Being the adaptable animals they are, squirrels are very common, even in and around cities and suburban yards, where they make a good living as long as there are a a few nut-bearing trees nearby. With all the highways around, squirrels naturally have to cross them in their day to day travels with the inevitable result that some will be hit. But this year, specifically during the months of September and October, there has definitely been many more squirrels dead on the highway than usual. First of all, the population this year is way up. For the past couple of years, there has been a fairly good acorn crop along with walnuts, hickory nuts, and many of the other foods that squirrels depend on.
More food translates into survival for more squirrels.
Also the gray squirrels normally have up to three litters a year. Whem mama squirrels begins raising a new family all the youngsters have to leave the nest and begin fending for themselves. As they leave home they aften have to travel far enough away to establish their own territory, thereby having to cross those deadly highways. By late summer, as the new babies are being raised, the yearly population is at an all-time high. This year, with a very high population from two years of good survival rates, squirrel movement is particularly high.