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squirrel control


Mice!
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1 hour ago, Mice! said:

Cheers mate, the morning was spot on but strange as every squirrel session seems to be, I was still getting set up when I had number 1 on the deck, I'd just put the gun on the sticks and had one glove on when it just popped up through the ferns, no warning just there on a little rock.

Number 2 was pretty much the same, appeared through the ferns along the ground sniffing around then sat up.

Two down in under 15 minutes then the birds just poured in, what I did notice yesterday was the floor was spotless under the feeder, when I left last week there was a good amount of of corn and sunflower hearts on the ground under the feeder, it looked swept. Busy voles and birds.

 

I waited watching the birds watching the trees and could hear a squirrel calling up the hill somewhere, probably an hour went by before another showed up, again no crashing through the trees, but along the ground and up the feeder tree, first one to make it, it went up down and around then sat up sniffing the air, another head shot and she rolled down the bank finishing under the feeder.

I'm not sure what happened to number 4, it got lucky, same as the others it came along the floor, sniffing around, but agitated possibly because there were three dead squirrels around the feeder, it wouldn't settle, up down and around, it looked small so probably a youngster while the three down were all mature animals, I think I clipped a branch, took the shot and it just looked around without any concerns and ambled away. 

I really think this is the benefit of the feeder not running out, these squirrels knew there was food there and came straight in.

20200722_093101.jpg.642cf50263a35bd396d6e192095206b7.jpg

 

2 males and a female and a great morning after work.

Nice work mate 3dead tree rats, hopefully you will end up with a few more off this feeder by the sounds of it. 

I'm hoping to get back to my wood at some point this week. When I have been checking the times that they are going on my camera it seems like there are a few that go in the morning but a lot of them it's late afternoon around half 5 onwards so might have to try and have an afternoon session there. 

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47 minutes ago, Martlandhw100 said:

Nice work mate 3dead tree rats, hopefully you will end up with a few more off this feeder by the sounds of it. 

I'm hoping to get back to my wood at some point this week. When I have been checking the times that they are going on my camera it seems like there are a few that go in the morning but a lot of them it's late afternoon around half 5 onwards so might have to try and have an afternoon session there. 

That's the beauty of a camera, you can plan when to go around the times they are feeding, my camera showed squirrels all day but more in the morning,  I need to put it out again but I'll set it to just go off every 5 minutes. 

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Mice, glad to see your grey visitors have lost their shyness, hopefully there will now be more food for the dormice. Better keep the camera handy!, I’d  love to see one.

I am surprised the woodpeckers are not yet regular visitors to the feeder with a choice of nuts and suet.

I haven’t been round my nearest wood with hazels recently,  It’s time I did as they are not visiting the loan traps in gardens. It’s very quiet here.

I have noticed a few small acorns about now.

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21 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

Mice, glad to see your grey visitors have lost their shyness, hopefully there will now be more food for the dormice. Better keep the camera handy!, I’d  love to see one.

I am surprised the woodpeckers are not yet regular visitors to the feeder with a choice of nuts and suet.

I haven’t been round my nearest wood with hazels recently,  It’s time I did as they are not visiting the loan traps in gardens. It’s very quiet here.

I have noticed a few small acorns about now.

Evening mate, watching the woodpecker yesterday and the Nuthatch they must be more interested in bugs at the moment,  but I did have a nuthatch on the feeder this morning,  the Voles were busy as well, I think the squirrels might be sniffing around after food the voles have stashed, I'm seeing signs of the green hazelnuts being chewed and found a big stand of Hazel furrher up from where I am, with loads of cracked open shells underneath from last year. Might be a good spot for some traps.

Bold as brass the squirrels this morning just the one acting nervous but probably because of the others lay about dead.

