Squirrels cutting hickory nuts

[twodog]

The squirrels where I live have been cutting hicoory nuts for about a week. The nuts are not filled out yet but they are hitting them some. This is the earliest I can ever remember seeing this. Has anyone else seen any cutting this year?

[Hilltop]

Twodog, I have noted this unusual activity in years past but discovered that only male squirrels were doing it!

[Sylamore]

fox squirrels are doing the same here in my yard. I also see them in the fields digging roots.

Also saw a pair of quail and about 8 or so little chicks this afternoon. :thumb:

[xring]

Dang, My shag bark hickorys must not be putting on any hickory nuts this year, cause I haven't seen any cuttings, and I have a yard full of fox squirrels...:frown:

But maybe they are all females, I had never noticed this before, and I thought I was a hunter!!!

x

[snydedawg]

I may be wrong, but I was always told when this happens this early, one of two things have happened...either the density won't survive on the habitat or the habitat has suffered from weather (drought) to the extent that it won't carry the numbers....I haven't noticed this as of yet, but I have a place I'll try to check on in the a.m.

I remember a few years back when we had a dry summer that squirrels were cutting pine cones in August!!! And there were more squirrels that season than I ever remember seeing in my life. A limit of squirrels could be taken on even the smallest of woodlots and my aunt and grandma were raising all manner of hell about them raiding all the birdfeeders in their yards. Usually they have strict orders "Don't shoot my "pet" squirrels" that year they were offering to buy .22 ammo to "thin them out a bit".

[retired]

A fella told me he's seeing a good crop of red and white oaks around Clinton but they need rain or they could lose them. I haven't been looking around the bottoms yet. Its looking bad for rain.

[xring]

I don't even have post oak acorns this year:frown: Looks like I had some hickory nuts, but something stung them, ground littered with half sized hickory nuts with a small hole in each one of them. I didn't see any on my pin oaks either, but I don't see as well as I once did.....x

[reflex1]

X - you ain't as young as you once were! :biggrin: