We only have the "pine" squirrel up here - quite small. Really not worth shooting for meat, but maybe for sport.
They keep my Dachshund entertained. Combined, they make a lot of noise! My Labs used to hunt them - both the first and last learned to lay patiently just within range of one reaching the ground - sometimes it took awhile! Sometimes they would even catch one. Once even a half-grown flying squirrel that panicked and missed it's mark to the next tree.
The current Lab-mix doesn't bother to initiate, usually, but she'll back up the doxy.
I only shoot them if they are a problem. The yard squirrels no longer get up on the deck since I removed the beetle-killed tree from 15 feet out. The run is now about 20 yards to safety.
The dogs are going to miss that tree too- it was their winter-sheltered pee spot.
Those at the remote cabin might also get whacked if the cabin has been gotten into- but mouse/rat bait left inside controls that pretty well if they do get in. They have made some terrible messes before I started leaving poisoned bait inside.
Incidentally, a Yukon? NWT? study showed red squirrels to be the #1 predator of hares under the age of 2 weeks. I've personally seen them feeding on grouse remains, both guts and body (someone shot one and did not retrieve it).
