Regs clarification on squirrels...

[russm86]

So I was watching some TV the other day with some friends and in the program they went squirrel hunting. Being the only hunter in the group, I got asked if we can hunt squirrels up here. To be honest, I actually had no idea. I have never even thought about this before and hadn't heard of anyone actually hunting them in Canada so I went to the regs. I found squirrel listed in 2 locations in the regs and this is where I find the confusion. 1) Listed in Schedule 'C' under item (h) "all species of the genus Sciurus - Gray squirrels and fox squirrels" now it's been a while since highschool biology class and learning the taxonomy and such, but from what I have found on the internet and from SPCA website, the most common squirrel in the bush here (other than gray squirrels on the coast and island) in the BC interior is the american red squirrel (scientific name Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), is this correct? If so, and if I am following things correctly, the american red squirrel doesn't appear to be part of the genus Sciurus and there for doesn't fall under the schedule 'C' item. This would make it appear as though hunters can't hunt squirrels in BC, can't see why I'd want to, but this seems odd as there are millions of them running around everywhere out there and apparently people (not sure in Canada) do eat squirrels. 2) Now the second spot I found them listed was in the trapping section and are shown as a legally trappable fur-bearing animal and one could use a rifle to "trap" them. But from my understanding you must have a trappers license in order to hunt/trap/kill anything in the trapping section, unless its also listed somewhere else in the hunting regs as regluar open season for hunting or as a schedule 'C' animal. Am I getting this all right or have I missed something or misread/interpreted something? As I said, I haven't really looked much into the schedule 'C' animals or the trapping regs or into squirrel hunting but to me it just seems odd that only trappers would be legally allowed to hunt your average every day squirrel. If this is the case, anyone have any idea why?

[riflebuilder]

You can hunt the grey and fox squirrels but not the native red squirrels. they actually don't taste that bad you just need about 6 of them to make Brunswick stew.

[Drillbit]

The red squirrels are food for a lot of animals. If they(red) were schedule c, and drastically reduced in pop, it would cut down/effect a lot of other animals.

[One Shot]

Red squirrels are classified as a fur bearing animal and require a trappers license to harvest.

The grey squirrel which was imported from england are considered a pest/vermin in NA and may be hunted by any means possible in BC. They have killed off the red squirrel populations in the areas where the grey squirrel have moved into. The grey squirrels also kill song bird chicks as well.

In england the gov there are trying to get their subjects to hunt them and eat them as they are a nuisance. The gov has even published recepeits for them. to

[Ozone]

Hopefully someone doesnt shoot the red squirrels in a "survival" type situation and put the video on youtube.

[NovemberBravo]

Hopefully someone doesnt shoot the red squirrels in a "survival" type situation and put the video on youtube.
Lol I take it your referring to Coles thread

[Big Lew]

Red squirrels are classified as a fur bearing animal and require a trappers license to harvest.

The grey squirrel which was imported from england are considered a pest/vermin in NA and may be hunted by any means possible in BC. They have killed off the red squirrel populations in the areas where the grey squirrel have moved into. The grey squirrels also kill song bird chicks as well.

In england the gov there are trying to get their subjects to hunt them and eat them as they are a nuisance. The gov has even published recepeits for them. to

Good response! The grey's (including black) have not only pushed the native red squirrel out of urban areas, they are displacing the reds in the mountains as well. The only areas that will be left will be where the food source is marginal, or the smaller size and agility of the reds give them the advantage against predators. Shoot as many of the grey and black as you like. (Just be aware that there are flying squirrels which are quite small, dark, or black, and not numerous.)

[fuzzybiscuit]

Where's Pointman? He's our resident expert on Squirrel regs.:-D

[bandit]

The grey squirrel which was imported from england are considered a pest/vermin in NA and may be hunted by any means possible in BC.

In england the gov there are trying to get their subjects to hunt them and eat them as they are a nuisance.

