Jump to content

squirrel control


Mice!
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 3.6k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

2 hours ago, sam triple said:

I’m up the woods been here for a few hours little in the way of squirrels what I have seen seem skittish and not wanting to stop and feed , looks like a blank 

Some are saying the same, others are taking 4s and 5s still.

I only saw squirrels at my feeders nothing anywhere else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just started to get movement again here. I have a couple of places I have not visited four about six weks and will have to top up feeders probably but both have pheasant feeders as well, so hoping to boost the numbers in the next week or so.

Good to see the flip top I gave to one of our whackers is still doing the job. It is one of the first I made.

Hopefully he will post a picture of it on here. He just sent me a copy with a tree rat almost inside the feeder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Things went to plan this morning,  I put out another feeder a while back, early November,  I've filled it sporadically but there are two dreys up above in the trees,  both normally giving off heat but with no signs of any squirrels.  But I've also not gone there first thing as the other double feeder is the banker.

I topped them both up Tuesday but saw no squirrels despite being in the wood early and then looking around. But the face of the single feeder was glowing. 

This morning I headed fo the single feeder, on the way in there were two squirrels playing kiss chase high up in the canopy heading in the direction I was going.

I made my way in, looking for the pair as I went, further back than I'd have preferred I spotted a squirrel high up above the feeder, just sat looking around,  I didn't think I'd get closer so opened up the sticks and took a look, it was a long shot but the squirrel was settled,  Pfft Whack. 

As that squirrel hit the deck another took off, clearly shocked and it didn't stop running before vanishing. 

I made my way round up above the feeder and thought one will do, but there was another making its way to the feeder, I watched it move up through the Yew and come around and down, straight onto the feeder,  Pfft Whack number two down in 5 minutes. 

Screenshot_20220203-174227_Gallery.jpg.e8a64660f25ba44a50f356bf485941bf.jpg

View from left of the tree, second squirrel came from the Yew.

Screenshot_20220203-174246_Gallery.jpg.3a2b298132d775eede799975c60e1901.jpg

Right of the tree I'm behind with the feeder in view, I'm supposed to be further back.

Screenshot_20220203-174257_Gallery.jpg.8e0c920411da9071a165fd7db7f7aee4.jpg

This mornings pair, little and large.

I gave it ten minutes,  the drey was still glowing but I was very happy with this, the first squirrel shot was a BIG female the other a smaller male.

I made my way back to the double feeder and there was a squirrel there, but it mooched off before I could get close, the floor is covered in leaves and twigs so moving around quietly is pretty much impossible, especially when it's dry.

I wandered around for an hour or so but again saw no other squirrels anywhere else.

I topped up two other feeders Wednesday afternoon so that's 5 up and running now, hopefully pick off a few more before the birds start nesting. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I do believe they are starting to move again as all of my feeders are being hit hard. Fed a flip top this morning which I have not visited for two months. It was empty but there is a pheasant feeder a couple of yards away which I know they use.  Topped that flip top up and will be back Saturday morning  22RF at the ready.

I have a trail cam picture of one in my own wood which I have to deal with in the morning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A different day today at a new/old location.

Very bright sunshine from 08.30 which faded away as the wind increased.

The feeder used hard, thanks maybe to Mr Walkers magic additive, Sadly a bit of renovation needed as the feeder had been damaged trying to open it up....... a really welcome sign.

2 smaller boar and 1 large sow, just starting to show the first pair of her paps. All shot near to the feeder on the tree within 95 minutes. A switch from the ground snuffling previously seen. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, old man said:

A different day today at a new/old location.

Very bright sunshine from 08.30 which faded away as the wind increased.

The feeder used hard, thanks maybe to Mr Walkers magic additive, Sadly a bit of renovation needed as the feeder had been damaged trying to open it up....... a really welcome sign.

2 smaller boar and 1 large sow, just starting to show the first pair of her paps. All shot near to the feeder on the tree within 95 minutes. A switch from the ground snuffling previously seen. 

