Brooksville Squirrel Hunt is right around the corner. But beware of Squirrel Eye | Hunting
I warned the boys that once they started squirrel hunting, they’d develop the Squirrel Eye.
Sure, the common gray squirrel is a fixture in urban, suburban and rural areas, but they’re typically overlooked background characters until one scrambles in front of a moving vehicle.
But purposely scour the trees for bushytails during a hunt and for the next month they’ll haunt you everywhere, including in your dreams.
Symptoms rapidly developed in my son, Harrison, and his friend JD over the days following the third annual Brooksville Squirrel Hunt last February. Not only did they started consciously recognizing squirrels here and there in their daily lives, but they also began judging their sizes and trophy qualities, an acute side effect of losing the “Heaviest Single Squirrel” side pot during the tournament.
The Squirrel Eye, indeed. If you’re willing to risk this affliction, 2024's hunting competition takes place on Feb. 17.
Sponsored by the Brooksville Outdoor Conservation Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and encouraging youth involvement in outdoor recreation, this event attracts outdoorspeople of all ages from across Central Florida.
How it works is straightforward. On the 17th, registered teams are allowed to patrol whatever legal property they choose, bagging up to their legal limits. Each team will select and weigh their five biggest squirrels taken that day by 3 p.m. at the Stable Faith Cowboy Church in Brooksville. The Top 3 heaviest team entries by cumulative weight will split the payout of their respective bracket.
This year will feature three separate brackets comprised of combinations of youth and adult hunters. Entry is $20 per two-person team. As a bonus to young hunters, every registered youth will receive a raffle ticket eligible for sponsorship donations, no matter if he or she bagged any squirrels. Youth table prizes will also be available on a first-come, first-served basis as teams bring in their haul for measurement.
Then there is the side pot for the aforementioned “Heaviest Single Squirrel,” my White Whale. For an extra $5 entry fee, the person in each category with the single heaviest squirrel will win the youth and adult side pots. The heaviest entry last year clocked in at 1 pound, 3.23 ounces, a real limb-shaker as we reverently describe them in the biz.
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And, if you’ll notice, measuring to the 1/100th decimal place to make such determinations is the level of precision required in this game. During the 2023 hunt, 200 teams registered with the heaviest bag weighing 5 pounds, 2.19 ounces of squirrel. The difference between winning and losing is thinner than a squirrel hair.
After the hunt, though, is truly the special aspect of this event, as families enjoy dinner, share their days afield and await the results. It’s a bit silly, of course, but that’s the point – to encourage hunters young and old into the woods and relish the camaraderie of a community of sportsmen and women.
To register for the fourth annual Brooksville Squirrel Hunt, please visit bvloca.org to pay the fees and read the entirety of the rules. And don’t worry too much about the Squirrel Eye, for keeping your eyes out for them will certainly keep your eyes on the prizes.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Beware: Annual Brooksville hunt could afflict you with Squirrel Eye
