squirrel control

[Sciurus]

1 hour ago, Mice! said:

 

Hope that means your now trapping at the outdoor adventure place?

Its the large  Estate, where you had a go with the Hushpower, I have encouraged the Facilities manager to do some trapping and shooting particularly round the Hall and lodges and he has done well during lock down.You might remember meeting him at last years trappers meeting, same name as yourself, nice guy and keen.Two reds were spotted there last month.

I haven’t shot there for a couple of months, but intend to go there with the thermal once the leaves have fallen.

Its very quiet on my side of the Lake. We only controlled 19 greys last month in the village  and no sightings were reported by the public. It’s just a matter of time before they reappear. I remember last year I couldn’t get them to go on the feeders but was able to pick them off foraging for beechmast and sweet chestnut. Are there any sweet chestnut at HH?

 

[Mice!]

3 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

remember last year I couldn’t get them to go on the feeders but was able to pick them off foraging for beechmast and sweet chestnut. Are there any sweet chestnut at HH?

I haven't found any yet, loads of oak and hazel,  a lot of sweet chestnuts, chestnuts oak and beech near my other feeder.

September certainly was quiet,  I had one in the garden this afternoon but I left it alone, I'll let it come and go leaving a scent trail for its friends 😉

[Martlandhw100]

Well after gaining the permission and putting the feeders up I have managed to shoot 5 grays out of this small wood and haven't had any sighting of any on the camera for at least 3 weeks. Today I went to check the feeders and the camera as I was looking through my little red friend appears on the screen. I had too look twice if I'm being honest as I would never of thought I'd get a red on camera. It really dose pay off shooting/trapping the grays to make room for the reds to move back into the woods 👍 

 

[Mice!]

Back up in a new position,  probably 30mtrs away from where it was, cleared all the ground around the base, probably a better angle and I can see round the base of the tree, just need the acorns etc to be gone.

Birds should be able to get bits from the front easier now so hopefully that should get things going.

[Sciurus]

It looks a bit like the squirrel equivalent to Starship Enterprise!😇

Let’s  hope moving it abit will do the trick.

What does the netting on the platform do?

I had a walk through four different woods this week with the thermal  and only saw greys in one. They were high in the trees and not interested in acorns and other nuts on the ground. There were also very few woodpigeons about and they were not interested in feeding on the ground either.

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, Sciurus said:

It looks a bit like the squirrel equivalent to Starship Enterprise!😇

Let’s  hope moving it abit will do the trick.

What does the netting on the platform do?

I had a walk through four different woods this week with the thermal  and only saw greys in one. They were high in the trees and not interested in acorns and other nuts on the ground. There were also very few woodpigeons about and they were not interested in feeding on the ground either.

I've only put the netting on because I had it, and I've had a few squirrels fall off the platform before,  its funny but I want them sat comfy 😅

Each time I've been in the woods near me, it's been pigeons and squirrels happily chomping away on acorns, couple of the Penrith rangers have been posting pics of good bags all shot around oaks, on the ground and shotgun (cheating 😆😆)

[Sciurus]

There’s hope for us then, if they are feeding at Penrith ....😂

I have no problem cheating with the .410!

[ricardolamos]

I am keen to join a group controlling grey squirrel numbers and would appreciate contacts in the Stroud/Cirencester areas.

i am a decent shot with my own guns and am reliable/sensible.

many thanks 

 

Rich

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, ricardolamos said:

I am keen to join a group controlling grey squirrel numbers and would appreciate contacts in the Stroud/Cirencester areas.

i am a decent shot with my own guns and am reliable/sensible.

many thanks 

 

Rich

Have a look for this group on FB, it won't guarantee somewhere to shoot but it's a good place to start.

[AVB]

There are loads of squirrels in the trees bordering my garden. I shoot the odd one that come into the garden but would be more successful if I could put up a feeder. Any pictures of simple feeding stations would be useful and I’ll attempt to make one. Needs to be simple though! 

[bruno22rf]

Think it would need to be a simple squirrel as well AVB - there is so much wild food available at the moment that they will need a 3 course a la carte menu with a nutty chaser, romantic candles and table service to tempt them down in any numbers. However building a feeder now will let them get used to it and once the cold weather starts to bite their little bushy backsides and wild food dries up they will come with confidence - then you can hit them hard.

[Mice!]

53 minutes ago, AVB said:

There are loads of squirrels in the trees bordering my garden. I shoot the odd one that come into the garden but would be more successful if I could put up a feeder. Any pictures of simple feeding stations would be useful and I’ll attempt to make one. Needs to be simple though! 

The simplest thing to do is put up a few bird feeders in a position you can shoot,  either the feeders or on the floor underneath,  they'll come at some point, I find feeding sunflower hearts and fatballs works best. 

24 minutes ago, bruno22rf said:

so much wild food available at the moment that they will need a 3 course a la carte menu with a nutty chaser, romantic candles and table service to tempt them down in any numbers

I went out this morning to be ridiculed by the squirrels,  a few were playing chase me through the tree tops, a couple went past in the tree tops in a serious hurry,  the worst was one that went past on the deck 10mtrs away,  stopping twitch twitch move, then back the other way doing the same again just never stopping quite long enough for a clean shot, the feeder is being used but no interest in it today.

