Late Litters.

[Mr Wilkes 2,992]

Anyone noticed the amount of young squirrels about lately ? I’ve had quite a few to the catty.. they don’t look like they would survive the winter. This time last year I think I only shot one, Most were big fat adults.

[smithie 2,443]

25 minutes ago, Mr Wilkes said:

Anyone noticed the amount of young squirrels about lately ? I’ve had quite a few to the catty.. they don’t look like they would survive the winter. This time last year I think I only shot one, Most were big fat adults.

That one didnt make the winter. You might be right

[steve66 3,452]

Not seen that many squirrels around here this year , maybe took a hammering off airgunners ?

[Mr Wilkes 2,992]

The place I hunt consists of three very large and mature woods, the trees are 100ft + I regularly see 20+ squirrels whilst walking through em but very rarely get a kill. These woods feed three other woods with squirrels through a network of hedges   So I have a more or less constant supply at a shoot able height once they decide to spread out. The airgun lads do a good job but I’m happy to say there are very few where I hunt.

[tatsblisters 9,741]

Same around here mate the wood i walk my old lurcher round every morning is teeming with squirrels and i have seen quite a few the size of the one in your pic i have wondered if it was down to the bumper crop of acorns and sweet chesnutt  and beech mast this same wood has produced this year also the same wood borders a large housing estate with a full street that backs on to this wood with people in these houses having bird feeders and feeding the squirrels .

[Mr Wilkes 2,992]

Yes I think food supply has something to do with it ,maybe they don’t expect a rough winter. These are oak woods I walk-in and there are huge flocks of pigeon picking up acorns regularly. 

[Greyman 28,440]

Seeing a lack of squirrels in several different places this year, don’t no if it’s because I was so devastatingly effective last winter or some other factor playing out,  I also wonder if the lack of rabbits locally has put them further up the menu for bop,s and other small predators like polecats which are doing really well locally

[budharley 945]

I walked a large wood last week and didn’t see a single squirrel. This wood was over run last year and has no active permission holders .

[tatsblisters 9,741]

11 hours ago, Mr Wilkes said:

Yes I think food supply has something to do with it ,maybe they don’t expect a rough winter. These are oak woods I walk-in and there are huge flocks of pigeon picking up acorns regularly. 

What i have noticed is were the oak were the floor was covered in acorns now you cant see one also seen the squirrels feeding on sycamore seeds that are still stuck to the branches.

[Greyman 28,440]

Went for a little walk this morning, shot up 4 dreys no one home in any of them

[j j m 6,539]

good few where i shoot

[Neal 1,867]

Definitely not a lack of them where I live. Which is fortunate because, if it wasn't for them and the pigeons, there'd be nothing for the kelpies to catch what with the lack of rabbits.