joeshaw08 Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hi there, not sure if this topic belongs in this section so Mods feel free to move it. I'm a country park ranger and our site is over-run with greys, so we are taking action to remove them. We have used live traps in the past and they work quite well on the ground. However, we have limited supplies and the public often set them off, we have started using Fen traps (Mk 4's) in the tree's. Basically these are bird-box's with a hole in the top and a fen at the bottom, squirrel goes in on its way down from its drey and...squish, out of site from the public eye aswell. We've only just started using these, however we're not getting any results at the moment. The boxes were baited without the trap at first so they could get used to them, and the squirrels have been inside. However now the fens are in, they have become quite shy. We know this is probably a case of trial and error and they'll eventually get used to them. We've been watching which trees they use and place them under dreys to hopefully get maximum results, but there are so many of them! We've been racking our brains for other grey squirrel controlling techniques...we can't shoot them because of the public (if we could we would have 100 in a day easily), and we can't have fens on the ground because of dogs, kids etc. Have any of you got any ideas on other ways of trapping them? Any traps that you have used and have found works well? Bare in mind it has to be 'public friendly', and we cant shoot them. Thanks! P.S, we use poison aswell. Cheers, Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hi One of our PW members rsrjerry is a full time red squirrel ranger. I'm just about to PM him for advise on a trap that I've just seen used on tv. The trap that I saw sound like exactly what you need. I'll keep you posted as to what Jerry suggests, but you can PM him with your own particular problem. Please remember to add your Grey Squirrel kills to the PW running count for Grey Squirrels. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Isn't there any way you could section off a part of the wood for 'maintenance' and get in there with air rifles? The public wouldn't know anything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeshaw08 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Unfortunatly it's council owned, so they see public, guns = no way. I've suggested campaigning for it, but in the meantime it's trapping only. In theory it should be as simple as you've just said, but the amount of paperwork, health and safety and everything else that goes with it is unreal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Thanks to rsrjerry, here you go, click the link. webber http://www.magnumtrap.com/kania.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeshaw08 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 That looks good, similar to the kind we're using just upside down. I don't think the public will like seeing the squirrels hanging like that mind suppose I could make some casing though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
410PHIL Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 The idea off the open top bird box with the fenn in the bottom is probably the best chance you have in a public park and I have trapped many a squirrel on council owned parkland this way baiting the traps with hazel nuts stuck on the plate with peanut butter seems to do the job perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskdale hawks Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 (edited) Hi there, not sure if this topic belongs in this section so Mods feel free to move it.I'm a country park ranger and our site is over-run with greys, so we are taking action to remove them. We have used live traps in the past and they work quite well on the ground. However, we have limited supplies and the public often set them off, we have started using Fen traps (Mk 4's) in the tree's. Basically these are bird-box's with a hole in the top and a fen at the bottom, squirrel goes in on its way down from its drey and...squish, out of site from the public eye aswell. We've only just started using these, however we're not getting any results at the moment. The boxes were baited without the trap at first so they could get used to them, and the squirrels have been inside. However now the fens are in, they have become quite shy. We know this is probably a case of trial and error and they'll eventually get used to them. We've been watching which trees they use and place them under dreys to hopefully get maximum results, but there are so many of them! We've been racking our brains for other grey squirrel controlling techniques...we can't shoot them because of the public (if we could we would have 100 in a day easily), and we can't have fens on the ground because of dogs, kids etc. Have any of you got any ideas on other ways of trapping them? Any traps that you have used and have found works well? Bare in mind it has to be 'public friendly', and we cant shoot them. Thanks! P.S, we use poison aswell. Cheers, Joe I'm doing some trapping in woodland with jo - public walking around. I make sure that my traps are away from footpaths and out of public view! I use only natural cover for camouflageing the trap,ie. no plastic this way it blends in better with