squirrel control

[old man]

On 19/07/2023 at 09:24, Mice! said:

I've only taken low numbers from these two woods, I've been neglecting them for other spots, but I've kept the feeders going, but there are a lot of Hazel's in both of these woods so that might be why it was quiet?

Not many Hazel's where I go but lots local home. Beech mast soon by the ton. Most Beech 100yr+ so laden.

[Mice!]

4 hours ago, old man said:

Not many Hazel's where I go but lots local home. Beech mast soon by the ton. Most Beech 100yr+ so laden.

Some big Beech where I am in one of these woods, they won't be easy shots with the leaf cover and the height.

[old man]

6 hours ago, Mice! said:

Some big Beech where I am in one of these woods, they won't be easy shots with the leaf cover and the height.

True but we have the power when the shot is on?

[old man]

Two today at 50 yds ish.

One came out to sunbathe 25yds up a main stem, the other tried to sneak in shadows to feed in a beech canopy.

[old man]

Out again tomorrow 2 weeks then another location that I am baiting already.

[Good shot?]

Lots of Hazel nuts on the few Hazel trees on one perm I have. Only one of three feeders being used occasionally.

[Mice!]

5 hours ago, Good shot? said:

Lots of Hazel nuts on the few Hazel trees on one perm I have. Only one of three feeders being used occasionally.

Probably depends on what bait your using, I've got feeders still being emptied weekly, I've had a friend topping up while I was away and was looking forward yo shooting Wednesday but the stalkers are in the wood, so it's plan B this week. 

[Good shot?]

39 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Probably depends on what bait your using, I've got feeders still being emptied weekly, I've had a friend topping up while I was away and was looking forward yo shooting Wednesday but the stalkers are in the wood, so it's plan B this week. 

Using peanuts.

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, Good shot? said:

Using peanuts.

I was expecting you to say wheat or maize, must just be that time of the year.

[Mice!]

I was out topping up last night, I'm not sure how but I was out a good two hours, the feeder that's been topped up while I was away was half full and ticking over nicely,  the next two were empty, hoovered out!

Unfortunately it's those two I'll be shooting Wednesday morning,  but we'll see what happens 🙃 

[Mice!]

Plan A was good, the feeder has been filled each week and I was going to shoot it this morning,  I'd found a good solid, comfy position to shoot from where I can see the feeders and the floor underneath perfect. 

Only problem was when I msgd the stalkers to say I was planning on shooting so were they!

We cover the same woods except they pay to shoot,  we're working around and with each other so plan B.

I'd topped up these two feeders on Monday night, both were very empty,  the first was last visited on the 24th with me shooting two and the other was filled in June and July but has be very quiet so I've not shot it.

I went out late last night to put the brolley up and found plenty of mess, peanut butter licked and sunflower seed shells 👍

I was back in the wood for 620 and shot the first off the feeder at 625 ish, no messing straight in.

As soon as it had stopped bouncing the noise started, from my 1 o'clock and 8 o'clock. 

The problem was it also sounded like I was sat by a moto cross course, there was some serious strimming going on.

The two squirrels kept up the chatter but both came down to the feeder so it was two side on shots and one looking straight at me taken just above the eyes.

Where they fell.

With that I gave it 15mins and left, The constant noise meant I wasn't hanging around. 

There's plenty of Hazel, Beech oak and others but the squirrels were straight onto the feeder. 

Ten minutes after leaving I was sat in another wood, peace was restored and I was watching the birds, only I was sat out in the open, no brolley or nets up, just sat still with my head viel on, I wasn't expecting much as I knew the feeder could have been empty for a couple of weeks, but the feed and peanut butter was all gone from the log of doom.

I didn't have to wait long to spot a squirrel,  it made its way in and up, sat up Pfft Whack bounce.

That was me happy, no blank, but there were others moving around in the canopy!

I ended up taking four from the feeder or under it, all coming in as they usually do even with me not well hidden, one did mess but it came down and joined the others, and I took two others from off to my right, I was able to spin round and move the sticks to take two quick close shots as they were jumping around in the trees, 5 males and 1 female.

