# Major rule change for 2010 squirrel season



## Thunderhead

For Immediate Release :

Pursuant to act:12A, Paragraph:C Section:8 
DNR Policy Regarding Summer Drought Conditions Adversly Affecting Michigan Wildlife.
Contact : Ben Hadd, Regional Wildlife Director NRC.

An emergency meeting of the NRC in Lansing today resulted in the following changes to Michigan's 2010 Squirrel Season.

Effective Immediately:
It has been determined that the conditions of the 2010 Summer Drought Index concerning wildlife survival rates have been met with recent adverse summer weather due to global warming severely affecting Michigans wild squirrel populations in many of Michigans counties resulting in massive squirrel loss. 

Due to the recent severe winter weather conditions affecting Michigan, compounded with the recently implemented feeding ban in the lower peninsula, the following changes have been implemented :

THE HARVESTING OF ONLY MALE SQUIRRELS WILL BE ALLOWED FOR THE 2010 SEASON. 

HARVESTING OF FEMALE SQUIRRELS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED INDEFINATLY.

Changes in bag limits FOR 2010:
The new bag limits for the 2010 squirrel season are as follows :
2 male squirrels may be harvested per day. 
It has been determined that the testicles of 1 1/2 year old male squirrels are plainly visible to the hunter therfore it is advised to harvest only those with larger, plainly visible testicles. 
Scopes are highly recommended.

Transporting squirrels : 
The testicles should be plainly visible with at least one testicle left on the animal when transporting. Wrap testicle in a cool, wet napkin to contain and avoid contamination of meat.

Upon contact by a uniformed Conservation Officer all squirrels in possession must be immediately surrendered for testicle inspection.

This temporary restriction will ensure healthy squirrel populations for future generations. 
The office of the Michigan Dept. Of Natural Resources deeply regrets any inconvience this may cause hunters, but, feels that due to the circumstances and the resulting decimation of Michigan Squirrel populations this action is appropriate and necessary.

Penalties for violating these restrictions will include fines of 1500.00 per violation and revocation of hunting privileges for 3 years.

Reference: 2004 Wildlife Weather Survival Studies. Global Warming Study. Michigan State University. DNR Mandate 1:7.88 Par.19 1972


----------



## shop tom

This is just nuts.

tom


----------



## jeffm

Thanks for the heads up Thunderhead.

LOL, I better get a better scope I guess, I will be passing on alot of them it looks.


----------



## deLabé

jeffm said:


> Thanks for the heads up Thunderhead.
> 
> LOL, I better get a better scope I guess, I will be passing on alot of them it looks.


But?! What happened to "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes"?


----------



## Fins and feathers

:rant:***, Are they trying to turn everyone in to a poacher. Let the dnr tell that 12 year old , sitting there with a single shot shotgun. That he cant shoot until he see the squirrels balls/ nuts.:rant:


----------



## jasnooks

Fins and feathers said:


> :rant:***, Are they trying to turn everyone in to a poacher. Let the dnr tell that 12 year old , sitting there with a single shot shotgun. That he cant shoot until he see the squirrels balls/ nuts.:rant:


 I'm pretty sure its a joke.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Firefighter

It's 100% true. They confirmed at the NRC meeting yesterday.


----------



## Elk5012

Just great, next thing they'll have to have minimum of 3 on one side.


----------



## KalamazooKid

How is a guy supposed to keep up with all these rules?


----------



## Elk5012

KalamazooKid said:


> How is a guy supposed to keep up with all these rules?


It was brought up at our QSMA emergency meeting that this may happen.


----------



## jasnooks

Firefighter said:


> It's 100% true. They confirmed at the NRC meeting yesterday.


 So how are hunters without internet access supposed to know of this law? I'd hate to see hunters that follow the rules in the rulebook get busted for poaching when they think their following the rules.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## William H Bonney

Man,,,, you guys crack me up..........:lol:


----------



## Spartan88

I think anyone who hunts oak stands is a slob hunter that doenst know how to hunt without bait.