the surroundings. Dispatch is done with an air pistol, nobody sees it in my trapping bag and therefore are none the wiser! Q - WHY? do you use poison when there is a possible risk of sendary infection to a none target species? Q - WHY? If your a country park ranger can you not shoot early morning with an air-rifle at a designated feeding station? Use a Squirrel feeding box and shoot them as they come to feed! As a park ranger' surely you have the authority over the public in connection with wildlife management in the park? After all they are vermin (The Squirrels that is! Although I sometimes wonder about Joe public)and once trapped cannot be released back into the wild (Or society)and so should be humanely dispatched. Edited November 20, 2009 by Eskdale hawks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeshaw08 Posted November 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2009 I'm doing some trapping in woodland with jo - public walking around. I make sure that my traps are away from footpaths and out of public view! I use only natural cover for camouflageing the trap,ie. no plastic this way it blends in better with the surroundings. Dispatch is done with an air pistol, nobody sees it in my trapping bag and therefore are none the wiser! Q - WHY? do you use poison when there is a possible risk of sendary infection to a none target species? Q - WHY? If your a country park ranger can you not shoot early morning with an air-rifle at a designated feeding station? Use a Squirrel feeding box and shoot them as they come to feed! As a park ranger' surely you have the authority over the public in connection with wildlife management in the park? After all they are vermin (The Squirrels that is! Although I sometimes wonder about Joe public)and once trapped cannot be released back into the wild (Or society)and so should be humanely dispatched. We only use poison during a few months of the year to minimise secondary infection, March-August as it is against the law to use it any other time. Also we cannot use firearms on the site as it is open to the public 24/7, so risks of ricochets etc. Also as I am a student I don't have the power to make such decisions and let's just say the head ranger...well...he can't be ***** with the paperwork. I will be speaking with the park manager about it though and hopefully they'll be someway round it. We have started using live traps again and wow...they are brilliant! We put them out Friday morning and by lunch time we had trapped 8, only one trap was empty. I managed to dispatch 7 of them, but catching an angry squirrel in a cage is not an easy task and one managed to run up my arm and escape. (I will add them onto the squirrel tally) We did have one problem with 'Joe public'. They spotted me dispatching a squirrel and wanted to know what was going on, so my colleage told them we had found an injured squirrel and had to dispatch it. This is a big problem with using these traps, as the public have the image of a cute fluffy squirrel being caged and don't agree with the traps in the slightest. However these are proving to be the most effective ways on control so far! Cheers, Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskdale hawks Posted November 22, 2009 Report Share Posted November 22, 2009 We only use poison during a few months of the year to minimise secondary infection, March-August as it is against the law to use it any other time. Also we cannot use firearms on the site as it is open to the public 24/7, so risks of ricochets etc. Also as I am a student I don't have the power to make such decisions and let's just say the head ranger...well...he can't be ***** with the paperwork. I will be speaking with the park manager about it though and hopefully they'll be someway round it. We have started using live traps again and wow...they are brilliant! We put them out Friday morning and by lunch time we had trapped 8, only one trap was empty. I managed to dispatch 7 of them, but catching an angry squirrel in a cage is not an easy task and one managed to run up my arm and escape. (I will add them onto the squirrel tally) We did have one problem with 'Joe public'. They spotted me dispatching a squirrel and wanted to know what was going on, so my colleage told them we had found an injured squirrel and had to dispatch it. This is a big problem with using these traps, as the public have the image of a cute fluffy squirrel being caged and don't agree with the traps in the slightest. However these are proving to be the most effective ways on control so far!Cheers, Joe Cage traps, correctly sited and pr-baited for two or three days are the most effective method of control. The easiest and quickest way of dispatching a grey squirrel in the trap is a single shot to the head with an air-pistol/rifle. I prefer the pistol as this can be easily consealed in your trapping bag away from the prying eyes of jo-public. I Find the use of poison from march to august more than irresponsable as this is the time when the birds of prey that feast on squirrels with be at their most active rearing and feeding young. I wonder how many have been killed "accidentally" during this time!!!!? I must remind you that is an offence to release a target pest species back into the wild. once caught, dispatch in the trap to eliminate any escape and reduce the stress caused