Piebald squirrel? Believe I'll get this one mounted

[GeronimoKY]

Don't normally post much of my hunting on here unless it's something unusual or one of the big bucks I've taken with air. Today is different because I shot a squirrel with a pattern I've never seen before. I live in central Kentucky and our squirrels are grey squirrels and red fox squirrels. I've seen all black squirrels in northern states but never one with this coloration. Everything I can find about it points to it being classified as a piebald. Lots of different animals including squirrels have been photographed with similar mutations. Going to get her mounted climbing across a limb so you can see the black underside. Might as well show the rest of the day also. Five were shot with my BSA sportsmen HV .22 using fx hybrids at 900ish fps. One taken with with my WAR valved marauder .25 also using fx hybrids around 930 fps. Loving the hybrids. Tiny entry hole and a big ole exit with superb accuracy in most rifles I've tried them in. And if you don't have a backpack that can carry a spare rifle I highly recommend one if you do any rough country hunting really far from the truck. I've had a few failures over the years ruin a day of hunting and now I always take a spare. Easier than hiking back and seeing a bunch of critters you can't shoot at. 

 

[stoti]

That squirrel is totally cool. I’ve never seen anything like that, never even seen a picture of a squirrel that looked like that. Thanks for sharing, it would look great mounted standing up so you could really see it’s back and belly. Have a good one.

Stoti

 

[JimNM]

Looks like a night sky! Way cool for sure.

 

[JakeRico]

Looks like you had a action packed day hunting. Congratulations and definitely worthy of mounting as you described. 

 

[brink]

I shot one many years ago in Southern Missouri close to the Arkansas line that was a fox squirrel with a black underside but was not nearly as distinct as the one you have. That was the first one that I have ever seen marked like that and thought "Wow, what the heck happened to that squirrel?" Over the years I have seen a few since but they are pretty rare around my part of the world. Very cool I believe I would have that one mounted too!

 

[tsmith]

woh! very cool! congrats.

 

[Redick]

Trophy Squirrel for sure. Good shootin

 

[Ranchibi]

Nice haul, great shooting there! That one surely has a unique color pattern!

 

[Leatherman]

I shot a squirrel back in the 60’s with a Crossman pump up in .22 that had a 1” black stripe down it’s back. The black hair was even different, not as course. Wish now I had had that one mounted but my parents wouldn’t spend the money back then. That’s a trophy For sure.

 

[Glenroiland]

It is quite a unique color pattern that deserves mounting!



Being a veterinarian, I would not classify this color variant as piebald. Not sure what I would call it...

 

[Scouty]

would not classify this color variant as piebald. Not sure what I would call it...

My educated guess would be partial melanism or partially melanistic. 

Look up the "Cross Fox" mutation of the common red fox as an example. 

I don't recall if this is a recessive or co-dominant trait. 

 

[Glenroiland]

would not classify this color variant as piebald. Not sure what I would call it...

My educated guess would be partial melanism or partially melanistic. 

Look up the "Cross Fox" mutation of the common red fox as an example. 

I don't recall if this is a recessive or co-dominant trait.

Funny. I told a guy at work today I thought it was some variant of melanistic!



You in the field? And I think it is species dependent if it is recessive or dominant...

 

[Scouty]

You in the field?

No. Or at least not anymore. Used to manage a lab that had a massive ongoing quantitative genetic experiment. Nothing to do with squirrels or even mutations like this but phenotypes like this are just really common examples in genetics classes. 

My battery is getting low but I did just find an interesting article on some mutations in squirrel coloration. Partial melanism is discussed but I'm not clear if OP's squirrel is an example or something called "brown-black melanic".

I'm still fascinated by this stuff. I'll try not to geek out too much. 

 

[Chuck-in-Ohio]

Could be one of those black squirrels from up Michigan way wound up down in the hills of ole Kentuck and found a girl friend.



We have seen a handful of black ones around here and I am only 70 miles or so from Ky.



Supposedly, the Kellogg family imported a boatload of black squirrels way back when and turned em loose around Battle Creek.

 

[lissa4811]

View attachment 127079View attachment 127087View attachment 127097View attachment 127105View attachment 127112View attachment 127120View attachment 127125View attachment 127134View attachment 127145View attachment 127159View attachment 127165Don't normally post much of my hunting on here unless it's something unusual or one of the big bucks I've taken with air. Today is different because I shot a squirrel with a pattern I've never seen before. I live in central Kentucky and our squirrels are grey squirrels and red fox squirrels. I've seen all black squirrels in northern states but never one with this coloration. Everything I can find about it points to it being classified as a piebald. Lots of different animals including squirrels have been photographed with similar mutations. Going to get her mounted climbing across a limb so you can see the black underside. Might as well show the rest of the day also. Five were shot with my BSA sportsmen HV .22 using fx hybrids at 900ish fps. One taken with with my WAR valved marauder .25 also using fx hybrids around 930 fps. Loving the hybrids. Tiny entry hole and a big ole exit with superb accuracy in most rifles I've tried them in. And if you don't have a backpack that can carry a spare rifle I highly recommend one if you do any rough country hunting really far from the truck. I've had a few failures over the years ruin a day of hunting and now I always take a spare. Easier than hiking back and seeing a bunch of critters you can't shoot at.

I shot one many years ago in Southern Missouri close to the Arkansas line that was a fox squirrel with a black underside but was not nearly as distinct as the one you have. That was the first one that I have ever seen marked like that and thought "Wow, what the heck happened to that squirrel?" Over the years I have seen a few since but they are pretty rare around my part of the world. Very cool I believe I would have that one mounted too!

 

[lissa4811]

Could be one of those black squirrels from up Michigan way wound up down in the hills of ole Kentuck and found a girl friend.



We have seen a handful of black ones around here and I am only 70 miles or so from Ky.



Supposedly, the Kellogg family imported a boatload of black squirrels way back when and turned em loose around Battle Creek.

View attachment 127079View attachment 127087View attachment 127097View attachment 127105View attachment 127112View attachment 127120View attachment 127125View attachment 127134View attachment 127145View attachment 127159View attachment 127165Don't normally post much of my hunting on here unless it's something unusual or one of the big bucks I've taken with air. Today is different because I shot a squirrel with a pattern I've never seen before. I live in central Kentucky and our squirrels are grey squirrels and red fox squirrels. I've seen all black squirrels in northern states but never one with this coloration. Everything I can find about it points to it being classified as a piebald. Lots of different animals including squirrels have been photographed with similar mutations. Going to get her mounted climbing across a limb so you can see the black underside. Might as well show the rest of the day also. Five were shot with my BSA sportsmen HV .22 using fx hybrids at 900ish fps. One taken with with my WAR valved marauder .25 also using fx hybrids around 930 fps. Loving the hybrids. Tiny entry hole and a big ole exit with superb accuracy in most rifles I've tried them in. And if you don't have a backpack that can carry a spare rifle I highly recommend one if you do any rough country hunting really far from the truck. I've had a few failures over the years ruin a day of hunting and now I always take a spare. Easier than hiking back and seeing a bunch of critters you can't shoot at.

Oh wow! I and many other people would’ve loved to see one in the wild and take a picture. What a rare sight.
Congratulations, you have taken that opportunity from everyone so you could have it all for yourself. Nothing to be proud of.

 

[Moderator3]

Troll account removed.

 

[john8]

Moderator 3 thanks you saved me from myself.