squirrel control

[Sciurus]

A few random pictures of local damage.

 

 

The biggest problem has been the damage to overhead power cables. A lot of folk and hotels were without power for 6 days. The longest I heard was 12 days. A very posh local hotel was fully booked with out of area power workers, as it still had power.

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, Sciurus said:

The major footpaths had been cleared but it was still dangerous, with huge torn off branches dangling precariously overhead. I was glad to get out. 

Certainly need to be having a good look around,  I thought the other storm would have dropped any loose limbs, I'm looking forward to getting out and seeing how 'my' woods look.

[old man]

3 hours ago, Sciurus said:

 Since the storms, the local woods have been closed to the public on safety grounds, so I haven’t been out shooting.

Yesterday, two of us went to my favourite permission. Arriving before dawn, I scattered some feed in a clearing of a wood at the Estate entrance, where greys are often seen.

After the obligatory thermos of tea, it was light enough to set off. Part of the first wood was still cordoned off. Huge Beech trees lay across the woodland adventure playground . We picked up a tawny owl with the thermal sheltering in some rhododendron. Nothing else was seen in the first wood. It looked like the aftermath of a bombing raid. Huge beeches flattened everywhere. The oaks had major limbs torn off. The missing branches were often vertically embedded into the ground looking like original trees. The major footpaths had been cleared but it was still dangerous, with huge torn off branches dangling precariously overhead. I was glad to get out. 

On the way to the second wood, there was a small copse in the middle of a field, where I have had the odd grey. It had been flattened, only 3 trees remained but 3 greys were spotted. Two on the ground and one in a larch. By the time we crossed the field, two were in the trees and one disappeared into a tree, lying on the ground. 

Circling the tree, we couldn’t get too close because of the fallen branches, but I could detect the outline of one lying along a branch. My 1st shot with the.410 livened it up and it dived into the other conifer. The thermal showed it clearly together with a hint of the other grey above. I knocked it down with the 2nd shot and my pal shot the other grey as it bolted with his 20 bore. The 3rd grey was never seen again.

The 2nd wood was eerily quiet. The third wood had all the entrance paths blocked with trees, but a grey was spotted feeding on my bait on the ground. This disappeared into a large oak. I stayed put and my pal circled the tree. The grey duly sidled round the trunk and was promptly  dispatched by me to squirrel heaven.

We then travelled to a local campsite, which is a new permission. Unfortunately, there were 3 teams of foresters working in the woods clearing the damage so we couldn’t shoot.  we had a walk round instead and came across this safari tent which had been flattened by 3 trees.

It should look like this!

On the way home, I got a call to cull a grey in a loan trap and then another call from another villager, who had just caught and culled one in his trap.

Total 3 shot and 2 trapped.

This year I have seen/caught very few greys at houses because of the glut of hazel, however I suspect the storm and food shortage is now forcing the greys to forage further afield.

Thanks for the write up.

I was out again yesterday and other than 1 bolting again on my arrival, nothing seen. Of note, a bit of Nevs potion taken from the top feeder. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by old man

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, old man said:

Thanks for the write up.

I was out again yesterday and other than 1 bolting again on my arrival, nothing seen. Of note, a bit of Nevs potion taken from the top feeder. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

 

 

Strange that your not seeing much?

I'll be out Sunday/Monday get the feeders filled back up, chomping at the bit 😁😁

[old man]

34 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Strange that your not seeing much?

I'll be out Sunday/Monday get the feeders filled back up, chomping at the bit 😁😁

Just how it is here at present, good luck Sunday/Monday bud.

[Mice!]

20 minutes ago, old man said:

Just how it is here at present, good luck Sunday/Monday bud.

I'm not expecting to see much, and I'll probably have the kids with me, but I'll be out 😉 and set for the week after. 

[leakyseals]

the tree-cage fenn is earning its keep, another big boar taken today. 

[Walker570]

Another one in the village this afternoon. Big momma so removed a few more as well.

That's 20 out of this neighbours garden in a few weeks.

[old man]

Another blank day, seemingly the only remaining one here was switched on as it departed even faster as I was even further away on my arrival?

I have a thought they are being harassed from a quad with moderated .410 maybe? Very nervous.

[Sciurus]

1 hour ago, old man said:

Another blank day, seemingly the only remaining one here was switched on as it departed even faster as I was even further away on my arrival?

I sympathise with you, so frustrating ! 😡 - What makes you think somebody else is having a go at them?

5 more trapped today in 3 loan traps. I think I have caught more this week than the previous 5 months . They are definitely leaving the safety of the woods but are still very plump.

[old man]

20 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

I sympathise with you, so frustrating ! 😡 - What makes you think somebody else is having a go at them?