Quit your brit bashing! Grey squirrels are not native to England either. They were introduced from the America's and have decimated the native red squirrel populations in england too. I think they came from the maritimes originally.

[bandit]

Good response!
Hardly a good response - factually incorrect and insighting racism and xenophobia!

[Sofa King]

Quit your brit bashing! Grey squirrels are not native to England either. They were introduced from the America's and have decimated the native red squirrel populations in england too. I think they came from the maritimes originally.

hey, quit your maritime-bashing.
oh, who am i kidding?
they're used to it.

[anglo-saxon]

Red squirrels are classified as a fur bearing animal and require a trappers license to harvest.

The grey squirrel which was imported from england are considered a pest/vermin in NA and may be hunted by any means possible in BC. They have killed off the red squirrel populations in the areas where the grey squirrel have moved into. The grey squirrels also kill song bird chicks as well.

In england the gov there are trying to get their subjects to hunt them and eat them as they are a nuisance. The gov has even published recepeits for them. to

Actually, it's the other way around. The red squirrel (albeit the Eurasian red squirrel, rather than the American red squirrel) is native to England and the grey squirrel was intruduced to England from America and was directly responsible for the significant reduction of the red squirrel population in England. In fact the American (or "Eastern") grey squirrel is on the World Conservation Union's 100 most invasive species list and is considered the most destructive invasive species to have ever entered England, second only to the impact of the Norway rat. So the grey squirrel most likely came to Canada from the U.S. (unless it went all the way via the U.K. first, which would have been very adventurous even for a squirrel!).

[One Shot]

Actually, it's the other way around. The red squirrel (albeit the Eurasian red squirrel, rather than the American red squirrel) is native to England and the grey squirrel was intruduced to England from America and was directly responsible for the significant reduction of the red squirrel population in England. In fact the American (or "Eastern") grey squirrel is on the World Conservation Union's 100 most invasive species list and is considered the most destructive invasive species to have ever entered England, second only to the impact of the Norway rat. So the grey squirrel most likely came to Canada from the U.S. (unless it went all the way via the U.K. first, which would have been very adventurous even for a squirrel!).

Thanks for the update I was always led to believe that they first came over centuries ago from England, but came to Canada thru the US.

[hunter1947]

Red squirrels are classified as a fur bearing animal and require a trappers license to harvest.

The grey squirrel which was imported from england are considered a pest/vermin in NA and may be hunted by any means possible in BC. They have killed off the red squirrel populations in the areas where the grey squirrel have moved into. The grey squirrels also kill song bird chicks as well.

In england the gov there are trying to get their subjects to hunt them and eat them as they are a nuisance. The gov has even published recepeits for them. to


Good post X2..

[anglo-saxon]

Hopefully someone doesnt shoot the red squirrels in a "survival" type situation and put the video on youtube.

Hey, what caliber would you recommend for that? :mrgreen:

[sawmill]

Hey, what caliber would you recommend for that? :mrgreen:

Well,they are real fast and tough so I would go with double ought buck,less chance of a miss when they charge.Might not kill them right off but at least it will turn `em and give you a chance to get up a tree.

[bccanadian]

Well,they are real fast and tough so I would go with double ought buck,less chance of a miss when they charge.Might not kill them right off but at least it will turn `em and give you a chance to get up a tree.

:-D:-D just make sure you're wearing your sneakers so you can out run the people you are with.....lol

[Wild one]

Red squirrel can only be taken by trappers

The grey squirrel is not native to BC and does a lot of damage to the red squirrel, song birds, and pigmy owl population. You can shoot/trap grey squirrel and are doing a lot of native animals a favour by doing so

[000buck]

Eastern grey squirrles are native to ontario and quebec..... like so many other undiserable vermin. i believe the latin word is even ..... leftist trudeauscurius.

lol

[r106]

Well,they are real fast and tough so I would go with double ought buck,less chance of a miss when they charge.Might not kill them right off but at least it will turn `em and give you a chance to get up a tree.

