black squirrels

[your_comforting_company]

I have seen one of these alive. New management area opened up this year that used to be a plantation, then a managed forest and hunting reserve. The state bought the land for WMA and opened it up for quota hunting. My uncle and I were riding through and came to the end of a long trail and saw the neatest little black squirrel hopping about and munching. we stopped and observed for a long time. I'd never seen a black squirrel before, and neither had he.

Two months later, my BIL brings me one with no head. said he shot it from however far away. I told him I'd never seen but one and there's no way I would shoot something so rare. at any rate, I have the hide and the meat and I got it fleshed out last night. A bit of salting to set the hair and I'll be braining this rarity over the weekend.

I wanted to know if anyone else had ever seen one like this. The fur is so soft and luscious. It's a beautiful glossy black, a very healthy critter. The picture doesn't do it justice, but I wanted to share anyway, to see if you guys thought this might be one of Ken's Ninja Assassins that maybe took a wrong turn in Hotlanta while on his way to my house to take me out!!

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg184/your_comforting_company/Brain%20Tanning/100_5962.jpg

not sure what I'm going to make out of it yet, but I'm thinking about a ninja disguise so they wont attack me because they think I'm one of them...

[Rick]

Actually, they are pretty common but regional. They are a variant of the Eastern Gray Squirrel. We had white squirrels in Illinois.

[canid]

i was way off. i was going to guess housecat.

[gryffynklm]

I see black squirrels here in Northern Illinois and in Mid WV. Might be rare in your locality.

[nell67]

I see alot of squirrels,but never a black one in my area.

[your_comforting_company]

BIL says they are all over the place around his house, but when I went there the other day, I didn't see a single one anywhere.
His creations never cease to amaze me. Just when you think you've seen it all...

[pocomoonskyeyes]

Judging from the size of the pelt, it appears to be a Fox Squirrel,not an Eastern Gray. I have seen one black Fox Squirrel in South Georgia many many years ago. I am interested to see what you come up with.

[rwc1969]

i'm starting to see more locally, but they are pretty common up north in michigan. Ours usually have less grey and the ones locally tend to have reds like a red squirrel does.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Definately a fox squirrel also called red squirrel. I have only seen 2 black ones. One was at work and visited an area of hardwoods everyday on my smoke break!

[owl_girl]

ive seen them in WI, MN, & MI. they look like this
http://www.ofnc.ca/fletcher/newsletter/Blog/March2008/black-squirrel.jpg
i think both red and gray squirrels come in black. ive only seen gray in black but heres a pic i found of red.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2142/2316823225_cdc0cfa8e8.jpg
this one looks more speckled and dusty in color then the rich black color of the gray.

[Camp10]

I have only seen one black squirrel and I dont remember where...I was hunting. This year I saw a white one in PA. I thought it was very rare but after reading Rick's earlier post..I guess not.

[laughingbeetle]

They were all over the place in Central New York...along with the gray squirrels.

[tipacanoe]

We had taken our son to the Shriners Hospital in Springfield Mass and the place was crazy with them.

[hunter63]

There is a lot of them in WI.
When I was growing up in central WI, we always kinda though they were rare, and sorta good luck to see one.
I'm not a squirrel hunter, so I leave them all alone.......unless the are getting in the shed and such.

[Beo]

Personally the fur color is just fur color to me, we have a few around here although I have only seen one or tow, in my opinion just shoot it and throw it in the pot, makes a fine stew :) In the end a squirrle is just a tree rat... lol
Beo,

[pocomoonskyeyes]

Had to go looking for the fox squirrel.(which is what I think this really is)this is some links :
http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/image_info.cfm?species_id=299
http://www.myfwc.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/SpeciesInfo_FoxSquirrel.htm
http://www.dickbrewer.org/fox_squirrel.html
http://homestudy.ihea.com/wildlifeID/038foxsquirrel.htm
This last one says that Fox squirrels reach 10" - 15" NOT including tail. This is the reason I believe what you have is a fox squirrel,NOT an Eastern Gray. The 3rd link has a lot of pictures of them showing a diverse coloring of coat(some even look the same as the Eastern Gray but Fox squirrels are Much larger.