Makes a nice change for you 👍

I had an hour at a feeder this morning but saw nothing,  so moved to the next.

I saw a squirrel on the floor heading away in front of me, but thankfully the ground was nice and quiet after the recent monsoon. 

I got into position above the feeder and watched the birds coming and going,  then saw a glimpse of a squirrel sliding away up the tree behind the feeder.

I lost sight of that but then spotted another further away,  I watched it for a while, but it was just too far away probably about 50mtrs but was showing no signs of moving. 

I made my way down using a Yew for cover,  the squirrel moved but only upwards, I sat down and a game of hide and seek followed, but 5 mins later it moved, I don't think it was to bothered about me being there, Pfft Whack and it plummeted to the ground without a twitch. 

Screenshot_20220209-105536_Gallery.jpg.458eedf2dc90c25b815605c80672583a.jpg

Mature male.

After that I topped up the second feeder and made my way out, I didn't see any more squirrels.

Had a fly past by a jet as I walked out in the sunshine then it rained when I got in the car, doesn't get any better than that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few miles upstream from mice,  I was also out with the thermal. At the first wood, there are a couple of Leylandii, where we have shot them before.  I had received a report one  had been seen in them over the weekend, but unfortunately there wasn’t a grey to be seen.

39A8A977-7F14-4A47-AA89-0FCC03EE1710.jpeg.6455c318ca09d048b995cd2a16a41e19.jpeg

Over the stream and up and over a couple of tall dry stone walls and into the next wood, I slogged up the steep slope to a clump of yews, where one or two greys can often be seen, but again nothing. Scanning some spindly oaks, I saw one in the crook of a tree about 50 yards away, the leaves on the ground  were soft and damp and I was able to get within range, the grey was still sitting pretty, up with the Hushpower 410 and down it came. A medium sized female.

I returned to the yews and had a sit down for 15 mins just in case anything appeared, again nothing doing . Scanning the spindly oaks again, I spotted another about 20 yds from the 1st tree, a quiet creep till I was within 30 yds, bang, down it came but unfortunately I couldn’t find it in the tangle of undergrowth and rotting woodpile.

It was now 9.30 and the public were starting to appear, so time to go. I was also lucky to have several jets fly by below me following the contour of the lake and hills. A good day to be out.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

A few miles upstream from mice,  I was also out with the thermal. At the first wood, there are a couple of Leylandii, where we have shot them before.  I had received a report one  had been seen in them over the weekend, but unfortunately there wasn’t a grey to be seen.

39A8A977-7F14-4A47-AA89-0FCC03EE1710.jpeg.6455c318ca09d048b995cd2a16a41e19.jpeg

Over the stream and up and over a couple of tall dry stone walls and into the next wood, I slogged up the steep slope to a clump of yews, where one or two greys can often be seen, but again nothing. Scanning some spindly oaks, I saw one in the crook of a tree about 50 yards away, the leaves on the ground  were soft and damp and I was able to get within range, the grey was still sitting pretty, up with the Hushpower 410 and down it came. A medium sized female.

I returned to the yews and had a sit down for 15 mins just in case anything appeared, again nothing doing . Scanning the spindly oaks again, I spotted another about 20 yds from the 1st tree, a quiet creep till I was within 30 yds, bang, down it came but unfortunately I couldn’t find it in the tangle of undergrowth and rotting woodpile.

It was now 9.30 and the public were starting to appear, so time to go. I was also lucky to have several jets fly by below me following the contour of the lake and hills. A good day to be out.

 

 

Nicely done mate, certainly makes it easier when the ground isn't going crunch with every step.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This wood took a beating in the storm but that's six squirrels now when I only took 15 last year! They are obviously moving in from the surrounding woodland which is why I'm here.
 
I was in place by 720 and the shooting started at 730, the first squirrel came in slow and cautious from the right on the ground,  it didn't make the feeder.
The second came from the same direction but was agitated,  it kept taking something then running off,  I think it was the fourth time it returned to the log when it paused, Pfft Whack.  But it landed belly up!
I was thinking I'd have to move it, but there was a third on the feeder, just sat there, I took the shot but the pellet twanged off a twig, it ran down the feeder across and up another tree stopping to look around,  Pfft Whack down it went.
 
