Understanding Laws To Trap And Hunt Squirrels In Oregon 

The adorable squirrel may cause damage. To get rid of squirrels in Oregon, you should first find out what are the laws to trap and hunt squirrels in Oregon.

Lastly, think about putting the squirrel in a trap instead of killing it. This way, you can relocate it instead of killing it. This blog explains how to hunt Oregon squirrels.

Squirrel Types Found In Oregon 

There are five kinds of squirrels in Oregon.

Western Grey Squirrel

The western grey squirrel is the biggest native tree squirrel in the state. Its belly is creamy white, and its fur is silvery grey. It is 19 to 24 inches long, including its bushy grey tail with black hairs.

During the winter, the backs of its ears may be a little bit tawny. Western grey squirrels live in parts of western and central Oregon with low elevations and lots of trees.

Western grey squirrels are found in oak woodlands, in pine, madrone, and fir forests. They choose larger areas of forest that are usually far from where people live. Western grey squirrels eat fungi, acorns, fruit, berries, insects, and seeds and cones from conifers, among other things.

Douglas Squirrel

The number of Douglas squirrels also called chickaree squirrels or pine squirrels has been going down over the past few decades. The Douglas squirrel has grizzled fur that is dark brownish-gray and grey on top and orange on the bottom. Its tail, which is dark reddish brown, makes it 10 to 14 inches long.

American Red Squirrel

American red squirrel, also known as chickaree or the pine squirrel. Most red squirrels live in the Blue and Wallowa mountains of northeastern Oregon. They are most often found in semi-open or dense forests at higher elevations.

They are about 12 inches long and have fur that is dark red to grey on top and cream on the bottom. The hairs on the tail are dark in the middle and lighter at the ends. This gives the tail a light, fringed look. The red squirrel is making a lot of noise.

Northern Flying Squirrel

The northern flying squirrel is the most unique of Oregon’s squirrels, but it is rarely seen as it only comes out at night. In spite of its common name, this species doesn’t actually fly. Instead, it glides from tree to tree thanks to folds of skin that run from its front leg to its back leg.

For this adaptation to work, the species needs to live in areas with a lot of trees. They don’t usually live in open or broken habitats or in cities. Flying squirrels west of the Cascades have dark brown fur, while those in the east have lighter brown fur.

Non-Native Invasive Tree Squirrel

The Eastern grey squirrel and the Eastern fox squirrel are not native to the state, but they have become a problem because they are invasive. Even though we don’t fully understand how they affect Oregon’s ecosystems, there is enough evidence to say that they are a threat to native squirrel populations.

They compete aggressively with native squirrels for food and places to nest. They live on much less land and can spread diseases to native squirrels. For example, the eastern grey squirrel can spread a disease called parapoxvir that kills red squirrels.

Which Types Of Squirrels Are Legal To Hunt In Oregon? 

Hunters who live in Oregon or travel to the state for the sole intention of hunting have many options.

• The Western Gray Squirrel is a game animal, while the Eastern Gray Squirrel and the Fox Squirrel are non-game animals.
• It’s legal to hunt non-game animals in Oregon.
• It is illegal to hunt Western grey squirrels without a hunting license.
• Most of the time, Eastern and Fox Squirrels live in cities. Even though it would be hard to figure out who they were.

Squirrels Hunting Season In Oregon

There’s a proper hunting season for squirrels in Oregon. In Oregon, there is no time when you can’t hunt squirrels. You can hunt them with any legal gun or bow and catch as many as you want every day.

During the summer and fall, it’s much easier to find a ground squirrel, but it tastes better than a tree squirrel. Non-Oregon residents can hunt all over the state of Oregon at any time of the year.

During the summer and fall, it’s much easier to find a ground squirrel, but it doesn’t taste as good as a tree squirrel. The Western Grey is a game animal, and you can hunt it from February to July, but you can only bring home three per day. Non-Oregon residents can hunt all over the state of Oregon at any time of the year.

Laws Governing The Hunting Of Squirrels In Oregon 

The Oregon Department of Natural Resources says that the following are the only legal ways to hunt squirrels in Oregon:

• In Oregon, there is no general license to hunt.
• You have to buy a tag for the species you want to hunt before you go hunting.
• Squirrels require a general game tag, which costs $8.75 for residents and $28 for people who don’t live in the state.
• To hunt fur-bearing animals, you need a valid hunting permit.
• The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife does not have rules about squirrel hunting because it is not a sport.
• Hunters often use guns or bows and arrows to go after squirrels.
• On the ODFW website, there is a detailed section called “Hunting Furbearers.”
• This section tells you how to get a hunting license, apply for tags, and hunt squirrels on both public and private land in the state.

Laws Governing The Trapping And Relocating Of Squirrels In Oregon 

The Oregon Department of Natural Resources has several rules about trapping and relocating squirrels:

• Without a permit, it is against the law in Oregon to release a squirrel anywhere in the state other than on the property where it was legally trapped.
• If you are in Oregon and have a commercial nuisance wildlife control operator’s license, it is legal to trap or relocate live nuisance wildlife animals. But if you don’t have a permit, it is against the law to trap and relocate a nuisance animal.
• All traps and snares, whether set for fur-bearing or unprotected animals, must be marked or branded with the owner’s license number, which the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has given.
• No brand-named trap or snare can be sold without a standard bill of sale.

How Can You Shoot And Hunt Squirrels In Oregon?

Here are some ways to hunt and shoot squirrels in Oregon. It’s best to avoid shotguns and guns with higher calibers.

• Using rifles with small bullets. They are your best bet if you want to use a squirrel’s fur as a trophy or if you want to mount a squirrel.
• Experienced hunting dogs with strong noses can smell squirrels in the air and help you find them. One of the best hunting dog breeds for catching squirrels is the Treeing Walker Coonhound, which will “tree” the rodents in a corner and wail at them until you get there.
• A loyal hunting dog will also protect you from squirrels that want to fight.
• Many hunters think that regular ammunition is enough, but they are wrong. Remember how tough squirrels can be.
• If you want to kill a bigger, more aggressive male squirrel, get some predator and varmint ammunition that can make a good shot and cut through tough hides.

Is It Legal To Shoot Squirrels With A Pellet Gun In Oregon?

It is permissible to go on squirrel hunts in the state of Oregon and use pellet and BB guns to kill the squirrels you find. The actual requirements for shooting squirrels are simple: the hunter must have a basic hunting license and must wear bright orange apparel visible from all sides. 

You can hunt squirrels with small rifles and shotguns like 22-caliber rifles, pellet rifles, or even small-bore shotguns. You can even use firearms that fire pellets.

Is It Legal To Shoot Squirrels On Property In Oregon? 

Even though there are no hunting laws that specifically ban the shooting of squirrels on either public or private territory, it is essential to learn the guidelines so that you can engage in this activity legally.

It’s normal practice for hunters to use both firearms and archery gear when going for squirrels. On the website of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), there is a comprehensive section titled “Hunting Furbearers,” which contains information on how to acquire a hunting license, apply for tags, and hunt squirrels in public and private areas throughout the state.

Conclusion

In Oregon, people who have a permit can kill squirrels and trap them. There are states where you can legally hunt and catch squirrels. You can’t simply relocate squirrels somewhere else.

When squirrels relocate, they are quickly replaced by new ones. The best thing to do is to leave the squirrels alone and get rid of or change whatever brings them to your yard.

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.