Hill Country, Texas. Where’re the squirrels?

[joshb]

When I went back east, last spring, I had hundreds of squirrels running around my property. I’ve been back for a little over 2 weeks and I’ve only seen one!
I had loaded up on 22LR and brought my Savage Anschutz out with me so I could blast the little suckers. They’re all gone!
Was there a plague?
Do they have ESP and knew I was gearing up?
Frustrated in Kerrville!
Josh

 

[tmwinds]

The word is out that you are back in town.

 

[BlueWater]

Haven't traveled around much, myself, this year. But in my area there are usually several within visual distance, anytime I'm near the woody areas, shrubs and trees, away from asphalt/sidewalk spots. Sometimes, there are a dozen or more, but that's normally in the "park" areas with many more trees, far fewer people, no cars.

Though, that said, I think there are somewhat fewer this year than last year, within ~30mi of my home.

Don't see any bats, either. Just a handful of years ago, there used to be hordes of mosquitoes and moths, and just above them all in the evenings, just above the lights, there'd be countless bats flitting around going after all of the insects. (With the attendant high-freq squeak now and then.) Now ... nada. An occasional mosquito, practically no moths, no other puny flying insects to speak of ... and no bats at all. At least, none that I've heard or seen. Not a peep.

Bumble bees seem to have bounced back, a bit. At least, around where I live. Can't recall having seen more than a dozen in the past decade. And then, this year, there are dozens everywhere, almost daily. A good sign.

And frogs. Even turtles. Saw a turtle just the other day, "scampering" across the little driveway through the woods that I use to exit the property. A couple hours later, he'd gotten across and was likely in the little creek nearby. In the prior twenty years, though ... nada, not a one. Until this year.

I'm wondering whether it's the Covid mess. Foul up humankind's activities, and the whole world's species get a bit out of sorts. Perhaps we'll never know.

 

[Tommie]

Squirrels migrate. Sometimes enmasse. I’ve seen it.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

@joshb, the squirrel population seems pretty normal around our place in northeast Harris county, ~275 miles east of you.

 

[Rsadams]

Here in central Texas they have been gone for awhile... Three have been getting the acorns from the oak by my house.... This year the acorn crop hasn't been great , last year there was about five running a train on that tree , one would come and one would go then they all got in there together.... We used to have tons but they have disappeared over the last few years.... I love to watch them and hope they come back.... The good news is since the acorn crop is down the deer are moving this year.... I have never seen as many bucks as I have seen all over here this year.... A nice ten point almost ran into my car door last week....

 

[markT]

Squirrels? Are you talking about ground squirrels? Squirrels where I am are eastern grey squirrels aka tree rats. Just asking because we don’t have ground squirrels ( don’t want them either) ha
Savage Anschutz? What is that? Is that a partnership between the two companies? I’m not an expert just trying to learn. Thank you.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Tommie is probably right. I have seen it twice in my 74 years in Pa. Both times in late fall, no wind, looked across the hollow and the wind was blowing the leaves towards mo. Wind, there is no wind? It was a mass of squirrels maybe 50 yards wide and half that deep. Crossed the hollow below me and went out into a corn field. Amazing sight.

 

[KMart]

Squirrels migrate. Sometimes enmasse. I’ve seen it.

I have seen it once. Glad to see that someone else has. I've told people about the migration and they look at me funny.

 

[BP1]

They seem to have left my backyard..might be cause of this little fella..

 

[BP1]

This little dude

 

[joshb]

Squirrels? Are you talking about ground squirrels? Squirrels where I am are eastern grey squirrels aka tree rats. Just asking because we don’t have ground squirrels ( don’t want them either) ha
Savage Anschutz? What is that? Is that a partnership between the two companies? I’m not an expert just trying to learn. Thank you.

