Laws To Trap And Hunt Squirrels In Alaska [Guide To Follow]

In Alaska When squirrels burrow, they can cause a wide range of damage, including soil erosion, crop failure, property damage, and even the collapse of buildings, roads, and bridges. If you want to keep squirrels out of your yard without breaking the law, you should read up on the laws to trap and hunt squirrels in Alaska.

Nonresidents also require a license to trap furbearers in Alaska. “Nonresident” means a U.S. citizen who isn’t an Alaska resident. If you want to hunt or trap squirrels on Alaskan public land you can find out all the laws in a blog.

Squirrel Types Found In Alaska

Alaska is home to two different kinds of squirrels:

The American Red Squirrel

Due to their food, which consists of seeds from evergreen trees, these squirrels are typically found in coniferous woods in Alaska. They adapt their diet to include berries, bird eggs, walnuts, hazelnuts, mushrooms, mice, and sunflower kernels from backyard bird feeders. Even though they don’t have a sweet tooth American Red Squirrels tap maple trees to eat the sugary sap.

Northern flying squirrels

Northern Flying Squirrels don’t store much food for the winter as most other squirrels do. Since they don’t hibernate and are active all year, they don’t need to store food as much as other squirrel species. But when winter comes and the weather gets cold, it’s common for Nothern squirrels to gather together to keep warm.

Which Types Of Squirrels Are Legal To Hunt In Alaska?

• The Arctic ground squirrel is the largest species of ground squirrel in Alaska. As part of the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy of the Alaska State Department of Fish and Game, it’s against the law to hunt this species.
• The red squirrel is easy to spot because it is active and makes a lot of noise. This specie is legal to hunt in Alaska.
• Grey squirrels are game animals, so it’s legal in Alaska to hunt them.

Squirrels Hunting Season In Alaska

The Squirrel hunting seasons in Alaska typically begin in August or September and last through October. In some parts of the world, the changing seasons don’t end with winter.

In areas where certain animal populations are high enough and local subsistence needs are being addressed, it may be possible to go hunting for specific species throughout the entire year in Alaska.

Laws Governing The Hunting Of Squirrels In Alaska

There are specific laws to hunt squirrels in Alaska, details are given below:

• Squirrels are a fur-bearing species and as such Alaska law requires a trapping license for any Alaska resident who wants to hunt wild squirrels for food or fur legally.
• Residents of Alaska who want to hunt furbearers need a hunting license unless they are under 18 or over 60 and have a permanent ID card.
• You can get this card at any ADF&G office or online at http://hunt.alaska.gov.
• Even if you don’t live in Alaska, you need a hunting license to hunt furbearers there.
• To send hunted furs outside of the country, you need licenses and permits from the government. To ship fur from Alaska to another country like Canada, you should check with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Laws Governing The Trapping Of Squirrels In Alaska

In Alaska, several legal ways to trap squirrels are explained below:

• To trap squirrels in Alaska you need a trapping license. Squirrels are a fur-bearing species and Alaska residents who want to trap furbearers need a trapping license.
• People who don’t live in Alaska but want to trap furbearers also need a trapping license. To get a trapping license, a “nonresident” is a U.S. citizen who does not live in Alaska.
• If an Alaska Wildlife Trooper, Alaska State Trooper, police officer, or authorized ADF&G employee asks to see your trapping license, locking tags, harvest tickets, permits, game, or any equipment used to trap game squirrels, you must show any of these items.
• If you trap a squirrel near a highway remember that it is against the law to leave a dead animal or its guts on the highway or in the right-of-way. Please put these hunted animals somewhere that can’t be seen on roads or trails.
• As a trapper and conservationist, you should act responsibly by trapping in ways that cause the least amount of disturbance with other participants. For example, you should avoid areas where many people go for relaxation.
• Stay away from places where you might catch a domestic dog or cat, like near homes or trails that hikers, skijorers, dog mushers, or other people use often.

How Can You Shoot And Hunt Squirrels In Alaska?

The following are methods for hunting and shooting squirrels in Alaska:

• Shots from a 0.22 caliber weapon are legal if fired by a licensed user.
• Hunting is usually done on weekends.
• It is against the law to have a gun that isn’t registered. So, you can only have the ones that are licensed.
• Headshots are highly recommended. If you viciously kill an animal, you’ll have to pay a fine if you viciously kill an animal.
• There are only a few places where hunting is allowed in Alaska.
• You can hunt and shoot squirrels if you adhere to the instructions above. But it’s always better to get official permission or get them involved so they can do their own work.

Conclusion

In Alaska, you need a valid hunting and trapping license before you can hunt or shoot a squirrel. However, as a non-resident, there are a few rules that you must follow to hunt squirrels. You could be charged with breaking the law if you don’t have a license for trapping and hunting squirrels. 

To hunt a squirrel, you need a gun that has been registered. A licensed hunter only shoots a squirrel. You can always tell the authorities about your squirrel problem and have them take a look.

References

• Alaska Department of Fish and Game