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How many Grey Squirrels are killed in 2020


steve_b_wales
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It was a bit tongue in cheek. The same thing happens every year. I think I've done all the locals for now.

It'll be quiet for about 10 to 14 days and then the vacuem will start to fill.

Just on the grey side of a buffer zone here and it would absolutely delight me to see a red.  

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I have to enter this....

 

Ok I didn't shoot them but they were shot on an estate that I would normally have been without this corvid deal and regularly shoot tree rats on.

The keepers son went out for a walk round and in two days shot 41, almost all on the deck rummaging around in the debris.

He said they where not coming on the pheasant feeders or my fliptops.  SOOOOOO!! Subject to complaints I add 41

1762

Checked a fliptop at home today and almost empty so obviously they are back. First light tomorrow will prove that.

Edited by Walker570
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1 hour ago, Mice! said:

@Walker570 seen a lot of pictures on FB lately and most have been shot on the deck.

20201201_165100.jpg.bf3ad21c1f07e30c1cded53312e410fa.jpg

But this feeder isn't chewing itself,  the penalty for chewing is death.

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😱 Mice -are you trying to give Ditchy a heart attack!

Perhaps it’s just me but I think I have only seen one or two on the deck in November. A few were running in the canopy but most were sat in forks or clinging to the trunk. All fat and not too nervous.

I am just totting up the total greys killed in November by volunteers from our village for reporting to RSNE and I am up to 70 so far - only 2 were trapped. I was also speaking to one of the full time rangers and he had shot over 100 in 3 weeks in central Lakes. 

The greys have just come from nowhere as very few were seen or shot in October. Thankfully that 170 less of the little breeders!

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19 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

Mice -are you trying to give Ditchy a heart attack!

Well if he will go clicking on things about squirrels what does he expect 😉

The Penrith rangers have been posting a lot,  @rsrjerry had more in one day than I managed in November,  and I had a good month.

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A deadly quiet morning, everything so still and damp/cold. Very hard to stalk when everything is so still. Squirrel's very nervous when they appeared . Needed a bit of good sunshine to bring them out and calm them down.

Sat in a hide for a hour or two but no safe shots as they were highly tree bound and I had a rimfire. So returned to the truck for brunch and the took 12g out for a walk about and had one.

Trail cams show they are starting to show interest in feeders but still to much natural food about at the moment.

Maybe time to buy a thermal but worried I might loose my stalking skills(if I have any)anyways.

Mick

1768

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1 hour ago, powler said:

 

Maybe time to buy a thermal but worried I might loose my stalking skills(if I have any)anyways

Mick

A very interesting point. I rely heavily on a thermal at autumn and wintertime, as I would rather keep warm and take the battle to the greys than getting cold in a hide waiting for them to arrive.

Most of the greys I shoot,  I have spotted with the thermal as they are sitting in the crooks of branches or clinging to trunks. I would not have seen them without a thermal as they were stationary. The thermal is also useful for spotting if they run and then hide, for spotting if dreys or holes in trees are occupied and also for finding lost game and spent cartridges!

Having said all that, I think I have lost a lot of whatever stalking skills I had, I am just not as ‘switched on’ to movement in the trees. This was made clear last Saturday as I was shooting with a 22 year old without a thermal. I spotted all the stationary greys perhaps 100 metres away but he spotted and shot all the greys moving in the trees before I even saw them!  In fairness I am 45 years older!

The best thing for you is to try and borrow one and see if it suits you. I do think it will increase your bag. They also help spot other mammals, deer and dog walkers!

Good luck.

Garnet

 

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9 hours ago, Sciurus said:

Mick

A very interesting point. I rely heavily on a thermal at autumn and wintertime, as I would rather keep warm and take the battle to the greys than getting cold in a hide waiting for them to arrive.

Most of the greys I shoot,  I have spotted with the thermal as they are sitting in the crooks of branches or clinging to trunks. I would not have seen them without a thermal as they were stationary. The thermal is also useful for spotting if they run and then hide, for spotting if dreys or holes in trees are occupied and also for finding lost game and spent cartridges!

Having said all that, I think I have lost a lot of whatever stalking skills I had, I am just not as ‘switched on’ to movement in the trees. This was made clear last Saturday as I was shooting with a 22 year old without a thermal. I spotted all the stationary greys perhaps 100 metres away but he spotted and shot all the greys moving in the trees before I even saw them!  In fairness I am 45 years older!

The best thing for you is to try and borrow one and see if it suits you. I do think it will increase your bag. They also help spot other mammals, deer and dog walkers!

Good luck.

Garnet

 

Hi Garnet

I have used the brother inlaw's Pulsar Quantum but only in his garden and not out shooting, he swears by it and said he would not bother to go shooting without it. I know what you mean sometimes hard to spot when they sit, I spend ages scanning a wood with the naked eye.

