Damage from squirrels can range from minor nuisance to massive economic losses. Trapping and hunting squirrels are the only way to get rid of them if other preventative measures have failed. You must be keen to learn the Laws to trap and hunt squirrels in Georgia.
A valid basic hunting license is required for squirrel hunting and trapping in Georgia USA. You can get a license by visiting the Georgia Department of Natural Resources or any authorized Georgia license dealer.
A pest control license in Georgia doesn’t cover legal permits for hunting wildlife. The blog lays out all the laws for hunting and trapping squirrels on public land in Georgia.
Squirrel Types Found In Georgia
In the United States, there are about 65 different kinds of squirrels. Out of those it’s known that Georgia has a few common types. In Georgia four kinds of squirrels are most common:
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The Eastern Gray Squirrel is a native and widespread rodent in Georgia. Most of the time they have bushy tails and fur that is a mix of black white and brown making it look gray from a distance.
Their favorite foods are seeds, nuts and berries but they can also be omnivores and eat insects and amphibians. As winter approaches these squirrels start to hide for food which gives them a steady supply during the colder months.
These squirrels often inhabit massive deep deciduous woods with plenty of food. So these squirrels are just as happy living in parks or neighborhoods in the city as they are in the suburbs.
American Red Squirrel
The American Red Squirrel is common throughout Georgia. It has a reddish-gray color on its back and wings but its belly is white. It has a white ring around its eyes and a bit of white on its bushy tail. Some red squirrels also have a black stripe on each side. Most of the time this type of squirrel is much smaller than other types.
The American Red Squirrel lives mostly in coniferous forests because it eats seeds from evergreen trees. They can also be found in backyards parks deciduous forests and cities. Red squirrels prefer to eat the seeds and cones of evergreen trees but like other squirrels, they can also eat different things. The most well-known trait of these squirrels is their aggression.
Fox Squirrel
The Fox Squirrel is Georgia’s most giant tree squirrel. They prefer to live in isolated areas of deciduous forests where they can find the trees that provide their favorite food sources. They usually eat acorns, walnuts, pine nuts, and hickory nuts. It has gray and black fur on a top and orange coat on its belly and a mix of cinnamon and black fur on its tail.
To get ready for winter they hide nuts all over the place so they can eat them when it gets cold. They are often seen in parks and neighborhoods near cities. Fox Squirrels usually live on the ground because they spend most of their time looking for food that has fallen from trees.
Southern Flying Squirrel
Southern flying squirrels usually have reddish-brown or gray fur and their bellies are cream-colored. Their big black eyes are another thing people know about them. Southern Flying Squirrels are smaller than other species of squirrels.
This species is most active at night and spends most of its time in the treetops of deciduous forests. It has been found that up to 20 flying squirrels come together in one nest in the winter to save energy and stay warm.
Which Types Of Squirrels Are Legal To Hunt In Georgia
- In Georgia, the United States of America grey squirrels and foxes are considered game species and are legal to hunt hence a valid basic hunting license is needed for squirrel hunting and trapping.
- Hunters can go for both gray and fox squirrels during the month of August and through the month of February.
- In Georgia, it’s illegal to hunt flying squirrels red squirrels or any other species of nongame squirrel that is listed as threatened or endangered.
- A hunting license is required for hunting nongame animals in Georgia such as flying squirrels and red squirrels.
- A resident or visitor must have a valid hunting license to hunt game squirrels in Georgia legally.
Squirrels Hunting Season In Georgia USA
In Georgia, hunters can hunt both grey and fox squirrels from August to February during the squirrel season. The most a hunter can hunt 12 squirrels in one day. Please keep in mind that the number of fox squirrels you can hunt in some state Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) is limited.
Georgia’s WMAs give hunters access to nearly one million acres of land where they can hunt squirrels. Squirrel hunting is a great way to get started with hunting. Squirrels are easy to hunt in Georgie.
Laws Governing The Hunting Of Squirrels In Georgia
With a valid hunting license, Georgia law allows squirrel hunting and trapping throughout the year. The goals of Georgia’s squirrel hunting regulations are:
- To maintain a healthy squirrel population using hunter-harvest records and population survey analyses
- To promote responsible hunting practices.
- Allowing future generations of hunters to enjoy squirrel hunting without endangering the species
- Preventing the decline of other species in their niche because of squirrel population growth.
Laws Governing The Trapping Of Squirrels In Georgia
Following are the Laws related to trapping squirrels in Alaska:
- Squirrel trapping is prohibited for anybody without a valid, legal trapping license granted by the department. The organization gives yearly licenses for this purpose.
- It’s prohibited to trap any wildlife between the timeframe of November 20 and February 29 with the exception of fur-bearing animals for which the board has designated a specific time period as an open trapping season.
- It is illegal for anybody other than the owner of the property where the trap is set to move a lawfully established surprise, remove legally trapped animals from a legally recognized web, or possess any wildlife.
How Can You Shoot And Hunt Squirrels In Georgia?
The following techniques and tools can be used to hunt squirrels in Georgia:
- Rifles and handguns with a caliber of 22
- shotguns with a shot size of No. 2
- muzzleloaders
- crossbows, longbows, recurve bows, and compound bows are also used to hunt squirrels.
- Camouflage: green-based camo in the early season and grey-based-based camo in the late season is used to hunt squirrels.
Conclusion
If you have a valid hunting license in Georgia, you can hunt and shoot squirrels. There are some rules you need to follow. If you don’t, you could be charged with breaking the law.
Squirrels are not immune to rabies. Even if the animal is dead or in a cage, you should always wear gloves when you handle it. If you are bitten, you should see a doctor right away. Check the laws in your area before you hunt or trap. In addition to the possibility that the squirrels in your yard would simply become ill and not die, you would also have to deal with a decaying, difficult-to-find squirrel body.
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