If you zoom in you'll see my sticks where I was sat, it made a nice change being able to look around and watch the birds.

I wasn't expecting 6 that's for sure.

[arjimlad]

@Mice! Great stuff 👍

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, arjimlad said:

@Mice! Great stuff 👍

Cheers fella.

[old man]

Out this morning, feeder emptied from last Thursday.

Eventually a young sow kitt appeared from nowhere on the feeder, did a quick dart 10 feet up into a fork and tried to spot me. Mistake and 1 in the bag.

[old man]

Two more Thursday, surprised 3 on the feeder tree on walking in. Very open approach to this location.  No dramas, two separate appearances from nowhere, two on the floor.

[Mice!]

I had to change plans the other week because the stalkers had planned to be out, then last week we were in Scotland which meant the feeders would have been emptied at some point,  but I was up there as it was going dark Sunday night to top the feeders up with the plan being to shoot today. 

Sunflower seeds are a great indicator that squirrels are sitting at the feeder as the birds will take one and fly away. 

I was back last night to set up, the open feeder was hammered, probably by the birds and the nut/Sunflower seed mix was half full,  game on.

 

I won't lie, I didn't want to get up this morning but I was in the wood for 6:45 and I wasn't lured away by the noise of other squirrels 😅😅

 

this shows the scene, I've deliberately set up by this wall as the squirrels like to run along them,  I'm 28-30mtrs from the feeders sat in a new position than before,  a little further back than I try to be, but it's a comfy, covered spot.

 

It didn't take too long for the first squirrel to show up, but the behaviour was odd, it ran in, flipped the lid, and ran off 😳 probably 20mtrs away and ate its prize?

And there were three squirrels doing this!! I'm guessing it was because the squirrels were all males and territorial. 

I watched this a few times then took one off the wall, I missed the second!! I felt the stock drop a touch sending the pellet high, but it was a clean miss, the squirrel jumped, did a 180° and froze on the tree, I'd already reloaded and didn't repeat my mistake , Pfft Whack. 

The third came along the wall again,  same thing, jump to the feeder then back to the wall, the second time it had a nut and it was game over, Pfft Whack. 

 

All the time I'd been under my brolley there had been noise from above and behind me with bits dropping,  after half an hour with nothing in front I decided to take a walk.

 

This is my view in front.

And a glance behind. 

I couldn't see the one above me, too much cover,  but there were others making a lot of noise, and they weren't all hidden in the canopy. 

I spotted a heat source, which turned into a two headed squirrel, it was too far away though so I moved forward to another tree, scanned again and they were still up there, twenty odd meters up on a broken oak, with a nicely positioned bough behind them.

Using my sticks and the tree I lined up on leftie, Pfft Whack drop,  watched it bounce then looked back up but couldn't spot righty,  after a minute or so I moved left a bit and scanned and it was still up there, but had moved round a thick branch so was tricky to see.

I moved back and knelt down,  turned up the mag and played spot the squirrel,,, eye see you! Pfft Whack drop number two was down, a pair of kits.

 

There was still more noise from further on in the woods, these squirrels need to learn to keep quiet, being drawn by the noise, I spotted another in the canopy, manoeuvred closer and managed to find it, but there was a leaf and twig covering the head, so a throat shot it was, Pfft and not so much as a twitch, large female.

 

I had two more sightings, but these didn't play my game, they were spotted but there was no shot and they moved off, at a rapid speed.

 

So another 6 from here, loads of Beech mast and Hazel so I'm surprised there still coming to the feeders.

 

I saw a couple more walking out the wood, and saw squirrels on the road coming and going as there's a lot of Hazel about.

[mick.c]

Bobby dazzler mate....I see my feeder is in the limelight again....Will bell you in the next couple of days 👍

[Mice!]