I would recommend using your 00 buck in a AA12. It's your only real option


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siOEEOTjGqM

[r106]

Red squirrel can only be taken by trappers

The grey squirrel is not native to BC and does a lot of damage to the red squirrel, song birds, and pigmy owl population. You can shoot/trap grey squirrel and are doing a lot of native animals a favour by doing so


I heard the were introduced from South America


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py2kA06VcWU

[Fella]

Hey, what caliber would you recommend for that? :mrgreen:

I'd probably go for something like .300 wsm, maybe .338 Lapua. Something you can reach out and touch it with from 500+ yards. That way you have enough stopping power to put the little beast down without worrying about wounding it...

[tomcat]

(Just be aware that there are flying squirrels which are quite small, dark, or black, and not numerous.)
WRONG; flying squirrels are basically the same size as red squirrels and they are just as abundant as the reds, if not more so. You just don't see them often because they are nocturnal.

[russm86]

According to the BC SPCA website a number of you are wrong about them harming native squirrel populations as they have different food and shelter preferences but I'm no specialist here, just passing on what they said and for all I know they could all just be tree huggers not wanting people to kill anything.
http://www.spca.bc.ca/welfare/wildlife/urban-wildlife/squirrels.html
"The increasing number of Eastern Grey Squirrels is often blamed for the decrease in native squirrel populations, however given that these squirrels have different food and shelter preferences, its more likely that urban development and the loss of coniferous forests is responsible."

[Wild one]

According to the BC SPCA website a number of you are wrong about them harming native squirrel populations as they have different food and shelter preferences but I'm no specialist here, just passing on what they said and for all I know they could all just be tree huggers not wanting people to kill anything.
http://www.spca.bc.ca/welfare/wildlife/urban-wildlife/squirrels.html
"The increasing number of Eastern Grey Squirrels is often blamed for the decrease in native squirrel populations, however given that these squirrels have different food and shelter preferences, its more likely that urban development and the loss of coniferous forests is responsible."

BC spca might as well be PETA and are full of sh!t

Eastern grey out compete by having larger litters and also will eat red squirrel babies. I have watched the grey squirrel move east and the red disappear from the towns the greys move into. I know of a few acreages where the owner kept killing off grey squirrels and shockingly they still have reds. The one thing that is true is eastern greys do seem to stick closer to towns.

Eastern greys eat almost anything including my garbage can lids they are true tree rats

There has also been a decline in pigmy owl and some song birds in the lower mainland because eastern greys like to raid nests

Only thing I have found good about the eastern greys are target practice

[Singleshotneeded]

Considering the speed and viciousness of the average grey squirrel, I call for TOTAL WAR to be waged on them!
We should kill them in the campgrounds, on the trails and in the trees, we should NEVAH SURRENDAH!!
Seriously, they're so nasty, dangerous, and tough, that I wouldn't go squirrel hunting with anything less than
a perfectly G96'ed semi auto 12 gauge firing 3" 000 buckshot...furthermore I'd recommend buying a kevlar
bulletproof vest and a motorsport cervical collar as they go for the throat if they charge you. Make sure you go
with a couple of buds equipped with at least .416 Rigbys or .500 Nitro Express repeating rifles so they can shoot
the attacking squirrels off you if you're under attack. You can't be too careful, grizzlies, kodiaks, and polar bears
have been known to pinch a loaf in fear and race away upon just hearing a squirrel!! Long gone are the days when
as kids we used to shoot squirrels out of trees with Webley Tempest air pistols...no sir, if you're after grey squirrels
you need to show up heavily armed, armoured, and ready for a fight! I understand the entire French army was on
maneuvers in the south of France this past summer, and came upon two grey squirrels and surrendered immediately.
Well, about a third of them ran screaming all the way back to Paris but you get the gist of it, they're NOT to be taken lightly! :-)