squirrel control

[sam triple]

Another 2 this pm a bore and a sow only out for a few hours 

Just now, sam triple said:

Another 2 this pm a bore and a sow only out for a few hours 

 

[sam triple]

Another 3 bores this evening 

won’t let me upload a photo 

[Fisheruk]

Well the privilege of doing grey control in woods with Reds and Greys, is that you get to look after the Reds as well, once the greys are removed. 
This afternoon I have made an artificial drey, for the Reds. A 50mm diameter plate will keep the greys out but let the Reds breed safely.

The timber is from the same conservation wood. It was cut with a chainsaw mill last year and stacked well for seasoning. It’s now fantastic for working.

I’ll help the lass who owns the wood to site it next week.

Should be in time for the second brood of Reds later this year.

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by Fisheruk

[old man]

17 hours ago, Fisheruk said:

Well the privilege of doing grey control in woods with Reds and Greys, is that you get to look after the Reds as well, once the greys are removed. 
This afternoon I have made an artificial drey, for the Reds. A 50mm diameter plate will keep the greys out but let the Reds breed safely.

The timber is from the same conservation wood. It was cut with a chainsaw mill last year and stacked well for seasoning. It’s now fantastic for working.

I’ll help the lass who owns the wood to site it next week.

Should be in time for the second brood of Reds later this year.

 

Brilliant. Good luck with your endeavour.

[Walker570]

Superb effort. Hope they take to it.

[Fisheruk]

I had a report from the owner of a conservation wood on Wednesday that she had seen a cheeky grey squirrel on her large bird feeder. Went out early doors this morning, on site for 5.30am.

First grey comes along at 6.20, a further wait and another comes at 6.40. At 7.10am two Reds appear and had a mating chase for 20 minutes, entertaining to watch.

Then down to the peanuts I’d scattered on the ground beneath the bird table, for a quick apres snack and away.

A very enjoyable morning and two less grey females to breed this summer, but hopefully we’ll have some Red kits in a few weeks time.

 

[Fisheruk]

Out this morning early, no grey squirrels about, but two Reds. Both chasing and leaping around on the canopy above my hide. One was a bright ginger, this darker one came for a snack.

 

[sam triple]

Arrived at the woods yesterday both feeders filled Thursday were empty again ! I know it’s birds as well as squirrels emptying them as I walked to fill feeder no 2 about 5 squirrels bolted from the tree never to be seen again !!!  Only took 1 bore in 3 1/2 hours I was up there but nice to see woodpecker at the feeder along with goldfinches ,blackbirds , bluetits a few partridge clearing up the overspill , song birds have certainly come back in numbers since starting to purge the woods of pests 

[Mice!]

On 30/04/2022 at 18:13, Fisheruk said:

very enjoyable morning and two less grey females to breed this summer, but hopefully we’ll have some Red kits in a few weeks time.

Certainly be nice to see some red kits, but must be a worry having the reds and greys in such close proximity,  keep up the pressure 👍

7 hours ago, sam triple said:

song birds have certainly come back in numbers since starting to purge the woods of pests 

Amazing what a difference it makes, and how many birds come in to your feeders once they know the food is there. 

[Fisheruk]

A walk out into another conservation wood with one of the grandsons to re-install the refurbished squirrel feeder. Most of the ironwork is reclaimed from the previous feeder. I’ve learnt my lesson not to use OSB for feeders, after a year it started to delaminate. Back to the trusty 18mm plywood and decking board off cuts. This week I’ll get to try out my latest acquisition. A band saw. I’m beginning to like this retirement thing.

 

[old man]

Cold again this morning.

First customer arrived over ground at 09.20 and sat on top of the feeder, a nice fat old breeding boar with a bald patch on his nuts from wear.

The second came over ground and on topping a fallen branch faced me out, it paused too long and went into the brambles as a snack for the night crew.

 

[sam triple]

I know it’s not been shot but Maud a friends Boxer X Mastiff had one this morning 

[Fisheruk]

2 minutes ago, sam triple said:

I know it’s not been shot but Maud a friends Boxer X Mastiff had one this morning 

Everyone counts

[old man]

An old boar today. Appeared out of thin air on a branch about 15 yds away, taken with an angled away chest shot.

[ratchers]

Had to wait 2 and a half hours but it was worth it, a large male.

[Walker570]

The silage grass is due to be cut giving me access to two of my flip top feeders and I am sure I will have a bit of fun there for a couple of visits as I have not been near them for weeks.  They have become very scarce in the village here since one of my neighbours put in a live catch and purchased an air rifle.  I'm sure we will have one or two youngsters show up in the next week or so.

