Ground Squirrel Habits

[Loki_762]

I went out hunting in an area this morning that had a bunch of ground squirrels in it a month ago, but saw none.  Do they estivate when it gets too hot outside, or is the place likely hunted out?  It has been between 90 and 100 degrees in the area lately, so I am guessing this is the case.  Can anyone confirm this?
Loki

[Lawdog]

Loki,

Go back and try just after sunrise.  During the heat of the day they will lay up.  Lawdog
 

[Ladobe]

Some species of GS's do in fact spend a very short period of the year "above ground" - the rest of it in hibernation/estivation.   The Belding GS's, the species that we shoot at the annual Digger Wars I host in Northern Nevada, have about the longest hibernation period of any of the NA species at 8-9 months of the year.   Down here, the southern edge of their range, they are usually only out from sometime in April until end of July or so each year, with the years young first coming out about late May.   Adult males start going down in June, females follow about a month later, but the years younsters may still linger for a while longer trying to put on weight to survive the long fall/winter/spring hibernation.   Eastern OR is as close as the Belddings get to you, but you may be seeing a related species with similar habits.

Larry