I looked round and there was another sat on the feeder eating a nut? No idea where it came from, Pfft Whack,  no twig this time and it tumbled forwards to land by the second. 
Almost straight away the noise started, there was another squirrel going potty above the feeder, it was up and down, tail twitching bobbing around and clearly unhappy,  and I'm not surprised. 
 
This went on for ten minutes as it crept down then shot back up, before it again sat on the feeder, it's tail had stopped twitching so Pfft Whack and another fell off the top of the feeder, luckily my phone was on silent because it had been ringing in my pocket!
 
But it happened again,  as the 5th was twitching on the floor the noise started again,  but Almost directly above me, try as I might but I couldn't see it as I was under my brolley,  I needed to call the guy back so came out, the squirrel was almost straight above me in a tangle of twigs and moved away. 
50 minutes of shooting that felt like 5.
Screenshot_20220210-095603_Gallery.jpg.b5b4033266d7212740bd92ff3a4a6727.jpg
 
Two big squirrels, and two huge ones that I'll be getting weighed later.
 
I packed up, made the phone call, filled the feeder then scanned the area again,  the birds were enjoying the easy food when I spotted these grazing away...
Screenshot_20220210-095550_Gallery.jpg.8945e15d925da09977b8f3fbd1747bfb.jpg
 
But the star of the show...
Screenshot_20220210-095347_Gallery.jpg.b08d2699d92dfa7855c907f73413754c.jpg
 
I found this near where I park at big wood, it's only small but folds flat, doesn't sink into the ground and is surprisingly comfortable 😁
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Mice! said:
This wood took a beating in the storm but that's six squirrels now when I only took 15 last year! They are obviously moving in from the surrounding woodland which is why I'm here.
 
I was in place by 720 and the shooting started at 730, the first squirrel came in slow and cautious from the right on the ground,  it didn't make the feeder.
The second came from the same direction but was agitated,  it kept taking something then running off,  I think it was the fourth time it returned to the log when it paused, Pfft Whack.  But it landed belly up!
I was thinking I'd have to move it, but there was a third on the feeder, just sat there, I took the shot but the pellet twanged off a twig, it ran down the feeder across and up another tree stopping to look around,  Pfft Whack down it went.
 
I looked round and there was another sat on the feeder eating a nut? No idea where it came from, Pfft Whack,  no twig this time and it tumbled forwards to land by the second. 
Almost straight away the noise started, there was another squirrel going potty above the feeder, it was up and down, tail twitching bobbing around and clearly unhappy,  and I'm not surprised. 
 
This went on for ten minutes as it crept down then shot back up, before it again sat on the feeder, it's tail had stopped twitching so Pfft Whack and another fell off the top of the feeder, luckily my phone was on silent because it had been ringing in my pocket!
 
But it happened again,  as the 5th was twitching on the floor the noise started again,  but Almost directly above me, try as I might but I couldn't see it as I was under my brolley,  I needed to call the guy back so came out, the squirrel was almost straight above me in a tangle of twigs and moved away. 
50 minutes of shooting that felt like 5.
Screenshot_20220210-095603_Gallery.jpg.b5b4033266d7212740bd92ff3a4a6727.jpg
 
Two big squirrels, and two huge ones that I'll be getting weighed later.
 
I packed up, made the phone call, filled the feeder then scanned the area again,  the birds were enjoying the easy food when I spotted these grazing away...
Screenshot_20220210-095550_Gallery.jpg.8945e15d925da09977b8f3fbd1747bfb.jpg
 
But the star of the show...
Screenshot_20220210-095347_Gallery.jpg.b08d2699d92dfa7855c907f73413754c.jpg
 
I found this near where I park at big wood, it's only small but folds flat, doesn't sink into the ground and is surprisingly comfortable 😁

Excellent sir.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...