Think I just saw a squirrel die of natural causes.

[timegoat]

And I'm pretty sure it was the female I was saving for later in the season.

I was out shooting the new 50' casual match and when I went to get my target I could hear the squirrel on one of the trees close to me. It was definitely odd, because they always run from me an this was close. I looked up and couldn't see anything so I walked around the tree and plop! The squirrel just hit the ground from... maybe 10 feet up? It lay there for a few minutes, looking very unhappy, and let me get within a few feet of it.

After a bit it dragged itself a foot or so on the forest floor, took a break for a minute, dragged itself another foot, rested, and did that a few times until it was deep enough in the underbrush so that I couldn't see it anymore.

It wasn't the male I shot on Sept 1st, I could see the flank I shot, and there was no evidence of a pellet hit. I got around to other side and saw the distinct small bare patch on the back of the female that I thought might've been pregnant a few weeks ago. There was no sign of blood or injury that I could tell, but I couldn't see its belly. And every shot I took at the paper target stayed in the pellet trap.

After it was out of sight I realized that maybe I should've put the poor thing out of its misery, but I was so hypnotized by the whole experience that it didn't even occur to me until it was too late.

I've seen some crazy stuff in my back yard (woods). Saw a garter snake take a frog that I scared with my lawnmower one day (didn't scare the snake), seen a black bear eating from a bird feeder on our deck (we don't hang them there anymore), but that squirrel has to be one of the strangest things I've seen yet.

- Mark

[The Knot]

Everyday is something new in natures view thats a cool story

[shadow]

It's rare to see wild animal's passing from natural causes since they seem to know that their dieing and find a safe place to die. You may have witnessed just that and it's ok that you didn't help it along and put it down right there, let Mother Nature take her course. Ed

[DMikeM]

Around here the Tree Rats are showing signs of illness and the population is fading fast. I have had friends ask if I could come over and "take care" of some sickly ones in there area. Took one down a few weeks back in my yard and when the dog got to it he just stopped short smelled it from afar and walked away. Usually he will crush a Tree Rat from head to tail. This one he wouldn't get near.

[only1harry]

Are you sure the squirrel died Mark?  You said it went out of sight in thick brush..

Anyway at least 2 scenarios here that I can see.  One is that the squirrel had a disease and died.  It happens and it can wipe out most of the squirrel population in an area, but they usually make a come-back in 2-3yrs or so from what I 've read.  Also sometimes squirrels depend on certain trees or nuts, and if the trees have a disease and did not produce nuts (or pinecones) which might be their major source of food, they can starve to death.  That's still part of #1 scenario - natural causes.  I still find it very strange that the squirrel didn't hide somewhere to die though.  That's what they do, which is why you almost never witness a critter dying of natural causes.
 
2nd scenario is that the squirrel got really scared or you spooked it when you walked over and you gave it a heart attack and fell, or you startled it with your practice shot, and when you walked over it was shaking so badly it couldn't hold on and fell.  It possibly hurt itself when it hit the ground or it had some kind of stroke/heart-attack. 
I had squirrel behave almost the same way!  TWICE I had a squirrel fall off the tree, maybe 3 times I think, but it's at least twice.  Once it was when I was target shooting.  The target was 25yds out and a squirrel fell off the tree with the first shot I took from the 350 .22.  It landed about 4-5ft next to my target but then ran away healthy.  The other time was after I shot a squirrel.  I went into the trees in my backyard to pick it up, and as soon as I got there and picked up the dead one, another one fell off the tree from 15-20ft up and landed 2ft behind me!  It scared the hek out of me!  It almost landed on me.  It too ran like hek up another tree. 

So as you can see, some squirrels can be spooked and scared "to death".  I had read one story a while back of them having a stroke or heart attack or something.  But the fact that the squirrel fell when you approached the area, cannot be a coincidence because it happened to me.  If it hadn't happened to me, I probably would have never stated scenario #2.  Bow now you have reinforced my belief that squirrels can fall out of the tree out of fear of us.  Some of them I think are really scared of the sound of the airguns (especially loud Springers?) and have learned to associate them with danger, especially if they have seen their comrades fall right after a shot that sounded the same, or if they 've been shot at and survived (or the pellet hit the tree just over their head or grazed them).  They associate the sound of a gun with danger quickly.  I have missed once or twice (hey I 'm human, hehe) when I used the 350 with open sights.  That squirrel I missed would take off like a rocket everytime he saw me and wouldn't stop running and jumping from tree to tree at unbelievable speeds until he was well into the neighbor's property. I just scared the living daylights out of him every time   I guess some of them don't have a strong enough heart to deal with the danger and fear sometimes, just like people with a "weak heart".  So my vote is for scenario #2. 

