Squirrel season is here!

G

GojuBrian

New member
I'm in Arkansas and squirrel season has started. (sept 5 - feb 28)

I have a few questions before gathering tree rats this year.

Do you hunt squirrel before the first frost?

Is there any danger of getting worms from warm weather squirrels?

I've never had a problem and there is even a spring squirrel season here.

Just taking a sort of poll.

Thanks! :)
 
ive heard about the frost and the warbles...or whatever you call them... but I have never seen it myself.... and I have never waited for cold weather to start hunting them.
 
I've not heard of a problem with warm weather squirrels. I have heard of such with rabbits. Interesting to see what others can add, but I'd not hesitate on the tree rats.
 
I've killed a couple of squirrels with warbles (we calle 'em wolves here). They're a fly larva that grow just below the skin. They don't harm the meat at all.

I don't hunt 'me much this time of year more because of ticks and chiggers than anything else. Getting them on ME that is.
 
I was always told to wait until frost so they would not have "wolves". I have found it to be hit or miss. Some areas will have alot of parasites, others not so many. You can tell when they have them, it looks like a guarter sized abcess. So just watch the limb rats in your area and see if they are safe to hunt.
 
I have never heard of any problems, like Tularemia as you get into rabbits. Mange or Wolves is rare and the most common problem I have seen, is fleas. I field clean my squirrels so leave most of the mess behind. I'd wouldn't worry and just enjoy the day. Watch out for deer ticks, though. :eek:


Be Safe !!!
 
I mostly hunt them when it gets cold, but the few (10 or so) i've taken in warm weather, have yet to have any problems.
 
Really? I am suprised that more of you have not seen more wolves in them. Maybe it is just more of a problem where i have always hunted. Dunno
 
Savage, it is a condition of not only region but spots within regions...
I seen them most in urban areas of central florida more so than any where else... hands down.
Brent
 
I guess. Most of my hunting is closer to you in Madison Co. I do know that if I kill one and it has a wolve in, I do not eat it.
 
I hunt in the lower portion of NY and have bagged a good amount of squirrels never a problem with them, no smell, fleas, mites, wolves, mange blah blah ect ect, perfectly clean, never seen a parasite in the guts either ect.
 
Thanks everyone. I've never had a problem here with them either, but every year when I hunt I ALWAYS have someone tell me, "I don't hunt them til after the first freezze because...." ok, I'll shoot them for myself!
 
I never heard the first freeze thing with regard to squirrels... It was ALWAYS spoken of rabbits to avoid "rabbit fever"...
Summer squirrels gumbo eats the same as winter squirrel...
Brent
 
Never had a problem with September Squirrels . . . now then, the timber rattlers that haven't hibernated yet can make things interesting. Wear snake chaps if going into heavy brush.
 
i hunt in missouri, season starts in may i think but i will not hunt anything i have to go in the woods for untill the first good frost because i dont like all the bugs and i hate walking throught spider webs and you dont have to deal with that after the first frost and as for worms, i always say like any meat if cooked right all that crap dies anyway
 
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