Author Topic: Squirrels  (Read 11631 times)

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Offline Badger

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Squirrels
« on: October 04, 2010, 02:02:41 pm »
   My girlfriend was living in a mobile home park in the city with a large population of red squirrels which are not native here. One particular squirrel appears to be about 5 times the size and weight of the others and regularly taunts the cats face to face and has even taken on my chihuahua, he bangs on the sliding glass door and makes the dog go nuts, they race back and forth fighting with the glass inbetween them. The stupid thing sleeps on top of a telephone poll just tempting the red tail hawks to come and get him, when they go in for a swoop at him he lunges at them.  Just walks around like he owns the world. Same color as the others just a lot bigger, I was wondering if this could be a fox squirrel? Or a cross of some kind, anyone ever heard of this before? If he wasn't so entertaining I would pop him with my pellet rifle. I would guess he weighs about 4# or so. Steve

Offline Parnell

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2010, 02:16:49 pm »
We've go fox squirrels down here and they are much bigger and more brazen but I've never seen anything like what you're talking about.  That's crazy!  You gotta get some video!
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Offline El Destructo

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2010, 02:18:42 pm »
Man Steve....all we have here isFox Squirrels....but I can't say that I have ever seen a  4 pound Squirrel before....sure it ain't  a Pine Martin.....  ;D
Damned Squirrels on steroids for.sure.... :P
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Cacatch

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2010, 02:54:26 pm »
Is he always 5 times the size of the others, even in summer? Or could it be that he is getting a thick early winter coat and it is making him look so much bigger? I ask because when I went out Saturday morning, I saw several fox squirrels that looked way bigger and heavier than they normally do, kind of like what you are saying. One came down a tree and was having a standoff with a wild turkey. Guess who won? The turkey decided to take his morning groove somewhere a little less hostile.

CP

Offline Badger

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2010, 09:48:44 pm »
      4# is just a guess, we don't have winter here in So Cal, they don't really get winter coats from what I can tell. I have never been aware of any fox squirrels around here either but not sure if I would know one when I saw it or not. He might just be very very fat like obese and it gives him this huge impression, but face to face with a normal size cat he doesn't look all that much smaller. Steve

Offline Thwackaddict

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2010, 10:13:08 pm »
Pics we need pics!!LOL
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Offline sailordad

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2010, 10:33:45 pm »
ive seen many fox squirrels in the last three days that weigh atleast 3.5 lbs
this things are toads this year
havent seen this many this size in atleast 2 decades
too bad i hate eating rat
i could have shot 15 tonight alone
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Offline mullet

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2010, 10:34:49 pm »
 Steve, we have Fox squirrels in Florida. They are about 2' long, bandit, black eyes, and real light colored.  and weigh about 2 to 4 pounds. We also can't hunt them anymore, they are on the endangered list. Mostly because they are big and stupid. I'll put a picture up tomorrow, I have one mounted, before they were illegal to shoot.

 This isn't the same species they have up north. These squirrels live in open pastures with cattle and tall pine trees. And some are almost blonde.
Lakeland, Florida
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Offline stickbender

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2010, 10:41:48 pm »
     Sounds like a fox squirrel, but without pictures, it would be hard to tell.  We have them down here, but you can't hunt them any more, since so much of their habitat has been destroyed.  That would be a Humongous squirrel, even for a fox squirrel.  You have any nuclear plants, or waste dumps near you?  Any meth labs near you? ;D  Maybe you should take your pellet rifle, and trim his ......uh......that place in California,......uh oh yeah, el Ca hones ::)  That might calm his aggressive nature down.  My cat is a great squirrel catcher, and eater.  But I don't know about a four pounder! :o  Heck, I would have to help him eat that one! :o
Yes, pictures......maybe even a video of the glass door confrontations......You might be a ten thousand dollar winner, on funniest animals. ;)  Sounds like you have quite the entertaining squirrel there.  Could he possibly be some exotic that someone let loose, or escaped?

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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2010, 11:18:31 pm »
Mebbe his daddy was a woodchuck?
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Offline El Destructo

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2010, 11:48:35 pm »
did He look like this?? This is a Big One eyed Rat I had around the House for two years...he would eat peanuts from my Hand...

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As a species we're fundamentally insane. Put more than two of us in a room, we pick sides and start dreaming up ways to kill one another.Why do you think we invented politics and religion.
Think HEALTHCARE Is Expensive Now,Wait Till It's FREE
Do Or Do Not,There Is No TRY
2024...We Will Overcome

Offline Badger

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2010, 11:53:42 pm »
He looks just like the one you posted, not living their anymore so I cant photo him, I was just watching the ones in my yard today and got to thinking about him.

Offline wally

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2010, 04:40:29 am »
Supposed to be good eating. Does that mean good eating, if you're hungry?
Anybody tried some?
and hey! Let's be careful out there

Offline gstoneberg

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #13 on: October 05, 2010, 08:33:19 am »
Supposed to be good eating. Does that mean good eating, if you're hungry?
Anybody tried some?

Absolutely great eating, blindfolded I could not tell squirrel from rabbit, especially corn fed Iowa squirrels.  Older ones are tough though.  They're a bugger to clean, squirrel hide is easily the toughest skin I've ever seen.  I would estimate only about half of a charge of #6 shot from my 20gauge actually got through the skin when I shot them as a kid.  Those that did were nearly always inside the skin on the other side.  I've heard their rawhide makes great bowstrings but I've never tried it.

George
St Paul, TX

Offline wally

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Re: Squirrels
« Reply #14 on: October 05, 2010, 12:30:09 pm »
Bowstrings you say? Someone gave me 2 squirrel skins and I'm going to try and tan them. If that works I'll try a bowstring.
I'm also going to try and harvest one to try to eat and skin.
I know they're cute but they are also meat.
and hey! Let's be careful out there