Will look into getting one I think as the greys have been hit hard in the woods I shoot in but need hitting harder as they are still about as camera shows, don't think I would eradicate them as most of the surrounding land has them in abundance.

Just been checking the Scott site and Pulsars are all on back order, was like that last time I looked into them. Have also looked at the Guide ones at Barton Gunworks but integrated battery puts me off a bit.

Mick

 

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Following an exchange of messages with Sciurus some time back, I've recently invested in a Pulsar Axion XM30S, a very neat, pocket sized thermal, and it really is a game changer when hunting down squirrels.

I got mine via Uttings, I paid the RRP for it but as far as I could see via online searching, nobody is discounting the prices of these units?

I have mine running on a "White Heat" setting, squirrels stick out like a 500 watt bulb when conditions are right, and you can spot very small animals like mice with it as well.

A couple of hours stroll around the hedgerows used to yield a couple of kills, perhaps 3 on a good day, but now bags of 6 or 7 are the norm.

I'm running out of squirrels fast on our 300 acre Game shoot, and saving a fortune on wheat in the pheasant feeders normally thieved by the grey hordes.!

Thermal spotters work best when you have another gun to work with, who can cover the other side of the tree or hedge, so they cannot shuffle around the trunk of larger trees as you move in position to get a shot.

It's great fun, very exciting, and I wouldn't be without it now.!

Cat.😎

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5 hours ago, Catamong said:

 I've recently invested in a Pulsar Axion XM30S, a very neat, pocket sized thermal, and it really is a game changer when hunting down squirrels.

It's great fun, very exciting, and I wouldn't be without it now.!

Cat.😎

Cat, Glad to hear you have joined the club!

I agree with everything you say, except I prefer red heat! 😇 I also like to make the background pretty dark.

The backup service is also excellent. I had the misfortune to drop mine during the guarantee period and sent it back to the dealer for repair, they sent it to the importer, who repaired in a day, posted back to the dealer who posted it to me. I got it back in about 7 days at no cost. Excellent service as their postage costs and insurance must have been over £20.

Shooting with a partner is great fun and very productive, especially if they have a thermal as well.

Don’t worry about running out of greys, they will soon be back!

Cheers

Garnet

 

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On 02/12/2020 at 13:24, Sciurus said:

 

A first for me today, a left and right at greys crossing overhead! - .410

 

26E420C9-B8FB-4384-9DD9-B73F5D7B93FB.jpeg.9473eb54fac96b0c3bce8add211ea1aa.jpegT

Total 1767

 

 

I didn't see this yesterday well done mate, even more impressive with that drain pipe. 

21 hours ago, powler said:

deadly quiet morning, everything so still and damp/cold. Very hard to stalk when everything is so still. Squirrel's very nervous when they appeared . Needed a bit of good sunshine to bring them out and calm them down.

Describes the conditions where I was perfectly,  I've only just warmed up now and all my gear is soaked.

I was only out because I met up with @Sciurus to borrow a thermal,  I got a tutorial and had just shot a very shocked squirrel at bayonet range!! 

The squirrel really glowed up, sheep really surprised me how well insulated they are, a pheasant went bye its head and thighs glowing ,  going to be lots of walking in the local parks this weekend spotting the squirrels. 

Its going to end badly though, I'm not going to not like it am I. 

Got home and put it on charge but let the kids and wife have a look first, they were amazed,  hide and seek will be fun this weekend 😁

one buck

1770

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44 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Its going to end badly though, I'm not going to not like it am I. 

Got home and put it on charge but let the kids and wife have a look first, they were amazed,  hide and seek will be fun this weekend 😁

one buck

1770

Haha- good idea involving the wife and kids, they are less likely to object when you ask for any early Christmas present! 🥳

Yes, it was cold and miserable this morning and the later sleet didn’t help,- you can see why I prefer to walk and shoot in the winter.

I liked seeing your feeder and hide set up, totally invisible yet so close to the path.

Enjoy using  the pulsar (& no peeking at hot lady joggers in tight clothing!)😇😇😇

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9 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

Haha- good idea involving the wife and kids, they are less likely to object when you ask for any early Christmas present! 🥳

Yes, it was cold and miserable this morning and the later sleet didn’t help,- you can see why I prefer to walk and shoot in the winter.

I liked seeing your feeder and hide set up, totally invisible yet so close to the path.

Enjoy using  the pulsar (& no peeking at hot lady joggers in tight clothing!)😇😇😇

It wasn't a good day to be sat still that's for sure 🥶🥶🥶

I can definitely see the advantage of stalking with a thermal,  as for the joggers 😏

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Brave man to be out today. I was shooting over at Belvoir Estate today and it was miserable wet, cold and the birds did not want to fly. The keeper and beaters worked very hard and eventually we managed 147 mostly partridge.  I wish I had the tree rat shooting there ....18,000 acres

Tomorrow looks rather chilly here in the Midlands as well tomorrow, with driving sleat all day. Well it is December I suppose.

Edited by Walker570
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