----------



## NoWake

It's for the health of the drey.


----------



## Scott K

The QSMA remark made me chuckle a little.


----------



## mjmmusser

TH, What ever happened to the amendment that would have made illegal to also shoot color phase squirrels?


----------



## NoWake

Are hound hunters going to be exempt from this rule, like in the original proposal?


----------



## No Deer

The good news is you can hunt in full camo. This will allow you to get closer to them to ensure that they are males.


----------



## Rasputin

I thought they extended this rule to grouse as well. Problem is that grouse testicles don't drop enough to be visible until the birds reach 3.5 years old. Be careful with those shotguns today!


----------



## Fins and feathers

Thanks thunderhead i was running around the woods this morning looking for nuts before i pulled the trigger. Seen one set all morning. And i see them every morning:lol:. Good one


----------



## bronc72

I got fined $4000 today for shooting a squirrel that turned out to be 6 months to young. The DNR officers could tell this by after measuring the squirrel's jewels. The were 2 mm too small. I need a better scope.
Be careful before you drop the hammer!


----------



## Ray Duve

If this is true than three females I bagged this morning could have landed me in trouble.The DNR website does not have a thing on the site reguarding these new rule changes.Hopefully this is BS because I can see a lot of miss informed hunters be fined .


----------



## Firefighter

Ray Duve said:


> If this is true than three females I bagged this morning could have landed me in trouble.The DNR website does not have a thing on the site reguarding these new rule changes.Hopefully this is BS because I can see a lot of miss informed hunters be fined .


 
Man, you need to invest in some good optics. I took 5 male with my bow today. I used my rangefinder to make triple sure before I shot, because I can't afford the 250.00 per infraction fine.


----------



## Bountyhunter

Oops.:lol:


----------



## wally-eye

I don't know why this law wasn't instituted years ago.....is it really that hard to tell a male squirrel????????


----------



## Bomba

Ray Duve said:


> If this is true than three females I bagged this morning could have landed me in trouble.The DNR website does not have a thing on the site reguarding these new rule changes.Hopefully this is BS because I can see a lot of miss informed hunters be fined .


 
WOW, it's amazing how many people actually believe TH's little jokes:lol:


----------



## blood trail

Bomba said:


> WOW, it's amazing how many people actually believe TH's little jokes:lol:


You mean this was a JOKE?:rant:

I spent the better part of the day yesterday going around to all the sporting goods stores I could drive to on a tank of gas having people signing a petition to get the NEW LAW reversed!!!

By the time I got to the woods to begin hunting the DNRE had check stations set up at 3 of the parking spots I usually park at. One officer got sooo upset when I presented him with my petitions that he gave me a FREE NUTLESS SQUIRREL STAMP and sent me on my way.

I have copies of my petitions if anyone would like me to mail a copy to them so they can get their FREE NUTLESS SQUIRREL STAMP....JUST SEND ME A PM AND I WILL GET IT OUT TO IN THE MAIL RIGHT AWAY!!!!!


----------



## brushbuster

QSMA member. If you want big nuts dont look for little nuts


----------



## blood trail

brushbuster said:


> QSMA member. If you want big nuts dont look for little nuts


Sounds like the goal of QSMA is to target specific age/size structure within in the herd?

You guys must be shooting a lot of BLACK squirrels.....I hear they have bigger nuts:lol:


----------



## Elk5012

blood trail said:


> Sounds like the goal of QSMA is to target specific age/size structure within in the herd?
> 
> You guys must be shooting a lot of BLACK squirrels.....I hear they have bigger nuts:lol:


 I only shoot if they are clearly outside of the hairs. Basket sacks aren't impressive IMO


----------



## blood trail

Elk5012 said:


> Basket sacks aren't impressive IMO


 
LMAO:lol:


----------



## jatc

I heard talk about a special youth crossbow only squirrel hunt good only on private parcels with a property value exceeding $150,000. I guess my question is: How do you guys feel about this "early season"? Is it going to mess up your normal opener what with the "pressured" squirrels and such? What if some kid whacks "your squirrel"? The one you've been watching and feeding all summer and have already paid the retainer to the taxedermist for. Man that could cost a guy a lot of money in lost revenue from the book you were going to write about it "The Nuts of Autumn". Dang, we need to stand up and fight this group of lunatics that run the DNRE! They are ruining everything. I'm thinking we need to start an on-line petition to stop this hunt in it's planning stages.

