NELL Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Hi guy's, i cut a young ash tree (7m) and off we set to poke some dreys,never having done this before soon discovered the fun we been missing out on.In an hour we had bagged 9 with 1 escapee . Ive been checking out some other dreys on the farm, but fear they are out of reach of my big stick What are you guy's using to get at the higher ones 10 or 15m? Apart from an ounce of lead that is RGS NELL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I shoot them out with a heavy load. 42g of #1 works a treat through 1/4 choke. You need to be able to see the back of the drey blow out otherwise you could injure what's inside. If the pellets make it through the centre of the drey then whatever is inside will be dead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 You want to poke any drey before you shoot it, as owls do occupy vacant dreys. I use lofting poles for the due-diligence bit, and then I give it the beans with 42g #1s through full choke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NELL Posted March 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Yeah i can see that would do the trick,but we still have some reds so wouldnt want to shoot any of them.Do they rebuild dreys after being wrecked or build new?? NELL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie 1 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) we use 7 poles which which latch together and total 48 foot. which can be very heavy however we can reach pretty much everydrey and do a good job. we don't shoot the dreys more damge then good IMO! i also don't advise shooting the dreys but those who do it don't listen so cba to waste my breath explaining. poke the dreys out the trees. you will be doing a great job and really helps to keep fit. keep up the good work charlie p.s squirrels will reapir damaged dreys so its better to knock em right out and make em work harder. Edited March 4, 2009 by charlie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) I use a slingshot with 9mm ballbearings to hit the drey. Edited March 4, 2009 by steve_b_wales Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Try a set of drain rods, and an old golf bag to carry them in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I know they can be expensive but has anyone ever used and old fishing pole? They are very light and will reach most dreys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NELL Posted March 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Cheers for replies guy's. I did think that knocking the dreys down was a good idea as i would no they are new and not wrecked ones. Found some telescopic poles on the net, up to 10m, they are for flying wind socks on, so not sure how manley they would be, anybody seen..used them?? very cheap NELL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I use a slingshot with 9mm ballbearings to hit the drey. These would be of course the Defra approved bio-degradable ones? Rgds D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NELL Posted March 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 we use 7 poles which which latch together and total 48 foot. which can be very heavy however we can reach pretty much everydrey and do a good job. we don't shoot the dreys more damge then good IMO! i also don't advise shooting the dreys but those who do it don't listen so cba to waste my breath explaining. poke the dreys out the trees. you will be doing a great job and really helps to keep fit. keep up the good work charlie p.s squirrels will reapir damaged dreys so its better to knock em right out and make em work harder. Please explain Charlie, im all ears......eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NELL Posted March 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 we use 7 poles which which latch together and total 48 foot. which can be very heavy however we can reach pretty much everydrey and do a good job. we don't shoot the dreys more damge then good IMO! i also don't advise shooting the dreys but those who do it don't listen so cba to waste my breath explaining. poke the dreys out the trees. you will be doing a great job and really helps to keep fit. keep up the good work charlie p.s squirrels will reapir damaged dreys so its better to knock em right out and make em work harder. Please explain Charlie, im all ears......eyes NELL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooty 54 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Sorry if i'm telling my granny how to suck eggs ,but if there's reds in the area you should not really be disturbing dreys. i know people who carefuly poke them with decoy poles , then if a grey pops out give it a lead sandwhich . Hope this makes sense .Keep up the good work stemming the grey tide . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie 1 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 its a number of things m8 really. by shooting the dreys there is a very high chance of wounding a squirrel and not knowing as they are very tough and you can never tell if there is a squirrel in a drey so we owe the respect to the squirrels not to shoot if we cannot get to it. same with shooting any quarry. also owls and other other non pest species nest in old dreys which again cannot be identified, so shooting into a drey could result in hitting an owl which is illigal. dreys damage trees, where the dreys sit in the tree will make that part of the tree rott. we have seen it alot when pushing the dreys in a wood we havn't done before, you can tell which dreys have been there a long time as the part of the tree will be rotten. and also it is a great way to keep track of how many squirrels there are if they have to build all the homes again, for example when you go back to the same wood a couple of months later if there are 6-7 dreys then you know there will be a few squirrels. so for slightly harder work you get alot more benifits. and you will start to get known for doing the job properly. unlike all the rest who just walk through shooting the dreys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NELL Posted March 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Sorry if i'm telling my granny how to suck eggs ,but if there's reds in the area you should not really be disturbing dreys. i know people who carefuly poke them with decoy poles , then if a grey pops out give it a lead sandwhich . Hope this makes sense .Keep up the good work stemming the grey tide . There are still some reds in the area, but FAR more greys. Thats why shooting the dreys is out of the question,iv'e been trapping the greys latley, but drey poking was a far quicker fix, hav'nt bolted any reds yet so no harm done... NELL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NELL Posted March 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 its a number of things m8 really. by shooting the dreys there is a very high chance of wounding a squirrel and not knowing as they are very tough and you can never tell if there is a squirrel in a drey so we owe the respect to the squirrels not to shoot if we cannot get to it. same with shooting any quarry. also owls and other other non pest species nest in old dreys which again cannot be identified, so shooting into a drey could result in hitting an owl which is illigal. dreys damage trees, where the dreys sit in the tree will make that part of the tree rott. we have seen it alot when pushing the dreys in a wood we havn't done before, you can tell which dreys have been there a long time as the part of the tree will be rotten. and also it is a great way to keep track of how many squirrels there are if they have to build all the homes again, for example when you go back to the same wood a couple of months later if there are 6-7 dreys then you know there will be a few squirrels. so for slightly harder work you get alot more benifits. and you will start to get known for doing the job properly. unlike all the rest who just walk through shooting the dreys. All makes sense to me mate, thanks for that.... NELL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooty 54 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Just for interest what bait are you using ?i'm using maize in my traps but all i'm catching at the moment are reds .Also what part of the country are you from ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NELL Posted March 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Hazel and peanuts..... Im in the scottish borders...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 I didn't realise Owls nested in old dreys. I'm glad I posted here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badshot Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Found peanuts work well for bait in traps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 On one of my permissions, there is a drey. I have seen squirrels going in there and have shot quite a few. I have not destroyed the drey because, as long as it's being repaired, I know they are still in there. If I were to knock it down, the squirrels may move to another wooded area near by where I don't have (or won't get) permission to shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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