Student pushes to legalize squirrel hunting in Quebec

MONTREAL — Squirrel meat could soon be on the menu in Quebec if a Montreal university student succeeds in his quest to make it legal to hunt the furry rodents.

Martin Poirier has started a petition to persuade the provincial government that adding squirrels to its list of game animals isn’t such a nutty idea.

Poirier, 21, pointed out that Quebec allows the killing of other small game such as rabbits, marmots, raccoons, pigeons and quail. He said squirrels can be legally hunted in many provinces, including B.C., Ontario, Manitoba Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

“Grey and red squirrels are native species in [Quebec], they’re healthy and the population isn’t in danger,” he said.

“There’s really no reason why it shouldn’t be allowed.”

In the petition, he argues legalizing the hunt would benefit the province by giving new hunters an easier and cheaper way to get started.

While hunting moose and bear can be expensive and involve long trips, he said squirrel hunting can be done in an afternoon.

One wildlife expert said he doesn’t see any reason the critters’ numbers couldn’t survive a regulated hunt in Quebec as well.

“Population densities have gone up quite a bit, so in terms of harvesting them in a wellcontrolled system, I don’t really see a problem,” said David Rodrigue, executive-director of the Ecomuseum zoo in SainteAnne-de-Bellevue, Que.

Poirier admitted his idea has been met with some resistance on social media, mostly from people who live in cities and oppose hunting. “You could say people have an emotional attachment because the animal is seen as ‘cute’,” he said.

Has Poirier ever tried eating a squirrel? No, he admitted. But he noted they’re considered a delicacy in some circles.