? No one seems to know what has happened.

 

[user 31257]

I’m in VT and we’ve had a couple very poor mast years in a row and it seems like the squirrel population is very low. I’ve seen them around my house and office but I’ve yet to see one in the woods when I’ve been out.

 

[Brokennock]

Anyone here in the Northeast (particularly CT) know where all the squirrels have gone? I haven't seen a squirrel in over a month. Normally I have 3-5 squirrels under my bird feeder at any one time. There are alot of hickory nuts and acorns currently in the woods, but I haven't seen a squirrel in 4 outings since the season opened. I am not even seeing squirrels crossing the roads or dead on the side of the road. What gives? Disease? No one seems to know what has happened.

Plenty up my way in the northwest corner. Come on up.

Overall it does seem like there aren't quite as many of any of the native small game. I blame the unchecked predator population. Coyotes aren't protected but I know very few people who hunt or trap them Plenty of bobcats on my trail cameras and I now see them often while sitting in my deer stands,,, but they are protected. The state denies that the bigger cats with really long tas exist here,,,, but you'd better believe one would be in deep trouble of one shot such an animal. And, I'm sorry but,,, there are way too many hawks of all types around now. When I was a kid seeing a hawk was special, and there were grouse/pahtridge galore,,, now hawks are everywhere and very little small game.

But if you want to hunt some squirrels @Grimord, you are welcome up this way.

 

[Grimord]

Plenty up my way in the northwest corner. Come on up.

Overall it does seem like there aren't quite as many of any of the native small game. I blame the unchecked predator population. Coyotes aren't protected but I know very few people who hunt or trap them Plenty of bobcats on my trail cameras and I now see them often while sitting in my deer stands,,, but they are protected. The state denies that the bigger cats with really long tas exist here,,,, but you'd better believe one would be in deep trouble of one shot such an animal. And, I'm sorry but,,, there are way too many hawks of all types around now. When I was a kid seeing a hawk was special, and there were grouse/pahtridge galore,,, now hawks are everywhere and very little small game.

But if you want to hunt some squirrels @Grimord, you are welcome up this way.

I agree with you about the predators. I am seeing more bobcats in the past two years than I have seen in the last 10 years. The harsh restrictions on trapping here in CT has resulted in far fewer trappers. Trapping helps to control the predators like raccoons, possums, & skunks that eat the eggs of the ground nesting birds. I am seeing far fewer turkeys than normal this year too, and I believe it is due to the nests being robbed. Hawks are also more prevalent than in the past as you said. My club stocked 2 dozen pheasants last year for our Handicapped Veterans Hunt. After the first week, hawks had taken 1/2 of the birds. One bird was taken in mid-air when flushed by a dog and before the Vet could get a shot off.

I am going up to my property in Pomfret tomorrow in hopes of seeing a few squirrels and to get my deer stands ready for the season.

 

[azmntman]

Last several years here in N AZ I have noticed a drastic decrease in the lil guys. We have a 3 month season and like 5 a day limit so they could be overhunted? Used to be 10 a day. Limited out many times.

 

[CTShooter]

We got them in Torrington

 

[Rifleman1776]

Here in the Arkansas Ozarks I have seen a decrease. Squirrel populations do fluctuate. I have read stories of years in which they "swarmed" by the tens of thousands. I live in the woods and some years I have killed up to five a day in my yard to help control the damage they were doing. This year I haven't shot one for that reason. We have them but not many.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Oh Cr*p, Biden has caused a Squirrel shortage. I'll bet they cost more when they return. Semper Fi.

 

[Brokennock]

I agree with you about the predators. I am seeing more bobcats in the past two years than I have seen in the last 10 years. The harsh restrictions on trapping here in CT has resulted in far fewer trappers. Trapping helps to control the predators like raccoons, possums, & skunks that eat the eggs of the ground nesting birds. I am seeing far fewer turkeys than normal this year too, and I believe it is due to the nests being robbed. Hawks are also more prevalent than in the past as you said. My club stocked 2 dozen pheasants last year for our Handicapped Veterans Hunt. After the first week, hawks had taken 1/2 of the birds. One bird was taken in mid-air when flushed by a dog and before the Vet could get a shot off.

I am going up to my property in Pomfret tomorrow in hopes of seeing a few squirrels and to get my deer stands ready for the season.