(Boy Ken is going to love these links!!)

[Rick]

Thanks, Poco. I learned something today. I've never seen the black variant of the Red Squirrel. Cool.

Camp10 - Here's a link on the white squirrels in Illinois.

http://www.ci.olney.il.us/

http://www.ci.olney.il.us/squirrelcount.htm

[Beo]

So we have red, black, gray, and white tree rats... hmm I gotta get a bigger pot.
Beo,

[Rick]

I'm still looking for a blue one. Maybe yet this winter if it gets cold enough.

[rwc1969]

From smallest to largest our squirrels go- chipmunk, flying, red, black, grey, fox.

i got my biggest fox ever the other day, musta been 3 lbs. i think I got a pound of meat out of it.

From dummest to smartest they go- chipmunk, fox, red, black, grey, flying. The only reason the flying squirrels are smartest is because they're nocturnal. :)

[Rick]

I was in the garage yesterday and picked up a work boot. Full of peanuts that I feed the squirrels. Be vewy quiet. I'm hunting chipmunks.

[owl_girl]

So we have red, black, gray, and white tree rats... hmm I gotta get a bigger pot.
Beo,
well in some places they have squirrels with all the colors
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1355&d=1152772262
Prevost's Squirrel

[Swamprat1958]

Actually, they are pretty common but regional. They are a variant of the Eastern Gray Squirrel. We had white squirrels in Illinois.

Not exactly Rick. It is what most folks call a Red or Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) and is indigenous to most of the eastern and central U.S. It is the only fox commonly found on the prairies of the U.S. The black phase is more common in some areas than others. I have a black that nests in a large Willow Oak tree in my front yard every year. Its offspring are both red and black.

[your_comforting_company]

so its a black red squirrel.. no wait, it's a fox, no it's a squirrel.. I'm confused:confused1:

glad we cleared that up! thanks SR

[smittysurvival]

I see alot of squirrels,but never a black one in my area.

i see alot of squirrels im my area as well. ive seen a dark grey squirrels but never a black one. but to tell the truth, compared to the chair that squirrel looks like a small dog

[pocomoonskyeyes]

so its a black red squirrel.. no wait, it's a fox, no it's a squirrel.. I'm confused:confused1:

glad we cleared that up! thanks SR

LOL YCC one of those links said that there are something like 350 species of squirrel. The Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger is the largest of the species we have. We have small ones like chipmunk(Ground Squirrel) and flying Squirrel, medium size ones like the Eastern Gray Squirrel, to the largest we have the Fox ( probably so named as they are about the size of a Fox kit,that or their Tail). What clued me in to the fact that it was a Fox was the sheer size of the pelt. No Eastern Gray Squirrel will be that large.Not even the ones found around Nuclear facilities.:innocent: If you had lain that pelt down I would never have guessed what it was, but the chair gave me a reference to go by on size.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

LOL YCC one of those links said that there are something like 350 species of squirrel. The Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger is the largest of the species we have. We have small ones like chipmunk(Ground Squirrel) and flying Squirrel, medium size ones like the Eastern Gray Squirrel, to the largest we have the Fox ( probably so named as they are about the size of a Fox kit,that or their Tail). What clued me in to the fact that it was a Fox was the sheer size of the pelt. No Eastern Gray Squirrel will be that large.Not even the ones found around Nuclear facilities.:innocent: If you had lain that pelt down I would never have guessed what it was, but the chair gave me a reference to go by on size.

As I said, definately a Fox Squirrel....I concur with Poco!

[your_comforting_company]

I promise it's not my neighbors dog :innocent:

I also noticed it was a much larger squirrel than the others I've done recently.

I am sorry that it was killed, but it's a beautiful pelt and I hope my crude crafting will do it justice. I know I will appreciate it just to look at it. it is incredibly soft.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

I promise it's not my neighbors dog :innocent:

I also noticed it was a much larger squirrel than the others I've done recently.

I am sorry that it was killed, but it's a beautiful pelt and I hope my crude crafting will do it justice. I know I will appreciate it just to look at it. it is incredibly soft.

