SurreySquireler Posted March 4, 2017 Report Share Posted March 4, 2017 I have been shooting squirrels on a pheasant shoot for over a year now and have got a good many just "walking and Stalking" but it is difficult in the sumer months to achieve this because of the leaves on the trees. I have tried making a few feeders however I just cant seem to get them to feed off them. I put peanuts in it, and spread peanuts on the floor as well and peanut butter on the feeder and up the tree towards it. The peanuts on the floor and the Peanut butter on the trees is always gone but none ever take any nuts from the feeder and not even the butter off the roof of the feeder. Does anyone have any advice on good designs, materials, bait etc. ? I was also wondering if it might be that they have a dislike of cupranol- as I have painted them all in cupranol? thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeddy11 Posted March 4, 2017 Report Share Posted March 4, 2017 I have made a couple of feeders and lately i brought a couple of ebay cheaper than i can make and look better !!! And the squirrels go mad for the monkey nuts and seed i put in them, its always empty !! I can only think maybe your cupronol has put them off although its not creasote so i dont know why it should have done... Maybe because of the mild winter they not too bothered about going to the hassel of working for a free meal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simjakcal Posted March 4, 2017 Report Share Posted March 4, 2017 I put a few feeders I made in each of our 3 pens,.filled with peanuts like yourself...all we ended up shooting was rats ! the squirrels weren't interested in them ! wooden tunnels and fenn traps we catch most of our squirrels in.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurreySquireler Posted March 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2017 I think I may have to concede defeat then- if they aren't desperate for the food then I can't do much! As we are right down south it may be that food is just too abundant- may also explain why all our birds wandered this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 Greys tend to like maize more than peanuts, well atleast that's wot u use to bait the cage traps in areas with both greys and reds and it does seem to attractmore greys than reds. Plus a good bit cheaper too, last bag of peanuts i bought was close on 40 quid, maize will be about a tenner. Might be worth a try if not u can also feed the maize to the pheasants later on But u may also have lenty of wild grub about too, but it should be approaching the leaner time for squirrels as all nuts etc getting past it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonepark Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 Have a look at squirrel hunter channel on youtube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 The feeders I shoot are all metal with a (approx.) 3 sq ft metal backstop - they are filled with Wheat weekly and draw the Squizzers well - but if there is an abundance of natural food then results are poorer - we only shoot them in the winter months so normally natural food is scarce but with mild winters you are up against it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 (edited) If it is on a pheasant shoot they must still have some feeders out.... maybe not with feed in. Ask if they have a bag of wheat to put in one. I am at present sorting some munties on an estate and there are squirrels everywhere so I took the 17HMR over and had an hour on a feed ride. Picked 8, logged on here and fairly certain 4 more dropped in the thick stuff. Have another ride where they were going berserk this week round the feeders as we had put a bit of corn out to draw the munties out. Are you shooting an air rifle or a rim fire ? With the 17HMR I can sit in my pop up blind and shoot any squirrel silly enough to sit still for a second down the feed ride out to 150yrds. In my view the calibre is the ACE tool for squirrel control. Edited March 5, 2017 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 I'd bet that its the Cuprinol that is the reason. If squirrels are about they will normally take feed whether it is grain or nuts. We used to have loads coming into wheat feeders and making a right mess as they always scattered it around. You can make feeders quite cheaply using a sheet of metal mesh bought from garden centres, a 2 metre length of 90mm plastic down pipe and a half hour or so with tin snips and other tools. Wrap the mesh around a 30 to 40cm or so length of pipe so it leaves about 10cm of mesh protruding at the bottom of the pipe. Secure the mesh with a large hose clip or tie wraps and a couple of small screws to stop it slipping down. Put a pipe cap on the top and bottom of your tube and screw the mesh to the cap at the bottom end. Best to put the cap a little way up the mesh and then fold it over at the bottom. Then using pipe clips screw the tube to a suitable tree and fill it with peanuts or maize grains. Just keep the feeders topped up. The squirrels will try to chew the mesh so make sure that it is the strong type, not that fine stuff used in bird feeders. Once they get to know that the feeders are there they will visit regularly and spend time gnawing the feed so you can get a shot at them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitehackle Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 feeding them will bring more in that you shoot, so counter productive. I would not think the keeper would like the idea of feeding squirrels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 feeding them will bring more in that you shoot, so counter productive. I would not think the keeper would like the idea of feeding squirrels! The keeper asked me to do it. Once the season ends there are no grain feeders out for the pheasants and so the squirrels become dispersed and harder to control. Placing feeders out keeps the squirrels concentrated in those areas and as long as somebody is visiting the site two or three times a week to shoot or check and reset the traps it keeps the numbers down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurreySquireler Posted March 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 Thanks everyone for the reply's. I am definitely going to try UKPoacher's suggestion for feeders out of plastic drain pipe and mesh as they sound cheap and effective, whereas the plywood one I made took a fair bit of time and plywood which isn't cheap. I am shooting them with a sub 12ftlb air rifle so distances are quite short unfortunately- hence part of thew need for the feeders I think I will also try the idea of using maize instead of peanuts- but where on earth do I get that from in smallish quantity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 Thanks everyone for the reply's. I am definitely going to try UKPoacher's suggestion for feeders out of plastic drain pipe and mesh as they sound cheap and effective, whereas the plywood one I made took a fair bit of time and plywood which isn't cheap. I am shooting them with a sub 12ftlb air rifle so distances are quite short unfortunately- hence part of thew need for the feeders I think I will also try the idea of using maize instead of peanuts- but where on earth do I get that from in smallish quantity? You can buy maize grains from