We used to have black rock squirrels, red squirrels and grey squirrels. They went poof!
I bought it for the kids to shoot. I’m no expert on them but I think Savage imported them under their name. Great little shooter! Here:

 

[KMart]

When I went back east, last spring, I had hundreds of squirrels running around my property. I’ve been back for a little over 2 weeks and I’ve only seen one!
I had loaded up on 22LR and brought my Savage Anschutz out with me so I could blast the little suckers. They’re all gone!
Was there a plague?
Do they have ESP and knew I was gearing up?
Frustrated in Kerrville!
Josh

With the freeze in February, It probably put a dent in the acorn production. Plus, you haven't been around to feed the critters. Where you live, the oaks are more like bushes compared to the oaks in East Texas. The sows should have had litters somewhere starting in March and the freeze may have fouled that up.
With a bad year for acorns, they moved looking for groceries. HEB doesn't have a squirrel store.

 

[chop house]

perhaps the native squirrels have been displaced by the influx of west coast squirrels?

 

[joshb]

With the freeze in February, It probably put a dent in the acorn production. Plus, you haven't been around to feed the critters. Where you live, the oaks are more like bushes compared to the oaks in East Texas. The sows should have had litters somewhere starting in March and the freeze may have fouled that up.
With a bad year for acorns, they moved looking for groceries. HEB doesn't have a squirrel store.

Ok, but over here in the Hill Country, we had bountiful rains and we have a bumper crop of acorns. A local “expert”(my wife’s cousin and next door neighbor) said that the bumper crop of acorns keeps them in the woods.????
I had a chuckle at your Oak tree comment. After the freeze, I got a crew in to clean up the downed branches. One guy came to me saying I had a “big oak” down in the side yard. I knew the tree. Maybe 15 feet tall and 30 feet across at the upper limbs. Maybe a half cord of wood in it. I asked the guy if he ever heard of a Penn Oak. He hadn’t, so I googled a picture and showed him. He didn’t believe it.
I used to clear land for developments back east. I told him I used to cut down 100 foot tall Oaks all the time. He was dumbfounded!

 

[Dave Berg]

I have seen it once. Glad to see that someone else has. I've told people about the migration and they look at me funny.

It's actually emigration I think since it's a one-way trip but I've seen one also.

I moved to upstate New York in 1967 but hunted and fished in northern PA. During the 1968 bow season, October/November, every trip through Bradford, Tioga and Potter county the roads were littered with hundreds of squirrel carcasses with still more scampering across. Game biologists claimed that very heavy crops of acorns and beech mast in 1967 lead to a population explosion. That was followed by a very poor crop in 1968 leaving them with nothing to eat. When you're a hunter/gatherer, as squirrels are, your only option is to set out looking for food.

One Sunday on the way back to NY we stopped for breakfast in Galeton and there were squirrels swimming across Pine creek. I didn't even know they could swim but the owner said they were crossing every day, all going the same way.

 

[JayBeeYou]

If you need some squirrels near you in Kerrville pm me, I know a guy.

 

[snert]

Josh,
I seriously don't like you now.

That SANCHUTZ is way too nice. That's my kinda 22. Too bad it isn't an HM2.

Your squirrels left and went to Looosiana. (That's my story and I am sticking to it).

In other news, the 36 is back on the Superior Mo'Better 6x50. The Leupold 6-18 had to be freed up for the new BAT SV 20 VT that arrived today. Now THAT be a squirrel gun!

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Come hang out at my house. I got so many of them you could fill up a 1-ton bed with pelts.

I got some neighbors that love to feed them, and back up to 2-3 acre lots with pecan trees and oaks. It's squirrel heaven.

On a related note, I need to get an air gun that's threaded 1/2x28.

Edit: Also need an appropriate ghillie suit for subdivision squirrel warfare.

 

[DiffEQ]

perhaps the native squirrels have been displaced by the influx of west coast squirrels?

Yep, Beto voters.

there were squirrels swimming across Pine creek. I didn't even know they could swim but the owner said they were crossing every day, all going the same way.

Escaping from Raccoon City.

I had only one or two occasionally until last year, when my 20 y.o. oak kicked the acorn yield into high gear.
Funny thing, knew I had black carpenter ant colony on the property. Spent a day following them til I found the nest. Turns out they live right under the oak. Saw one ant after the next bringing down the leaf worms that nosh on the tree.