5 more trapped today in 3 loan traps. I think I have caught more this week than the previous 5 months . They are definitely leaving the safety of the woods but are still very plump.

Just as it is? A keepered active estate with a concerted official push to reduce the greys. Live trapping included.

It's just a thought about behaviour seen recently, it seems very out of normal behaviours? 

I am just very lucky to have any limited access so don't rock any boats to keep what I have. I can push the target ranges out to 70+yds if they are suitably sedate and back stops suitable.

 

[Fisheruk]

Another whopper this morning from a woodland feeder 740 grms

 

[Mice!]

22 minutes ago, Fisheruk said:

Another whopper this morning from a woodland feeder 740 grms

 

Strange how there were so few acorns this year, but lots of very plump squirrels 

[old man]

1 hour ago, Fisheruk said:

Another whopper this morning from a woodland feeder 740 grms

 

That's a real porker.

[Walker570]

Yes, I have had one or two monsters but all females. Could they be in kid this early.

Checked a camera in our wood and low and behold there is another needing attention in the morning.

We may never wipe them out completely but just think how many there would be if we had not removed all that breeding stock.

Pity more folk are not at it.

Just totted up for the year in our small village (two sites) 117

Edited December 18, 2021 by Walker570

[Fisheruk]

9 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Yes, I have had one or two monsters but all females. Could they be in kid this early.

Checked a camera in our wood and low and behold there is another needing attention in the morning.

We may never wipe them out completely but just think how many there would be if we had not removed all that breeding stock.

Pity more folk are not at it.

Just totted up for the year in our small village (two sites) 117

Yes, if there is plenty of food about and the weather is not too cold they will breed all year round. This one of mine was a male, just fat. I think I’ve thinned the incomers out so there is more food to go round to the remainers.

[ratchers]

Out twice yesterday, first time in the morning just to check two flip tops, both empty of peanuts, so topped up ready for a ambush next time.

Secondly was out just after lunchtime and instead of sitting in my hide sat in the car as I can cover the flip top and pheasant feeders, and its warmer! frost was still on the ground and very cold but the sun was out. Very quiet and took an hour before even pigeons started to come in to the pheasant feeders, finally saw a squirrel in the trees, it actually went up the trunk where the feeder was......and kept going, never even sniffed it, followed it through the trees but never got a chance of a shot. There are a lot of feeders at this location next to the pheasant compound and the one 50 yards away was getting plenty of attention from all sorts of wildlife including a grey, I watched it for half a hour coming and going. A movement in the compound caught my eye and there 20 yards in front of me sat a grey on a feeder......only trouble was there was a chainlink fence and my windscreen in the way, anyway it started off up a tree and over the fence, down a tree and was sat infront of the car five yards away, it came even closer and I thought it was gonna cock his leg over the tyre for a pee! he just had a sniff then ambled off, the windscreen in the way all the time, oh why wasn't I in the hide, I know because I wouldn't be able to feel the gun by now🥶.

No happy ending for one squirrel though as just before dark a grey jumped up on to the box for a peanut and ate a jsb.

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, ratchers said:

Out twice yesterday, first time in the morning just to check two flip tops, both empty of peanuts, so topped up ready for a ambush next time.

Secondly was out just after lunchtime and instead of sitting in my hide sat in the car as I can cover the flip top and pheasant feeders, and its warmer! frost was still on the ground and very cold but the sun was out. Very quiet and took an hour before even pigeons started to come in to the pheasant feeders, finally saw a squirrel in the trees, it actually went up the trunk where the feeder was......and kept going, never even sniffed it, followed it through the trees but never got a chance of a shot. There are a lot of feeders at this location next to the pheasant compound and the one 50 yards away was getting plenty of attention from all sorts of wildlife including a grey, I watched it for half a hour coming and going. A movement in the compound caught my eye and there 20 yards in front of me sat a grey on a feeder......only trouble was there was a chainlink fence and my windscreen in the way, anyway it started off up a tree and over the fence, down a tree and was sat infront of the car five yards away, it came even closer and I thought it was gonna cock his leg over the tyre for a pee! he just had a sniff then ambled off, the windscreen in the way all the time, oh why wasn't I in the hide, I know because I wouldn't be able to feel the gun by now🥶.

No happy ending for one squirrel though as just before dark a grey jumped up on to the box for a peanut and ate a jsb.

You need a sunroof 😅 I'm out tomorrow, top up , quick mooch then again in the morning,  can't wait 😁😁😁

[old man]

Had some good news from a  friend today, I had persuaded him to buy an air rifle a while ago, setting it up in his garden at squirrel distance and reinforcing the rules. He has finally started knocking the greys off his feeders.

3 this month.

Makes up a bit for my enforced break. Well done Roy.

