Ye olde grey squirel

[Scottishwanderer]

A few folk have recommended that i kill em.

So what can i do legally to catch em?

Doubt i'll have a problem cleaning em and muching em.

What legal methods can i use? I don't have a shooter.

Cheers

 

[Scottishwanderer]

Do grey squirrels cause more damage than red?

 

[nuggets]

throw ya empty bottle of buckfast at them -that should sort them out !!


Or try getting some live traps and set them out in the woods !!

 

[ged]

In the UK there are no restrictions on taking greys, they're considered vermin. Reds are protected.

There are many kinds of squirrel trap. Some are designed to kill the animal but I prefer a live trap so that if it's not a grey that's caught it can just be released and hopefully I won't be prosecuted. There are legal requirements such as using approved traps and inspecting the traps regularly. In the UK it is illegal to release a trapped grey back into the wild.

http://www.greysquirrelcontrol.co.uk/index.php

or use your favourite search engine for something like "trap squirrel".

Greys are nasty when trapped alive, so do try not to get bitten! Other than shooting them, about the best way to kill them is with a blow to the head. Make sure you control the animal well so that you are sure of a clean kill. This is easier said than done, you need to be prepared with something like a 'comb', see the above website for more information.

Yes, greys cause vastly more damage than reds.

 

[Scottishwanderer]

Is the log against a tree with loads of snares on it illegal?

 

[Retired Member southey]

snares are indiscriminate, you coud phone your local wildlife ranger type person and ask if a your allowed to trap on someone elses land, and what traps you can use to stay the right side of the law,

Here is one chap,

and there squirrel project

 

[ged]

Is the log against a tree with loads of snares on it illegal?

That isn't enough information to answer the question, there's a lot more to it than the log, the tree and the snares.

I personally would never set a snare unless it was a survival situation.

 

[Labrador]

I'd get an air rifle!
Seriously, they're very effective (with a scope & decent pellets) & unlike traps/snares you only kill what you see.

 

[mark]

Given that Fife has red squirrels, I am led to believe that any form of squirrel trap would be classed as illegal due to it being indiscriminate. It is illegal to trap red squirrels - they are protected.

 

[Harvestman]

I went out in the car this afternoon, and found a fresh roadkill grey squirrel. Head injuries only, so I thought "I'll have that" and stuck it in the footwell. Got distracted shortly afterwards when the fuel injector pipe on the car blew off, and I came to an abrupt halt in the middle of nowhere with a trail of petrol behind me. Looks expensive, but I'll find out Monday.

One RAC trip home later, and I remembered the squirrel. Never got one before, so I made a bit of a horlicks of getting it skinned, but I managed. Had the kidneys and liver fried as a bite (literally) of supper, and very nice they were too. Got the rest in a bag in the fridge.

So, we've established they can be eaten, and I obtained mine legally, so now, what's the best way to cook one? Any favourite recipes?

 

[Harvestman]

Okay, decided to casserole my squirrel, with pork sausage, chickpeas, tinned potatoes and spinach, with tin of chopped tomatoes and some basil, parsely, and garlic thrown in. Result: fabulous!

I've seen squirrel described as gamey, but I would disagree. Pheasant is gamey. Squirrel is rich, in the way good mutton is rich compared to lamb. I'm hooked. That is definitely something that I want to eat again.

Great fun scandalizing the girls in work too when they asked what I had brought for lunch

 

[GordonM]

Okay, decided to casserole my squirrel, with pork sausage, chickpeas, tinned potatoes and spinach, with tin of chopped tomatoes and some basil, parsely, and garlic thrown in. Result: fabulous!

That is a very good mix of fixin's Harvestman. It sounds lovely!

Gordy