squirrel control

[old man]

Out today for the first time in weeks as the GK relented. Baited from Sunday with some of the kind Mr Walkers potion. Lovely sunny morning but a windy bite cooled things down.

Nothing showed other than one fast exit as I arrived an a couple later, too far off for a  12ftlb shot.

Will be back tomorrow and grateful of all of the shoot dates and clearance on all other days. Happy days but not for tree rats.

[Mice!]

3 hours ago, old man said:

Out today for the first time in weeks as the GK relented. Baited from Sunday with some of the kind Mr Walkers potion. Lovely sunny morning but a windy bite cooled things down.

Nothing showed other than one fast exit as I arrived an a couple later, too far off for a  12ftlb shot.

Will be back tomorrow and grateful of all of the shoot dates and clearance on all other days. Happy days but not for tree rats.

Happy days, fill your boots, or bags 👍

Blank for me this morning,  I finally spotted one but it was moving along the edge of the golf course so no shot was on.

I must have seen hundreds of birds though, they seemed to be everywhere tucked up in the scrub and bushes and eating the berries. 

Took a feeder down for some tlc and put up a smaller one to keep the area ticking over. 

[old man]

4 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Happy days, fill your boots, or bags 👍

Blank for me this morning,  I finally spotted one but it was moving along the edge of the golf course so no shot was on.

I must have seen hundreds of birds though, they seemed to be everywhere tucked up in the scrub and bushes and eating the berries. 

Took a feeder down for some tlc and put up a smaller one to keep the area ticking over. 

Will do bud.

Lots of small birds here too so all good.

Tree rats seem still on steroids?

[sam triple]

Noticed my little tray on the tree was cocked over and nuts gone , so I put a few in and sure enough a squirrel appeared robbed them and was gone , this carried on all morning i was sure I’d hit him a couple of times only to see him bound over the fence into the trees and gone , so I changed tactics going from whole nuts to chopped and this kept him there long enough to dispatch him , no 11 from the garden 56 in total so far !!!

mate just text me that he’d filled both feeders up , at the woods know what’ll be doing Saturday 

Edited November 10, 2021 by sam triple

[old man]

Overcast this morning but trying to improve. Nothing gone from feeders but lots of small birds around.

Number 1 came down the opposite side of a track at about 30 yds ferreting and bobbing for something in the undergrowth then suddenly shot up a tree and started to feed.  One AA field sent it plummeting into nettles and brambles to feed the night shift.

30 minutes later another did exactly the same thing in the opposite direction, same tree, same pellet and result into the brambles.

Number 3 appeared same place on the track side but stayed bobbing in the undergrowth for 15 minutes before coming sufficiently clear to offer a shot. It moved just before impact and the shot took it in the chest. It shot across  the track and went up the feeder tree crouching in the first fork 10 feet off the ground in a typical I have been spotted crouch. One in the head did the job. On recovery the entry of the first shot was heart lung with no exit on a very plump large sow.

Then the rain came and I sat for 2 more hours under a poncho, hey ho.

Back next week  to carry on.

[Mice!]

57 minutes ago, old man said:

Then the rain came and I sat for 2 more hours under a poncho, hey ho.

Can't fault your commitment,  just your sanity 😅😅 

I managed three today as well, it was officially moving day, I played swappsies with the feeders, and typical I spotted a squirrel on the way back up the hill, but with a feeder in one bag and feed in another there was no chance of carrying the gun as well.

The 'temporary ' feeders!

New set up, both the smaller feeders were empty again,  probably largely the birds, I haven't shot a squirrel off this bigger feeder since I repaired it, not sure if the lid is too heavy,  but the camera is up so we'll see.

By 8:30 I was all done and I should have headed for bed, but it was a lovely morning,  so I headed back down the hill, gun out, and back up the hill, again 😅😅

I took a different path to normal hoping to see a few squirrels sunbathing,  but other than a few deer there wasn't much about, then up popped number 1, I had to move around to get a clear shot, but he sat and waited, PFFT WHACK,  just fell to the floor without a twitch.

