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Post by maddog on Apr 3, 2014 8:35:52 GMT -5
One of the questions on the DNR input questionaire, was what you thought about a spring squirrel season. I said I was for it, mostly because I thought there would be little impact to the population, primarily because of a lack of small game hunters. What do you guys think?
maddog
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Post by trapperdave on Apr 3, 2014 8:47:59 GMT -5
i agree.
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Post by steve46511 on Apr 3, 2014 10:17:52 GMT -5
X2. I would some but honestly?......I don't know a single other hunter than hunts squirrel locally. Not anymore. I'd need to take a longer look at how old their young is during any projected season. I'll never need meat bad enough to leave young to starve. (Maybe a stronger scope would be needed to "check" to make sure it's not a female in the crosshairs?) God Bless
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Post by dbd870 on Apr 3, 2014 13:09:03 GMT -5
As long as it would not interfere with a good population why not; I know someone that would definitely have me out there!
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Post by drs on Apr 3, 2014 13:35:14 GMT -5
Bad Idea Squirrels still have litters during the Spring Months. We have a late Spring/early Summer here in Kentucky, but I wouldn't hunt this season as young Squirrels may still be unable to care for themselves. Thus when a female Squirrel is harvested her litter dies-off. Thus, in the long run, less Squirrels. I actually see far more Squirrels during late fall & after Deer season.
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Post by featherduster on Apr 3, 2014 16:08:53 GMT -5
If you can't kill one in the 5+ months that make up the regular season then why add more time, besides spring is for turkeys and I wouldn't want squirrel hunters in the woods while I am turkey hunting. Squirrel hunters would probably complain if mushroom hunters were in the woods while they were hunting. Spring season is a bad idea
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Post by firstwd on Apr 3, 2014 19:00:08 GMT -5
I see no reason to add a Spring season. They could extend the season to mid February to match whatever the closing date of rabbit season. They could increase/double the daily limit if there is any need to knock the population down a little. I think they could actually have open season and never wipe them out, but why try?
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Post by mossberg500 on Apr 4, 2014 12:48:25 GMT -5
I feel if there is a spring squirrel season it should be up to the state parks or other Government land if they want to participate . the season is almost 5 months already , I don't feel it should be any longer then that . maybe instead of a spring season why not raise the bag and or possession limit to the season we already have now . ( that was just mentioned , i posted this before reading the responces )
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Post by maddog on Apr 5, 2014 8:51:28 GMT -5
Did some research on breeding seasons, and weaning age on squirrels. If the mast permits, they will breed twice a year, Dec./early Jan. and June/early July. Gestation is 40-45 days. Most are weaned at 8-10 weeks.
If they had a spring season, say for a month, right after turkey season[mid May-mid June], there would be no more impact in the spring, than when our season opens Aug.15th. Couple that with most likely limited hunter participation in May/June by most small game hunters, I personally think there would be very limited impact on our squirrel population. It will be interesting to see what the DNR does[if anything] over the next couple years, in regards to a spring season. I do agree with the above posters in not having the season during turkey season, and I also think they could increase the season to the same Feb15 date as rabbits. Most years, nobody is out hunting much at that time anyway[especially THIS year]. Just my thoughts.
maddog
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Post by drs on Apr 6, 2014 8:10:48 GMT -5
Did some research on breeding seasons, and weaning age on squirrels. If the mast permits, they will breed twice a year, Dec./early Jan. and June/early July. Gestation is 40-45 days. Most are weaned at 8-10 weeks. If they had a spring season, say for a month, right after turkey season[mid May-mid June], there would be no more impact in the spring, than when our season opens Aug.15th. Couple that with most likely limited hunter participation in May/June by most small game hunters, I personally think there would be very limited impact on our squirrel population. It will be interesting to see what the DNR does[if anything] over the next couple years, in regards to a spring season. I do agree with the above posters in not having the season during turkey season, and I also think they could increase the season to the same Feb15 date as rabbits. Most years, nobody is out hunting much at that time anyway[especially THIS year]. Just my thoughts. maddog Info. for above: wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_mating_season_for_squirrels?#slide=1
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Post by cedarthicket on Apr 7, 2014 0:27:26 GMT -5
I am strongly opposed to any spring or early summer squirrel season.
We already have a sufficiently long squirrel season. It is 5 and 1/2 months long and runs from August 15 until January 31 of the following year. That is almost half of the year. Enough already!
We do not need to hunt squirrels in the spring. Leave them plenty of time to have their young and get them off to a good start in the spring and summer. If we had a spring or early summer season how many more female squirrels would you kill while they are pregnant? How many more would you kill while they are actively nursing their young?
We have had an opening date of August 15 for squirrel season for literally decades. And that seems to work just fine to minimize killing pregnant and nursing females. Over the years we have gradually ended squirrel season at progressively later dates. If I remember correctly, many years ago it ended around October 13 or 15. The daily bag limit has been 5 squirrels for probably at least 50 years!
So, in my opinion, if some hunters want to bag more squirrels, they should support increasing the daily bag limit. I could easily see going from 5 up to 8 per day. This should not cause a problem maintaining an overall healthy squirrel population. Today the number of active squirrel hunters is considerably lower than 30 years ago. And, I suspect the average amount of time today’s hunter spends in the squirrel woods (and the total number of squirrels he bags in a season) is also considerably less than 30 years ago.
Another point to consider is how the general public would view hunting a mammal during its prime birthing and nursing period. Fall and winter are generally accepted as "proper" for hunting game.
Another point is that IDNR could possibly extend the spring turkey season to begin earlier, end later, or both. No sense in creating potential conflicts between hunters by putting a squirrel season anywhere near spring turkey season.
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Post by drs on Apr 7, 2014 4:20:16 GMT -5
Before moving here in Kentucky; I hunted Squirrels, in Indiana, for almost 50 years, mostly by myself or with my Grandfather. I can remember that the regular season length on Squirrels ran from August 15th to the first weekend in October, just before Rabbit Season. The limit has always been 5 Squirrels per day with 10 being the possession limit. Down here in Ky our Squirrel season run from the second Saturday in August to the 28th of February. Limit on Squirrels is 6/day with 12 being the possession limit. We have a late/Spring & early Summer Squirrel season, (June) which I never have been in favor of. I see a lot of very young Squirrels at that time of the year.
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Post by savagehead on Apr 13, 2014 0:32:12 GMT -5
I am all for it. I raise and train squirrel dogs and love doing so.Personally I do not think that it will have any ill effect on the squirrel population at all.I have not seen a squirrel hunter in YEARS while I am hunting. I would rather have the start of squirrel season begin in Sept. or Oct. and extend into the spring....say until Turkey season starts.
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Post by HillBillyJeff on Jun 24, 2014 13:07:26 GMT -5
I would have to say I am indifferent to the idea. I won't hunt them in the spring, but don't think it would adversely hurt the population. Of course, I am not hunting in a high pressured area either. I don't think there is a need for a spring season. Let them chill out for a while.
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Post by chubwub on Jul 3, 2014 13:59:25 GMT -5
I personally would not hunt squirrels in the spring/summer because of the increased chance of shooting one with warbles or some other disease. I realize that the meat is still considered safe to eat if it has been infected with warbles, but I just don't see myself having the stomach to eat that. I feel that this may be part of the reason a spring/summer season has not been established due to the fact that there will be an increase in game waste because of a naturally higher incidence of manage, warbles, ticks and the potentially fatal leptospirosis.
We already get 6 months out of the year to hunt them. I feel that this is plenty of time to harvest what you need for the year.
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