Squirrel Migration

[Tbone]

Has anyone ever heard of a squirrel migration? I've found a bunch of old newspaper articles describing thousands of squirrels suddenly moving from one area to another since the early 1800s. They often crossed large bodies of water, even the Mississippi River, and people just clubbed them or picked them up in nets. The last big one was along the east coast in 1968, but officials reported one in North Louisiana in 1917. There was also one reported on Arkansas' Lake Norfork in 2011. No one knows why they do it.

[20watt]

Never heard of it. They'd have to move a long ways now days to find standing timber that hasn't been clear cut...

[bflowers]

What's the limit on netting and clubbing squirrels?

[Redge]

I have seen it, not on a grand scale, but have when there is a big acorn failure they left in less than a week. Next spring they came back in.

[DockShootinJack]

That would have to be a sight to see

[Tbone]

This is from one article: "Squirrel migrations across the upper Midwest, New England, and the Carolinas were observed in 1809, 1819, 1842, 1852, and 1856. In southeastern Wisconsin in 1842, a gray squirrel migration lasted four weeks and involved nearly a half billion squirrels. . . .September 1881, another large migration occurred near Reelfoot Lake: 'Squirrels are crossing the Mississippi River south of Hickman in fabulous numbers. They are caught by the dozens by men in skiffs. They enter and pass through cornfields, destroying everything as they go….'"

[Pastor]

I had an older man from Sterlington that I hunted with many many years ago tell me about a squirrel migration that took place close to Sterlington once. I don't remember if he mentioned what year, but he said that thousands of squirrels swam the Ouachita River near Sterlington.

[huntinslabs]

I would sure nough like to be at the front end of one with my 10/22. Shore nuff be going through some biscuits then.

[free bird]

I saw it once around 1975. Just north of Quitman. What looked like a kagillion squirrels. It took about 15 minutes for the squirrels to get by. It was loud. Kinda would remind you of a bunch of blackbirds in the winter time. I don't have any idea why they moved but I'll never forget it.

[TowboatTroller]

Around 2007 in TN we had hard freeze in late April looked like fall again. The squirrels left then for couple years.