I feed the birds in my front yard and have for 35+ years. I have 6 tube feeders full of black oil sunflower seed and about 20 large cobs of corn stuck on duplex nails on three trees. As a by product of bird feeding, I attract all kinds of squirrels. They come from all around, especially my neighbors 20 acre oak woods. He does not allow any hunting. I have grey and fox squirrels as regular visitors to my corn and feeders. They were showing up all summer. There was a huge bumper crop of acorns this season. It is mid January in South Central Wisconsin and there has been very little snow cover on the ground. The rain last night melted away what was left from the last storm.
My concern is that I have not seen any squirrels on my corn or feeders since October. In a typical winter, I will see 8 to 12 squirrels at one time on the feeders and/or corn. Has this happened to anyone else? Is it the lack of snow or perhaps the bumper acorn crop? Has a predator such as a marten moved into the area? Hunter pressure on squirrels in my area is next to nothing.
Squirrels are just fun to watch. I harvest 8 to 10 a year for a friend who still eats them. He enjoys getting cleaned vacuum sealed squirrels ready to cook as a present.
My concern is that I have not seen any squirrels on my corn or feeders since October. In a typical winter, I will see 8 to 12 squirrels at one time on the feeders and/or corn. Has this happened to anyone else? Is it the lack of snow or perhaps the bumper acorn crop? Has a predator such as a marten moved into the area? Hunter pressure on squirrels in my area is next to nothing.
Squirrels are just fun to watch. I harvest 8 to 10 a year for a friend who still eats them. He enjoys getting cleaned vacuum sealed squirrels ready to cook as a present.