Apparently the DNR is going to do a three year study and measure the participation level and its apparent affects on the squirrel population. If all goes as planned this could become a permanant fixture. We have to act now! There has even been talk of gear restrictions in certain counties to preserve the "Quality Nut Harvesting". Seems the .22 single shot snobs want certain areas all to themselves! I'm so mad I can't even contain my anger! The NRC is planning statewide meetings to get hunter input about these possible changes but as we all know, the rich special interest groups already have these guys in their back pockets.

I also heard that the winningest squirrel hunting tournament team ever "Best Nuts Too" got busted recently for knocking squirrels off of the branches to measure the balls before harvesting them which is totally unethical and against the spirit of the Tourny rules. No word yet if there will be any type of punishment from the commitee although several are seeking a lifetime ban. It seems that there were actual witnesses this time to confirm the ongoing rumors along with several squirrels running around the area with broken legs and concussions. The team in question claims they didn't do anything that other winning teams haven't done in the past. Should start a petition about this too I guess.

Don't even get me started about the acorn pile vs. acorn plot controversy.

We need to take back our state and the animals that belong to us! Fire the DNRE and NRC and put Nugent in charge of our wildlife division. I can only imagine the cool critters he would introduce into our state for his fellow "Bloodbrothers".

I also see there is a new "QSM" forum on this site. Those guys argue way too much for me to participate though. Right now there is an ongoing debate about increasing the ball size of the herd and its effects on testicular cancer which some feel may decimate our squirrel population if left unchecked. That is if the wolves don't get them first as is happening in our northern regions.


----------



## theredmission

what is this like the 10th year in a row this has been posted? OLD joke zzzzzzzzzz


----------



## addicted2ice

I chuckled after "global warming" everyone knows its now called "Global Climate Disruption".......


----------



## the jona

A guy I work with fell for this last year, man he was fired up! It is too bad that the dnr is so rediculous that it isnt that hard to believe they would come up with this! Good joke, keep it up!


----------



## woodsrunner

Joke? I already fired off an email to guv granhole to complain!


----------



## Bountyhunter

This is so funny to sit back and watch if... never mind. I shot another female Thursday.


----------



## Dantana

jatc said:


> I heard talk about a special youth crossbow only squirrel hunt good only on private parcels with a property value exceeding $150,000. I guess my question is: How do you guys feel about this "early season"? Is it going to mess up your normal opener what with the "pressured" squirrels and such? What if some kid whacks "your squirrel"? The one you've been watching and feeding all summer and have already paid the retainer to the taxedermist for. Man that could cost a guy a lot of money in lost revenue from the book you were going to write about it "The Nuts of Autumn". Dang, we need to stand up and fight this group of lunatics that run the DNRE! They are ruining everything. I'm thinking we need to start an on-line petition to stop this hunt in it's planning stages.
> 
> Apparently the DNR is going to do a three year study and measure the participation level and its apparent affects on the squirrel population. If all goes as planned this could become a permanant fixture. We have to act now! There has even been talk of gear restrictions in certain counties to preserve the "Quality Nut Harvesting". Seems the .22 single shot snobs want certain areas all to themselves! I'm so mad I can't even contain my anger! The NRC is planning statewide meetings to get hunter input about these possible changes but as we all know, the rich special interest groups already have these guys in their back pockets.
> 
> I also heard that the winningest squirrel hunting tournament team ever "Best Nuts Too" got busted recently for knocking squirrels off of the branches to measure the balls before harvesting them which is totally unethical and against the spirit of the Tourny rules. No word yet if there will be any type of punishment from the commitee although several are seeking a lifetime ban. It seems that there were actual witnesses this time to confirm the ongoing rumors along with several squirrels running around the area with broken legs and concussions. The team in question claims they didn't do anything that other winning teams haven't done in the past. Should start a petition about this too I guess.
> 
> Don't even get me started about the acorn pile vs. acorn plot controversy.
> 
> We need to take back our state and the animals that belong to us! Fire the DNRE and NRC and put Nugent in charge of our wildlife division. I can only imagine the cool critters he would introduce into our state for his fellow "Bloodbrothers".
> 
> I also see there is a new "QSM" forum on this site. Those guys argue way too much for me to participate though. Right now there is an ongoing debate about increasing the ball size of the herd and its effects on testicular cancer which some feel may decimate our squirrel population if left unchecked. That is if the wolves don't get them first as is happening in our northern regions.


