Albino Squirrel

[tealitup]

Recently I was looking past my garage and saw a true albino squirrel. Red eyes and all white. (It was a grey "style" squirrel)

What do you think I should do - Kill it and have it mounted or leave it and hope the genes are past on? Is this rare in the squirrel family - has anyone seen this before?

[Deitz Dittrich]

I have a stand that I sometimes hunt that is very near the St.Croix river.. and while sitting there I have seen an Albino squirl. Which really amazed me.. with all the eagles and other predatory birds on the river. .No clue how it has survived this long.

As for you, I would do what you want... I am not a big fan of tree rats.... SO mounting it would be out of the question for me. I would mayble like the tail for tieing up some lures..

[toughguy]

I've seen a few albino tree rats in 3 different locations around the south metro so I don't think they are extremely rare. My folks have them in the back yard, and have for years, so the genes must be passed down. (Can't be the same squirrel after 10 years? I don't know how long a squirrel lives) If you want a conversation piece for a mount I'd shoot it. If you're just going to eat it I'd let it run. Just my opinion.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Tough guy, I did a google search on squirrl life span.. I was surprised to read that in captivity.. they have lived as long as 20 years... go figgure?

[SCUMFROG]

I lived in Farmington when I was in high school. That town has the highest albino squirrel population in Minnesota. What I was told is that if you kill one of these by accidentally and don't report it to the D.N.R. you could be fined. If you where to kill one on purpose you will get a hefty fine for it. So I'd leave it alone. Is it bothering you?

[tealitup]

No, it is not bothering me. I had no idea there would be a fine if I shot one and had it mounted. Just thought it looked rare and would look good in a mount.

Thanks for the heads-up I am going to email the DNR and ask them since there is nothing in the reg's about shooting one.

[tealitup]

From the DNR HSOforum on Albino animals

Hunting Albino Animals

Some people believe hunting albino animals should be off-limits. In fact, 13 states have made it illegal to do so. In Minnesota it is legal to hunt albino animals, although the hunting of white bears, albino or leucistic, is outlawed. Is it unsporting to hunt an animal that may be easier to find? Should we make a law to prevent hunting albino animals? Or should we continue to allow hunters to decide for themselves?

[SCUMFROG]

I would leave it alone. I think seeing the same old grays every day gets boring. Maybe you could name it. It could be your own pet squirrel.

When I was still at home we could feed them by hand. Kind of neat to have one walk up to you when your sitting on the deck and stand up on it's hind legs and beg like a dog.

We have a cabin and see a lot of black ones running around those are neat also.

[EatSleepFish]

If you do decide to shoot it, cabelas has a squirrel mounting kit for like $18, but i Would leave it be, never seen an albino animal and would be cool to have plenty around

[Norsky]

I had one in my backyard for 3 seasons, not entirely sure if it was the same one. We nicknamed him "Whitey". I also saw an albino deer in Father Hennepin State Park a couple weekends ago.

[Cooter]

I got one last year here in WI that was white but not albino, gonna have it mounted. Looking for that black one which is lots easier than the white un.

[hanson]

Cooter-

Did you say 'Black'? I've got a bunch of those black squirrels that tromp around my deer stand when I'm trying to take a nap in the morning. Nothing worse than thinking a deer is sneaking up on you to see a couple squirrels chasing each other around.

Dietz- I talked to you before about this. We hunt very similar land very close to each other for deer. You have got to be seeing some of our black squirrels over your way.

[huntingislife]

Come to the U of M campus. Its infested with squirrels. Black, white, gray---they are everywhere.