As the hunting season for squirrels is opening in Illinois, it would be interesting to mention few facts about these animals.
Squirrels like to live in oak and hickory groves where they feed and bury the nuts, only about 80% of nuts are recovered, so they actively help the plant spread. Squirrels are active only in the vicinity of their nest and they don't travel far, but they will venture to nearby grain, or corn field.
Squirrels don't come to the calls, but they get aggravated by them and by making their own calls they betray their position.
When hunting with a bow, shooting up the trees is not a good idea, therefore a patient stocking is a better method than calling.
Squirrels when threaten like to run the opposite side of the tree so patience and shooting them on the ground is the best option.
When overpopulated for a given nut harvest, squirrels will eat more then their normal share of nuts and trees with not get a chance to sprout. In absence of natural predators like wolves and birds of pray hunting helps to maintain the balance. Coyotes, who are not native to Illinois do help.
The limit is 5 squirrels a day and total of 10 in possession.
Squirrels like to live in oak and hickory groves where they feed and bury the nuts, only about 80% of nuts are recovered, so they actively help the plant spread. Squirrels are active only in the vicinity of their nest and they don't travel far, but they will venture to nearby grain, or corn field.
Squirrels don't come to the calls, but they get aggravated by them and by making their own calls they betray their position.
When hunting with a bow, shooting up the trees is not a good idea, therefore a patient stocking is a better method than calling.
Squirrels when threaten like to run the opposite side of the tree so patience and shooting them on the ground is the best option.
When overpopulated for a given nut harvest, squirrels will eat more then their normal share of nuts and trees with not get a chance to sprout. In absence of natural predators like wolves and birds of pray hunting helps to maintain the balance. Coyotes, who are not native to Illinois do help.
The limit is 5 squirrels a day and total of 10 in possession.
