Mississippi sportsmen can hunt two squirrel species, eastern gray squirrels and fox squirrels, both found throughout the state.
People might also spot two subspecies of fox squirrel.
Much larger than gray squirrels, fox squirrels come in many colors ranging from red to solid black. The Bachman, or “hill country” fox squirrel, prefers upland forests. Another subspecies, the delta fox squirrel, primarily lives in thick mature hardwood bottomland forests of the Mississippi Delta Region along the Mississippi River.
“Our more upland fox squirrels will have variations of white, black, and red coloration,” explained Rick Hamrick, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks top small game biologist. “We can sometimes identify individuals just based on their individual mask characteristics and their different coloration patterns. In the Mississippi Delta Region, we have some squirrels that are mostly black all over or a rusty red color with a yellowish belly. Those are typically the two distinct color phases with delta fox squirrels.”
The mast crop, or the number of acorns and other food sources nature produces each year, drive squirrel populations. After years of plentiful mast, squirrel populations bloom the following spring. After a bad year, squirrel populations dip a bit. Squirrels also like to eat pine seeds, berries, and fruits.
“Squirrel populations fluctuate annually, but the long-term populations of the delta fox squirrel seem to be stable as long as they can find mature hardwood forest,” Hamrick said. “In the bigger chunks of forest, the fox squirrel population is in pretty good shape, whether red or black. In some areas, people might see a few more red ones and in other areas, they might see a few more black ones, but the numbers are pretty good.”
Many sportsmen visit the Mississippi Delta Region trying to bag a solid or mostly black squirrel to put on their walls. Some fox squirrels also come in nearly solid black coloration, except for a white nose and white ears. Sportsmen can hunt many public lands in the state including wildlife management areas, U.S. Forest Service, national wildlife refuges, and some U.S. Army Corps of Engineers properties.
Squirrel populations fluctuate annually, but the long-term populations of the delta fox squirrel seem to be stable as long as they can find mature hardwood forest. In the bigger chunks of forest, the fox squirrel population is in pretty good shape, whether red or black.
Some of the best hunting for delta fox squirrels occurs in the Delta National Forest. The forest spreads across 60,898 acres of bottomland hardwood forests in Sharkey County. The state-managed Sunflower WMA includes most of the forest about 10 miles east of Rolling Fork. Some other WMAs for squirrel hunting include Twin Oaks, also near Rolling Fork, Mahannah about 12 miles north of Vicksburg, O’Keefe in Quitman County, and Malmaison near Greenwood.
Squirrel hunting offers an excellent way to introduce youngsters to the sport of hunting and teach them woodsmanship skills. The Mississippi squirrel season runs through Feb. 28, 2024. The 2024 spring season lasts from May 15 to June 1. Season dates and other regulations might differ on private vs public lands and on various public hunting areas, so always check before hunting anywhere.
For more information on public places to hunt and other regulations, see www.mdwfp.com.