[timegoat]

Scenario #2 makes sense to me. I did a quick recon and can see it just under some bushes. It's definitely dead. I'm gonna head out with some rubber gloves (and my camera) and see if I can get a hold of it for closer inspection.

DMikeM, I was gonna ask where you are, but checked your profile and learned we're on opposite sides of the country. Doesn't mean it's not possible, but if we were in the same 'neighborhood' I'd go with disease too.

Headed out now to see what I can learn.

[timegoat]

Well well well... I got down there and pulled it out of the bushes. It's the female we've had floating around alright, and what I thought was a small bare patch was actually just a spot of lighter colored fur. There's some blood right behind it's front left leg, but appears to be no hole. There's too much fur to tell for sure, but I felt around the area and couldn't feel any kind of depression or deep wound of any kind. Flipped it over and it looks like it's right elbow had been chewed down to the bone!

My theory now is it got into a fight, was already weak from getting it's butt kicked, and then I gave it a heart attack when I was out shooting? We've had a couple Red squirrels out back the past week or two, and I've seen them fight in the past. Even though the Reds are smaller, they're also faster, sneakier, and more aggressive. If a couple Reds ganged up, I could see them getting the better of this Gray.

I put its body down by my trail camera to see which one of nature's creatures comes for the free meal.

What craziness!

- Mark

[454 Big Block Chevy]

i would say definatly fighting nutters... but for a female to be in a fight, sounds rare to me... but i'm not a Nutexpert.

[dk1677]

Strange one! Something got after it

[only1harry]

Nice forensic work! 
It could very well be the 2 reds ganged up on her like you said.  If you 've been shooting a lot of Grays in your backyard, maybe there aren't enough males around to kick some Red butt, or the reason the Reds moved it.

Still they don't look like life-threatening wounds, but it probably died from the infection resulting from the wound.  It might even be a pellet wound and it got lead poisoning or an infection/gangrene from it.  Squirrels and other critters will chew away on their skin and flesh, or whatever is bothering them, mutilating themselves in the process.  Just like some animals when caught in a leg/foot trap, will chew their foot off in an effort to escape.

[timegoat]

I had no idea that females weren't fighters.

Interesting Harry, and I agree, the wounds didn't look life threatening to me either. Infection makes sense. Dunno if I was shooting in the right place at the right time, or if my presence pushed her over the edge, or what. I'd hate to think she did it to herself, but I guess anything is possible.

One thing I do know, is the squirrel I shot that got away on that first day of the season was definitely a male. I probably took out her protection. The Reds have been hanging around a lot closer to the house since that day. I bet they forced her out of the acorn grounds.

- Mark

[only1harry]

Yep, unfortunately when we shoot critters, we sometimes change the balance of things temporarily in that small area. 
If you have a good source of acorns, I don't think it will be long before a couple of male Gray brothers or cousins move in to claim the territory and some females too to flirt with them   A couple of male Grays should not have any trouble bullying the Reds.  If I were you, I would try hard to shoot those Reds.  They are unprotected in most states as far as I know, and I am sure there are reasons for that.  Go ahead and take a vitals shot at them if you have no head shot.  They 'll go down    

I 'm looking forward to some dead Red squirrel pics! 

[timegoat]

You'll get those pics Harry! It's open season on Reds all year round in NH which works just fine for me since they're a very real problem. They like to climb over and go to the bathroom on my house. I've got a zero tolerance policy when it comes to that.

We have a couple of nice red oaks on our acre+. They drop plenty of squirrel bait and this year seems to be especially abundant. There's a spot on our front lawn that I call "acorn alley", but I don't do any shooting in that direction. Don't think the neighbors across the street would be too happy. But not to worry, we got several oaks out back too.

This will be a good chance to test the pest control capabilities of my newly repaired and tuned older 34. Sweet. She's firing CPHPs like they were made for her.

- Mark

[TCups]

I once saw a squirrel die of natural causes -- it was a death by hawk. 

[timegoat]

Hahahaha! That counts in my book!

p.s. (added in edit): Went down to the trail camera this morning and her carcass is nowhere to be seen. Gonna have to get the pics sometime soon and see what came for her.

[oldpink]

I once saw a squirrel die of natural causes -- it was a death by hawk. 

Me too!
I was walking through our city park with my little girl, when a big Red Tail took off from a large oak we were passing, and we figured we had only startled him.
As always when I see a raptor, I excitedly stopped and told her to look at the big old fellow as he landed in a tree on hundred yards away from his takeoff.
We walked up to his landing tree, and that was when we saw the squirrel tail and paws as the hawk dipped his head for a second, then lifted it up with a hunk of squirrel in his beak.
Raptors are some of my favorite critters, and it really was a cool moment to have with my little one.

[timegoat]

That's very cool. We see small raptors out back sometimes, but never seen them take anything. One day... one day.