Blasted squirrels

[Janne]

Another scenario is to forget the red squirrel and accept that the grey will take over completely.
Not many people in UK worry that the wolf, lynx and bear are extinct.

It is just as fun watching a grey breaking into your bird feeder as a red!

( in Sweden, the reds did exactly what the grays do in UK, eat the bird seed, eat the eggs and young birds in spring. The reds taste good too I have been told!)

 

[slowworm]

Grey squirrels cause far more problems than loss of bird food. They can decimate hardwood woodlands to such an extend land owners will not plant broad leaf trees. On an oak plantation, for example, once the canopy closes squirrels can badly damage most of the trees bay bark stripping to make them almost worthless. Ash is one of the most resistant trees but once people need to start planting alternatives I think the problem will become worse.

One thing I've found on my woodland is reducing the numbers of greys seems to greatly reduce the bark stripping. I don't know if any research has been done into this but I can see merits in simply reducing their numbers.

 

[Broch]

One thing I've found on my woodland is reducing the numbers of greys seems to greatly reduce the bark stripping. I don't know if any research has been done into this but I can see merits in simply reducing their numbers.

Keeping grey numbers down is considered a necessity in deciduous woodland management plans but it is a constant task. There have been several articles published by various 'woodland' associations recently (I'll try and dig some out); they favour trapping and killing in most cases but the one article was talking about a lot of traps for a relatively small woodland. My favoured method is to put nut feeders up in the wood, sit tight and take them out with the air rifle. They come back to the feeder just minutes after you shoot their pal so a typical afternoon will result in a lot of squirrels. You may have to bait the feeder for several days before they start using it.

 

[slowworm]

Both my woodlands don't have that many squirrels. I also use nut feeders first, then bait a trap. But I can often go days without seeing any. There's enough about that I'll loose all the hazel nuts and most of the apples to them but not much tree damage once I've reduced their numbers. I expect if I didn't do any control for a couple of years then the damage would return.

 

[Navek]

Mmm... easier to demonstrate than to describe but I'll try ….

Make a 20mm cut just under the tail (10mm each side)
Hold the back legs in your left hand
Stand on the tail
With one firm but not too hurried action pull the legs away from the tail until just the head and the feet are left on
Now look at the belly and there should be a pronounced V of skin pointing down
With your right hand peel that back until you can grasp it and, again with a firm action, pull it up
This will take the skin off the hind quarters
Now just chop the feet and head off

With a bit of practice this really does only take seconds.

Always use this method my self .i just as it I love hunting squirrels to cook on open fire in a cast iron skillet with a little flour and duck/Goose fat .

 

[gonzo_the_great]

"contraceptive and a suitable dispensing mechanism" ??
Lead tends to work, if dispensed at around 1200fps

 

[Broch]

This morning... that's my apple from my barn!

The time of goodwill to all life is over I'm afraid; if I leave it much longer they'll be nesting in the barn and causing all sorts of problems.
I've never noticed before but they peel the apples! Under the tree is like red and yellow confetti

 

[Janne]

Just look how happy she is......
Eating lots of vitamins and minerals so her next years brood will be large and healthy!

 

[santaman2000]

Best ways to kill them? That'd be a 22 rimfire or a shotgun.

I especially like this one as this hunter bagged a small Fox Squirrel as well as the three grey Squirrel.

Best way to eat them/ That'd be fried like chicken

And served with a side of mashed taters & gravy and some green vegetable and cornbread.

 

[santaman2000]

Only if folks get caught apparently

Yeah, but you said it was the pest control agents doing it (granted, at the insistence of the client) You'd think professionals would know better.