Numbers two and three were both eating Yew berries,  I'd done a fair amount of mooching about but they were both totally engrossed in what they were doing PFFT WHACK job done, strange thing was three males, not one twitched or had an exit wound.

 

Two feeders in the car for repair,  three squirrels on the deck and a lovely sunny morning,  but it was somehow 11:30, which means I would be waking up in the dark, which always seems strange when you work nights 😁

[Walker570]

I am finding that the alarm seems to go off for these squirrels at about 07.55 and they appear from 08.00 omwards until all goes quiet again about 09.30.  Then 14.30hrs and they come out for their evening meal. This is fairly consistent activity.

[ratchers]

Was out yesterday but could only do the afternoon as I was busy in the morning. Got there at 12.30 and got settled in and it struck me how quiet it was, so quiet that I thought the falling leaves were squirrles moving about. Nothing at all moving about, even the song birds at the feeder were sporadic, it wasn't until a jet fighter screamed overhead and set the pheasants off that I knew I wasn't on my own! It took an hour and a half before I spotted a squirrel swinging through the trees, it was only five yards from the feeder and completely ignored it and was off, never got a chance for a shot, in the next two hours not really much happened so I had had enough and got out of my hide and started to walk towards the feeder only to spook a grey in the tree tops, the same one? possibly, doesn't it know how good wheat tastes!

[old man]

17 hours ago, Mice! said:

Can't fault your commitment,  just your sanity 😅😅 

I managed three today as well, it was officially moving day, I played swappsies with the feeders, and typical I spotted a squirrel on the way back up the hill, but with a feeder in one bag and feed in another there was no chance of carrying the gun as well.

The 'temporary ' feeders!

New set up, both the smaller feeders were empty again,  probably largely the birds, I haven't shot a squirrel off this bigger feeder since I repaired it, not sure if the lid is too heavy,  but the camera is up so we'll see.

By 8:30 I was all done and I should have headed for bed, but it was a lovely morning,  so I headed back down the hill, gun out, and back up the hill, again 😅😅

I took a different path to normal hoping to see a few squirrels sunbathing,  but other than a few deer there wasn't much about, then up popped number 1, I had to move around to get a clear shot, but he sat and waited, PFFT WHACK,  just fell to the floor without a twitch.

Numbers two and three were both eating Yew berries,  I'd done a fair amount of mooching about but they were both totally engrossed in what they were doing PFFT WHACK job done, strange thing was three males, not one twitched or had an exit wound.

 

Two feeders in the car for repair,  three squirrels on the deck and a lovely sunny morning,  but it was somehow 11:30, which means I would be waking up in the dark, which always seems strange when you work nights 😁

Mm, never been known for sanity. 🤔

Stupidity and stubbornness in abundance definitely.

Superb location and set up you have.

17 hours ago, Walker570 said:

I am finding that the alarm seems to go off for these squirrels at about 07.55 and they appear from 08.00 omwards until all goes quiet again about 09.30.  Then 14.30hrs and they come out for their evening meal. This is fairly consistent activity.

Thanks for the insight, I must delve into my info to see if it concurs with yours.

The tree rats here have yet to discover your potion. Still lots of natural nosh here seemingly but it will run out? If they stay far out I will take the Xtra.

[Walker570]

Totally ignoring my belief about alarm goin off one appeared bright eyed and bushy tailed at 07.25 this morning but suffered the consequences anyway.    That Game Keep mix will come into it's own once they have fininished foraging and start looking for easy food.  I certainly have not seen one spit it out so far.   Checked the four flip tops at the farm this afternoon and shot one which dared to venture down for lunch but it has been eerily quiet here all day with very little small bird activity other than the robin which always appears.

[Longbower]

Squirrels are only coming into my two feeders very early in the morning , at first sun up.

After that nothing all day.