to the animal is the best way. Even though grey squirrels are a pest animal it is your responsability to ensure that stress and suffering is kept to a minimum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeshaw08 Posted November 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Cage traps, correctly sited and pr-baited for two or three days are the most effective method of control. The easiest and quickest way of dispatching a grey squirrel in the trap is a single shot to the head with an air-pistol/rifle. I prefer the pistol as this can be easily consealed in your trapping bag away from the prying eyes of jo-public. I Find the use of poison from march to august more than irresponsable as this is the time when the birds of prey that feast on squirrels with be at their most active rearing and feeding young. I wonder how many have been killed "accidentally" during this time!!!!? I must remind you that is an offence to release a target pest species back into the wild. once caught, dispatch in the trap to eliminate any escape and reduce the stress caused to the animal is the best way. Even though grey squirrels are a pest animal it is your responsability to ensure that stress and suffering is kept to a minimum! I agree, but I have already said that we are not allowed firearms on the site. Instead I am catching the squirrel and giving it a tap on the head with a priest. The squirrel is killed instantly with minimal suffering and it takes a few seconds. Who said about releasing them again?! I said I had 1 that managed to escape which couldnt be helped. I am fully aware it's my responsability and I appriciate your advice, but it's starting to sound like you're assuming I don't know how to treat them and that I'm in the wrong here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windrush Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 I must remind you that is an offence to release a target pest species back into the wild. once caught, dispatch in the trap to eliminate any escape and reduce the stress caused to the animal is the best way. Who said about releasing them again?! I said I had 1 that managed to escape which couldnt be helped. No excuses, Joe - game's up. Best turn yourself in, lad, before the law comes for you. Statutory 5 years, I think you'll find and they'll take away your priest. You'll be in need of an entirely different sort where you're going. Meanwhile there's a very, very angry squirrel on the loose. Best close the park for a few days while the HSE assess the risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskdale hawks Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 I agree, but I have already said that we are not allowed firearms on the site. Instead I am catching the squirrel and giving it a tap on the head with a priest. The squirrel is killed instantly with minimal suffering and it takes a few seconds. Who said about releasing them again?! I said I had 1 that managed to escape which couldnt be helped. I am fully aware it's my responsability and I appriciate your advice, but it's starting to sound like you're assuming I don't know how to treat them and that I'm in the wrong here? Joe! I'm not assuming anything! You asked for advice and you got it. We up here are on the front line of grey squirrel control/ Red squirrel conservation. IF we went about it like you seem to be doing, then it would do nothing but get peoples backs up! And support for the cull of greys would wane. If your going to jump on the "save the red squirrel" bandwagon then I would suggest that you run your trapping in a descreet on professional manner. IE: Set your traps away from public veiw ( where possible), Dispatch the trapped greys in the trap with a single shot from an air-pistol and keep everything as low key as possible to try and eliminate any possible conflict with jo-public. If you are challenged then talk to them in a calm and responsable manner and TRY to explain why culling is necessary! Are there any Reds in the park where you work? I suspect not! The problem you have down there is that, to your 'average townie', Mr Grey is their wildlife and they like seeing him around. Give them a choice between the two, and I would bet they would choose the Red after they had been 'enlightened' so to speak. If I remember you have already said that someone had a go at you for killing one? But I may be wrong. This is contructive crittisism so please don't take it the wrong way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeshaw08 Posted November 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Joe! I'm not assuming anything! You asked for advice and you got it. We up here are on the front line of grey squirrel control/ Red squirrel conservation. IF we went about it like you seem to be doing, then it would do nothing but get peoples backs up! And support for the cull of greys would wane. If your going to jump on the "save the red squirrel" bandwagon then I would suggest that you run your trapping in a descreet on professional manner. IE: Set your traps away from public veiw ( where possible), Dispatch the trapped greys in the trap with a single shot from an air-pistol and keep everything as low key as possible to try and eliminate any possible conflict with jo-public. If you are challenged then talk to them in a calm and responsable manner and TRY to