Squirrel types

[Kayak Ken]

I see in the digest it states Grey Squirrel limits? Can you shoot red squirrel or fox squirrel? Is there bag limits if they are allowed?

[mazzgolf]

Do we even have red or fox squirrels here?

Anyway, if the digest specifically says "gray squirrel" I would go by that -- any other species of squirrel is off limits.

To be sure, you can look at the actual admin code where the seasons are spelled out... they often quote the latin species names for the actual game in question. You can see if they only call out gray squirrel or if they list others (I'm betting it's limited to grays only).

[mazzgolf]

I was curious, so....

Notice they specifically name only "Sciurus carolinensis" which is the gray squirrel only. (reds are "Sciurus vulgaris"  "Tamiasciurus hudsonicus" and foxes are "Sciurus niger")

Quote

 

NJ - New Jersey Administrative Code > TITLE 7. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION > CHAPTER 25. DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE RULES > SUBCHAPTER 5.

2020-2021 GAME CODE

§ 7:25-5.5 Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
(a) The annual season for hunting eastern gray squirrel with shotgun, bow and arrow, or air gun shall begin on the last Saturday in September and conclude the Saturday following the third Monday of the following February, inclusive; except the season shall be closed during the six-day firearm deer season as specified in N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.27(a) and on the Wednesday immediately following the six-day firearm deer season. Within the areas described as portions of Passaic, Mercer, Hunterdon, Warren, Morris, and Sussex Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 513 and the New York State line; then south along Rt. 513 to its intersection with Rt. 511; then south along Rt. 511 to its intersection with Rt. 46; then west along Rt. 46 to its intersection with Rt. 80; then west along Rt. 80 to its intersection with Rt. 15; then north along Rt. 15 to its intersection with the Morris-Sussex County line; then south along the Morris-Sussex County line to the Warren County line; then southwest along the Morris-Warren County line to the Hunterdon County line; then southeast along the Morris-Hunterdon County line to the Somerset County line; then south along the Somerset-Hunterdon County line to its intersection with the Mercer County line; then west and south along the Hunterdon-Mercer County line to its intersection with Rt. 31; then south along Rt. 31 to its intersection with Rt. 546; then west along Rt. 546 to the Delaware River; then north along the east bank of the Delaware River to the New York State Line; then east along the New York State Line to the point of beginning at Lakeside; and in that portion of Salem, Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 295 and the Delaware River; then east along Rt. 295 to its intersection with the New Jersey Turnpike; then east along the New Jersey Turnpike to its intersection with Rt. 40; then east along Rt. 40 to its intersection with Rt. 47; then north along Rt. 47 to its intersection with Rt. 536; then east along Rt. 536 to its intersection with Rt. 206; then north along Rt. 206 to its intersection with the New Jersey Turnpike; then northeast along the New Jersey Turnpike to its intersection with Rt. 571; then southeast along Rt. 571 to its intersection with the Garden State Parkway; then south along the Garden State Parkway to its intersection with the southern bank of the Great Egg Harbor Bay in Cape May County; then west along the southern bank of the Great Egg Harbor Bay to its intersection with North Shore Road (Rt. 9); then south along Rt. 9 to its intersection with Rt. 83; then west along Rt. 83 to its intersection with Rt. 47; then north along Rt. 47 to its intersection with Dennis Creek; then south along the west bank of Dennis Creek to its intersection with Delaware Bay; then northwest along the east shore of Delaware Bay and the Delaware River to the point of beginning; persons holding a valid and proper rifle permit in addition to their current firearm hunting license may hunt for squirrels between the last Saturday in September and the Friday following the first Monday in November, inclusive; and between the first Saturday in January and the Saturday following the third Monday in February, inclusive, using a .36 caliber or smaller muzzleloading rifle loaded with a single projectile.
(b) The annual season for hunting eastern gray squirrel by properly licensed persons engaged in falconry shall begin on September 1 and conclude the following March 31, inclusive; except the season shall be closed during the six-day firearm deer season as specified in N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.27(a) and on the Wednesday immediately following the six-day firearm deer season.
(c) Daily bag limit: Five squirrels. No season limit.
(d) Hunting hours for squirrels are sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset, except on the Saturday following the first Monday in November when legal hunting hours are 8:00 A.M. to 1/2 hour after sunset.
(e) Authority: The authority for the adoption of the foregoing section is found in N.J.S.A. 23:4-1 and 23:4-2 and other applicable statutes.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by mazzgolf
wrongus latinus namus

[Kayak Ken]

I've seen American Red Squirrel "Pine Squirrel" they are small. I've seen them but noticed they are not listed.

