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How many Grey Squirrels are killed in 2020


steve_b_wales
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1 hour ago, Sciurus said:

It’s more difficult to cull a grey in a Larsen trap, so yesterday we moved the squirrel trap onto the top of the Larsen and this morning -Bingo the 5th grey was in the squirrel trap! Job sorted.

664 (I have added ratchets tally)

I was wondering how you were going about it in a Larsen trap 👍

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14 hours ago, Mice! said:

I was wondering how you were going about it in a Larsen trap 👍

I use my old Webly Ranger, the trick is to stick the barrel through the mesh and point it in a corner and wait for the squirrel to come to that corner- it can take time! In squirrel traps, I can use a comb, which makes it easy.

The traps belong to another volunteer and is sited by the back door, I only got involved as I had a suitable air rifle. Last year they caught a fox in the Larsen .

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I've just been watching youngsters watching me in a sycamore, they were it the same tree last week, on the seeds already?

1 hour ago, Sciurus said:

use my old Webly Ranger, the trick is to stick the barrel through the mesh and point it in a corner and wait for the squirrel to come to that corner- it can take time! In squirrel traps, I can use a comb, which makes it easy.

I thought you would catch them in another trap, or sack? Patience it seems👍

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4 hours ago, Walker570 said:

410 usually does the job.

It’s alright for you homeloaders- have you seen the price of .410 subs!😂

 

5 hours ago, Mice! said:

 

I thought you would catch them in another trap, or sack? Patience it seems👍

The lady whose trap it is usually does cranial dispatch with a sack, but her problem is she couldn’t get the squirrel from a Larsen trap into the sack without it escaping or getting bitten- which is why I had drive miles to shoot it four days running. 

By a strange coincidence one of the householders who does his own culling, has just been bitten on his trigger finger removing a grey from a trap. I don’t think he will make the same mistake again....

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1 hour ago, Sciurus said:

The lady whose trap it is usually does cranial dispatch with a sack, but her problem is she couldn’t get the squirrel from a Larsen trap into the sack without it escaping or getting bitten- which is why I had drive miles to shoot it four days running. 

I would have thought putting a normal trap in the Larsen you would have got the grey in there? Obviously tricky. 

1 hour ago, Sciurus said:

By a strange coincidence one of the householders who does his own culling, has just been bitten on his trigger finger removing a grey from a trap. I don’t think he will make the same mistake again....

Once bitten...

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Pity your so far away. I have a fair supply of some old 2 inch #6s which through my pumper are very quiet. I could also load some subs for you, no problem.  I only use live catch traps on my own ground which borders the village and when they hear the mild thump of a 410 going off they know another tree rat has been sorted.  Cannot for the life of me understand anyone putting their hands near one before they knew for certain it was very dead. A serious set of munchers they have, plus a trip to the Docs for an upgrade on preventative injections.

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5 hours ago, Walker570 said:

410 usually does the job.

It’s alright for you homeloaders- have you seen the price of .410 subs!😂

 

7 hours ago, Mice! said:

 

I thought you would catch them in another trap, or sack? Patience it seems👍

The lady whose trap it is usually does cranial dispatch with a sack, but her problem is she couldn’t get the squirrel from a Larsen trap into the sack without it escaping or getting bitten- which is why I had drive miles to shoot it four days running. 

By a strange coincidence one of the householders who does his own culling, has just been bitten on his trigger finger removing a grey from a trap. I don’t think he will make the same mistake again....

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Sorry about above, I don’t know how that happened.

Walker, that’s a very kind offer, but I think I have solved the problem. I have been given two small live traps, which I can shorten to fit in the Larsen and when wrapped in black visqueen , I would expect any trapped grey to then hide in small trap and the lady can dispatch it herself using a sack.

I like the idea of using the husher, but most of my trapping is in residential areas or posh Country House Hotels and the guests would have a fit if I ruined the Wedding ceremony by using a shotgun!

Dispatching a grey in a trap is easy when using a comb. The grey has nowhere to go and you are shooting at point blank range. I have cut down the stock of my childhood Wembley ranger so I can walk about with it in an army kitbag and no one knows what I am up to.

The chap who got bitten is the first I have heard of, however I have heard of someone hitting their big toe when cranial dispatching!

I don’t put my hand in a trap. I upend the trap and shake it out, if the grey doesn’t fall out, it gets a second pellet. Then to make sure it gets poked in the eye with a twig.  Better safe than bitten!

Cheers Garnet

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Just two this morning, the first at 05.10 and then a very young squirrel at 06.30 just out for the first time I would think. Then it went very quiet. I have shot a bunch off this tree in the last couple of weeks so may have thinned 'em out.  Took the first one right under the beak of a hen pheasant and she just stepped back stared for a second and then continued pecking up the kibbled maize. Amazing considering that 17HMR round had only passed her beak by about 12 inches..

682

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I was bitten by the first squirrel I ever shot, sixty years ago. I knocked it out of a tree with my Dad’s 12 bore. I left it five minutes and picked it out of the brambles by the tail. It climbed up its own tail and bit me on the back of my hand. I have not made that mistake since.

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11D0D76F-F30E-4AEF-8894-3B932B479611.jpeg.a8f877a6fc8f4cfd5e4f5d723452ed6a.jpeg

3 more trapped today, photo show the comb used to restrict the grey prior to culling.

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I have finally made a smaller trap to fit into the Larsen. It is now 12” long compared to the original 22 “. Apparently there is still a grey for them to get, so it will l be interesting to see if this solves their problem.

Total 686

 

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3 more today trapped at different sites.

I totted up the total culled in our village in May by volunteers and householders, which was 68, which was worse than last year but not bad since most of it was done in the last two weeks after lockdown was lifted.

This month is looking very good so far.

Total 705

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