Discover Nature Women Squirrel Hunting A to Z

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Ladies, are you new to squirrel hunting or do you want some additional tips to better your squirrel hunting experience?  If you fall into either category, our Squirrel Hunting A to Z clinic is just what you’re looking for to get you started or help you hone your skills.  We’ll cover everything from clothing, firearms, and habitat to field dressing, cleaning and fixing a delicious meal!  Squirrel season opened 5/28/11 and will close 2/15/12, so there is still time left to take up this enjoyable outdoor activity.  Women ages 18 and up (age 14 and up when accompanied by an adult) are invited to attend this clinic on Saturday, October 15 from 9 am until noon.   Registration is required and can be done by calling the Cape Girardeau Nature Center at 573-290-5218.  Give us a call and let us help you Discover Nature!   

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Squirrel season opens May 28

Bag limit is 10 and possession limit is 20.

JEFFERSON CITY MO – The fourth Saturday in May marks the opening of squirrel season in Missouri. Hunters may pursue gray and fox squirrels from May 28 through Feb. 15, 2012, with rifles, shotguns or archery equipment. The aggregate bag limit is 10 squirrels and the possession limit is 20.

“Aggregate” means hunters may harvest any combination of fox and gray squirrels so long as they do not exceed 10 squirrels total in one day. If hunters bag a daily limit two days in a row, they will have a possession limit of 20 squirrels. After that, they must eat or give away some squirrels before going hunting again in order to stay within the possession limit.

Hunters also may take squirrels with cage-type traps, as long as they label traps with their full name and address, or their Conservation number. Squirrel traps also must have openings measuring 144 square inches or less, for instance, 12 inches by 12 inches. Hunters must attend their traps daily. The same regulations apply to rabbits and groundhogs during their respective seasons.

Lonnie Hansen, the Missouri Department of Conservation’s resource scientist in charge of squirrel management, explained that squirrel numbers in the Ozarks are somewhat dependent on acorn production while squirrels have a more diverse and dependable food base in northern Missouri thanks to agricultural crops. As a result, squirrel populations are more stable there, and hunting is uniformly good from year to year.

“We had a tremendous acorn crop last fall so squirrel numbers should be building in the Ozarks,” Hansen said. “Squirrel numbers should also be high elsewhere. I think squirrel hunting should be excellent this year.”