Helpful pointers for Saturday's squirrel season opener
Black, gray and fox squirrel hunting season starts this Saturday, Sept. 1 throughout all of New York State, except Staten Island and Long Island. The season lasts until Febr. 28, 2013 with a daily bag limit of six.
This is a great time to get out in the woods and pop a few of these bushy-tailed buggers, and do some scouting for the upcoming deer archery season that begins this year on Oct.1. Also, as I continue to tout, it’s a great time to take the kids out in the woods and get them started on small game.
There has been a good mast crop of beech, hickory and oak this year. I think a lot has to do with the unseasonably mild winter we had last year, but hey, I'm no botanist, I only go by what I see happening around me in the forests and fields and on the water.
As for a few squirrel hunting tips, here's some things I've learned since I first started hunting them back in 1974:
1. Wear camouflage clothing while sitting to match the surroundings, and also keep in mind the weather. This time of year it’s chilly at first light, and still warms up into the 80s during midday. Bring along an orange hat and vest to wear when you're walking.
2. Pattern your gun and know how far it can shoot effectively. Use a rangefinder when you set up so you can fix the maximum distance you want to shoot – unless you're really good at judging distance by eye.
3. Step slowly into the woods and listen, you might hear one barking, moving, etc. I've taken them just off the road not minutes out of the car. They are noisy in the leaf litter as any deer hunter knows.
4. Keep a sharp eye out and you will see them move. Don't forget to look up in the trees, but wait ‘til they climb down before you shoot. No shooting into nests or up in the air with a rifle!
5. If you move, do it SLOWLY! It's really good practice for still hunting deer.
6. If you shoot one, don't walk over and pick it up immediately because often times where there is one there are more. Give it 30 minutes before you give up on the spot and move. Also it’s a good idea to make sure it is dead. They can have rabies, and a bite from a squirrel’s four incisors sure can do some damage.
7. If you spook one, just wait, chances are he will run up a tree and stop to see what and where you are, and then you can get the shot with your shotgun.
8. Learn all you can by watching them. Don't kill the first one you see, watch him and see what they are doing so you can plan the rest of your hunt accordingly.
9. The most important thing is HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE, learn from your mistakes as well as your successes.
10. Send me some pics of your success.
---
Mepps, long-time fishing lure maker is still buying squirrel tails for its spinners. If you get a mess of squirrels this year, you can make a buck "recycling" the tails. For more information on their squirrel tail buyback program, check out their website: http://www.mepps.com/programs/squirrel-tail
I have been hearing more and more about black squirrel sightings in our area. I have only seen a few when I was out hunting squirrels, but they evaded me completely. I thought one would make a nice trophy on the wall, as well as taste good in a pot of stew. I was wondering what made them black, so I did a little research, and here's what I found:
First, black squirrels are the same species as the gray squirrel, only with one or two different pigment genes. Because this is a genetic trait, it is hereditary. The process of natural selection determines whether the black morph will be successful in a particular region. Individual black-phase gray squirrels are either the result of a spontaneous mutation, or they have inherited this trait and relocated to the area. Population distribution in squirrels occurs by the migration of young to establish a home range, and the migration of colonies based on the availability of food and shelter.
Individual black squirrels can exist wherever gray squirrels live. Grey mating pairs can not produce black offspring. Gray squirrels have two copies of a normal pigment gene, and black squirrels have either one or two copies of a mutant pigment gene. If a black squirrel has tw copies of the mutant gene it will be jet black. If it has one copy of a mutant gene and one normal gene it will be brown-black (McRobie et al., 2009). In areas with high concentrations of black squirrels, mixed litters are common. The black subgroup seems to have been dominant throughout North America prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century, since their dark color helped them hide in virgin forests which tended to be very dense and shaded. As time passed, hunting and deforestation led to biological advantages for gray-colored individuals. Today, the black subgroup is particularly abundant in the northern part of the eastern gray squirrel's range. This is likely due to the significantly increased cold tolerance of black squirrels which lose less heat than grays. Black squirrels also enjoy concealment advantages in denser northern forests.
Interestingly, our gray squirrels were introduced into England many years ago, along with black phased ones and now a days there are an incredible amount of squirrels in England, including several cities that have predominantly black phased ones. I wonder if the English view these as invasive species, like we do the starlings they gave to us?
In the early 1900's President Theodore Roosevelt introduced black phase gray squirrels into Washington D.C. Today, they run amok down there searching for nuts. befitting, eh?
---
Hey, I know Canadian Goose season opens Saturday, as well as snipe. I haven't written anything about goose hunting cause in all honesty, I've never gone goose hunting. As for snipe? Well, I've been on one snipe hunt. As Roger Daltry said, “we won't get fooled again!”
ON THE CALENDAR:
Federated Sportsmans Clubs of Chenango County meet Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Supervisors Room of the County Court House, Norwich.
