Squirrel Rut

[Weegee]

Anybody else see the squirrels going crazy lately? I came across a whole slew of them this weekend and shot six in like 90 seconds. It seemed like they were rut crazed and weren't paying me any attention. Makes me wonder if I should prioritize squirrel hunting during the next week or so to capitalize on it. I don't normally save their organs if I get one or two, but the hearts, livers, and kidneys from nine squirrels makes for a pretty good amuse bouche ;)

 

[PossumSlayer]

Saw one peeling the bark off a tree this evening, looked like he was eating bugs.

 

[mike243]

They are like any other critter when its go time they go lol , have seen them rutting in the beginning of season, not sure how long it takes them but have seen babies in early February, I read they can or do 2 litters a year,

 

[fairchaser]

I've watched squirrels chasing each other and it at least sounds like they have pretty intense, loud orgasms. Anyone else heard this?

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I've watched squirrels chasing each other and it at least sounds like they have pretty intense, loud orgasms. Anyone else heard this?

I have not, but I LOL reading this at work. I don't know what that sound sounds like, but as much as I'm in the woods, I'm sure I have heard it.

 

[SquirrelDog1]

Rutting squirrels have been driving our dogs crazy all week. Multiple squirrels timbering out of the trees and nothing like being treed on one and another coming down to the ground a few trees over. Makes for one heck of a dog race.

 

[Weegee]

I've watched squirrels chasing each other and it at least sounds like they have pretty intense, loud orgasms. Anyone else heard this?

I mean, squirrels do have one of the highest testicle size to body size ratios out of any animal I can think of...

 

[Acorn]

Sounds like y'all are having Some fun!

 

[PossumSlayer]

Weegee, sounds like you are trying to be the squirrel whisperer around here.... now give us your favorite recipe for them tree rats!

 

[Weegee]

Weegee, sounds like you are trying to be the squirrel whisperer around here.... now give us your favorite recipe for them tree rats!

I doubt I would be in the top 50 squirrel hunters on TNDeer...

My wife just made some squirrel, sausage, and shrimp gumbo that turned out pretty good. I like to slow cook them, pick the meat, and then the possibilities are endless. My favorite way we've ever done that is to put the picked meat in a Thai curry with with various veggies and serve over rice.

 

[PossumSlayer]

I doubt I would be in the top 50 squirrel hunters on TNDeer...

My wife just made some squirrel, sausage, and shrimp gumbo that turned out pretty good. I like to slow cook them, pick the meat, and then the possibilities are endless. My favorite way we've ever done that is to put the picked meat in a Thai curry with with various veggies and serve over rice.

I've got 10 bucks that says you've never wasted a piece of meat in your life!

 

[Weegee]

Don't be too hasty, I lost a partial bag of venison jerky opening weekend of muzzle loader season. Found it yesterday in between the seats of my truck. I did NOT eat the fuzzy jerky.

 

[redgineer]

Squirrels mainly breed in the spring and summer. Most of the chasing seen in late fall and early winter is them fighting over dwindling food resources. It looks cute and fun, but squirrels are extremely cruel to each other. Nature is amazingly beautiful, but unbelievably brutal. That is the best time of year to hunt squirrels in my experience, but hard to find a place to hunt, since it's also deer season.

 

[Weegee]

Squirrels mainly breed in the spring and summer. Most of the chasing seen in late fall and early winter is them fighting over dwindling food resources. It looks cute and fun, but squirrels are extremely cruel to each other. Nature is amazingly beautiful, but unbelievably brutal. That is the best time of year to hunt squirrels in my experience, but hard to find a place to hunt, since it's also deer season.

I'm not a biologist, but my understanding is that they breed twice per year. Once in the early winter and once in spring.

 

[Bucket]

The latest Meateater podcast (2/8/21) has a squirrel expert on explaining everything you would ever want to know about them. I'm not finished with it yet but it's been great so far. Learned some fascinating stuff so far.

 

[Weegee]

The latest Meateater podcast (2/8/21) has a squirrel expert on explaining everything you would ever want to know about them. I'm not finished with it yet but it's been great so far. Learned some fascinating stuff so far.

I listen to it religiously, and today's is a really good one if you are even halfway interested in squirrels.

 

[hard county]

The latest Meateater podcast (2/8/21) has a squirrel expert on explaining everything you would ever want to know about them. I'm not finished with it yet but it's been great so far. Learned some fascinating stuff so far.

I listened this morning. Great stuff. Can't imagine 45 boar squirrels after a female in one tree.

 

[redgineer]

I'm not a biologist, but my understanding is that they breed twice per year. Once in the early winter and once in spring.