[Morkin]

Morning all, I seem to be very slow on the grey front is that the time of year ,when do you start seeing youngans ? ,Keep up the good work you're all good ol boys.👍🐿️👍

[sam triple]

Been a few weeks but just took this sow out of my garden 

[Mice!]

8 hours ago, sam triple said:

Been a few weeks but just took this sow out of my garden 

I caught a flash of grey in my garden yesterday,  it'll be back.

I went out this evening to top up some feeders, they were empty again,  just hope there back on them Friday morning. 

[Mice!]

I'm out and I'm on it lads, I'm not sure there is any place nicer to sit for a few hours, even with distant road noise, the buzz of the bees, birds chirping and a few squirrels falling to the ground.

More later 

[amateur]

Not seen a squirrel for months and the garden traps remain disappointingly empty.

[sam triple]

Went to fill the feeders this morning both empty , but there moving on to the wheat in the fields no ears on it yet but they’re damaging it ,managed to take 1 under a pheasant feeder 

 1 from the garden the other day 

 

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, sam triple said:

Went to fill the feeders this morning both empty , but there moving on to the wheat in the fields no ears on it yet but they’re damaging it ,managed to take 1 under a pheasant feeder 

 1 from the garden the other day 

 

Look at you with the fancy new scope, and video links, very nice, what is it??

[sam triple]

5 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Look at you with the fancy new scope, and video links, very nice, what is it??

Sightmark Wraith , nice and easy to use , how you get on ?

[Mice!]

Fellas, you will need a brew and biscuits,  or a beer if its later on 😉

I should have been in work today but needed to be home, should have booked half a day, but a full day meant I could go shooting,  and go I did. 

 

I'd topped up the feeders three weeks ago,  then again on Wednesday night, hard to beat the sounds and smells in a wood in the evening,  you can see the picture but can't feel it 

 

 

So I was walking towards my feeder by 7am ish this morning, gun out, loaded, safety on, sticks ready, thermal free of other straps, the feeder is positioned so you can shoot from two different angles,  there is often a squirrel on the feeder when it's light early and there was today,  sat at 90° to me quite happy. 

Sticks up, gun up and squirrel down, it just rolled off the platform without a twitch. 

Shooting position 

And zoom in.

 

I moved around and set up, it had rained hard over night, it was breezy as it said it would be, but the hollow I'm in is pretty sheltered,  just the tree tops blowing around unless it gusts.

 

Probably 40 mins before another squirrel shows up, like a pin ball, it came down, zig zags through the Yew tree, onto the feeder, spots the dead squirrel and rockets back the way it came 

I'm watching it go, look back and there's another squirrel on the ground by the dead one, I swing back onto it, settle Pfft Whack it went down,  sat up and rolled out of sight, I didn't like the way it reacted so got up to look.

It was dead bellow the tree, shot had gone in at the neck and down, I must have pulled left a touch. 

 

Now for the close ups, TICK ALERT

 

 

 

TICKS

I haven't seen many over winter on the squirrels but these two bucks had loads, throat,  head, mouth, eyes, ears, give it another few weeks and the first one I shot would have been a real mess.

 

Back into position thinking because I'd been out in the open that's it then, looking at my phone, msgd a couple of mates, @Sciurus and  watched the woodpeckers and the Nuthatch's look up and there's a squirrel on the trunk! Never fails 😁😁

Just it's head poking out, sat rock still going nowhere,  OK then, Pfft Whack,  it froze, tail came over, back legs gripping the bark, then dropped out of sight, but dropped clean, number 3 in the bag.

 

I watched #4 come through the tree canopy maybe ten minutes later, no hesitation straight in and onto the ground under the feeder, sits up nicely and takes a JSB HEAVY to the head, slammed down, went still then bounced around.

 

It was maybe 830 when #5 came in, I was replying to a mate again who I shoot with, I dumped the phone when I spotted the movement, straight down the trunk,  but a bit twitchy,  which I was expecting with there being two dead squirrels on the ground, it messed a bit before going to the feeder platform,  took something and as we like, sat nicely to eat,  Pfft Whack drop,  dead bellow the feeder, three in twenty minutes. 

I was hoping for a couple but really happy with 5.

 

Then I looked at my figures for last year, April and May I only took 8 squirrels from big wood for 6 visits, so I was happy again, despite not being out for weeks and being like a bear with a sore behind.

 

Bag for the day 

Where they've been sat munching the sunflower seeds. 

I'll hopefully get a few more next week.

8 minutes ago, sam triple said:

Sightmark Wraith , nice and easy to use , how you get on ?

Looks good mate, day and night, videos, just don't forget to charge it 😅😅