For comments/questions about this article or to send pictures, contact Franke at george_franke@yahoo.com.
This is a great time to get out in the woods and pop a few of these bushy-tailed buggers, and do some scouting for the upcoming deer archery season that begins this year on Oct.1. Also, as I continue to tout, it’s a great time to take the kids out in the woods and get them started on small game.
There has been a good mast crop of beech, hickory and oak this year. I think a lot has to do with the unseasonably mild winter we had last year, but hey, I'm no botanist, I only go by what I see happening around me in the forests and fields and on the water.
As for a few squirrel hunting tips, here's some things I've learned since I first started hunting them back in 1974:
1. Wear camouflage clothing while sitting to match the surroundings, and also keep in mind the weather. This time of year it’s chilly at first light, and still warms up into the 80s during midday. Bring along an orange hat and vest to wear when you're walking.
2. Pattern your gun and know how far it can shoot effectively. Use a rangefinder when you set up so you can fix the maximum distance you want to shoot – unless you're really good at judging distance by eye.
3. Step slowly into the woods and listen, you might hear one barking, moving, etc. I've taken them just off the road not minutes out of the car. They are noisy in the leaf litter as any deer hunter knows.
4. Keep a sharp eye out and you will see them move. Don't forget to look up in the trees, but wait ‘til they climb down before you shoot. No shooting into nests or up in the air with a rifle!
5. If you move, do it SLOWLY! It's really good practice for still hunting deer.
6. If you shoot one, don't walk over and pick it up immediately because often times where there is one there are more. Give it 30 minutes before you give up on the spot and move. Also it’s a good idea to make sure it is dead. They can have rabies, and a bite from a squirrel’s four incisors sure can do some damage.
7. If you spook one, just wait, chances are he will run up a tree and stop to see what and where you are, and then you can get the shot with your shotgun.
8. Learn all you can by watching them. Don't kill the first one you see, watch him and see what they are doing so you can plan the rest of your hunt accordingly.
9. The most important thing is HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE, learn from your mistakes as well as your successes.
10. Send me some pics of your success.
---
Mepps, long-time fishing lure maker is still buying squirrel tails for its spinners. If you get a mess of squirrels this year, you can make a buck "recycling" the tails. For more information on their squirrel tail buyback program, check out their website: http://www.mepps.com/programs/squirrel-tail
I have been hearing more and more about black squirrel sightings in our area. I have only seen a few when I was out hunting squirrels, but they evaded me completely. I thought one would make a nice trophy on the wall, as well as taste good in a pot of stew. I was wondering what made them black, so I did a little research, and here's what I found:
First, black squirrels are the same species as the gray squirrel, only with one or two different pigment genes. Because this is a genetic trait, it is hereditary. The process of natural selection determines whether the black morph will be successful in a particular region. Individual black-phase gray squirrels are either the result of a spontaneous mutation, or they have inherited this trait and relocated to the area. Population distribution in squirrels occurs by the migration of young to establish a home range, and the migration of colonies based on the availability of food and shelter.
Individual black squirrels can exist wherever gray squirrels live. Grey mating pairs can not produce black offspring. Gray squirrels have two copies of a normal pigment gene, and black squirrels have either one or two copies of a mutant pigment gene. If a black squirrel has tw copies of the mutant gene it will be jet black. If it has one copy of a mutant gene and one normal gene it will be brown-black (McRobie et al., 2009). In areas with high concentrations of black squirrels, mixed litters are common. The black subgroup seems to have been dominant throughout North America prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century, since their dark color helped them hide in virgin forests which tended to be very dense and shaded. As time passed, hunting and deforestation led to biological advantages for gray-colored individuals. Today, the black subgroup is particularly abundant in the northern part of the eastern gray squirrel's range. This is likely due to the significantly increased cold tolerance of black squirrels which lose less heat than grays. Black squirrels also enjoy concealment advantages in denser northern forests.
Interestingly, our gray squirrels were introduced into England many years ago, along with black phased ones and now a days there are an incredible amount of squirrels in England, including several cities that have predominantly black phased ones. I wonder if the English view these as invasive species, like we do the starlings they gave to us?
In the early 1900's President Theodore Roosevelt introduced black phase gray squirrels into Washington D.C. Today, they run amok down there searching for nuts. befitting, eh?
---
Hey, I know Canadian Goose season opens Saturday, as well as snipe. I haven't written anything about goose hunting cause in all honesty, I've never gone goose hunting. As for snipe? Well, I've been on one snipe hunt. As Roger Daltry said, “we won't get fooled again!”
ON THE CALENDAR:
Federated Sportsmans Clubs of Chenango County meet Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Supervisors Room of the County Court House, Norwich.
For comments/questions about this article or to send pictures, contact Franke at george_franke@yahoo.com.
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