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squirrel control


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4 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Nicely done. I have my Airmax scope set up that at 40yrds I use the first dot below the cross hair and then the first dot up for 10 yarders and by judging intermediate I can place them in between as required. Iforgot a couple of weeks ago and had one sitting perfect at about 12yrds put the cross hair on in haste and it went down  then got up and shook it's head violently before jumping of the bird table and scampering off at speed.  I have since checked every one shot there to see if it had a crossways parting

That's the only thing this scope is missing,  a couple of hash marks or mildots for the longer shots, but always tended to give more hold over knowing its a good hit or a clean miss.

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I have had a frustrating couple of weeks.

Torrential rain nearly all day and every day.

The forecast for last Tuesday was dry, so I got out early for a walk round a local historic property. It was perishing cold. However by 7.45 the sun came out and it was lovely but every leaf and branch started glowing and the thermal became completely useless . I saw very few greys, I bowled one over with the.410 but it still ran up a Beech, never to be seen again. The public started to arrive at 9.30, so I left and as I was driving out of the entrance, a grey squirrel appeared and actually escorted me down the drive- cheeky beggar!

Two more days of rain but Saturday morning, I managed to get out very early in my nearest wood. It is owned by the Local authority and is very popular with the tourists. I parked my car with my Red Squirrel Ranger pass in the window. I walked 50 yards and met my first dog walker, said hello and carried on. Another fruitless walk, saw one grey disappearing in the distance and didn’t even  get the gun out of the slip.

This morning I had a policeman knocking on my dining room window as I was eating breakfast. “Are you Mr Sciurus” - Yes- “ we had had a report that you were seen in Tourist Woods with a gun........”

Actually, The Bobby was very nice. Apparently, the man with the dog was a London tourist, who wasn’t used to seeing guns and had reported my car registration.  I produced my shooting permit from the Council and the policeman was more than satisfied. He didn’t want to see my licence as they had already checked I held a shotgun certificate. Turned out he was game shooter and following our chat, he promised to shoot any greys on his shoot. I even gave him  our Red Squirrel Membership application leaflet!

I felt the police handled this report  very well in the circumstances.

The leaves are starting to turn and fall. Hopefully , this will lead to  more success with the thermal in a couple of weeks.

 

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A hard blank today, I waited for the light then spent an hour and a half at feeder 1, never saw a squirrel,  at the feeder or in the trees.

I've read a few posts lately of fellas getting good results having a walk about so as I was nodding off that's what I did.

I headed up the hill, lots of oak so I expected to find a few squirrels and some acorns, nothing anywhere,  in another 1.5hrs I caught a glimpse of one squirrel and didn't find any acorns on the ground,  guessing those that were about have been eaten by the birds and beasts.

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Saw a squirrel in the trees out the back then it disappears, told the woman that one was about looked out the window and it was sat on a bird box , legged it upstairs gently opened the bathroom window it was still there got my gun turned the Pard on , had it in my sights and all went blank ! Battery flat my cursing must have scared it off not to be seen again 🙈

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9 minutes ago, sam triple said:

Saw a squirrel in the trees out the back then it disappears, told the woman that one was about looked out the window and it was sat on a bird box , legged it upstairs gently opened the bathroom window it was still there got my gun turned the Pard on , had it in my sights and all went blank ! Battery flat my cursing must have scared it off not to be seen again 🙈

All this fancy technology 😅😅😅

 

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Well I managed a single this morning,  but it wasn't really light enough to shoot till 7:45, luckily the squirrel turned up at 8am, then sat on the feeder nice.

The Tawny owl was up behind the feeder when I arrived in the dark, there were so many dry leaves on the floor it was like wading through wrapping paper on Christmas morning,  the wood was full of alarm calls as the small birds woke up before the owl took its leave.

I did have a little mooch around after nothing else showed for half an hour, I saw a couple of squirrels in the bug Yews but nothing was in a shootable position. 

That might be my last early morning till the clocks go back, finishing work at 6 and waiting nearly 2hrs for it to come light isn't the best idea.

No pics as I'd left my phone in my locker, off the grid all day 😅😅

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Evening i would love to know how to volunteer to keep the greys down to give the reds a chance as a responsible owner and insured shooter ( silenced . 410 and sub 12 ft lbs 22 air rifle with ir ) how do I join or help this noble cause especially as I have short range thermal spotter in transit ! 

i am actively controlling greys on my mates farm and rats that don’t venture up trees his contains a small copse wood with a number of greys that I haven’t cornered YET thinking a feeder may be in order if the thermal does not root them out !

a campsite we visit in France has a red squirrel population and though I have seen many close in France none on the uk.

u2u if preferred but thought it eortb an ask  thanks Agriv8 

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30 minutes ago, Agriv8 said:

Evening i would love to know how to volunteer to keep the greys down to give the reds a chance as a responsible owner and insured shooter ( silenced . 410 and sub 12 ft lbs 22 air rifle with ir ) how do I join or help this noble cause especially as I have short range thermal spotter in transit ! 

i am actively controlling greys on my mates farm and rats that don’t venture up trees his contains a small copse wood with a number of greys that I haven’t cornered YET thinking a feeder may be in order if the thermal does not root them out !

a campsite we visit in France has a red squirrel population and though I have seen many close in France none on the uk.

u2u if preferred but thought it eortb an ask  thanks Agriv8 

It probably depends where in the country you are, there are groups all across the Lakes, Northumberland and others up in Scotland, plus Wales, Cornwall, Formby and no doubt others.

