MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Vermont hunting season for gray squirrels begins September 1and continues through December 31, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

“Vermont has a healthy population of gray squirrels, concentrated in southern Vermont and the Champlain Valley,” said Hunter Education Coordinator Nicole Meier.  “They’re a fantastic small game species for new hunters to learn the basics of reading the landscape, making a safe and ethical shot and cooking wild game.”

In Vermont, gray squirrels are often hunted with a .22 rifle, a shotgun or archery equipment.  The department recommends that squirrel hunters wear a blaze orange hat and vest anytime they are afield.

The best habitat types for squirrel hunting are stands of nut-bearing trees like oak, hickory and beech.  The daily bag limit is four gray squirrels, and the possession limit is eight.

“Gray squirrels are incredibly tasty — many would say better than rabbit,” said Meier.  “You can find great gray squirrel recipes in classic cookbooks, trendy culinary magazines and anywhere that publishes wild food recipes.”