Great post!!! :lol::lol::lol:


----------



## DXT Deer Slayer

The next thing is going to be "squirrel bedding areas"!


----------



## duckhunter382

I am waiting for them to open up female squirrel hunting and decimate the female population and make rules against killing any male that doesnt have mature nuts. let them go and let them grow and kill off all the females for meat. if you want to have a good trophy squirrel population you have to get the female to male ratio down to healthy levels. Just wait until you go to someones house and they have squirrel nuts on the wall and are telling you about the new quality management policy on their property and how much bigger the nuts would be if the slob neighbors would quit shooting yearling males over acorns.


----------



## bhhad25

jatc said:


> I heard talk about a special youth crossbow only squirrel hunt good only on private parcels with a property value exceeding $150,000. I guess my question is: How do you guys feel about this "early season"? Is it going to mess up your normal opener what with the "pressured" squirrels and such? What if some kid whacks "your squirrel"? The one you've been watching and feeding all summer and have already paid the retainer to the taxedermist for. Man that could cost a guy a lot of money in lost revenue from the book you were going to write about it "The Nuts of Autumn". Dang, we need to stand up and fight this group of lunatics that run the DNRE! They are ruining everything. I'm thinking we need to start an on-line petition to stop this hunt in it's planning stages.
> 
> Apparently the DNR is going to do a three year study and measure the participation level and its apparent affects on the squirrel population. If all goes as planned this could become a permanant fixture. We have to act now! There has even been talk of gear restrictions in certain counties to preserve the "Quality Nut Harvesting". Seems the .22 single shot snobs want certain areas all to themselves! I'm so mad I can't even contain my anger! The NRC is planning statewide meetings to get hunter input about these possible changes but as we all know, the rich special interest groups already have these guys in their back pockets.
> 
> I also heard that the winningest squirrel hunting tournament team ever "Best Nuts Too" got busted recently for knocking squirrels off of the branches to measure the balls before harvesting them which is totally unethical and against the spirit of the Tourny rules. No word yet if there will be any type of punishment from the commitee although several are seeking a lifetime ban. It seems that there were actual witnesses this time to confirm the ongoing rumors along with several squirrels running around the area with broken legs and concussions. The team in question claims they didn't do anything that other winning teams haven't done in the past. Should start a petition about this too I guess.
> 
> Don't even get me started about the acorn pile vs. acorn plot controversy.
> 
> We need to take back our state and the animals that belong to us! Fire the DNRE and NRC and put Nugent in charge of our wildlife division. I can only imagine the cool critters he would introduce into our state for his fellow "Bloodbrothers".
> 
> I also see there is a new "QSM" forum on this site. Those guys argue way too much for me to participate though. Right now there is an ongoing debate about increasing the ball size of the herd and its effects on testicular cancer which some feel may decimate our squirrel population if left unchecked. That is if the wolves don't get them first as is happening in our northern regions.



