CRC
Old Mossy Horns
being discussed by WRC
Fox squirrel hunting expansion?
- Thread starter CRC
- Start date
being discussed by WRC
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
Preliminary discussion to:
extend fox squirrel season to all 100 counties
extend fox squirrel season to January 31st in all counties
10 fox squirrel statewide season limit
http://149.168.59.50:8000/archive/2018-7-12-WRC.mp3
extend fox squirrel season to all 100 counties
extend fox squirrel season to January 31st in all counties
10 fox squirrel statewide season limit
http://149.168.59.50:8000/archive/2018-7-12-WRC.mp3
Well that would be about as stupid a thing as they could do.
np307
Ten Pointer
Just honestly wondering why you think so?
I'm not nccatfisher, but they are a different hunt then grey squirrels,,,,and expect the pressure after deer season would put a hurt on the population,,,,
np307
Ten Pointer
Different hunt as in people hunt them differently? We see them while squirrel hunting here in montgomery county but just don't take them. 1 per day limit and 10 per season limit seems like it would help maintain the population.
Part-time hunter
Ten Pointer
It won't make much difference in a lot of counties that don't really have any or have only a few. But hey they are the professionals aren't they? So they're gonna do what they want to anyway. For my money, and they have gotten a lot of my money over the years, more and longer hunting seasons should help keep the hunting lifestyle alive and hopefully growing. And that I think is probably a good thing.
Exactly, they can't take that much pressure. Greys reproduce year 'round during a good mast season, not so for fox squirrels. Opening up the whole state IMO would be a mistake. There are several more counties that could sustain a season, but not all.
different habitat,,,to me they are an "easy" kill,,,,,find one and he is dead,,,,,
smart move - there has been no season in Montgomery county for a while,,,,,,,so not sure what you expect that to mean
I'm all for expandingt counties,,,,just not the dates,,,,,plenty of gray squirrels to chase,,,,,
np307
Ten Pointer
All I meant by it was that we see plenty while normally hunting greys, because I thought that by "different hunt" you meant different hunting methods. And I was emphasizing that we didn't take any since I'm sure someone might have misconstrued that we did.
So do y'all honestly think that even with a limit of 10 per year that this would destroy fox squirrel numbers in some counties? Again, I'm genuinely curious because I haven't studied the differences between foxes and greys.
How do you think they are going to enforce that 10 per year limit? Tags, check in stations?
np307
Ten Pointer
What's stopping people from killing them now other than the law? If "people won't obey the law because it can't be enforced" is your argument, then why do we have a restrictive season for them now?How do you think they are going to enforce that 10 per year limit? Tags, check in stations?
You still didn't answer my question. I know a little about enforcement, albeit slight.
When they are not supposed to be part of the bag limit at all it makes it pretty hard to explain having them. But once they do become part of the bag limit quite frankly enforcement of the seasonal bag limit becomes impossible short of admission of guilt or having more than the seasonal bag limit in possession somewhere like a domicile.
shadycove
Twelve Pointer
As an ex- NCWRC Enforcement officer, NCC has first hand experience in wildlife laws/rules.
Further, he is a very experienced houndsman with a lifetime of squirrel hunting under his belt.
His opinion/knowledge on this should be respected and given much consideration IMO.
As to my opinion, most lands between the Sandhills and the Mountains do not have fox squirrel populations that can stand the proposed season/bag limit and the added hunting pressure.
Why the NCWRC wants this, I do not know.
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my personal opinion, and that is all it is, is that by adding January you will add "XX" more hunters that won't squirrel hunt during the "oh so holy deer season" but will then go out in January and kill fox squirrels
but they are the pros from Dover, so in the end, I'm just expressing my opinion
np307
Ten Pointer
That's a legitimate point, but aren't there other species that are managed the same way? Seems like if it's so dangerous for fox squirrels it could be dangerous for those species as well. Maybe I'm mistaken, that's why I'm asking.
np307
Ten Pointer
That's great. I'm glad there are voices of authority here. I wasn't questioning anyone's credentials. But is the WRC proper not also considered an authority? I'm just trying to weigh out two competing voices and develop an informed opinion.
np307
Ten Pointer
That line of thought makes sense.
