Some of the coastal WMAs do not have a lot of prime squirrel-hunting habitat, he said. However, the more inland a hunter goes, the more opportunity to find excellent habitat.

"I'd recommend getting maps of the areas and checking out the ones that have plenty of hardwood areas. For squirrels, it's usually about having the right habitat. If hunters will do a bit of research, they can find some WMA areas with localized excellent habitat and enjoy excellent squirrel hunting."

Both Chappelear and Swayngham said that there are also plenty of private lands that will have excellent squirrel-hunting populations. Once deer season ends, small-game hunters can sometimes get permission from landowners to hunt small game. If a hunter belongs to a hunting club that has plenty of hardwood areas, when big-game season is over, typically small-game hunting is allowed. Be sure to check that as a potential opportunity if you do belong to a hunt club.

While not as abundant in a relative sense as the squirrels, rabbits do offer some good hunting opportunities. As with squirrels, it's all about the habitat.

"Rabbits like early successional vegetation," said Tom Swayngham. "When and where the habitat is available, they do well throughout the state. However, the problem is that much of the (habitat) has matured to (the point) where there is not as much of this type management. So, rabbit hunting in our part of the state is not as good as it used to be.

"The population of rabbits is cyclic in nature," he said. "However, it is really tied to habitat in the big-picture sense. While there are some WMAs where we have good habitat for rabbits, the trend on private lands is for less rabbit habitat than in past years. There's just intense forestry management in terms of growing timber on private lands. Because of that, there's generally less brush and briar type habitat that is typical of what rabbits prefer."

Swayngham said that hunters need to look for the less intensive areas where there is more habitat diversity. The odds of finding this type habitat are usually better on public land where a variety of uses are part of the management plan, he said.

He said that hunters need to check out a number of WMAs for late-season habitat for rabbits. There will be some isolated areas that provide very good hunting.

Also, he noted that the quail hunting aspects for late season would be served by doing the same.

"The quail basically face a lot of the same issues as the rabbits," Swayngham said. "But unfortunately for quail hunters, this game species is actually in worse shape in terms of quality habitat. Plus, as a species they are not as adaptive as rabbits. Many years ago, quail and rabbit habitat was abundant in our area, but now the use of big equipment and herbicides, the building of subdivisions and conversion of land to pastures have all combined to decrease prime habitat. Rabbits are the more survivable species and it's difficult for them.