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squirrel control


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Scaring squirrels not a problem. I have shot a squirrel right alongside another and the second one will more than often just jump a yard or two away and sits long enough not to get scared but dead.   If the ground is accesible to you on a daily basis then get one or two live catch cages and then make up and fit a bird feeder in the area behind the treadle. I'll put a photo on later.

I fill these feeders with peanuts and the little birds can come and help themselves but of course they also act as ecoys because the tree rats see the food source and go in to investigate.

I have 8 of these set around my 10 acre wood and consider that wood squirrel free.  We get the occasional interloper but that usually dies within 48hrs.

I treat my feed with aniseed as well.  I am now on 315 for this year and all I shoot from hides set up overlooking the feeders. OK, I have the time and the patience ot sit quietly and wait but I also set trail cams on the feeders which tell me when they start to get used again after I have killed off the residents.   Resting each site for a few days also works particluarly after you have whacked a few and some new residents have to move in.

Hope this helps.

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In the wood I shoot with Mick C and Mice we have phases when the squirrels get skittish and take off at high speed. Mostly though I agree with Nev, they don’t seem to worry about their fallen cousins and carry on regardless.

i think the key to stopping them becoming educated is a well placed lead injection. After that they cannot spread the word. 
Yes, as Nev has said patience and time seems to be the key to success. I’ve found walking around to be a waste of time as they usually see you before you see them. 

Again as Nev has said shooting the breeding stock does seem counter to continued sport, but the job is not sport it’s clearance. Every one counts and the more effective you are the more likely you are to have blank days, a sign that you are doing the job.
Yesterday I was out and it was an enjoyable couple of hours, scanning the woods with my thermal. I spotted a Roebuck standing 50 yards away peering at me through the dense saplings, just wished I had had my decent camera it would have made a classic picture. Still a pleasure to be out. 
Afterwards I went to see someone out in the sticks on a non squirrel related matter and in conversation he mentioned the ******* Squirrels all over his chestnut trees and so after the season there will be another wood to clear. Looking forward to 2020.

Going to Zero my new FX FAC this morning. Be interesting to see how that performs on the squirrels. Should be able to take a few more from up in the canopy when it is safe to do so 

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At the present time the squirrels seem pretty content and are just coming to the feeders. Single shot and they don’t have time to become educated and spread the word. We have had times when they have clearly been skittish and IMHO that’s when someone is shooting at them and missing, maybe on ground next to where you are. The larger bags are really only taken when they are left alone and fed either naturally or regularly at feeders. That is not the task. If we want them cleared then it’s a case of feed and kill, constantly. It means that you may only shoot ones and twos and sometimes none but that just shows you are being effective 👍.

As Walker 570 does you need to get out there and get more permissions, spread your area of influence.

In this week alone I’ve got three new places where folk are happy to see squirrels gone. Two trapping in gardens and one after the pheasant season, which will lend itself to a static squirrel feeder.

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3 hours ago, Fisheruk said:

At the present time the squirrels seem pretty content and are just coming to the feeders. Single shot and they don’t have time to become educated and spread the word. We have had times when they have clearly been skittish and IMHO that’s when someone is shooting at them and missing, maybe on ground next to where you are. The larger bags are really only taken when they are left alone and fed either naturally or regularly at feeders. That is not the task. If we want them cleared then it’s a case of feed and kill, constantly. It means that you may only shoot ones and twos and sometimes none but that just shows you are being effective 👍.

As Walker 570 does you need to get out there and get more permissions, spread your area of influence.

In this week alone I’ve got three new places where folk are happy to see squirrels gone. Two trapping in gardens and one after the pheasant season, which will lend itself to a static squirrel feeder.

As above and as I have said not everybody is as lucky as me to have the time.  I have now almost cleared all of my areas and just shooting one or two a visit but they will be back in no problem.

I am upping my game again for 2020 and hopefully will have another three or four locations on the go.  Regarding scaring them, not always so, I had one yesterday coming out onto a feeder 80yrds away and plonked a sub sonic 22RF round alongside spraying mud everywhere. It went back into cover then came out again within seconds and looked around , the next round hit one of the steel frames put round the feeder to keep deer off. Sme result, the next time I had it ranged and it sorted it BUT within seconds another came out climbed the feeder leg and into the hole where they had pushed the unsecured spring back in the tub. A minute or two later dropped out and ran for the wood, this was repeated by either it or others as I rained lead on the fleeing targets without success.  Went out this morning and not a sign, even though I had one on camera the day before.  Hopefully have one or two this afternoon as they top up before bedtime.

