# Warble Flies (warbles)



## Wild One (Jul 3, 2008)

So I've never hunted squirrels in this part of the country and have decided that I'd like to head out this season and pick up a few. Was talking to my buddy about it and he said that it's best to wait until it gets cold to go out after them because they get warbles.
I've never heard of warbles so looked them up and did some reading on them. Looks pretty nasty. 
Question is: How many of you guys don't go out at the beginning of the season because of warble flies or how often have you seen it in squirrels around Ohio? I'd love to get out now but would rather avoid these buggers if it's a problem. Thanks!


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

Not all squirrels will have warbles when hunting before a hard frost. I have hunted early many seasons and had seen no warbles at all. If the squirrel has warbles they are between the skin and meat of the animal. The came off during skinning and I had not seen any damage to the meat. It is not appetizing to see one on your game animal and as far as I know not harmful. If you want your non hunting family or friends to eat squirrel with you, don't show them the warbles if you find them. Or if you want all the squirrel for yourself ... The worse part of early season squirrel hunting is bitting insects and the heat.


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## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

In over 50 years of hunting, I only shot one squirrel with the warbles. Looked like small maggots crawling out of the bullet hole. Did not know what it was at the time so I tossed the squirrel for the scavengers.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

FISNFOOL said:


> In over 50 years of hunting, I only shot one squirrel with the warbles. Looked like small maggots crawling out of the bullet hole. Did not know what it was at the time so I tossed the squirrel for the scavengers.


That doesn't sound like a warble. A warble is a single larva in a festered hole, under the skin. Usually about 1/2" long. Often the squirrel has scratched a large bald area around the warble. The ones that are festered look awful, but everything comes off with the skin. There's no harm in eating the meat, and as mentioned, only a handful will actually have them.


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## Wild One (Jul 3, 2008)

Great information. Thanks gents


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

I've killed one squirrel with warbles in 45 years and that was two years ago. As stated, came off with skin.


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

I wait for colder weather, they give me the creeps when I shoot one with a warble.


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## James F (Jul 2, 2005)

A good hard frost makes Me [email protected]


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## LUNKER21 (Jul 3, 2011)

Have killed 21 so far this year and all
Clean! Get out and enjoy it!


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

I suppose just about anything out there in the woods can get warbles, provided they sit still long enough for the fly, what is called a botfly I believe, to lay it's egg. And how long do squirrels sit still? It's kind of like when my buddy and I started catching walleye that had gotten a little beaten up during the spawn, and wound up with bacterial infections in their skin. These are some big, ugly, hideous warts, and we threw back every fish that had them. Then I did some reading up on it, and found out that it was only skin deep. The next one I caught that was legal, I kept and took home to clean. Yep! The flesh was perfectly clean! Get out there and getcha some!


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