Farmboy91 Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 Has anyone had a big increase in numbers this year? Normally in the garden I might shoot/see 6 max throughout this second half of the year but I've bagged 5 in the last week and a half and there's still at least 3 more running round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 probably young that are moving about, I'm just seeing squirrels coming back into the wood behind me, it was over run but been fairly clear this year, hopefully it will be again by spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted September 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 31 minutes ago, Mice! said: probably young that are moving about, I'm just seeing squirrels coming back into the wood behind me, it was over run but been fairly clear this year, hopefully it will be again by spring. From what I remember it's been an even miss of adult and young, garden is only an acre, given what I've shot in the first half of the year it must be getting on for 15 total in this patch. But yeah I'll keep hammering them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted December 18, 2019 Report Share Posted December 18, 2019 Did nit have any in my garden 5 years ago. Not one. This year I caught 3 or 4 in a fenn trap set for rats in my chicken run and have shot a few more off the feeder. There is also a drey in my lane and some more in a neighbour's wood. They have come from a large wood (fc) about 2 miles away. The wood is ram packed with them, almost like every tree has one in it. Devoid of all other life except deer and crows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted December 18, 2019 Report Share Posted December 18, 2019 We’ve had an influx here, it was a good breeding season. We just need to keep at them. Sadly our little group have had some issues with health, home, work and family which has meant we haven’t been able to keep at them enough. We need to re-group and re-commit for the forthcoming year. To clear the wood before they really start breeding in 2020. I know some will breed all through the year but it is the peak time we need to be ready for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted December 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2019 I used to get a lot travel along the trees past my front door, at which point I'd have them with the .410, they stopped coming that way for a while haha. I don't doubt they will be out digging up their nuts again before long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powler Posted December 27, 2019 Report Share Posted December 27, 2019 Lots of food so I guess they are breeding more/later, had a good few today and they were all fat and healthy, well healthy until they met my friend Mr Beretta. Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted December 27, 2019 Report Share Posted December 27, 2019 Most certainly been a bumper year for them. 2018 my score was 220.... the same area more or less this year I am on 315 and they keep on coming. They are already chasing about after a sex session around here so proabably some early broods. I have shot some of the biggest ever this year but also some really small ones which looked like youngsters but by their breeding equipment i don't think so. Keep whacking and stacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret664 Posted December 27, 2019 Report Share Posted December 27, 2019 This is very intresting to read . Round our way we normally take 200-250 squirrels on the shoot and have a lot round the feeders and such (we have a lot of woodland ) . This year we have only had about 20 and have hardly seen a squirrel . I was going to post if Anyone had seen a dramatic drop in the numbers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powler Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 11 hours ago, Ferret664 said: This is very intresting to read . Round our way we normally take 200-250 squirrels on the shoot and have a lot round the feeders and such (we have a lot of woodland ) . This year we have only had about 20 and have hardly seen a squirrel . I was going to post if Anyone had seen a dramatic drop in the numbers? That is strange, maybe a increase in natural predators but would not of thought they would impact to that extent. Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted December 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 25 minutes ago, powler said: That is strange, maybe a increase in natural predators but would not of thought they would impact to that extent. Mick We have a ridiculous amount of buzzards but from what I can tell they spend most of their time eating pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartyboy Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 22 hours ago, Ferret664 said: This is very intresting to read . Round our way we normally take 200-250 squirrels on the shoot and have a lot round the feeders and such (we have a lot of woodland ) . This year we have only had about 20 and have hardly seen a squirrel . I was going to post if Anyone had seen a dramatic drop in the numbers? I've noticed a big drop in numbers in my main wood. The peanut feeder isn't attracting them like it normally does. I'm putting it down to the mild weather and abundance of natural food. Beech mast was exceptional this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted December 31, 2019 Report Share Posted December 31, 2019 The more you get at them the less there will be. If you don’t shoot and trap for a few weeks/ month the numbers will increase. The large bags come from areas which are only shot periodically IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted December 31, 2019 Report Share Posted December 31, 2019 4 hours ago, Fisheruk said: The more you get at them the less there will be. If you don’t shoot and trap for a few weeks/ month the numbers will increase. The large bags come from areas which are only shot periodically IMHO I think you are correct. Two of my areas initially produced double figure days off just one feeder, but now lucky to take four or five. My own small ten acre wood here at home we consider squirrel free. We get an influx mid summer which is sharply dealt with. Only had two in the last twelve weeks. Just leave an area untouched for a couple of months and they will pour in again. Whatever , keep whacking and stacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted December 31, 2019 Report Share Posted December 31, 2019 Went out again this morning and drew a blank. The three flip top feeders had been hardly touched since being refilled on Sunday morning, when I had the last two. Scanned around the pinewood with the Thermal spotter and didn’t see a single squirrel, definitely thinned them out of that patch over the last few weeks. Seventeen in the last 8 wks from the pinewood patch. Looking forward to the new areas coming on next year. I’ve had 57 in the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret664 Posted December 31, 2019 Report Share Posted December 31, 2019 8 hours ago, Fisheruk said: The more you get at them the less there will be. If you don’t shoot and trap for a few weeks/ month the numbers will increase. The large bags come from areas which are only shot periodically IMHO This is on a 2000 acre estate and our numbers are normally the same every year . I think stuartyboy is right as just this week I've all of a sudden noticed them to appear again had 10 in the last 3 days with the 410 when feeding and have seen a few appear round the feeders. Seems like the natural food lasted longer then normally and now they are attacking the pheasant feeders ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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