LMAO....post of the year so far. You should copy and paste this in the whitetail forum so some of those guys can see how ridiculous they sound.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## autumnlovr

Gentlemen.....please put down the keyboard, crackberry, iphone, whatever electronic device. Pick up a shotgun, bow, crossbow, fishing rod, whatever your favorite piece of sporting equipment and get your arses OUTSIDE. You've all lost your minds and need some fresh air.
Peace be with you.....


----------



## Beaversson

I don't care who you are that's funny right there!!!:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


----------



## Fishslayer5789

LMAO!!!!!! That has got to be the funniest thing I have ever read. It reminds me of Omlet and Finster radio when they make up stories and get idiots to actually believe them, such as when they cancelled halloween. I hope to God that no one was dumb enough to believe this.:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## MERGANZER

This was funny!!!!




The first 5 years it was posted.

ganzer


----------



## bfd1032

This thing seems to pop up every year. Its even more fun to see that people believe it


----------



## raisedbywolves01

Gotta admit, you got me....like someone here said though...it's sad that the DNRE has gotten so stupid that someone would take this one hook line and sinker. But hey, I'm man enough to admit when i've been had. good one.:lol:


----------



## hunt-n-fool

Better watch it fellers....... soon there will be tighter rules here like in the deer hunting forum...............


----------



## MaryDettloff

Hi, Mary Dettloff here. I'm the public information officer with the DNRE. This is a total hoax. There is no truth to it at all.


----------



## jasnooks

MaryDettloff said:


> Hi, Mary Dettloff here. I'm the public information officer with the DNRE. This is a total hoax. There is no truth to it at all.


Lol.. Whats wrong Mary? To many phone calls coming in?


----------



## Thunderhead

LOL

Wait till Spring Turkey season rolls around again.


----------



## feedinggrounds

Ya the old DNRE would know a hoax when they see one!!:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## FredBearYooper

Fishslayer5789 said:


> LMAO!!!!!! That has got to be the funniest thing I have ever read. It reminds me of Omlet and Finster radio when they make up stories and get idiots to actually believe them, such as when they cancelled halloween. I hope to God that no one was dumb enough to believe this.:lol::lol::lol:


Did you hear when they said that you had to buy a license to pick morels? That was hilarious...people were calling in all sorts of pissed off...:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## Fishslayer5789

FredBearYooper said:


> Did you hear when they said that you had to buy a license to pick morels? That was hilarious...people were calling in all sorts of pissed off...:lol::lol::lol:


HA! Yup, I heard that one too. That one was huge for stirring up a storm.:lol:


----------



## FredBearYooper

Fishslayer5789 said:


> HA! Yup, I heard that one too. That one was huge for stirring up a storm.:lol:


Can't beat omelette and finster... Glad they didn't get fired for being drunk in the studio on st.pattys day


----------



## greenhead1984

MaryDettloff said:


> Hi, Mary Dettloff here. I'm the public information officer with the DNRE. This is a total hoax. There is no truth to it at all.


:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## KalamazooKid

MaryDettloff said:


> Hi, Mary Dettloff here. I'm the public information officer with the DNRE. This is a total hoax. There is no truth to it at all.


Oh my. 

Mary, my best advice is to put one "Thunderhead" on your IGNORE list like most others here have done. It'll save you precious hours of your time. (you'll thank me later!)


----------



## jlcrss

Did they address squirrel baiting? Are food plots still legal for squirrels. Also can you hunt from an elevated blind now with squirrels?


----------



## Petronius

I sent the rule change to one of my hunting partners the other day. We were planning to do some squirrel hunting this weekend so his mind was already on squirrels. He read it and spent an hour on the michigan.gov web site trying to find info on this. His son glanced at it and knew it was a hoax right away. He sent it to the rest of the guys. Really stirred things up with them. Teaches you not to believe everything you read or hear just because someone else says it's true.


----------



## Smen

Funniest stuff I've read in a long time very nice!!!lmao!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

