Latest Laws To Trap And Hunt Squirrels In Ohio

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Ohio squirrels are cute in their way as they scamper around trees and dig for nuts and seeds, but they are no longer cute when they invade your home. Furthermore, If you want to trap and hunt squirrels in Ohio, you have to learn the laws to trap and hunt squirrels in Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says that if you have a license to trap and hunt squirrels, you can hunt them. If you don’t, it is against the law.

Some people like to hunt and catch squirrels for their fur, while others think they are pests that need to be removed. This blog covers Ohio’s squirrel hunting and trapping laws on state land.

Squirrel Types Found In Ohio

Here are the four kinds of squirrels that live in the state of Ohio:

Eastern Grey Squirrel

The Eastern Gray Squirrel is abundant in Ohio, and one of the squirrels people battle at their bird feeders. As winter gets closer, Eastern Gray Squirrels start to hide food in many places so that they can eat during the colder months. They secrete more food than they can, and some leftover seeds will develop into new trees.

While this squirrel is endemic to Ohio, it is an invasive species elsewhere in the United States and the world. In many places in Europe, Eastern Gray Squirrels outcompete and displace native squirrels like the Eurasian Red Squirrel.

American Red Squirrels

One of the most frequent squirrels in Ohio is the Red Squirrel. The name is derived from the distinctive reddish appearance and a white underbelly. Both are much smaller than grey squirrels and fox squirrels but bigger than chipmunks. Only about 20% of babies live to see their second birthday during their first year. 

Fox squirrels

The Fox Squirrel is Ohio’s most giant tree squirrel. These squirrels may thrive in a wide variety of environments. Most of the time, they live in small areas of forest.

Their favorite foods are nuts that grow on trees, like acorns, walnuts, and hickory nuts. They hide these nuts everywhere to prepare for winter so they can eat them whenever it gets cold.

Southern Flying Squirrels

The Southern Flying squirrels are the only type of flying squirrel you can see in Ohio. If you see one during the day, its fur will be reddish brown or grey, and its belly will be cream-colored.

They have big, black eyes that take up most of their heads. This helps them see at night. The Northern Flying Squirrel is more significant than its cousins in the South.

  • According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, it’s legal to hunt red, grey, and fox squirrels during regular hunting season. 
  • A homeowner has the right to catch and move squirrels that are troubling people.
  • The laws about ground squirrels were more challenging to find than those about tree squirrels. People with problems with ground squirrels should call their local wildlife office to find out more.
  • When it comes to tree squirrels, the laws are more evident. 
  • As a local, you need to know the rules about killing, moving, and trapping these small squirrels.

Squirrels Hunting Season In Ohio

  • January marks the end of the small game and furbearer hunting season, which runs from September 1st through January 31st. 
  • Locals can shoot red, grey, and fox squirrels during this time.
  • The hunting season begins 30 minutes before sunrise and continues until 30 minutes after sunset.
  • Every hunter must have the appropriate licenses and permits to hunt squirrels during hunting season in Ohio.
  • As well as to stick to the bag limitations.
  • The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures the regulation of these laws.

Laws Governing The Hunting Of Squirrels In Ohio

The state of Ohio has a variety of restrictions related to the hunting of squirrels, including the following:

  • With a valid hunting license, both citizens and non-residents in the state of Ohio Can hunt squirrels, just like in most other states.
  • If you have a regular hunting license, you have the right to squirrel hunting throughout the year. It is against the law to hunt outside of the legal hours, which are sunrise to sunset, and the daily bag limit is 15 animals.

Laws Governing The Trapping Of Squirrels in Ohio

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, there are different laws about trapping squirrels: 

  • It is illegal to trap or take nuisance wild animals on someone else’s land without permission from the owner or their authorized agent.
  • It is against the law to keep live-trapped animals for more than 24 hours. 
  • Anyone who lives-traps a wild animal must release it outside any incorporated village or city. 
  • Animals cannot be released on public or private property without the landowner’s permission. 
  • It is against the law for anyone to sell, use, or give away an animal caught for removal under this rule.

How Can You Shoot And Hunt Squirrels In Ohio?

Squirrels are nocturnal, so healthy squirrels are rarely seen during the day. The following are ways to hunt and shoot them:

  • You can shoot at night with enough light, and trained dogs can catch them.
  • A 22-caliber rifle can kill a treed squirrel if only shot in the head. 
  • If you can use a shotgun, use a No. 6 shot instead.
  • Most cities and towns in Ohio don’t let people shoot. Before you kill a squirrel to get rid of it, you should talk to state and local authorities.
  • Some of the best coon hunting lights can’t be found by a dog’s sense of smell, and coons aren’t even scared by them.

No, you can’t use a pellet gun to kill squirrels in Ohio. Squirrel hunting with an air gun is legal in Ohio. Local governments may also have laws about air guns that differ from state laws. In Ohio, you must be 18 to buy a BB gun, an air gun, an air rifle, or a pellet gun.

Here are the laws that each local government in Ohio must follow:

  • No one may use an air gun, blowgun, slingshot, bow, crossbow, or another similar device to shoot, force, or throw anything inside the village. 
  • No one is allowed to shoot a gun anywhere in the village without first getting permission from the right official.
  • Anyone breaking this rule will be found guilty of a minor crime and have to pay a fine of no more than $100.

If squirrels are bothering you on your land, you usually have the right to live-trap them, move them, and hunt them. Wild animals can be dangerous, so make sure to take the proper safety measures.

State law in Ohio says that once you catch a squirrel, you can’t keep it for more than 24 hours. Before letting the animals go, you must get permission from the landowner. But in Ohio, you need a permit to trap and shoot squirrels on public land.

Conclusion

In Ohio, you can kill squirrels that bother people as long as you have a valid hunting license. But it is illegal to trap and move squirrels in the area without a hunting license.  Laws about hunting and trapping are in place and change based on the situation.

To avoid spreading disease, hiring a professional to eliminate squirrels is best. If a squirrel wants to hurt you, someone with a license can kill it. You can always tell the authorities about the squirrels and have them come take a look.

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