Hunting season for the migratory dove is set annually by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and approved by the California Fish and Game Commission in early August. Squirrels are found on the valley floor in streamside habitats and into the foothills were stands of oaks occur. Highest densities are found at higher elevations were there are a mixture of oak and pines trees. These stands offer a wider variety of food and denning sites, thus they can support higher numbers. Squirrel densities become very low when you move above the oak belt generally above 6000 feet.
Squirrels construct dens in the branches of oak trees usually by enlarging woodpecker holes.
They have one litter per year, consisting of up to five young. Most hunting opportunity occurs on National Forest lands. Access is good even later in the year when dirt roads are muddy, there are many chip and seal or paved roads available that provide routes into squirrel habitat. The Stanislaus, Eldorado, Tahoe, and Plumas National Forests all have gray squirrel opportunities through out the squirrel season. Hunting efforts should concentrate on areas between the western boundary of the respective National Forest to about 6000 feet.