squirrel control

[figgy]

Should be allowed without reds, tree protection and pest control. Just need your permission slip from land owner.

[Walker570]

3 hours ago, figgy said:

Should be allowed without reds, tree protection and pest control. Just need your permission slip from land owner.

Which I have

[Longbower]

Hi Mice, the chestnuts are the largest and best quality that I have seen for years. I have a bag of them to roast this weekend , with a lovely pork joint.

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, Longbower said:

Hi Mice, the chestnuts are the largest and best quality that I have seen for years. I have a bag of them to roast this weekend , with a lovely pork joint.

Then you must have shot all the squirrels?

And now I want roast pork with all the trimmings 😋😋

[Mice!]

What a different morning, the rooks were waking up again but to clear skies and no wind, a lovely sunrise on the horizon.
I'd put an extra jacket on today, but there was barely a breath of wind.

I went straight to the feeder in the dark and topped it up then got settled in.

I heard the roe buck roaring somewhere close by, making me try to see behind me, then 3 does came past on the woods edge enjoying the warmer morning.

As lovely as the morning was apart from some strange bird calls and a few robins and wrens there wasn't any movement.

I checked the time 7:50 and decided ten more minutes, then five minutes later movement, a squirrel coming along the floor again towards the feeder, it went straight to the base of the tree and started picking at bits, probably a couple of seconds to eat each bit before ducking his head for the next, I waited he sat up again and crack! As the pellet hit him another squirrel came in from the left and went mental, the first had froze then dropped, the second went up a tree and started barking at full volume, tail going, running up and down the tree.

A couple of times I nearly pulled the trigger, but it wasn't settled or the backstop wasn't as good as I wanted, so it carried on making lots of noise before heading up into the canopy.

I couldn't believe it was only 8:05 it seemed like half an hour had passed, then probably five minutes later a squirrel came across from the right?? I'm sure it was the same one, it was maybe a metre from the dead one, started to feed with his head down facing me, pfft number two down, it seems like I've shot the fat family, two big bucks.

[Longbower]

Good going that mate 😀

I took the wrong joint out of the freezer , so no pork !

Just venison 😁

Edited November 4, 2020 by Longbower
punctuation.

[Mice!]

I went and checked on my big wood feeder on my way home today, I don't think I've been to it three weeks? It's not been getting used and I've been busy.

Well it's all go now, it was down to an inch of chewed up bits, they've obviously been sitting in it and feeding. 

All cleaned out with fresh food, don't want them getting hungry do we.

On 04/11/2020 at 22:49, Longbower said:

Just venison 😁

Did you manage ok 😅😅

[Sciurus]

11 hours ago, Mice! said:

I went and checked on my big wood feeder on my way home today, I don't think I've been to it three weeks? It's not been getting used and I've been busy.

Well it's all go now, it was down to an inch of chewed up bits, they've obviously been sitting in it and feeding. 

All cleaned out with fresh food, don't want them getting hungry do we.

I have been wondering where all my greys have gone- now I know-

 Mice has been tempting them  down to his wood- the scoundrel !!!😂

 

[Mice!]

7 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

I have been wondering where all my greys have gone- now I know-

 Mice has been tempting them  down to his wood- the scoundrel !!!😂

 

I should have put the camera back up to see what's going on but only thought of it coming back down to the car, I'll try and get some pictures of them lying side by side for you😉

[Walker570]

Going to put my cameras out tomorrow and have a sit to see what is about. 

[Walker570]

Well finally got it wagging it's tail, well vibrating at least. Hopefully the two photos give some idea.

Just have to find out how to wire the variable unit in so that it does just wag all the time. See pigeon equipment enquiry.

Then camo the box up a bit.

May actually run it off a 12v lightweight golf trolley battery. Easy enough to carry it from Land Rover to it's position on a ride.  I don't know how long the small rechargeable will last.

[Sciurus]

Terrific work Nev, let’s hope it stops them long enough for a shot (if it doesn’t frighten them to death first!)

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, Walker570 said:

Well finally got it wagging it's tail, well vibrating at least. Hopefully the two photos give some idea.

Just have to find out how to wire the variable unit in so that it does just wag all the time. See pigeon equipment enquiry.

Then camo the box up a bit.

May actually run it off a 12v lightweight golf trolley battery. Easy enough to carry it from Land Rover to it's position on a ride.  I don't know how long the small rechargeable will last.

Looks good, surely they'll stop for a look?

Hope a fox doesn't nick it 😄😄

[Walker570]

It will be the last things it does.

[Shufti]

2 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Well finally got it wagging it's tail, well vibrating at least. Hopefully the two photos give some idea.

