Baiting garden squirrels

[PPP]

I’ve always been fairly relaxed about garden squirrels, especially as Mrs doesn’t want the affected, but now even swmbo admits they are too numerous.  I have a 22 air rifle to do the job and and a suitable upstairs window but I don’t have all day to sit and wait for them..

Any tips to bait them in ?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Use a trap and dispatch them regularly!

[PPP]

That’s the thing, out at work most days, could be tricky... plus I don’t want to upset neighbours

[Scully]

As above. Squirrel traps aren’t too expensive, then you don’t have to sit and wait at all. 

[GingerCat]

I seem to have an increasing number visit my bird feeder. Specifically the peanuts and to define it further the peanut holder with 1 single bit of wire missing. 

The more i feed the birds the more squiqqy mcsquiq face visits. 

Swmbo would go nuts (pun intended) if she were to see me sit in my upstairs window with my pcp and coffee whilst listening to the radio. About lunch time and early morning are the best times i find. 

So to sum up- peanuts and lots of them, the birds will thank you too.  

Edited to add - humane trap and dispatch (peanuts inside) as above but not as much fun.

Edited February 6, 2019 by GingerCat

[PPP]

Absolutely, bird preservation is the reason I’m concerned about numbers.  Thanks I’ll plan a dawn assault for the weekend, if the wind backs off!

[Whitebridges]

I get quite few in the garden eating the bird food. I just ping them off.

    

[turbo33]

 

[ShootingEgg]

Peanuts that you'd put in a bird feeder, maize, normal bird feed, will all bring them in. As has been said, trap thats hidden from sight would work. 

You say you dont want to upset / offene neighbours, wouldn't you hung out a top window with a rifle do that

!?!? 

[Fisheruk]

Where are you based, if you are anywhere near me I could loan you a trap.

[Mice!]

I wouldn't worry about hanging around waiting for them, they'll turn up as and when, i tend to stick to week days for shooting from upstairs certainly not when its BBQ time.

As for what to feed, suet works best for me, high energy and they have to nibble at it, they can't just run off with it.

As for the neighbours if they do see you or say anything which is hopefully unlikely say you've seen a couple of rats and that squirrels are trashing your bird feeders, i bet you'll be amazed at how many you get , folk think it's one or two squirrels visiting there garden but when you've shot 14 or 15 you start wondering where they are coming from.

[Mighty Ruler]

They tend to get some peanuts then go and bury them then go back for another load and keep repeating this. So if I see one  walking down the fence top it’ll be back again 5 minutes later, which means a few minute wait rather than sitting there for hours.

[Walker570]

Make yourself a flip top squirrel feeder, they soon get used to lifting the lid. You can drill some 1/4 inch holes in the front so the blue tits can help themselves as well.

I have at least four sometimes five on the go. Easy to make with scrap timber or better still ally sheet.  

Shooting wise I find that they usually visit about 45 mins to an hours after sun up, then again around 12 midday to 2pm  and then often just before dusk.  Now this is woodland tree rats but garden ones may react differently.  A trail cam tells me when they are there.   Peanuts there favorite although I have used whole maize as well.

I also have live catch cages and have put wire mesh bird feeders in the front of these for peanuts and the small birds can come and go but tree rats stay.

Edited February 7, 2019 by Walker570

[figgy]

I have to wait until my wife is out and then pop them off the feeder or if they see me they usually lay still and flat against the tree trunk making an even easier shot.

[PPP]

Thanks guys, some good advice here.  Didn’t get to it at weekend due to wind but it’s going to be a half term project for me and the boys (11,8).  Neighbours won’t see or hear me using air rifle due to lay out of house but traps will be tough to hide.

[welshwarrior]

Just sit up when the wife goes out that’s how I used to do it, not allowed to now the kids are older son believes it’s his ‘job’ and would like pocket money for doing his chore! 

[Benthejockey]

 

[Mice!]

On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 21:14, welshwarrior said:

Just sit up when the wife goes out that’s how I used to do it, not allowed to now the kids are older son believes it’s his ‘job’ and would like pocket money for doing his chore! 

Good lad 👏👏 offer him a bounty for tails, he'll soon have the area cleared.