[sam triple]

A few hours up the wood today checked new feeder empty , they are caining this every 2 days , back to old feeder had one and a bonus magpie that was being a real pain in the ar@e to something in the undergrowth so it got it @34m nothing else happened after half an hour so back to new feeder which resulted in another 7 best day so far 2 I couldn’t find , but they seem to be getting bigger, watching from the new hide I could see them coming in from all directions ,so I guess they’ve now found it 

[Mice!]

7 hours ago, sam triple said:

which resulted in another 7 best day so far 2 I couldn’t find , but they seem to be getting bigger

A really good day, and I'm seeing a good few folk posting pictures of BIG squirrels in the last few weeks, they have obviously been fattening up on something. 

[sam triple]

4 hours ago, Mice! said:

A really good day, and I'm seeing a good few folk posting pictures of BIG squirrels in the last few weeks, they have obviously been fattening up on something. 

Tbh there’s an absolute glut of beech mast and acorns up there pigeons have been on them for weeks which also helps the buzzards number of pigeons being taken are on the up 2 fresh ones yesterday and that’s not even looking for them 

[Walker570]

Well I made an early morning trip across to the golf club this morning and set up on the flip top which did show a bit of use last time I was there but shot one feeding on it.  I sat from first light to 9am and saw nothing other than one magpie. I have a view across two fairwys from my pop up and normally see a couple crossing but nothing showing.  I packed in and checked the feeder and it had not been touched by squirrels just a slope at the front where birds had helped themselves.

Drove back across the 17th and looked up the pracise area, nothing, then drove back up the 18th fairway where when i started on them it was not unusual to see adozen running in and out of the gardens on the boundary. Nothing, not a single squirrel seen all morning.   I have shot 46 from those three fairways so obviously it has had an impact.

On to another SET on Thursday on the other side of the course.

The main good thing was the Head Green Keeper said all of the digging on the greens on that side, had stopped.

See if I can get another 46 from the other side before years end.

Lincolnshire tomorrow to a fresh untouched for three years wood, expecting a bit of sport.

[Mice!]

6 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Well I made an early morning trip across to the golf club this morning and set up on the flip top which did show a bit of use last time I was there but shot one feeding on it.  I sat from first light to 9am and saw nothing other than one magpie. I have a view across two fairwys from my pop up and normally see a couple crossing but nothing showing.  I packed in and checked the feeder and it had not been touched by squirrels just a slope at the front where birds had helped themselves.

Drove back across the 17th and looked up the pracise area, nothing, then drove back up the 18th fairway where when i started on them it was not unusual to see adozen running in and out of the gardens on the boundary. Nothing, not a single squirrel seen all morning.   I have shot 46 from those three fairways so obviously it has had an impact.

On to another SET on Thursday on the other side of the course.

The main good thing was the Head Green Keeper said all of the digging on the greens on that side, had stopped.

See if I can get another 46 from the other side before years end.

Lincolnshire tomorrow to a fresh untouched for three years wood, expecting a bit of sport.

Sounds like the GK is happy, and tomorrow could certainly be interesting. 

[Walker570]

I have two new flip tops to put in that wood but there are a dozen pheasant feeders already in use, so should see a bit of sport. The best I had from that wood was 19 in and hour and a half a couple of years ago. Knowing just how many are about this year it will be interesting to see what numbers are in there.

[sam triple]

13 hours ago, Walker570 said:

I have two new flip tops to put in that wood but there are a dozen pheasant feeders already in use, so should see a bit of sport. The best I had from that wood was 19 in and hour and a half a couple of years ago. Knowing just how many are about this year it will be interesting to see what numbers are in there.