11 hours ago, mick.c said:

Bobby dazzler mate....I see my feeder is in the limelight again....Will bell you in the next couple of days 👍

Cheers pal, strange how they weren't settling on it, but it's doing the job, just needs to be a bit bigger 😅😅😅

[mick.c]

No, you need to be closer, say less than 10mtr and .22....that's what I've been told.... 😋😋😋

[old man]

On 23/08/2023 at 21:40, Mice! said:

I had to change plans the other week because the stalkers had planned to be out, then last week we were in Scotland which meant the feeders would have been emptied at some point,  but I was up there as it was going dark Sunday night to top the feeders up with the plan being to shoot today. 

Sunflower seeds are a great indicator that squirrels are sitting at the feeder as the birds will take one and fly away. 

I was back last night to set up, the open feeder was hammered, probably by the birds and the nut/Sunflower seed mix was half full,  game on.

 

I won't lie, I didn't want to get up this morning but I was in the wood for 6:45 and I wasn't lured away by the noise of other squirrels 😅😅

 

this shows the scene, I've deliberately set up by this wall as the squirrels like to run along them,  I'm 28-30mtrs from the feeders sat in a new position than before,  a little further back than I try to be, but it's a comfy, covered spot.

 

It didn't take too long for the first squirrel to show up, but the behaviour was odd, it ran in, flipped the lid, and ran off 😳 probably 20mtrs away and ate its prize?

And there were three squirrels doing this!! I'm guessing it was because the squirrels were all males and territorial. 

I watched this a few times then took one off the wall, I missed the second!! I felt the stock drop a touch sending the pellet high, but it was a clean miss, the squirrel jumped, did a 180° and froze on the tree, I'd already reloaded and didn't repeat my mistake , Pfft Whack. 

The third came along the wall again,  same thing, jump to the feeder then back to the wall, the second time it had a nut and it was game over, Pfft Whack. 

 

All the time I'd been under my brolley there had been noise from above and behind me with bits dropping,  after half an hour with nothing in front I decided to take a walk.

 

This is my view in front.

And a glance behind. 

I couldn't see the one above me, too much cover,  but there were others making a lot of noise, and they weren't all hidden in the canopy. 

I spotted a heat source, which turned into a two headed squirrel, it was too far away though so I moved forward to another tree, scanned again and they were still up there, twenty odd meters up on a broken oak, with a nicely positioned bough behind them.

Using my sticks and the tree I lined up on leftie, Pfft Whack drop,  watched it bounce then looked back up but couldn't spot righty,  after a minute or so I moved left a bit and scanned and it was still up there, but had moved round a thick branch so was tricky to see.

I moved back and knelt down,  turned up the mag and played spot the squirrel,,, eye see you! Pfft Whack drop number two was down, a pair of kits.

 

There was still more noise from further on in the woods, these squirrels need to learn to keep quiet, being drawn by the noise, I spotted another in the canopy, manoeuvred closer and managed to find it, but there was a leaf and twig covering the head, so a throat shot it was, Pfft and not so much as a twitch, large female.

 

I had two more sightings, but these didn't play my game, they were spotted but there was no shot and they moved off, at a rapid speed.

 

So another 6 from here, loads of Beech mast and Hazel so I'm surprised there still coming to the feeders.

 

I saw a couple more walking out the wood, and saw squirrels on the road coming and going as there's a lot of Hazel about.

Yours seem a lot more active than mine.

Well done bud.

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, old man said:

Yours seem a lot more active than mine.

Well done bud.

Cheers mate, I've not been in this wood long, I've only taken 15 from here since June, and I'm moving around a lot to different woods.

[old man]

2 hours ago, Mice! said:

Cheers mate, I've not been in this wood long, I've only taken 15 from here since June, and I'm moving around a lot to different woods.

Cracking job!

Edited August 25, 2023 by old man

[Mice!]

I'm not attempting a long write up till the forum sorts itself out, I took another 5 last week, three near the feeder and two out the trees, but there were plenty more seen in the trees, on the Oak, Beech, Hazel and Sweet chestnut,, it's just that time of the year.

[Ratlegs]

Anyone tried this????

[TIGHTCHOKE]

What's the best before date?