Just have to find out how to wire the variable unit in so that it does just wag all the time. See pigeon equipment enquiry.

Then camo the box up a bit.

May actually run it off a 12v lightweight golf trolley battery. Easy enough to carry it from Land Rover to it's position on a ride.  I don't know how long the small rechargeable will last.

Brilliant!

Robosquiz!

Is it a stuffed or just fresh dead one ?

Or toy?

Can't tell by picture!

[Walker570]

1 hour ago, Shufti said:

Brilliant!

Robosquiz!

Is it a stuffed or just fresh dead one ?

Or toy?

Can't tell by picture!

I just cut a shape from some scrap timber, skinned a tree rat and then stretched it over having coated it in wood glue and stapled it in place. No need for a fancy Taxidermist job as all needed was an outline and colour/texture. The motor is from a windscreen washer pump (12v)  The tail is glued to about 2 inches of wire which is glued to the motor shaft this makes the end of the tail appear to twitch.  It will be fun to see any reaction if any.

[WalkedUp]

Ingenious 

[Shufti]

Thanks for your explanation .

It will certainly attract attention.

Look forward to hearing of your success!

[ratchers]

You gotta get a video of this in action attracting another squirrel.💓

[Mice!]

Been busy, 5 new feeders just about finished ready to go out this week, lockdown has given me the chance to go Overt somewhere for the month,  so I've made some smaller feeders that hold about 3kg and were quicker to make, I've got another 3 cut ready to assemble but needed to get some finished and out.

I saw loads on a look around during the week, shot three but a good few couldn't be shot or just didn't sit still long enough before going behind cover.

My plan is 5 feeders out and do a loop around them, the feed will bring them in and get them still long enough for a shot, hopefully get a couple then move to the next feed point.

[Longbower]

Saturday , I caught a fleeting glimpse of a squirrel above the feeders , in three hours of watching.

Today  (Sunday) I bagged 5 with the Hatsan Field Hunter , in just a few hours. 

I cant seem to get the photos from phone to computer though?

[Mice!]

10 hours ago, Longbower said:

cant seem to get the photos from phone to computer though?

I only use my phone so can't help?

[Sciurus]

It was a warm if somewhat murky morning as two of us and a young whippet set out doing a bit of grey control with .410s

The first wood yielded just one adult, but at the second wood we were rewarded by the sight of an adult red rooting around some hazel saplings. A second grey was later spotted and shot. Whilst searching for the ejected cartridge with the thermal, I spotted the acorn it had been carrying as it was glowing bright red!

Retracing our steps, we encountered the red again about 50yds away from where we first spotted it.  A third grey was spotted peeping through the fork of a branch. My mate circled to the rear of the tree which resulted the grey presenting an easy shot for me as it sidled round the trunk.

The whippet who is still in training, nicely retrieved all the greys, but unlike its mother, hadn’t shown interest in pointing to any of the trees where the greys were. However on the way back she showed a lot of interest in a single Beech in the centre of a field. We couldn’t spot anything and walked on. Turning round to call the dog, a fourth grey was spotted out  on a limb, which was quickly shot and retrieved.

A very pleasant morning out. 

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, Sciurus said:

It was a warm if somewhat murky morning as two of us and a young whippet set out doing a bit of grey control with .410s

The first wood yielded just one adult, but at the second wood we were rewarded by the sight of an adult red rooting around some hazel saplings. A second grey was later spotted and shot. Whilst searching for the ejected cartridge with the thermal, I spotted the acorn it had been carrying as it was glowing bright red!

Retracing our steps, we encountered the red again about 50yds away from where we first spotted it.  A third grey was spotted peeping through the fork of a branch. My mate circled to the rear of the tree which resulted the grey presenting an easy shot for me as it sidled round the trunk.

The whippet who is still in training, nicely retrieved all the greys, but unlike its mother, hadn’t shown interest in pointing to any of the trees where the greys were. However on the way back she showed a lot of interest in a single Beech in the centre of a field. We couldn’t spot anything and walked on. Turning round to call the dog, a fourth grey was spotted out  on a limb, which was quickly shot and retrieved.

A very pleasant morning out. 

Superb mate 👍

[AVB]

I am a novice air gunner and I only shoot squirrels in the garden at moment and having quite a bit of success. However today I hit one at about 20m (.22 springer). It jumped very high when I hit it and then twitched a lot on the ground before falling still. Assuming it was I dead I walked to it only to find it still breathing which I was upset about (I dispatched it with a shot through the top of the head). The shot was well placed very slightly just below the ear and had passed right through the head. I thought this was the right place to shoot them so interested to known why death wasn’t quicker.