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No Mice - tight wads use wheat - Squizzers only eat it if they are bored or it's really cold and natural sources have dried up - went on Saturday and they were running around everywhere but not interested in the Hoppers hence the added visit to relieve myself of £5 worth of Peanuts, still, at least the Dog enjoyed another walk.  Happy New Year btw.

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I have now tried a mix of mixed corn, kibbled maize and peanuts about 50% mixed corn and 25% the others and I have then dressed the lot with aniseed.  I have a concrete mixer so put the lot in that , pour on about half a bottle of cooking oil, let that mix in well then a scoop and half of aniseed dust and let that run for a few minutes. Smells so ice I could eat it myself, but it certainly seems to work as the flip tops get used regularly now although on most they have a pheasant feeder close by.  Mind the shoot are now dressing their feed with aniseed as well.

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1 hour ago, Mice! said:

And you Sir.

I can just picture you shoveling feed into an old mixer 😂😂

You better believe it and I could get hooked on the smell.  With all the live traps and sites , flip tops etc I have it is necessary to mix at least 50lbs a week and the old mixer does that all in minutes.  I can only feel it is worth it because the feeders seem to go down much faster these days since the additive, fortunately resulting in more kills. 

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1 hour ago, Walker570 said:

You better believe it and I could get hooked on the smell.  With all the live traps and sites , flip tops etc I have it is necessary to mix at least 50lbs a week and the old mixer does that all in minutes.  I can only feel it is worth it because the feeders seem to go down much faster these days since the additive, fortunately resulting in more kills. 

We need a like button, or a love it, must be costing you a fortune. 

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On 02/01/2020 at 20:07, Walker570 said:

You better believe it and I could get hooked on the smell.  With all the live traps and sites , flip tops etc I have it is necessary to mix at least 50lbs a week and the old mixer does that all in minutes.  I can only feel it is worth it because the feeders seem to go down much faster these days since the additive, fortunately resulting in more kills. 

Nev, 50lbs a week - I am impressed!

What is the purpose of the cooking oil?

I also love the smell of the aniseed attraction. Yum

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10 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

The oil makes the aniseed powder stick to the grain.  To be fair I think about 30% of the feed I put out is eaten by the little birds and woodpeckers but thats a pleasure.

A true countryman.

Most of my peanuts get eaten by songbirds. The pleasure you get from watching the birds outweighs the pleasure from shooting the squirrels in my opinion.

Amazes me when I see peanut feeders that only allows access for squirrels. Defeats the point a bit of shooting them. Yes, you're helping the songbird population by controlling vermin but could help even more by feeding the birds in lean times

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I read in the papers there is a Scientist in Scotland (cloned dolly the sheep), who is proposing to genetically modify male grey squirrels, to breed females that are unable to reproduce.     Then release them at different locations across the country.

Over the Christmas break , we once again visited the Wirral , taking the dogs for a walk in Eastham Country Park.

My goodness the grey's were everywhere, hundreds of them , within feet of the public.  So I have written to the Council , pointing out the fact that the peninsular is surrounded on 3 sides by water , so there is an excellent opportunity to introduce grey squirrel control.

I also pointed out that if Native Red Squirrels could be re introduced, there could be great tourism potential.

I await a reply.

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2 hours ago, Longbower said:

I read in the papers there is a Scientist in Scotland (cloned dolly the sheep), who is proposing to genetically modify male grey squirrels, to breed females that are unable to reproduce.     Then release them at different locations across the country.

Over the Christmas break , we once again visited the Wirral , taking the dogs for a walk in Eastham Country Park.

My goodness the grey's were everywhere, hundreds of them , within feet of the public.  So I have written to the Council , pointing out the fact that the peninsular is surrounded on 3 sides by water , so there is an excellent opportunity to introduce grey squirrel control.

I also pointed out that if Native Red Squirrels could be re introduced, there could be great tourism potential.

I await a reply.

I hope your not holding your breath,  but do tell us if you get a reply. 

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