Are Fox Squirrels Displacing Gray Squirrels?

April 30, 2009

Question: I used to have nothing but gray squirrels here in Placerville (about 2,000 ft. elevation), but over the past two to three years my gray squirrels began disappearing and now I have the eastern fox squirrels living in the same trees. It looks like they ran the gray squirrels out. Are the fox squirrels more aggressive than the gray squirrels and are they expanding their habitat? Sure looks like it.

Which brings up another question: I’ve read they’re good eating and am wondering if any considerations are being made for hunting them? If so, would they be included in the gray squirrel bag or is the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) considering a separate bag for them? (Bill K., Placerville)

Answer: The western gray squirrel is native to California but the fox squirrel is an introduced species. According to DFG Environmental Scientist Jessie Garcia, the fox squirrel’s natural range extends throughout much of the eastern United States, the southern prairie provinces of Canada, the Dakotas, Colorado and Texas. They have been introduced to both northern and Southern California and there are reports of eastern fox squirrels displacing western gray squirrels in Southern California foothill habitats.

Gray squirrel population numbers fluctuate depending upon availability of food, incidence of disease, weather and other habitat conditions. Contributing factors such as heavy snowfall covering stores of buried food, increases in predation pressure, loss of snags, duff, slash or oak trees, and scabies (mange) outbreaks may all be causes contributing to reductions in the local population and may be allowing fox squirrels to occupy this niche.

Tree squirrels (genus Sciurus and Tamiasciurus) are defined as game mammals in the Fish and Game Code (Section 3950) and as resident small game in CCR Title 14 (Section 257). This means that both eastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) and western gray squirrels (Sciurus griseus) can be hunted and are included together in aggregate to make up one squirrel daily bag and possession limit.

The bag limit is four squirrels per day and four in possession. Before hunting them, check the regulations for season dates, authorized methods of take, and which areas are open and authorize their hunting (CCR Title 14 Sections 307 and 311).