I suppose squirrel hunting was one of the first types of hunting our parents or grandparents showed us how to do.
I remember seeing a photo of me and my brother hunting when I was about 7. I was holding my Savage .410 and a big fox squirrel. I had shot it in a tall pine tree on my great uncle’s place — the Jefferson Davis Herring place in Montgomery County. This place is still in our family — as it has been since 1833; that is something I am very proud of and am now the owner of.
At that age, I did not know a lot about the biology of the animal I was pursuing. For the record, I was more interested in bringing my grandfather back a mess of squirrels and outshooting my father.
Nevertheless, one should gain not only more appreciation for the species, but also understand what is needed for better management of the species (i.e. seasons, bag limits and other issues) and the habitat, such as upland and bottomland hardwoods, that supports the species.
From mid-October until deer season in late-November, the squirrel is the ruler of Mississippi’s vast amount of upland and bottomland forests. The two types of squirrels in Mississippi are the eastern gray squirrel and the fox squirrel.
The gray squirrel, or cat squirrel as it is sometimes called for its cat-like cry, weighs about a pound and is 15 to 20 inches in length. The unique development of the tail in the gray squirrel allows the animal to direct its flight as it searches for food. It also serves as a parachute and a signaling device in times of danger. Usually four to six gray squirrels are born in a litter. The gray squirrel prefers mature bottomland hardwoods such as oak, hickory, beech and other mast-producing trees.
The fox squirrel can weigh up to 3 pounds and reach a length of 19 to 25 inches. Its color is reddish-yellow with alternating bands of black and orange on the tail. However, it is the fox squirrel which also has a black color phase that is found in parts of Mississippi.
Fox squirrels are late risers. This is one way they are unlike grays, which rise at daylight. The fox squirrel doesn’t get up until about the second hour of daylight, but they sometimes feed until noon. Two to five squirrels are born in each litter (two litters per year) of the fox squirrel.
Like my father and grandfather, squirrel hunting is one of my favorite types of hunting. If you have the opportunity to go squirrel hunting in quality habitat, do it.
So, why don’t you head for the nearest tract of bottomland hardwoods or upland mixed hardwoods and pine? It is sure to be productive.
And remember, carry a kid squirrel hunting. He or she needs to learn, too.