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20 hours ago, Mice! said:

I really think this is the benefit of the feeder not running out, these squirrels knew there was food there and came straight in

What Kev you never let your feeders run out of feed...you know if you did let them run out and re-filled them when you get there with-in 15mins they will be down and hopefully shoot at least 1 every time and the bonus is you can freeze it for next time....😁

Mick

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1 hour ago, mick.c said:

What Kev you never let your feeders run out of feed...you know if you did let them run out and re-filled them when you get there with-in 15mins they will be down and hopefully shoot at least 1 every time and the bonus is you can freeze it for next time....😁

Mick

Alright Cocker,

I've found I have much more success if the feeder isn't empty after 2 or 3 days, strange that isn't it 😅😅😅

Seems to keep the squirrels coming back to the feeder when it's not empty, quick top up each week and good to go👍

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2 hours ago, Mice! said:

Alright Cocker,

I've found I have much more success if the feeder isn't empty after 2 or 3 days, strange that isn't it 😅😅😅

Seems to keep the squirrels coming back to the feeder when it's not empty, quick top up each week and good to go👍

2 or 3 days.....don't you mean minutes 🤣🤣🤣🤣

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51 minutes ago, mick.c said:

Nipped out the other morn mate FEEDER was full 😉 big feeder at that, couple of hours all head shots....no gut shots...😜 here's a couple of pics one of my hide

Mick

image-23-07-20-07-59.jpg

image-23-07-20-07-59-2.jpg

Nice that pal, I really need to work on a proper hide, I'm practically wearing neon compared to that 👍👍

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20200724_103032.jpg.f7144a4e54e0fb1b92696f0221cfd7b4.jpg

Lovely morning out, it would have been rude to not call at the feeder on my way home , almost an exact copy of Wednesday,  watching the wildlife all nice and quiet when boom, two squirrels appeared,  I think I they had been playing chase me, each went to a different tree, each fell out of the tree, Primos sticks deserve to be in the picture,  so easy to use, and so good.

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13 hours ago, Martlandhw100 said:

Nice shooting mate, hides looking good as well where did you get that netting from looks good? 

I got the netting off the evil bay 4x3mtr about 10 or 12 quid if i remember

3 hours ago, Mice! said:

20200724_103032.jpg.f7144a4e54e0fb1b92696f0221cfd7b4.jpg

Lovely morning out, it would have been rude to not call at the feeder on my way home , almost an exact copy of Wednesday,  watching the wildlife all nice and quiet when boom, two squirrels appeared,  I think I they had been playing chase me, each went to a different tree, each fell out of the tree, Primos sticks deserve to be in the picture,  so easy to use, and so good.

Very nice mate...i had a set of them sticks but somebody wanted them back 🤔🤔🤔

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6 hours ago, Mice! said:

20200724_103032.jpg.f7144a4e54e0fb1b92696f0221cfd7b4.jpg

Lovely morning out, it would have been rude to not call at the feeder on my way home , almost an exact copy of Wednesday,  watching the wildlife all nice and quiet when boom, two squirrels appeared,  I think I they had been playing chase me, each went to a different tree, each fell out of the tree, Primos sticks deserve to be in the picture,  so easy to use, and so good.

Nice shooting again 👍 

Ye I totally agree about the primrose it has been by far the best father's day present don't know what I'd do with out them now. 

I'm expecting my new gun on Monday can't wait too get it zeroed and test it out 😁 

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5 hours ago, Martlandhw100 said:

totally agree about the primrose it has been by far the best father's day present don't know what I'd do with out them now

Just read this again properly,  primrose 😅😅

I thought they were all hype, but I can understand why so many folk use them.

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I have had a  trigger stick tripod for years, I’m currently on my second. The legs on the first one jammed. The second generation seems better. They give a very stable shooting position which I tend to use for longer range stuff, rabbit, fox and deer. I still like to travel light when going to the hides for squirrel shooting and the forked hazel stick works well as a walking stick and a rest to shoot from, particularly when you can lean against a tree trunk or fence post if you are not in the hide. I’ve still got that one Mice!, which you left In the wood last year. It’s still in the back of my pickup. 🙂

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Good news, Heritage Lottery Funding has been approved for a project entitled “Reclaiming the Reds”.

It is based around Knowsley within the areas of West Lancashire, Merseyside and west Greater Manchester.
A much larger area than anything which has been previously funded by the HLF in this area, The previous schemes were run by the Lancs Wildlife Trust and largely restricted to the Sefton coastline.  LWT missed out on HL Funding this year and their HLF funded scheme is coming to an end.