Hey, you definitely need to come up my way when the season reopens. The past two trips out archery deer hunting I had many squirrels chasing eachother and bouncing acorns out of the trees.

 

[Flinter 2]

Same here, I'm in the tri state area where MA., RI., and CT. meet, the squirrel population is greatly depleted I'm thinking due to predators as well, we are seeing a bunch of species that haven't been around for a long time, Bobcats, coyotes, Turkey Buzzards, and allot of hawks, a couple of panthers have been spotted and we had a visit from a black bear a couple of weeks ago that got into my trash and made a hell of a mess.
We also have a bird feeder on an eight foot post, it gets allot of attention from regular visitors Birds and Mammals, including Squirrels, a family of raccoons, half a dozen cottontails, a couple of hedgehogs, and the occasional skunk.
I'm seeing more action in my backyard that I do in the woods, I do believe that they live nearby and under some of my out buildings for shelter, security, and the hand outs of food that we put out daily, I don't mind, they are fun to watch and if society goes in the crapper, we have a small supply of MRE's.

 

[Brokennock]

Sitting in my treestand Weds. evening I had 4 to 5 within smoothbore range several times. It seemed like most of the time there was one or two withing range of anything from a smoothbore with shot to a scoped .22 rifle.

 

[Grimord]

Sitting in my treestand Weds. evening I had 4 to 5 within smoothbore range several times. It seemed like most of the time there was one or two withing range of anything from a smoothbore with shot to a scoped .22 rifle.

The squirrels are scarce in SE CT. I have been out several times with my .32 flint lock over the past two weeks. I have only seen one squirrel which I was able to stalk and eventually shoot. I have heard only two other squirrels in my outings. I am hunting in places where I usually see dozens of squirrels in a 4-hour hunt. There is plenty of food (hickory nuts & acorns) for them, but no squirrels not even at my bird feeders. Can't explain it.

 

[Brokennock]

The squirrels are scarce in SE CT. I have been out several times with my .32 flint lock over the past two weeks. I have only seen one squirrel which I was able to stalk and eventually shoot. I have heard only two other squirrels in my outings. I am hunting in places where I usually see dozens of squirrels in a 4-hour hunt. There is plenty of food (hickory nuts & acorns) for them, but no squirrels not even at my bird feeders. Can't explain it.

Thanks. I didn't realize they expanded the season dates. I seem to recall it used to be Sept. 1st to the 30th, then closed Oct. 1st until the rest of small game and pheasant opened on the second Sat. of Oct. I never understood it.

As I said, your most welcome to come on up this way.

 

[snakebit]

Hawks have been smashing the ones around my house. I had an ok season in PA, but it's deer season now.

 

[appalichian hunter]

They all wised up and decided to leave them democratic states.

 

[BruceHuxford]

Plenty up my way in the northwest corner. Come on up.

Overall it does seem like there aren't quite as many of any of the native small game. I blame the unchecked predator population. Coyotes aren't protected but I know very few people who hunt or trap them Plenty of bobcats on my trail cameras and I now see them often while sitting in my deer stands,,, but they are protected. The state denies that the bigger cats with really long tas exist here,,,, but you'd better believe one would be in deep trouble of one shot such an animal. And, I'm sorry but,,, there are way too many hawks of all types around now. When I was a kid seeing a hawk was special, and there were grouse/pahtridge galore,,, now hawks are everywhere and very little small game.

But if you want to hunt some squirrels @Grimord, you are welcome up this way.

Brother, same with South Carolina years ago, they swore there were know panthers there, even when shown actual photos of them, so I looked them in the eye and said "well then when the season opens, I'm going to bag a long tailed bobcat, and we will get this settled once and for all", they conceded but still say they ain't there.

 

[ScottK]

I’m in central MA and what you are describing sounds like last year around here.

This year there are plenty of squirrels and rabbits are almost at plague proportions. Hopefully things improve for you all.

I don’t normally hunt squirrels, but my son and I will be out thinning the rabbit population really soon.

 

[BruceHuxford]

I’m in central MA and what you are describing sounds like last year around here.

This year there are plenty of squirrels and rabbits are almost at plague proportions. Hopefully things improve for you all.

I don’t normally hunt squirrels, but my son and I will be out thinning the rabbit population really soon.

Same down here, too. I'm in southern MA