Fox Squirrels Making a Comeback?

[Beagler]

See very few around here. My grandson seen one on my land a couple months ago, he said he was going to kill it come squirrel season, I warned him that wouldn’t be a good idea. Lol

 

[DJPineHillFarms]

I've been blessed to hunt and work all over the country and it is so odd to me that each region's squirrels have their own attitude and demeanor. Highcountry, little red squirrels in the west will sit on your pack and eat trailmix while you doze beside them, Albert's squirrels in the Alpine region of Arizona will cut pine cones, carry them 50+ yards just to try and drop them on you, Red squirrels up in the Ozarks seem to spend most of their free time licking salt off the roads, and these guys just cruise around being fat and happy, without much of a care in the world. I'm trying to take on a few of these traits myself!

 

[JackSprat]

WE had a few in Oconee County, GA.

One had very distinctive markings, and lived several years. Always in the same grove of trees.

We didn't shoot them. No one would eat them, no reason to.

Another one would climb up the first 2or 3 rungs of a ladder stand, and just sit there and stare at you. If you didn't make a sudden move, he'd sit there for a half hour.

In SE GA, we had a good population in the old pines,. One early spring saw 6 in one tree, each one a different color phase. About 3 decades before cell phone cameras, so no pict, it's one I would love to have. Old swampers told me it was 5 guys after a girl.

 

[lampern]

Is it legal to shoot fox squirrels on WMAs?

In SC they outlawed fox squirrel hunting on WMAs for whatever reason

 

[delacroix]

They're common lots of places, just not places nor times the average deer hunter goes. Take a sq. dog up a pine ridge mid-day. You'll get tired of looking at them.

They take more killing than a grey sq. They're kinda chewy even cooked down. Taxidermy fees on a squirrel are prohibitive.

 

[DJPineHillFarms]

Is it legal to shoot fox squirrels on WMAs?

In SC they outlawed fox squirrel hunting on WMAs for whatever reason

I honestly dont know, but I know where there are several on Corps of Engineer land in NE Georgia, if your're looking for some.

 

[Jeff Raines]

I believe timber practices have a negative effect on the fox squirrel population,specifically the short term rotation where a fast growing loblolly is planted then clearcut in 20 years.
Fox squirrels thrive in a longleaf pine stand that is controlled burn every few years.The state bought a couple thousand acres beside sheffield wma and expanded that wma.The tract contains a lot of old longleaf pine and from what I have seen the sate is being very proactive with longleaf management there.

 

[WoodlandScout82]

The woods I used to hunt in floyd co. They thrived in the old stands of hardwoods.

 

[NorthGeorgiaHunter]

I saw one in the lower end of Banks County back in the spring.

 

[stonecreek]

Have noticed a big increase in last couple years around farm in and around our pine heads. They are simply some of the best looking creatures running around here. Richard

 

[ripplerider]

The only place I've ever seen them was in Madison county. They're interesting creatures with all their color phases. They seemed to spend most of their time on the ground.

 

[Miguel Cervantes]

I am 50 years old-half a century. I have spent a large portion of that time in the woods. I have never seen a fox squirrel.

You need to get down to the low lands and pines to see some good ones.

 

[COYOTE X]

Used to be a rare occasion for me to see fox squirrels both in the piedmont and south central Georgia farms. The last twenty years have made them a very common sight. I enjoy how close they'll get without being alarmed, or just being curious. Coolest one was in the pecans at home. Black face, red body, white tipped tail. Never seen another like him. The fox squirrels always get a pass and can have all pecans they want (Unlike the grey tree-rats)
COYOTE X

 

[fireman32]

I see quite a few here in S. Dooly. They do like thinner pines and have seen some in a pecan orchard. Mostly the grey with black heads, but have seen a red, black and two solid white ones in Macon County.

 

[HermanMerman]

Our recently lost property in Telfair County was a fox squirrel magnet before the pines were cut. Always had a soft spot for them, one of my favorite animals to see in the woods.

 

[Capt Quirk]

Somebody mentioned the Fox squirrel is tough to eat. How are they really? They are a lot bigger than the Greys, should take less to fill a pot.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

As long as you take the glands out of the arm pits and rear legs, they are fine. The boars rut and smell pretty raunchy sometimes .

 

[JackSprat]

Somebody mentioned the Fox squirrel is tough to eat. How are they really? They are a lot bigger than the Greys, should take less to fill a pot.

You could say the same thing about a cat.

i think they tend to live longer than gray squirrels, and just get old and tough.

I sure wouldn't target them for the pot if there are grays around, most of which will be this years young.

 

[DJPineHillFarms]

Cool one from the weekend. Theyve been loading up on the beans and peas too. Ive got one more black one and a red/chocolate brown one so far this year, but this is the most I've captured in one photo.

 

[livinoutdoors]

Somebody mentioned the Fox squirrel is tough to eat. How are they really? They are a lot bigger than the Greys, should take less to fill a pot.

They are ok meat wise but i much prefer greys