animal feed supplies in 10kg bags. Poultry keepers buy it and feed it to their chickens. We are spoilt over here in France. I can buy 5kg bags of whole or milled maize from any supermarket for €3. It is my No. 1 barbel and carp bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tournage Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 (edited) I had the same issue as you, SurreySquireler, but slightly different. I set-up my feeder in Autumn (different time of year to you) and nothing got eaten, not even the feed on the floor. I can tell you that there were an abundance of squirrels about but there was plenty of good food for them and as they weren't in the routine of feeding from the feeder, they were not interested in it. However, when winter came along, I refilled the feeder and like magic, once a week I have been shooting it and refilling it. My advice would be to wake up early (before sun-rise) and go and camp in the woods to check out the grey population and then start popping them off in the trees etc. and learn what they are feeding on and where they are feeding. Possibly you need to relocate the feeder and possibly there is just too much about for them as others have said... I am also shooting with a sub-12ftlb air rifle and have set up a hide with camo netting and holly about 20 yards away with roof on it as well. Think this is important as the squirrels will get used to it being there (often they are only 2 feet from me and stare at me but then just bumble along to the feeder as though I'm not there). Edited March 7, 2017 by Tournage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Tournage...100% Did not realise you where on the air so to speak. So yes , a bit of a recce to see where they are favourite, even some straw and a handful of wheat or something to denote a 'feed area', then your tree rat feeder in a handy position where you can build a permanent hide. Patience is a virtue. As said, keep still and they tend to ignore you. The last lot I shot was off the top of a pickup parked on the ride and I had squirrels too close for the 17HMR, but would have been spot on with my TX200. Had one cheeky booger come out alongside the Landie about 5ft away and had a drink from the water in the ruts Hope for some sunny weather next week and will put my pop up in a handy spot and take the CZ455 and the TX200. From what was showing this last week when I was after a muntie or two, I should get into double figures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurreySquireler Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 I have placed the feeder very close to a very active dray where I have often seen up to 7 squirrels at once so I know they are in the area. I have never had that much joy with hides; but waiting by a pheasant feeder wearing a head net and gloves always seems to be productive if they are feeding on the pheasant Feeders. Have you got any tips on effective hide building, camo nets etc.? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 (edited) All you need is a solid background and don't move about too much. I used to sit with my back to a tree and put my bag in front of the dog then drape a lightweight scrim net or camo' poncho over my knees and the bag. Sit and wait when you see one come in. Only move when the squirrel has its head down feeding. They usually feed for a few seconds and then sit up. That is when to shoot them. If they are reluctant to come to your feeders you can create attraction by smearing peanut butter or Nutella around the feeder. If you disturb a squirrel when you are walking in the woods it will often run away, round the back of a tree and climb it. Stop where you are and sit or lean back against a tree and carefully scan the crown of the trees around where you lost sight of the squirrel. Quite often you will see the squirrel peeping back towards you right in the crown where the branches leave the trunk. All you will see is the eyeball and a bit of the head above the eye. A challenging shot and I used to be well chuffed when I pulled it off. Edited March 7, 2017 by UKPoacher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 The main thing when sitting up waiting is to be comfortable. Not keeping shuffling about. I have a Bergara Stag swivel seat which I have added a rifle and elbow rest. I also have a Bush Wear Pop up TeePee hide. I can set that up in less than a minute with the seat inside and sit there all day if necessary. All that, my rifle and bag with flask and sandwiches is not difficult to carry in as the hide comes in a bag with shoulder harness. Usually, I'm seeing customers within 30 mins, sometimes much less. Amazing, how once you seem to disappear they find confidence to venture out again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tournage Posted March 8, 2017 Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 (edited) Tournage...100% Did not realise you where on the air so to speak. So yes , a bit of a recce to see where they are favourite, even some straw and a handful of wheat or something to denote a 'feed area', then your tree rat feeder in a handy position where you can build a permanent hide. Patience is a virtue. As said, keep still and they tend to ignore you. The last lot I shot was off the top of a pickup parked on the ride and I had squirrels too close for the 17HMR, but would have been spot on with my TX200. Had one cheeky booger come out alongside the Landie about 5ft away and had a drink from the water in the ruts Hope for some sunny weather next week and will put my pop up in a handy spot and take the CZ455 and the TX200. From what was showing this last week when I was after a muntie or two, I should get into double figures. Yes, the eternal wait from Thames Valley Police for my FAC is hopefully drawing to a close! Very satisfying using air though... I would post a pic of my setup but not sure how to upload pics being such a noob to the forum! Also, I just fill my feeder with whatever is cheapest - my garden centre often has an offer on and so last time, I bought 25kg of bird feed for 10 pound! They eat it all... Edited March 8, 2017 by Tournage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbower Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 Kelloggs Frosties , seem to be the favorite food for the grey's in our woods. Next monkey nuts , then peanuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted April 29, 2017 Report Share Posted April 29, 2017 (edited) It's best fun shooting 'em but in my little ten acre wood, which is now a squirrel free zone, I have seven live catch cages, which I have modified and added wire mesh peanut feeders in one corner. Cage is mounted on a table about 4ft off the ground. This system has been very successful and as I said the wood is squirrel free with any interloper lasting no more than 48hrs, usually much less. Edited April 29, 2017 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburban shooter Posted August 28, 2017 Report Share Posted August 28, 2017 I have been using tuna tins ( the short flattish type like a big tin of airgun pellets ) drilled some drainage holes in the bottom, screwed them to a fence post or tree and filled will peanut butter they really work and take seconds to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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