Read somewhere a breeding pair of squirrels have between 3 and 9 pups in a litter which are adults and leave the drey by 10 weeks old and they have  2 or3 litters a year so I guess the numbers will be on the up again 

[243deer]

41 minutes ago, sam triple said:

Read somewhere a breeding pair of squirrels have between 3 and 9 pups in a litter which are adults and leave the drey by 10 weeks old and they have  2 or3 litters a year so I guess the numbers will be on the up again 

good info here - https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/animals/article/squirrel-breeding-biology-gestation-birth-kitten-development

 

[Walker570]

Well the bast laid plans of mice and men and all that.  As mentioned previously I was hoping for a double figure day today on a woodland which I had not visited for over 12 months and I knew no other shooting had taken place. Arrived just at day break and drove down the ride which normall I can park overlooking a pheasant feeder and sit and shoot all morning.   Sat until eight forty five and nothing not even a pheasant. Then a lone muntie doe wandered by.  Right at the bottom of the ride I saw movement and as it approached realised it was a squirrel....200yrds away... it continued towards me and the headed staright at the pheasant feeder and began to feed. Thwop ...  N01    Sat there for another hour and half and nothing not even a robin and there is always a robin.  Decided it was one of those days and upped sticks and moved south to another location about 6 miles away, drove through the gate and saw at least two tree rats scamper off pheasant feeders.  Parked up and 20 mins later had two on the deck.  Moved up to a long slingy piece of woodland and saw two more run in off the fields.  Parked up in shooting view of three pheasant feeders and within minutes had another two on the deck.  The Keeper then turned up in his UTV and came to the drivers door and we started chatting when he pointed at one crossing the ride 30yrds away  which went to the feeder. THWOCK   and then another and another... totally different atmosphere to the original wood.  2.30pm decoded to move back to the feeders below the entrance gate and shot two more. Had a couple of debatable misses which I will not count. I think I probably left them with a permanent partings.  Nine in all so what originally looked like a damp squib of a day turned out not too bad after all.

Edited November 15, 2021 by Walker570

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Well done Mate.  

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Nine in all so what originally looked like a damp squib of a day turned out not too bad after all.

Very good I'd say.

[Fisheruk]

2 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Well the bast laid plans of mice and men and all that.  As mentioned previously I was hoping for a double figure day today on a woodland which I had not visited for over 12 months and I knew no other shooting had taken place. Arrived just at day break and drove down the ride which normall I can park overlooking a pheasant feeder and sit and shoot all morning.   Sat until eight forty five and nothing not even a pheasant. Then a lone muntie doe wandered by.  Right at the bottom of the ride I saw movement and as it approached realised it was a squirrel....200yrds away... it continued towards me and the headed staright at the pheasant feeder and began to feed. Thwop ...  N01    Sat there for another hour and half and nothing not even a robin and there is always a robin.  Decided it was one of those days and upped sticks and moved south to another location about 6 miles away, drove through the gate and saw at least two tree rats scamper off pheasant feeders.  Parked up and 20 mins later had two on the deck.  Moved up to a long slingy piece of woodland and saw two more run in off the fields.  Parked up in shooting view of three pheasant feeders and within minutes had another two on the deck.  The Keeper then turned up in his UTV and came to the drivers door and we started chatting when he pointed at one crossing the ride 30yrds away  which went to the feeder. THWOCK   and then another and another... totally different atmosphere to the original wood.  2.30pm decoded to move back to the feeders below the entrance gate and shot two more. Had a couple of debatable misses which I will not count. I think I probably left them with a permanent partings.  Nine in all so what originally looked like a damp squib of a day turned out not too bad after all.

Very enjoyable. I do like shooting from the comfort of the cab.

[Walker570]

Yes, the problem being it is so easy to doze off

The Game Keeper shot two more just after I left so will add those as well. Between the three of us, me, the Keeper and his son I think that is almost 150 taken from that estate in the last two months.  We need to keep up the pressure and get the numbers well down before the spring breeding starts again.  My wife reports she saw three more in our little wood yesterday. 

[amateur]

On 16/11/2021 at 11:14, Walker570 said:

..... My wife reports she saw three more in our little wood yesterday. 

I'm astonished that you havn't armed her so that she can nail them in your absence