[Fisheruk]

I’m off to hibernate in Wales, before they set up the watch towers 😳 plenty of time to give them Squirrels a hard time.

[AVB]

15 hours ago, Mice! said:

The simplest thing to do is put up a few bird feeders in a position you can shoot,  either the feeders or on the floor underneath,  they'll come at some point, I find feeding sunflower hearts and fatballs works best. 

 

I’ve got a couple of bird feeders and yes it does attract some squirrels. However, they never stay long so I only get a fleeting chance to have a shot. I thought if I had a dedicated squirrel feeder they would stay around longer. I’m new to airguns so still getting to grips with them. It’s only a .22 springer and I fancy upgrading to a PCP at some point. 

[Martlandhw100]

1 hour ago, AVB said:

I’ve got a couple of bird feeders and yes it does attract some squirrels. However, they never stay long so I only get a fleeting chance to have a shot. I thought if I had a dedicated squirrel feeder they would stay around longer. I’m new to airguns so still getting to grips with them. It’s only a .22 springer and I fancy upgrading to a PCP at some point. 

Heres one I made very easy 

[AVB]

27 minutes ago, Martlandhw100 said:

Heres one I made very easy 

Thanks. I’ll have a bash at something similar. 

[Walker570]

If your serious about this then make them out of metal, saves the wooden ones getting chewed to pieces which they will do even f they can get to some of the feed.  A few pop rivets, a drill and a 1/8th drill bit, some sheets of tin doesn't need to be thick stuff. I use the information sheets from the side of disused IBC crates.   A vice and a hammer and a means of cutting the tin sheet. I use a disc cutter and one of those thin cutting discs.  This one has a back stop plate for air rifle use.

The feeder screws onto a wooden base which extends out front.  This one has a larger hopper but you don't have to have that, just a flip up lid.  They work. I have ten out and fed a mix of mixed corn, whole maize and a small amount of peanuts all mixed with GameKeepa spices.

 

[Mice!]

7 hours ago, AVB said:

I’ve got a couple of bird feeders and yes it does attract some squirrels. However, they never stay long so I only get a fleeting chance to have a shot. I thought if I had a dedicated squirrel feeder they would stay around longer. I’m new to airguns so still getting to grips with them. It’s only a .22 springer and I fancy upgrading to a PCP at some point. 

A suet block or fat balls keeps them around long enough for shot,  I've had loads in the garden this way, position them so they can sit there comfortably and eat, feed them and they will come 👍

[Walker570]

Well, finally got all the logs in, some 29 loads and thought it was about time I had a look at the tree rats again.  Went up at daybreak to what is normally guaranteed to show at least one or two, but in two hours I did not see anything other than four hen pheasants walking by and they where not feeding, although there is at least a half ton of wheat tipped in a pile.

My flip top feeder was untouched.  The oak tree close to where I parked had a thick layer of acorns all around it.

Going to be a few weeks before we see the rats needing supplementary food.  Will have a look across in Lincolnshire next week and see if they are coming to the pheasant feeders.

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, Walker570 said:

My flip top feeder was untouched.  The oak tree close to where I parked had a thick layer of acorns all around it.

Going to be a few weeks before we see the rats needing supplementary food.  Will have a look across in Lincolnshire next week and see if they are coming to the pheasant feeders.

Same thing being said all over, most seem to be getting taken in the trees at the moment with shotguns. 

[Sciurus]

There just doesn’t seem to be many about at all. I frequently take the thermal out for a walk checking local woods and rarely see any.

Grey sightings by the public are down to just one or two a month.

Weather permitting, I will be out tomorrow with the .410   and a pal and his switched on whippet.

[Martlandhw100]

4 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

There just doesn’t seem to be many about at all. I frequently take the thermal out for a walk checking local woods and rarely see any.

Grey sightings by the public are down to just one or two a month.

Weather permitting, I will be out tomorrow with the .410   and a pal and his switched on whippet.

Wish I could say the same about down here yet again this morning while walking my dog I counted at least 20 🤬

[Mice!]

14 minutes ago, Martlandhw100 said:

Wish I could say the same about down here yet again this morning while walking my dog I counted at least 20 🤬

Public park again? Fella on FB shot 23 the other day, garden permission alongside a public park.

[Sciurus]

40 minutes ago, Martlandhw100 said:

Wish I could say the same about down here yet again this morning while walking my dog I counted at least 20 🤬

Crikey- how frustrating!

,Mice is right, it wouldn’t do any harm in seeing whether there is a sympathetic neighbour who might let you shoot in the garden. It’s surprising how a casual chat whilst walking the dog can open up opportunities .

[Ttfjlc]

6 hours ago, Mice! said:

Same thing being said all over, most seem to be getting taken in the trees at the moment with shotguns. 

Contrary to some ill-informed old guy's belief that roaming around is the idiot way of doing it my lad's best tally for an hour's work was 26 .