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Agrivat  .....just keep whacking and stacking.  Certaily a feeder, particularly the flip top type I use will pull them to where you can get at them.  If on a farm you can set up a semi permanent hide so you can just walk in quietly and let them come to you.  You don't indicate your location and if you did then any group members on here could send you a pm.

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Only 2 this morning up in the woods another came bolting past no time to get the gun on him , the 2 I shot were foraging no interest the feeders a nice big boar which was looking head on at me he must have moved as I shot and I hit him in the back instantly dead and smaller one with a nice head shot , me mate filled up my feeder food that’s 40 so far in 5 months , topped off by one helping itself to peanuts in the garden left for the birds 

41ACC706-9524-4377-A1D9-B0D14BC45098.png

Just now, sam triple said:

Only 2 this morning up in the woods another came bolting past no time to get the gun on him , the 2 I shot were foraging no interest the feeders a nice big boar which was looking head on at me he must have moved as I shot and I hit him in the back instantly dead and smaller one with a nice head shot , me mate filled up my feeder food that’s 40 so far in 5 months , topped off by one helping itself to peanuts in the garden left for the birds 

41ACC706-9524-4377-A1D9-B0D14BC45098.png

 

98A6B630-B182-4D18-9A1B-1355E2A24A7D.png

Just now, sam triple said:

Only 2 this morning up in the woods another came bolting past no time to get the gun on him , the 2 I shot were foraging no interest the feeders a nice big boar which was looking head on at me he must have moved as I shot and I hit him in the back instantly dead and smaller one with a nice head shot , me mate filled up my feeder food that’s 40 so far in 5 months , topped off by one helping itself to peanuts in the garden left for the birds 

41ACC706-9524-4377-A1D9-B0D14BC45098.png

 

98A6B630-B182-4D18-9A1B-1355E2A24A7D.png

 

05974DC2-E467-4393-A196-0C9E7EA23324.jpeg

1 minute ago, sam triple said:

Only 2 this morning up in the woods another came bolting past no time to get the gun on him , the 2 I shot were foraging no interest the feeders a nice big boar which was looking head on at me he must have moved as I shot and I hit him in the back instantly dead and smaller one with a nice head shot , me mate filled up my feeder food that’s 40 so far in 5 months , topped off by one helping itself to peanuts in the garden left for the birds 

41ACC706-9524-4377-A1D9-B0D14BC45098.png

 

98A6B630-B182-4D18-9A1B-1355E2A24A7D.png

 

05974DC2-E467-4393-A196-0C9E7EA23324.jpeg

 

2 minutes ago, sam triple said:

Only 2 this morning up in the woods another came bolting past no time to get the gun on him , the 2 I shot were foraging no interest the feeders a nice big boar which was looking head on at me he must have moved as I shot and I hit him in the back instantly dead and smaller one with a nice head shot , me mate filled up my feeder food that’s 40 so far in 5 months , topped off by one helping itself to peanuts in the garden left for the birds 

41ACC706-9524-4377-A1D9-B0D14BC45098.png

 

98A6B630-B182-4D18-9A1B-1355E2A24A7D.png

 

05974DC2-E467-4393-A196-0C9E7EA23324.jpeg

 

 

54694418-F917-408B-9AF7-04EA78DAB7C9.jpeg

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5 hours ago, Agriv8 said:

Ah yes supplying a locality would have made sense On the rambling post above live outskirts of Skipton Yorkshire / Lancashire boarder.

Thanks all Agriv8 

Lovely part of the world, but I doubt there is a red squirrel group nearby. 

I'm sure there are plenty of greys around robbing nests in spring time and damaging trees, like Walker570 says a feeder really changes things,  it's not everyone's cup of tea sitting in one place but it's very effective. 

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Took my sprocker out at lunch time walk up on the crag and.heather and bumped into an old fella not met before. First statement from him was that a working dog if I am not mistaken My stock answer is she is when her ears are working ! He laughed and said cockers always tying it on playing the deaf card ! Any how a wander on and a chat Indicated a local (ish ) woodland trust are planning re introducing reds or have some reds so bit of digging required me thinks !

Agriv8

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1 hour ago, Agriv8 said:

woodland trust are planning re introducing reds or have some reds so bit of digging required me thinks !

I doubt it's re introducing,  they have to have been doing effective control over a long period over a big area, but there could be a pocket of reds, definitely worth investigating. 

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14 hours ago, Agriv8 said:

Ah yes supplying a locality would have made sense On the rambling post above live outskirts of Skipton Yorkshire / Lancashire boarder.

Thanks all Agriv8 

Send me a PM, and I’ll be happy to chat and give you a few ideas 

1 hour ago, Agriv8 said:

Took my sprocker out at lunch time walk up on the crag and.heather and bumped into an old fella not met before. First statement from him was that a working dog if I am not mistaken My stock answer is she is when her ears are working ! He laughed and said cockers always tying it on playing the deaf card ! Any how a wander on and a chat Indicated a local (ish ) woodland trust are planning re introducing reds or have some reds so bit of digging required me thinks !

Agriv8

This year Reds have been seen in Clitheroe and Accrington. They are going about as so many folk are now engaged in getting rid of the greys 

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