Gray Squirrels near portland?

[DaveLikesGuns]

Anyone know of any good public lands within 2 hrs of Portland where I can shoot a few squirrels? They are all over the the city getting big and fat and when I go hiking in the woods all I see is the little chipmunk/ground squirrels.

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

Dave

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[jbett98]

Grey squirrels must be an Asian delicacy, as I've seen a lot of them hunting just for them when the seasons open.

 

[Flymph]

Gray squirrels are native, and usually pretty small, they may even be protected in a lot of areas. If you go east, they get a lot bigger, like east slope of the cascades. They seem to be a different species there. On the west side you want the eastern fox squirrel, which is probably the fat juicey morsel you are drooling over (invasive species). I would say close enough to any populated area that you can legally hunt would be your best bet. You could try the white river area in the foothills, just make sure you aren't trespassing or have permission to hunt. It can be a little confusing what is public or private over there.

 

[HB of CJ]

Goldie my long dead Yellow Lab would get one. I would get two. Yumm yumm. Barking up the wrong tree was significant.

EDIT: I will NOT say I used a .177 spring gun with a spring gun type rated thingie on top.

 

[11Charlie]

Pellet gun

 

[Misteramax]

Lebanon has a pigeon problem. If I was in the country they would all be dead. Nothing makes me more mad than those stupid things.

 

[11Charlie]

Crows god I hate crows!! There loud, obnoxious and for some reason have been hanging out around my house this year

 

[WAYNO]

Anyone know of any good public lands within 2 hrs of Portland where I can shoot a few squirrels? They are all over the the city getting big and fat and when I go hiking in the woods all I see is the little chipmunk/ground squirrels.

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

Dave

East Cascade foothills. White River, Hood River, Barlow Trail, all good choices. There seems to be a huge difference between silver grays (which they now call Western Grays) in different areas. Along the Barlow Trail are the biggest squirrels I've ever seen. But, as someone already pointed out, the boat people do like their squirrels and according to an ODFW employee, they've been over hunted in the Barlow Trail area, and the season is severely curtailed.

Pine/Red/Douglas squirrels are abundant up in the mountains, but for whatever reason, are protected in Oregon. Never could figure out why.

Another issue... I used to think I knew my squirrels. There were silver grays, pine (or red) squirrels, and park squirrels, which we had been told for years was a cross between a silver gray and a pine squirrel. Now they're calling them Eastern Gray squirrels and/or Eastern Fox Squirrels.. The squirrel society says there is no protection for these Eastern Grays, but ODFW previously hasn't talked about them. The only squirrel they say is huntable, and with pretty short seasons in the Northern part of Oregon, is the silver gray. (Whoops, said it again, it's now the Western Gray). There are a bunch of small gray squirrels in the White River area, much smaller than the huge silver grays I'm accustomed to, but the locals insist these smaller squirrels are also silver grays. I'm not convinced.

If there is any new info from ODFW, I've not found it. I'm all ears. It's created a situation where I would not shoot a squirrel, not knowing if it's a protected squirrel, or not.

P.S. I just found this...

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/docs/TreeSquirrels.pdf

NONNATIVE SPECIES
The Eastern gray and Eastern fox squirrels are considered invasive species
as supported by OAR 635-056 which classifies them as Nonnative
Prohibited Wildlife. Because these species are unprotected, they can be
hunted year-round and there is no bag limit.
Note: If an injured or orphaned Eastern gray squirrel or Eastern fox
squirrel is brought to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility, it must be
humanely euthanized.

 

[DirectDrive]

This one is protected....by me.
Rocket J. Squirrel, an Eastern Gray.

I don't want my first felony.....don't mess with Rocky.

 

[thorborg]

That's real cute until the little rat latches on to you with his nut bustin teeth and won't let go. (even after decapitation)
I raised squirrels in the 50's and sold the babies to Holland feed & seed to resell as pets. The flying squirrels and reds were especially popular and somewhat domesticatable only if acquired as babies. A mature squirrel while some may be seemingly friendly will eventually turn cantankerous in their old age, so look out. (Even when raised from preweaned.) I have eaten just about every squirrel I could find, many from other states and so find the big reds inhabiting the lake Dardanelle Arkansas Oaks, supreme in flavor and texture. Salivation begins for me when thinking of big reds fat thighs slow cooked in creamed cabbage.
Grays are tough and bitter but can be somewhat enhanced with spices, bacon and slow cooking.
Best to skin when still warm by cutting around the neck, put your foot on the head and pull the hid off towards the tail in one smooth pull. the fur is brittle and hollow so skinning in any other way leaves the flesh littered with broken hairs that is difficult to remove. Unless very large, only the rear legs are worth messing with unless you have a big red then the front legs have plenty of meat too! Big reds can be up to three pounds on the hoof and yield 3/4 of a pound of thigh meat. Oregon reds about half that.

