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How many Grey Squirrels are killed in 2020


steve_b_wales
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Let the sleet and rain pass this morning and the dun came out bright and clear, a bit finger nipping but a nice morning.

Sat down in the hide and within minutes one came racing up the wood, ignored both the pheasant feeder and my flip top and went by me so close I could have touched it and vanished into the field behind. Hmmmm !!

Half hour later a very loud THUMP on the roof of my hide was obviously not a bird. It scrambled about for a second or two and then vanished.   Five minutes later one(probably off the roof) came out of the bushes and sat still for just enough time for the Browning to speak to it.  Then it all went very quiet. Approaching 10.30a  I thought some crumpets with lashings of butter and some Stokes Seville Marmalade was a much better proposition and  was about to drop the round out of the chamber when another suddenly materialised in the same spot the first sat still.  It fell on top of the first.  OK NOW for those crumpets:good:

 

1873

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Been disappointing for me since I added my last tally. My shooting has been spoiled by the amount of people walking through the woods since the initial lockdown.  Before,  I never seen anyone,  last time I was up, 9 people in different groups out for a walk. 

So 27 to add. All on the feeder and mostly with the air rifle. To be fair, there does seem a lot less about so hopefully the years of control has taken effect.

TOTAL 1916

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My tally for the whole of 2020 has been 87.

It's been a difficult year for all, with vast numbers of ramblers and loose dog walkers all over land that was very quiet up until lockdown.

During January, I shot 8 with the Benelli 12g Semi, and trapped 16 in Fenn traps near the Pheasant feeders, with peanuts as an incentive to enter the tunnel. They just kept coming, I was amazed.!

Between March and June I shot 14 over peanut feeders on another, (more private) farm that I have access to, using my BSA Ultra SE .22, a lovely bit of kit, I really enjoyed getting up early and watching all of the different birds coming into the feeders, (especially Nuthatches and Woodpeckers).

Things really changed in early November, when I took the financial plunge and invested in a thermal spotter, I opted for an Axion XM30S, a very small device that fits neatly in the palm of your hand.

It wasn't cheap at just over £1500, but the numbers shot have increased like a graph of Covid cases.....what a game changer these are..!!

From 6 November to 30 December I've shot 49, all mainly on another 300 acre arable farm that I've taken on this year.

The spotter takes a bit of getting used to, but, with practice, and the right weather conditions, (cool and overcast), you can spot even a small part of a squirrel laying up in the fork of a large oak, which means "game over" for him when I let loose with 36g of 5's.

If you're serious about squirrel control, a good quality thermal spotter is a must.

I haven't bothered with trapping, as there's so much natural food about this year, I'm not sure it would be worth it, and if I continue to shoot them at the same rate, they'll soon be an endangered species on my land..!

A Happy New Year and good Hunting to all in 2021.

TOTAL 2003

Cat.😎

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Went out way yesterday before dawn on the foxes, but no luck on them. On the way back to the truck stopped off to check feeder and trail cam, sat in the hide for a while watching a robin at the feeder, who much to my amusement then decided to came sit near me and watch as well.

Anyways back to the shooting.. The camera had shown two greys running around the feeder but not feeding from it, further down in the wood(80yds) I could see one grey so I fed him a .223, ten minutes later his mate came along so I fed him also. Bit of a heavy round for greys and not a lot left but I had been out after foxes originally.

Camera also shows muntjac in the wood now, which is the first time I have seen them.

Definitely going to get a thermal now after Catamogs write up, just deciding which one and if they have stock in the UK as Pulsar seem to have poor supply, maybe a Guide TK35 but the internal battery of only 5hrs of charge concerns me and if that battery dies in a few years then thermal is knackered. Pulsar Helion 2 QX38F is my pick at the moment.

Mick

2007

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@powler I like the idea of a separate battery, my discontinued Pulsar also came with a battery holder that took 4 x AA batteries for emergencies, which is useful.

The local Red Squirrel groups around here buy their Pulsars from Pass Ltd. They were very good and quick to repair when I dropped mine.

Once you get a thermal, you will find more reasons to pick up a gun and shoot especially in the winter. I take mine, even if I go for a walk.

You will not regret it!

 

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Yer battery life is important and Guide have good feedback for the money on there gear except the battery issue, a major stuff up on there part, could cost them some sales.

Had a butchers at the Pass Ltd webby but Pulsar stock is the usual, Pulsar are frustrating with there lack of supply.

Nice to see we broke the 2000 mark for 2020, which with the way 2020 has been is a decent ratio.

Mick

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