[Bucndoe]

8 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

Do we even have red or fox squirrels here?

 

Yes

[Roon]

Just shoot the gray ones, if not don't tell anyone lol 

It's takes 20 to make 5lbs

[mazzgolf]

18 minutes ago, Kayak Ken said:

I've seen American Red Squirrel "Pine Squirrel" they are small. I've seen them but noticed they are not listed.

Ahh! OK, that's a different one than what I was looking at - I was looking at Eurasian Red Squirrel which is "Sciurus vulgaris" ... but that "American Red Squirrel" is different - it is "Tamiasciurus hudsonicus". 

I learned something today

And notice this - admin code specifically calls out that American Red Squirrel ("Tamiasciurus hudsonicus") as a non-game species and there is no hunting season for it (since it is "non-game", I take that to mean they are off limits - cannot hunt them). See:

Quote

 

NJ - New Jersey Administrative Code > TITLE 7. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION > CHAPTER 25. DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE RULES > SUBCHAPTER 4. ENDANGERED, NONGAME AND EXOTIC WILDLIFE

§ 7:25-4.17 List providing conservation status of New Jersey's indigenous nongame wildlife species

The following table sets forth the list and conservation status of nongame wildlife species indigenous to New Jersey in their respective taxonomic classes. For the vertebrate classes of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, the list is intended to include all indigenous nongame species, that is, all species for which a legal hunting or trapping season has not been established or that have not been classified as an endangered species and that are native to the eastern United States and regularly and predictably occur within the State or its waters. Freshwater and marine fish are not included on this list because none are currently considered "nongame." For the invertebrate classes, the list includes only those species for which the Department has determined that their status is either "threatened" or "special concern." The list is ordered alphabetically by species' common names within each taxonomic class.

...

Red Squirrel    Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

...

 

 

They do not list "Fox Squirrel" so I assume they are not indigenous to NJ.

UPDATE: Indeed, wikipedia states, "They are absent (except for vagrants) in New England, New Jersey, most of New York, northern and eastern Pennsylvania, Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces of Canada."

Edited December 27, 2021 by mazzgolf

[Kayak Ken]

Just shoot the gray ones, if not don't tell anyone lol 
It's takes 20 to make 5lbs

Can you share your recipe?

[Rusty]

We have Grey, Red, and Flying, but we don't have Fox squirrels.  

[Kype]

i have a few reds around me. pretty cool to see after seeing so many grey

[mazzgolf]

7 minutes ago, Rusty said:

We have Grey, Red, and Flying, but we don't have Fox squirrels.  

Ahh..I see those listed too - so those are "non-game" animals and thus no legal hunting seasons for them:

Quote

Northern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus
...
Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
...
Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans

In case anyone is interested - you can get to the NJ admin code here - just go to N.J.A.C. 7:25 and that's the game code. You'll find this all in there (this and NJ statutes title 23 is where you go when the Digest is confusing and you want to see what the actual laws are).

Edited December 28, 2021 by mazzgolf

[Roon]

17 minutes ago, Kayak Ken said:

45 minutes ago, Roon said:

Just shoot the gray ones, if not don't tell anyone lol 
It's takes 20 to make 5lbs

Can you share your recipe?

LEM  hot Italian sausage with hog casings.

20 depending on size should give you 5lbs. 

Not too far off turkey sausage from ShopRite but, you know made this

 

[Buck154]

1 hour ago, Rusty said:

We have Grey, Red, and Flying, but we don't have Fox squirrels.  

Yes. No fox squirrels here

[Styxbow]

There's a ton of red squirrels around here. They seem to stick to certain areas, but where you find one you find lots. When I say same area, I mean literally the same 10 acres or so. Must be some food sources and habitat they strongly prefer. 

 

I have seen black squirrels and they seem to be the same way. 

[MRMCR]

11 hours ago, Roon said:

Just shoot the gray ones, if not don't tell anyone lol 

It's takes 20 to make 5lbs

I bet those sausages have a nutty taste......