Let me clarify I am not retired from NCWRC. I worked there a short time and moved on to federal service. But have spent a lifetime in this field and pursuing these animals. I enjoy them as much as anyone and want all to enjoy them. As I stated there are areas that I feel like they need to expand the seasons and bag limits. But there are many areas that won't take this expansion well.
In fact there are some areas that have been traditional fox squirrel areas for years that IMO showing signs of over harvest badly right now.
yeap
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
They are trying to simplify regulations on the whole so opening all counties does that I guess
But extending the season does not . It’s still a month shorter than the red squirrel season.
It seems fox squirrels are being reported from more counties in greater numbers. So that may be the reason for the changes.
Hunter to WRC
“I see plenty of fs in my county why can’t we shoot them?”
But extending the season does not . It’s still a month shorter than the red squirrel season.
It seems fox squirrels are being reported from more counties in greater numbers. So that may be the reason for the changes.
Hunter to WRC
“I see plenty of fs in my county why can’t we shoot them?”
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Fox squirrels breeding and birthing habits are considerably different than grey and red squirrels. That has been given a big consideration in the past when seasons/bag limits have been set. I can't fathom them throwing that out the window for uniformity in regs.
Yeah, especially when people get them 2nd and 3rd hand. LOLwell you know,,,they ARE so confusing,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
There is a big push in the WRC to uniform and simplify the regulations regardless.
Make the fox squirrel regs the same in ALL counties
Plenty of species have statewide limits and seasons
Just my guess
Make the fox squirrel regs the same in ALL counties
Plenty of species have statewide limits and seasons
Just my guess
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So lets see how that works with trout fishing.
shadycove
Twelve Pointer
And duck/goose hunting.
shadycove
Twelve Pointer
My post has been edited to reflect my error.
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
Where practical I guess.
There is only one “special regulations “ classified trout stream (Lake James tailwater) on the books despite creating the category some years ago.
So the WRC prioritizes existing trout stream designations in regulating a stream as trout water.
I have been told by WRC staff they have a policy of standardizing and simplifying regulations where possible anymore
The landowner requested a closed fox squirrel season at Rockfish Creek GL not the WRC.
There is only one “special regulations “ classified trout stream (Lake James tailwater) on the books despite creating the category some years ago.
So the WRC prioritizes existing trout stream designations in regulating a stream as trout water.
I have been told by WRC staff they have a policy of standardizing and simplifying regulations where possible anymore
The landowner requested a closed fox squirrel season at Rockfish Creek GL not the WRC.
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Mack in N.C.
Old Mossy Horns
This is craziest Idea they have ever considered. Like as said Fox squirrels are way different than greys. Rarely if ever do they breed a second time. and there just is not as many of them . They also have waaaay bigger home ranges so in good habitat they are still never as numerous as greys.
The Fox Squirrels in NW NC are also different than the ones in the East. They are a little more resilient than the ones in the east but not as much as greys.
You will have a problem where just a few are found when say they expand into an area as they can easily be over harvested thus hurting the expansion. Fox squirrels are lots of time found in "pockets" of good habitat where then there are none 360 degrees around them for miles. My old Bioligist friend of mine new of many of these. they can easily be over harvested in that setting as well.
and to hunt them in January would be terrible for them as over harvest on them would be dramatic. deer fever has saved many a fox squirrel.
also most eastern ones are dependent somewhat on the pine mast which can be spottier than the oak mast thus they have down years worse than you see in greys.
Many SC gamelands are closed to fox squirrel hunting I suspect as they think they could be over harvested on Public land.
Crazy........
The Fox Squirrels in NW NC are also different than the ones in the East. They are a little more resilient than the ones in the east but not as much as greys.
You will have a problem where just a few are found when say they expand into an area as they can easily be over harvested thus hurting the expansion. Fox squirrels are lots of time found in "pockets" of good habitat where then there are none 360 degrees around them for miles. My old Bioligist friend of mine new of many of these. they can easily be over harvested in that setting as well.
and to hunt them in January would be terrible for them as over harvest on them would be dramatic. deer fever has saved many a fox squirrel.
also most eastern ones are dependent somewhat on the pine mast which can be spottier than the oak mast thus they have down years worse than you see in greys.
Many SC gamelands are closed to fox squirrel hunting I suspect as they think they could be over harvested on Public land.
Crazy........