Chipmunks - pest or protected?

[Heavyopp]

The big question - are chipmunks a pest species or a protected rodent in your state?

I own some land in New Hampshire. It’s usually loaded with chipmunks, they make for a great camping trip.

From what I can find, the chipmunk is a pest species, no hunting season, shoot as long as not violating town ordinance.

I live in NJ. Not even going to bother looking up the chipmunk here. No place to shoot freely anyway.
In looking up the neighboring state of Pennsylvania I see the chipmunk is a “protected mammal“. No legal season.

What about your state? Have you even bothered to look it up? Hunting license required?

 

[Raider03]

From the 2022-2023 Michigan Hunting Digest (ground squirrels being chipmunks)

Year-round Hunting Seasons Opossum, porcupine, weasel, red squirrel, skunk, ground squirrel, woodchuck, Russian boar, feral pigeon, starling and house sparrow may be taken statewide, year-round with a valid Michigan hunting license. There is no bag limit for these species. For fur harvesting regulations for coyote, opossum, skunk and weasels, please see the current-year Fur Harvester Digest. For more information on Russian boar, see the “Protected Wildlife” section on page 72. Woodchuck, raccoon, coyote, skunk, house sparrow and starling may be taken by the property owner or designee without a license if doing or about to do damage on private property.

 

[nervoustrig]

Chipmunk as a protected mammal is amusing. Might as well protect mice and rats.

 

[SteveP-52]

New York they're not protected, no season, no permit needed and can be taken anytime if a nuisance or damaging property. Same for woodchucks. Both do damage to my father's yard, both get shot if I get them in the crosshairs.

 

[BassMan]

In PA if the mammal is not a game animal or fur bearing it is considered protected. Then I guess mice and rats are "protected". Probably would fall under the threat or nuisance category in order to eliminate.

 

[Vetmx]

In Pennsylvania they are not protected on private property. State game lands, national forest, different story. Dumb? Well even I understand that they are not a pest in a giant tract of woods. They are just part of the ecosystem.

 

[jgg765]

The big question - are chipmunks a pest species or a protected rodent in your state?

I own some land in New Hampshire. It’s usually loaded with chipmunks, they make for a great camping trip.

From what I can find, the chipmunk is a pest species, no hunting season, shoot as long as not violating town ordinance.

I live in NJ. Not even going to bother looking up the chipmunk here. No place to shoot freely anyway.
In looking up the neighboring state of Pennsylvania I see the chipmunk is a “protected mammal“. No legal season.

What about your state? Have you even bothered to look it up? Hunting license required?

I don't have the answer to your question but if you ever need help hunting on your land or you want to go hunting somewhere else let me know. I live in Massachusetts and I'm looking to do some eradication hunting rats pigeons. I recently went on an iguana hunting Florida it was amazing.

 

[ram2jeep]

Live in MA and chipmunks are all year and no limits; they are considered pests. Direct, “The following species may be taken year-round (except during shotgun deer season) by licensed hunters with no daily or seasonal bag limit: English sparrow, flying squirrel, red squirrel, chipmunk, porcupine, skunk, starling, weasel, woodchuck”.

 

[Struckat]

Same category as rats here in ILL, and I don’t mean Gov Flintstone.

 

[JimD]

Chipmunks are not protected in South Carolina. I've never seen one here, however. I used to see them in PA where I used to live but a quick google search suggests they are protected there.

 

[cea1960]

Haven't seen one in eastern NC and the DNR asks that you report any, so I'm guessing they're protected here.

 

[Heavyopp]

In Pennsylvania they are not protected on private property. State game lands, national forest, different story. Dumb? Well even I understand that they are not a pest in a giant tract of woods. They are just part of the ecosystem.

I never saw the part where they distinguished between public and private property.

 

[Heavyopp]

Live in MA and chipmunks are all year and no limits; they are considered pests. Direct, “The following species may be taken year-round (except during shotgun deer season) by licensed hunters with no daily or seasonal bag limit: English sparrow, flying squirrel, red squirrel, chipmunk, porcupine, skunk, starling, weasel, woodchuck”.

This reads a lot like what I saw for NH although I do not recall licensed hunter in the wording. I guess I’ll have to call and find out. I really hate to pay for a non resident license for rodents but would hate it worse if some trespassing bunny hugger reported me on my own property.

 

[AmosBurton]

I used to shoot them in NH with my BB gun. I was also in the middle of nowhere.
As to legality, I could only find the following.
https://wildlifehelp.org/solution/n...egal-or-advisable-shoot-problem-chipmunks/108

 

[Rich_B]

Protected in Idaho for some reason.

 

[JEFFPPC]

When they are on my property they are under my rules.

 

[n3rdv]

When they are on my property they are under my rules.

Let me know if you need any help..

 

[JEFFPPC]

Let me know if you need any help..

When we moved here 23 years ago it was crazy with them. Many years with a cheap break barrel did not gain me much ground. 1.5 years with a TX200 and they have lost the battle. But, thanks for the offer.

 

[PumaCarl]

Total PEST! Number one killer of plants, and bushes, in the flower beds. In NH, no protective status at all.

 

[vtl]

When we moved here 23 years ago it was crazy with them. Many years with a cheap break barrel did not gain me much ground. 1.5 years with a TX200 and they have lost the battle. But, thanks for the offer.

What was wrong with the break barrel? I was going to get a Gamo Varmint or something like that.

Chipmunks destroy my backyard and wipe out wife's vegetable garden. It is the only backyard around with no dogs, so for them it is a safe haven. They even fight hard for this God blessed heavenly land. I can't discharge a .22LR legally in my town, but air gun is certainly legal.