Oh I know it's not the neighbors dog!! LOL
Don't worry you will do fine!! I/we have faith in you!

[Swamprat1958]

so its a black red squirrel.. no wait, it's a fox, no it's a squirrel.. I'm confused:confused1:

glad we cleared that up! thanks SR

your_comforting_company I swear I wasn't drinking when I wrote that, it sounded good, but now I see my error. It should have said the (It is the only SQUIRREL commonly found on the prairies of the U.S.

Da*& you can't get by with anything around here:blushing:.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

see if this helps- This map is the range of the Fox Squirrel. As you can see it's Range extends to the prairie.This is an excerpt from one of the sites I posted a link to earlier in the thread (page 1)


Eastern Fox Squirrels have long, foxtail-like tails, which they flick when they are excited. They and Eastern Gray Squirrels are alike in many ways. They breed at the same time of year, nest in the same kind of places, and eat the same foods. However, Fox Squirrels prefer more open habitat, whereas Grays prefer good tree cover. Fox Squirrels spend more time foraging and running about on the ground than do the grays, and may be encountered in fields quite far from any trees, where gray squirrel would not stray. Both species feed on acorns, which are rich in tannins. Tannins are poisonous to many animals, including worms, and keep the squirrels free of roundworms and tapeworms. Fox Squirrels accumulate another chemical compound, porphyrin, in their bones and teeth, which makes their bones and teeth pink and bright red under ultraviolet light. Here's a mystery: Gray Squirrels eat the same foods and this does not happen to them—nor to any other healthy mammal.

Also known as:
Fox Squirrel, Cat Squirrel, Stump-eared Squirrel
There is more info on those sites which will provide lots of info concerning this species of squirel.
Where is Ken when you need him?? Isn't he the resident "Squirrel expert" or is it he's just "squirrelly"?

[Rick]

Actually, the true Black Squirrel is a sub species of the Eastern Gray, which is what I thought it was. I'd never seen the black tinged fox squirrels before so it was learning experience for me thanks to Poco.

"The black squirrel is a melanistic subgroup of the eastern gray squirrel. They are common in Midwestern North America and in parts of the Northeast."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_squirrel

[2dumb2kwit]

If you have enough paprika and chili powder in your dry rub, it'll turn any of them red.:innocent: LOL

[smittysurvival]

I promise it's not my neighbors dog :innocent:

I also noticed it was a much larger squirrel than the others I've done recently.

I am sorry that it was killed, but it's a beautiful pelt and I hope my crude crafting will do it justice. I know I will appreciate it just to look at it. it is incredibly soft.

a cat with a buhy tail? i know what you could make! make a blanket!

[Oscar]

We have black, red, and grey ones in Nebraska. Very common and not rare. I had squirrel several years ago, but remember it as very good eats. This was back before all the political correctness and Boy Scouts could take 22 rifles out with them during winter campouts to hunt squirrel and rabbit. We shot and ate both and it was ghood. Didn't harm a thing and we controlled the population of long tailed rats.

[smittysurvival]

Didn't harm a thing and we controlled the population of long tailed rats.

dont dis the squirrels bro.

[Rick]

Oh no. Ken junior. I suppose you have a pet squirrel, too.

[smittysurvival]

not officialy. one red squirrel that i wont let anyone shoot. it will come and sit on the porch with me if i set out sunflower seeds or birdseed and a bowl of sweet tea. its the strangest thing. wont come within two feet of me and i cant move really fast but it will let me move normally

[crashdive123]

dont dis the squirrels bro.

This coming from a young man that started this thread?

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?t=9913

[your_comforting_company]

smitty.. don't play with your food..

[Ken]

Oh no. Ken junior. I suppose you have a pet squirrel, too.

I just saw this post. :sneaky2:

[welderguy]

I just saw this post. :sneaky2:

what were you doing ? searching for new squirrel recipes.

[2crows]

Between Denver and Colorado Springs, I-25 southbound rest area -- is the only place I've seen this kind. Black with tufted ears.

9100

[yellowcab]

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