Squirrels… I’m amazed at how many are at Sherman Branch.
Squirrels… I’m amazed at how many are at Sherman Branch.
There everywhere! Out to get you!
Squirrels are prey and they react as prey would. Prey will tend to move back in the direction they came from, not because it may actually be safer, but because they perceive it to be safer, because they just came from that direction.
That which is the direction… is often the same direction their backside is facing, because they are moving from one location to another… obviously. They perceive the direction they just came from to be the safer route for retreat and therefore when you roll up on one… they may be facing away from the trail and they are perfectly safe from being hit by you, but in their mind… moving back across the trail from the direction they just came is their perceived route to safety to escape.
So as a squirrel often will when you roll up, they will freak out, dart back and forth and eventually run right in front of your front wheel right at the last minute.
So here’s my tip on TRYING to predicting the movement of a squirrel.
Rule of thumb… they will always run out in front of you.
But if you want to try and predict their movement, look at the direction they are facing. Are they facing the trail, or do they have their backside to the trail?
I’ve noticed that if a squirrel is within 3 to 4 feet of the trail and they’re backside is facing the trail… they will most likely run right in front of you at the last moment. But if they are facing the trail with 3 to 4 foot, it’s a good chance they will turn and run in the other direction way from the trail on the same side they are on already… doesn’t mean they will always do this, but it does seem to happen more often than not.
And of course, you never really know if the squirrel had just turned to face the trail and will run out in front of you anyhow… throwing this idea right out the window.
Just something I’ve been mauling over… that’s how many squirrels there are at Sherman. Enough to get you wondering where the hell they all came from and how to avoid them.