Stormy weather and uncooperative squirrels got the best of local kids during the Young Outdoorsmen United’s squirrel hunt and dinner event held the day after Christmas.
Even though hunting conditions were far less than perfect, the 10 youth ages 5-15 stalked thru the woods and learned to sit silent and motionless, in hopes of spying an unwary bushy-tail.
Needless to say, not a single squirrel was spied.
In spite of the blustery wet conditions, the young hunters successfully experienced first-hand how to identify specific species of trees such as white oak, red oak, hickory, and pecan, plus the fallen nut and acorns that all provide for good wildlife habitat.
The girls and boys, many of them first-time squirrel hunters, also were educated about the size/weight of grey and red squirrels, breeding season, gestation periods, and litter sizes. They also learned that hunters in Missouri harvest 1.5-3 million squirrels annually.
