Sciurus carolinsis vs. Sciurus niger

My father used to say "hunting fox squirells was like hunting house cats, no challenge". When I was young he would tell me that when I had a game bag full of fox squirells. As I got older and more patient, I knew what he meant. Gray skwerls with a 22, good times.

Shayne
 
Salem, there is actually a 'season' that runs from about September to November or so. I don't dig it so I don't pay attention exactly. There are a few plants on my place but I don't bother them. I guess each dried root from a 3 or 4 pronger would weight a 1/2 oz or so. The leaves turn a golden yellow as the summer fades into fall. You can see where the berry head was on the following one. TTT

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Originally Posted By: TnTnTnSalem, the plant is ginseng. It is used by the Chinese and others as a herbal remedy for most everything.
TnTnTn

TN, the old folks around here say the Chinese use it as a "root heister".
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Generally takes about 3# wet to make a pound dry. I haven't dug any for several years. They've passed a few laws here in IA. We also have a season and you can't dig less than a three-pronger (I never did anyway). The stuff is really picky about soil, and shade conditions. We don't have big timber here. I have lost several "places" to people putting up houses and horse pastures. I used to dig a pound a year just to keep my hand in it.. I may have to do that next year if I live that long.
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I always enjoyed looking for it, kinda like walking a plowed field after a rain looking for arrowheads.
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It's sad how a lot of that fun stuff slips away from us as we get older.
 
In my opinion,
shooting a fox squirrel is like shooting a goose, but shooting a grey is like shooting a teal.

Hidehunter,
You forgot to mention that greys are about 10 times tastier than the reds
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huntwith - one thing about reds - I can usually look at one and tell if he's going to be tough. The older they get - the bigger they get - the tougher they get. So I cook them different.

Dadburned gray squirrel can be tougher than a pair of Wick chaps and not look a bit different than last season's young of the year. Of course a "real" old buck gives himself away.
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Hidehunter once again a very well written and informative post. I am going to have to find some new squirrel ground. My usual spots are either dried-up of squirrels or flooded with water.
 
I've got dozens of Black squirrels on my land in northern WI.

They are pretty cool looking, jet black....still make a great pot pie!
 
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