 

[DirectDrive]

This one won't bite.
Been around for about 7 years now.
Plenty of chances to bite me.




So you're the one who introduced these non-natives ?

 

[Flymph]

Crows god I hate crows!! There loud, obnoxious and for some reason have been hanging out around my house this year

I love crows, send them over! I have tons of scraps I need rid of!

 

[Flymph]

East Cascade foothills. White River, Hood River, Barlow Trail, all good choices. There seems to be a huge difference between silver grays (which they now call Western Grays) in different areas. Along the Barlow Trail are the biggest squirrels I've ever seen. But, as someone already pointed out, the boat people do like their squirrels and according to an ODFW employee, they've been over hunted in the Barlow Trail area, and the season is severely curtailed.

Pine/Red/Douglas squirrels are abundant up in the mountains, but for whatever reason, are protected in Oregon. Never could figure out why.

Another issue... I used to think I knew my squirrels. There were silver grays, pine (or red) squirrels, and park squirrels, which we had been told for years was a cross between a silver gray and a pine squirrel. Now they're calling them Eastern Gray squirrels and/or Eastern Fox Squirrels.. The squirrel society says there is no protection for these Eastern Grays, but ODFW previously hasn't talked about them. The only squirrel they say is huntable, and with pretty short seasons in the Northern part of Oregon, is the silver gray. (Whoops, said it again, it's now the Western Gray). There are a bunch of small gray squirrels in the White River area, much smaller than the huge silver grays I'm accustomed to, but the locals insist these smaller squirrels are also silver grays. I'm not convinced.

If there is any new info from ODFW, I've not found it. I'm all ears. It's created a situation where I would not shoot a squirrel, not knowing if it's a protected squirrel, or not.

P.S. I just found this...

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/docs/TreeSquirrels.pdf

NONNATIVE SPECIES
The Eastern gray and Eastern fox squirrels are considered invasive species
as supported by OAR 635-056 which classifies them as Nonnative
Prohibited Wildlife. Because these species are unprotected, they can be
hunted year-round and there is no bag limit.
Note: If an injured or orphaned Eastern gray squirrel or Eastern fox
squirrel is brought to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility, it must be
humanely euthanized.

I vaguely know my squirrels, CAUSE I'M NUTS!

Thanks for your thorough response!

 

[Member 34319]

I used to hunt them when I first came up here. Pretty easy hunt really. Find an open area either near water or wherever there is alder I seemed to find them easily. I just lost the extra time to do so lately.

Post up against a tree. Sit. Sit some more. See one moving in the tree. Shoot it. If you haven't seen one in an hour or so. Move along. Good way to spend a day in the woods.

Usually just went with a 10/22.

They aren't too bad to eat. A little greasy if they are fat. Mostly a good gamey flavor like rabbit. Make great ground meat for spaghetti and such. I used to make hobo stew with them.

1-2 squirrel skinned and gutted. Heads removed.

1 packet of beef ramen noodles.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add cut up squirrel bone and all. Add flavor packet from ramen. Remove squirrel and debone. Add noodles to broth. Add deboned meat. Enjoy!!!

 

[DaveLikesGuns]

Thanks for all the tips and interesting discussion about the changing names of regional squirrels-its almost like the scientists are SJWs and they don't want the squirrels to be offended. Ill probably go hike around the Barlow trail area with the 10-22. season starts Aug 26th!

PS, I wont shoot Rocky.

 

[Flymph]

If you go out there you'll see...
The squirrels in Tygh valley look like they have a steady diet of willamette valley squirrels...
They're both grey, but there is an obvious size difference. I honestly wouldn't bother in the willamette valley.

 

[Blowgunner]

If you go out there you'll see...
The squirrels in Tygh valley look like they have a steady diet of willamette valley squirrels...
They're both grey, but there is an obvious size difference. I honestly wouldn't bother in the willamette valley.

This is true! I was over turkey hunting this spring, and those buggers are huge!

 

[Blowgunner]

Oh, fyi. Don't accidentally wander on to warm springs property toting a gun and hunting critters....

 

[Flymph]

You can always ask for permission and pay a fee, I know they do that for fishing. Pretty fair for only 9$ a day.
Just get a good topographical map, you should have one regardless of where you are if you plan to go anywhere off the beaten trail...

 

[Flymph]

This is true! I was over turkey hunting this spring, and those buggers are huge!

Plentiful too! I must have seen six back in May just west of Tygh valley that had been run over...