This new scheme has a much wider vision and I am looking forward to be helping with Grey Control.

Looking forward to Reclaiming the Reds in this area.

Edited by Fisheruk
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4 hours ago, Fisheruk said:

Good news, Heritage Lottery Funding has been approved for a project entitled “Reclaiming the Reds”.

It is based around Knowsley within the areas of West Lancashire, Merseyside and west Greater Manchester.
A much larger area than anything which has been previously funded by the HLF in this area, The previous schemes were run by the Lancs Wildlife Trust and largely restricted to the Sefton coastline.  LWT missed out on HL Funding this year and their HLF funded scheme is coming to an end.

This new scheme has a much wider vision and I am looking forward to be helping with Grey Control.

Looking forward to Reclaiming the Reds in this area.

Good too here that there will be reds in my local area, its always nice to go to formby and too see the reds there so hopefully there will be a lot more places to see them soon. 

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8 hours ago, Fisheruk said:

Good news, Heritage Lottery Funding has been approved for a project entitled “Reclaiming the Reds”.

It is based around Knowsley within the areas of West Lancashire, Merseyside and west Greater Manchester.
A much larger area than anything which has been previously funded by the HLF in this area, The previous schemes were run by the Lancs Wildlife Trust and largely restricted to the Sefton coastline.  LWT missed out on HL Funding this year and their HLF funded scheme is coming to an end.

This new scheme has a much wider vision and I am looking forward to be helping with Grey Control.

Looking forward to Reclaiming the Reds in this area.

So have you applied for the ranger job?

https://classifieds.shootinguk.co.uk/jobs-in-shooting/private-jobs/reclaiming-reds-control-ranger-509923

I don't see how Formby which has red squirrels is losing grant money, but Knowsley which doesn't is getting money?

Surely the money would be better used securing the area around Formby so the reds can spread out, and controlling the greys properly,  this sounds like the zoo is going to add red squirrels and maybe release them in the future but the area needed to be cleared would be massive, and as usual the biggest problem is access. 

 

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15 hours ago, Mice! said:

So have you applied for the ranger job?

https://classifieds.shootinguk.co.uk/jobs-in-shooting/private-jobs/reclaiming-reds-control-ranger-509923

I don't see how Formby which has red squirrels is losing grant money, but Knowsley which doesn't is getting money?

Surely the money would be better used securing the area around Formby so the reds can spread out, and controlling the greys properly,  this sounds like the zoo is going to add red squirrels and maybe release them in the future but the area needed to be cleared would be massive, and as usual the biggest problem is access. 

 

No, I don’t need to become a paid Ranger, I’m happy as a a volunteer.

Lancs WT, didn’t get their application into HLF soon enough and it wasn’t processed before lockdown. 
 

The Knowsley scheme covers a much wider area, which is what you and I have talked about in the past.

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2 hours ago, Fisheruk said:

The Knowsley scheme covers a much wider area, which is what you and I have talked about in the past.

I know we talked about a corridor but things would need doing differently than they have been for it to stand any chance, they would need to do things like the Penrith and Lakes groups do for a start, their advantage is they have reds so the public support the work.

23 minutes ago, Robertt said:

Have looked at the J.D. and it seems unfeasible that a single handed Ranger could carry out the required tasks at 22.5 hr a week.

 

20200726_115143.jpg.2124f108e9576449429670b3fc88bf5b.jpg

The park covers 550 acres, so that must be a massive perimeter to cover.

It would be great if the Park decide to try and educate why grey control is needed, I work with lads in Barrow who have no idea about the difference between reds and greys other than the colour, even around Formby when Pox hits opinion is still divided on grey control despite them having red squirrels but you already know this.

 

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7 hours ago, Robertt said:

Have looked at the J.D. and it seems unfeasible that a single handed Ranger could carry out the required tasks at 22.5 hr a week.

 

Robertt there will be two rangers and much of the work will be done by volunteers.

 

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