[ratchers]

19 hours ago, Mice! said:

You need a sunroof 😅 I'm out tomorrow, top up , quick mooch then again in the morning,  can't wait 😁😁😁

Actually got one but its fixed, drat🙄

[Mice!]

Feeders topped up, I had two hours but only spotted one squirrel,  I could just make it out through a gap in a Yew, couldn't get a shot at it because I just couldn't tell what I was looking at,  I didn't expect to see much arriving after 2pm but I'll be out tomorrow for a good mooch around 😀 

[Walker570]

Well I went to the golf course this morning. I had not been for two weeks so expected to se some actvity. Arrived before dawn and got the Landy nicely lined up about 20yrds from one feeder.  Sat through until 9am and nothing moving at all. Checked the feeder and there had been a small amount of disturbance but not much and some of the seed had begun to sprout, so cleaned it out and refreshed the supplies.  Went across to the other side of the gourse and drove down the side of the 18th where normally I would see 10 or 12 run into the gardens alongside....nothing.  Went down to the 16th Green still nothing showing. Put up the feeder back where I had the first one and filled that up.  Then went across to the 13th and checked the feeder there which had hardly been touched. Topped that up.  Now that run had given me a view of maybe 20 acres of the course and not a single tree rat anywhere.   I have shot 47 there so far but do not believe I have depleted them that much.   Left just before 10am and drove through the centre of the course and still nothing showing.

Will leave it till the New Year now and then see if the feeders have been used.

[Mice!]

6 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Now that run had given me a view of maybe 20 acres of the course and not a single tree rat anywhere.  

Well I covered a good deal more than that today mate and only saw one squirrel at big wood.

I was out around 9am at the golf course wood, the drive there showed several large trees that the wind had smashed, 

I was out for around two hours, caught a glimpse of one, saw another that was high up in a beech, but there were golfer's nearby and branches in the way.

I was on my way out when I spotted a squirrel up in amongst the ivy on an Oak, I could see it in the thermal but just couldn't see its head because of the leaves and it was flat against the branch, I waited a while then changed position but it wouldn't budge, but moving meant I could see another, and it's head was in plain view, Pfft Whack drop. No idea where the other went, it vanished. Skinny female. 

Back to the caravan,  brew bagel and packed up then I was off up to big wood.

I went round the other side for a change, few Pines snapped and trees up rooted, clearly this side took the wind.

I covered a lot of ground,  went round the big Yews and saw nothing,  just deer, not even a squirrel running away. 

Made my way round to the feeders, the birds were on them but still no signs of a single squirrel,  it wasn't windy or that cold, but just nothing around. 

I made my way to where I saw the squirrel yesterday then made my way along the Yews and caught a glimpse of a grey flash, took me maybe 10 mins to spot where it had gone, then I had to see it through the scope and line up a shot, off my knees off the sticks, Pfft Whack long drop, same spot I dropped one a while back where I said I wasn't going down again,  but I did.

Chunky female, and the only one I saw in 2.5hrs 

it's was nice to be out though, can't think of anything better after 10 days isolating than a day in the woods, hoping I'll get out again next week but it's doubtful. 

[Fisheruk]

Well one of my friends that I keep reporting as getting greys has now just got his 6th Grey Squirrel in an area where he has taken over grey control in the last 2 weeks, since he successfully completed the British Red Squirrel, Grey Squirrel Management Training Course. He was in the first group in the UK who took the new course which I delivered and now has his Lantra Accreditation certificate in Grey Squirrel Control. He’s been using his 410 and also trapping. I seriously believe that this course is the most comprehensive national course for Grey Squirrel control and will open doors to enable participants to gain new permissions.

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by Fisheruk

[Goldfish]

Arrived at a wood with a new to me 20 bore (thanks @bruno22rf 😁), 10 minutes to check the pattern and I was off.

Had a walk round a block of woodland using a thermal to spot the dreys that were occupied in the frosty weather.

One shot into a hot drey and one squirrel fell to the ground and 2 ran out, shot the second as it hung onto the trunk thinking what the **** was that!!! Reloaded and shot the third as it hid in the upper canopy (no hiding from a thermal 😜) It was then that I used the thermal and spotted blood running out of the bottom of the drey, another squirrel was dead in bed 😀

3 shots for 4 squirrels 😎

2nd hot drey and the first shot opened the drey and dropped an occupant, the second resident was shot as it ran down the tree😀

5 shots for 6 squirrels and only 15 minutes into the session with a new gun!!!!!

I don't go anywhere now without the thermal, so many times a copse looks devoid of squirrels until you use a thermal and see them hidden in the ivy or on the side of a tree, a great bit of kit👍

I passed a number of dreys without action.......no heat seen, keep walking, saves lots of time and cartridges!!!

Edited December 22, 2021 by Goldfish