explain why culling is necessary! Are there any Reds in the park where you work? I suspect not! The problem you have down there is that, to your 'average townie', Mr Grey is their wildlife and they like seeing him around. Give them a choice between the two, and I would bet they would choose the Red after they had been 'enlightened' so to speak. If I remember you have already said that someone had a go at you for killing one? But I may be wrong. This is contructive crittisism so please don't take it the wrong way. I think I took it the wrong way, it's difficult to understand what tone is being used over a forum! We don't have any Reds down this way, but if ever we did they wouldn't stand a chance against the greys. They didn't have a go, they were just curious as to what was going on and to avoid any conflict we had to give them a sob story about an injured squirrel. I've mentioned it a few times now but we cannot use air rifles, hence why it is being done this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskdale hawks Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 I think I took it the wrong way, it's difficult to understand what tone is being used over a forum! We don't have any Reds down this way, but if ever we did they wouldn't stand a chance against the greys. They didn't have a go, they were just curious as to what was going on and to avoid any conflict we had to give them a sob story about an injured squirrel. I've mentioned it a few times now but we cannot use air rifles, hence why it is being done this way. A single shot in the back of the head. No Chance of riccochet. Pellet goes straight through into the ground! Dead squirrel in trap, no chance of escape. So What is the problem with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskdale hawks Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 We only use poison during a few months of the year to minimise secondary infection, March-August as it is against the law to use it any other time. Also we cannot use firearms on the site as it is open to the public 24/7, so risks of ricochets etc. Also as I am a student I don't have the power to make such decisions and let's just say the head ranger...well...he can't be ***** with the paperwork. I will be speaking with the park manager about it though and hopefully they'll be someway round it. We have started using live traps again and wow...they are brilliant! We put them out Friday morning and by lunch time we had trapped 8, only one trap was empty. I managed to dispatch 7 of them, but catching an angry squirrel in a cage is not an easy task and one managed to run up my arm and escape. (I will add them onto the squirrel tally) We did have one problem with 'Joe public'. They spotted me dispatching a squirrel and wanted to know what was going on, so my colleage told them we had found an injured squirrel and had to dispatch it. This is a big problem with using these traps, as the public have the image of a cute fluffy squirrel being caged and don't agree with the traps in the slightest. However these are proving to be the most effective ways on control so far!Cheers, Joe A single shot in the back of the head. No Chance of riccochet. Pellet goes straight through into the ground! Dead squirrel in trap, no chance of escape. So What is the problem with that? You Can't use air- rifles because of the public but it's ok! to use poison for six months of the year when all manner of none target species' breeding seasons are in full flow? therefore the risk of secondary infection to none target species is very high not to mention jo-publics dog??? somthing wrong with that I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeshaw08 Posted November 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2009 You Can't use air- rifles because of the public but it's ok! to use poison for six months of the year when all manner of none target species' breeding seasons are in full flow? therefore the risk of secondary infection to none target species is very high not to mention jo-publics dog??? somthing wrong with that I think! The poison is put into hoppers which are designed in such a way that only a squirrel or big rodent can get to it by using a weighted door and flap mechanism, so non target species aren't at risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskdale hawks Posted November 26, 2009 Report Share Posted November 26, 2009 The poison is put into hoppers which are designed in such a way that only a squirrel or big rodent can get to it by using a weighted door and flap mechanism, so non target species aren't at risk. None target species are at risk of secondary poisoning if they eat a poisoned squirrel. They do not have to injest the poison at source ie: The hopper! So that means that ALL birds of prey(which are particulary susseptable to secondary poisoning), foxes, badgers,dogs and cats and indeed all carniverous/omniverous animals ARE at risk?? Not to mention the public. Not a good way to get the public on your side is it? SQUIRREL EATS POISON BAIT - BIRD OF PREY EATS SQUIRREL - BIRD OF PREY DIES - FOX EATS BIRD OF PREY - FOX DIES?See what I am getting at??? I would suggest that you bring this to your bosses attention and score some brownie points!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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