Eastern Gray Squirrels

[Bantams]

What license do I need for shooting Eastern Gray Squirrels? (There are no Western Grays where I live).
Would a big game license suffice? I don't understand why I need a license in the first place, since they're invasive and a pest - you don't need a license to shoot rats....
Thanks!

[CP]

No license needed, same as rats.

[GWP]

I hope you are planning to eat them! They also make great crab bait.

[Bantams]

I hope you are planning to eat them! They also make great crab bait.

I am! I think it's the only way we'll ever "eat" our English walnuts from the 7 trees they pillage. 

[Elk_Guapo]

A hunting license is still needed for Eastern gray squirrels, per the following excerpt from the WDFW site:  https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/living/species-facts/tree-squirrels



The Eastern gray squirrel and Eastern fox squirrel are unclassified and may be trapped or killed year-round as long as you have a hunting license.

[Goshawk]

Regarding eating the Grays, just make sure there's nobody setting out mouse or rat poison if their area.  Several studies have been done showing city Grays having very high amounts of rat poison in them.

[Humptulips]

A hunting license is still needed for Eastern gray squirrels, per the following excerpt from the WDFW site:  https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/living/species-facts/tree-squirrels



The Eastern gray squirrel and Eastern fox squirrel are unclassified and may be trapped or killed year-round as long as you have a hunting license.

I looked and looked, and I do not see where this is true. I wish they would have cited the rule like they did further on in that same piece where they cited the laws regarding traps when trapping Gray Squirrels. It seems odd that they would not cite the law in the quoted part and yet take the trouble to cite it with regard to traps.
Especially unusual that you would need a hunting license to trap unclassified wildlife as that is not the case with other unclassified wildlife.
WDFW, please show your work!

[Elk_Guapo]

I tried to find something definitive regarding hunting Eastern gray squirrels on the https://search.leg.wa.gov/ site, but came up empty.

However, I did find some language consistent with the excerpt I posted previously, in both the 2015-2021 Game Management Plan (see pages 151-152), as well as the 2025 Game Management Plan Final Draft (see pages 202 and 208).


Either a big game or a small game license is required to hunt unclassified species, and a trapping license
is required to trap them.  Unclassified species can be hunted or trapped statewide, year-round, with no
bag limits.  Human-wildlife conflict and property protection generally drive hunting and trapping for
unclassified species, though a few species may be harvested for food, fur, or other resources.

[Humptulips]

I tried to find something definitive regarding hunting Eastern gray squirrels on the https://search.leg.wa.gov/ site, but came up empty.  It's possible there's something buried in a scanned PDF that isn't coming up in search results.

However, I did find some language consistent with the excerpt I posted previously, in both the 2015-2021 Game Management Plan (see pages 151-152), as well as the 2025 Game Management Plan Final Draft (see pages 202 and 208).


Either a big game or a small game license is required to hunt unclassified species, and a trapping license
is required to trap them.  Unclassified species can be hunted or trapped statewide, year-round, with no
bag limits.  Human-wildlife conflict and property protection generally drive hunting and trapping for
unclassified species, though a few species may be harvested for food, fur, or other resources.

I do not believe that is true, but I am not so certain of myself that I would say 100%. That is why I would like them to link the WAC or RCW. I have caught them too many times just saying stuff like this without any law to back it up.

[Bob33]

https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.32.460

(1) A small game hunting license is required to hunt for all classified wild animals and wild birds, except big game. A small game license also allows the holder to hunt for unclassified wildlife.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.32.450

(1) A big game hunting license is required to hunt for big game. A big game license allows the holder to hunt for forest grouse, unclassified wildlife, and the individual species identified within a specific big game combination license package. Each big game license includes one transport tag for each species purchased in that package. A hunter may not purchase more than one license for each big game species except as authorized by rule of the commission.

[Elk_Guapo]

Nice work, Bob!