I just checked Tn.gov, and the say they breed from Dec-Feb, which is earlier than I thought, so I stand corrected. I would think they tend to breed more towards February, but I could be wrong. With their 44 day gestation period, that would result in a spring birth.

I'm definitely going to check out that meat eater podcast. I love anything Steve Rinella is involved with.

 

[Nimrod777]

Don't give up too soon, Redgineer... I'm pretty sure those 8 male squirrels were chasing a female that had found a peanut! ;)

I had just listened to the ME podcast this morning. Well, not the whole 2 HOURS of it, but the first segment with the squirrel guy. Startling stories of squirrel sex! (And amazing stories of squirrel falls from great heights!)

 

[redgineer]

Don't give up too soon, Redgineer... I'm pretty sure those 8 male squirrels were chasing a female that had found a peanut! ;)

I had just listened to the ME podcast this morning. Well, not the whole 2 HOURS of it, but the first segment with the squirrel guy. Startling stories of squirrel sex! (And amazing stories of squirrel falls from great heights!)

I deserved that lol. I'm more than happy to admit when I'm wrong.

I still think there is something to finding the dwindling food resources that time of year though. Whenever I find the last remaining acorns on the ground in early winter, I tend to find squirrels going crazy.

 

[Nimrod777]

It's intriguing how much geographical difference exists in wildlife behaviors, from deer to squirrels. I notice, redgineer, that you're Souther than me. Myself, I grew up in the St. Louis area, and have spent time in Virginia and central Illinois. So as far as latitude, I've spent my whole life in a fairly consistent area. I'd wager that even though you aren't tremendously further south than I, you're seeing much different activity/timing. From what I gather, your deer rut is probably different than what we're seeing towards Nashville.

 

[Safari Hunt]

Had seven squirrels in the back yard yesterday. Six in one tree! Need to go hunting.

 

[SC Manimal]

Don't give up too soon, Redgineer... I'm pretty sure those 8 male squirrels were chasing a female that had found a peanut! ;)

I had just listened to the ME podcast this morning. Well, not the whole 2 HOURS of it, but the first segment with the squirrel guy. Startling stories of squirrel sex! (And amazing stories of squirrel falls from great heights!)

When I was in school at UTC I would always watch the same squirrel while walking up this big hill (i think they called it Cardiac Hill). One day I watched him jump from a limb and in mid flight an owl came from nowhere and snatched him. I stood frozen watching the owl carry him to a different branch. The owl just held him and let the squirrel fight until he was out of breath. The owl never even went on offense, just let him struggle for about 3 minutes. It was sad and awesome.

 

[redgineer]

It's intriguing how much geographical difference exists in wildlife behaviors, from deer to squirrels. I notice, redgineer, that you're Souther than me. Myself, I grew up in the St. Louis area, and have spent time in Virginia and central Illinois. So as far as latitude, I've spent my whole life in a fairly consistent area. I'd wager that even though you aren't tremendously further south than I, you're seeing much different activity/timing. From what I gather, your deer rut is probably different than what we're seeing towards Nashville.

The deer rut varies depending on what part of Alabama you're in. In the spots I hunt, the rut is early to mid January.

Does anyone know how baby squirrels are the first time they leave their nest? I'm assuming it's just a few of weeks, since that's the case for most small rodents. I usually don't see juvenile squirrels out until late March, which is why I thought they bred in early spring.

 

[redgineer]

The deer rut varies depending on what part of Alabama you're in. In the spots I hunt, the rut is early to mid January.

Does anyone know how baby squirrels are the first time they leave their nest? I'm assuming it's just a few of weeks, since that's the case for most small rodents. I usually don't see juvenile squirrels out until late March, which is why I thought they bred in early spring.

I should probably clarify my definition of early spring. I don't go by the standard March 21st, because that doesn't apply this far south, in my opinion. I consider it spring when the dogwoods bloom, which is usually mid February where I live.

 

[Weegee]

Had seven squirrels in the back yard yesterday. Six in one tree! Need to go hunting.

I'm on my way!

 

[7mm08]

I've watched squirrels chasing each other and it at least sounds like they have pretty intense, loud orgasms. Anyone else heard this?

Oh Rocky, oh Rocky!!!

 

[Planking]

If anybody has grays around their house i would thin them out. I have had two family members that have had holes chewed into their roofs.

 

[RobDooley]

I mean, squirrels do have one of the highest testicle size to body size ratios out of any animal I can think of...

Sure glad I don't think like that. Hey, its ok, it don't mean your a bad person.

 

[Weegee]

Sure glad I don't think like that. Hey, its ok, it don't mean your a bad person.

Well, thank god you don't think I'm a bad person