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Author Topic: Eastern Gray Squirrels  (Read 1784 times)

Offline X-Force

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Eastern Gray Squirrels
« on: October 23, 2019, 10:57:50 PM »
Just wondering if anyone targets them here in WA. There are a bunch running around my area near town and would like to know more about how people target them. Without setting out a bird feeder. Happened upon one today and he ended up in a frying pan. I honestly don’t remember them being that good when I was eating them in Kentucky.

For those not in the know eastern gray squirrels are an invasive. Make sure you can positively identify between eastern and western grays before targeting squirrels. Besides eastern grays all squirrels are protected here in wa.
People get offended at nothing at all. So, speak your mind and be unapologetic.

Offline The Marquis

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Re: Eastern Gray Squirrels
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2019, 08:46:46 AM »
The great thing about the Eastern Gray/Western Gray ID issue is that they have VERY little crossover habitat.  The only area I'm aware of that you have to be keenly aware of the ID is in the south Puget Sound area.

Also, the California Ground Squirrel and Eastern Fox Squirrel are also not protected, but are rather challenging to find.  I've gone after the California Ground variety and have yet to actually see one.

I do target them.  Find an area you know they are and just wait for one to stop moving long enough to get a shot.  I use a .177 air rifle with a varmint scope.  I got 2 of them last year.  None this year.  The problem is more around finding them in a spot you can have a firearm or air rifle out and use it where they live.  I've heard of folks trapping them in their yards or baiting them and you're free to do both, I just don't because I'm less interested in getting them that way.

With the number of Douglas Squirrels I see every year out in the woods, it's truly shocking that they are protected.  I see hundreds if not thousands, maybe tens of thousands every year in the woods.  I probably See one at all times.  99.99999% of the movement I see in the woods are the damn Douglas Squirrels.  They are awfully small though, so maybe the harvest-able meat is just too little to justify allowing the public to hunt them. 

Offline 1851navycolt

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Re: Eastern Gray Squirrels
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2019, 05:28:22 PM »
Come to klickitat county area if you wanna hunt california grounders. Aka grey diggers are every where out here. Just dont shoot any ridiculously populated yet still protected wa grounders they look like chipmunks though so not hard to ID them. Cali grounders are actually fairly easy to ID as well. Just a tip though do not eat ground squirrel. Their fleas carry many diseases along with the squirrels themselves. Fun to hunt though. And if you have the protective stuff to wear to skin em the furs can actually be pretty and soft. And i love eating eastern greys and foxies too. But they like neighborhoods n suburban habitats.

 


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