Hello people of nature. I find snaring for squirrels to be a bit too inhumane for me to do often. I'm looking for anyone with experience with setting net traps that can be left while you do other things. I'd really like to try this and would like to know how efficient it is. Thanks!
Net Traps
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not quite understanding this one to be honest, if a squirrel has been snared correctly it'll be dead in a matter of minutes, if you catch it in a net it'll panic and stress itself to death. i've seen squirrels caught by their tails before (always because idiots have put bird feeders in silly places), it's horrible, they thrash around and panic like nothing you've ever seen, right up to the point that they rip their own tails off, at which point i assume they go and find somewhere nice and quiet to curl up and die. if you're genuinely concerned for the welfare of the critters that you're eating then go out and get yourself a gun and shoot the things, nets really aren't the way to go for squirrel trapping IMO
cheers
stuart
cheers
stuart
I sometimes use a cage trap for possums - which are about the size of a house cat. Door slides down, no poblems. But you still have to kill it - I shoot them but banging them on the head will work. There's no pretty way!
We have both red and grey squirrels and I believe one of the 2 are protected, not sure which ones tho.
OK.
As I said, I do not know the rules and regulations in UK, but assume they are much the same as in Norway.
If I was caught snaring or neting squirrels here, I would certainly loose my hunters license for at least two years. My gun license would probably be withdrawn for a period and I would probably be given a fine of maybe 250-1000£ (depending on how much I caught and for how long I've been doing it). I could also risk being prosecuted for fauna crime (depending on how much and for how long).
It is not illegal to hunt squirrel here, but not with snares or nets. You can trapp for squirrels also, but then you need to have a hunting license and use registered and approved trapps.
Snares is only allowed on grouse, and only in a few places as long as you have a license.
As I said, I do not know the rules and regulations in UK, but assume they are much the same as in Norway.
If I was caught snaring or neting squirrels here, I would certainly loose my hunters license for at least two years. My gun license would probably be withdrawn for a period and I would probably be given a fine of maybe 250-1000£ (depending on how much I caught and for how long I've been doing it). I could also risk being prosecuted for fauna crime (depending on how much and for how long).
It is not illegal to hunt squirrel here, but not with snares or nets. You can trapp for squirrels also, but then you need to have a hunting license and use registered and approved trapps.
Snares is only allowed on grouse, and only in a few places as long as you have a license.
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In the UK, to prevent (even more) suffering, snares must by law be inspected no less often than every 24 hours, and some kinds of snares are not allowed. But snaring is in general a legal way to take some species. My personal view is that it should be banned, but having said that I think it's no less inhumane than poisoning, which is in widespread use here both in industry and in the home.
Like Stuart I would say shoot them, although I also use traps. I only use live traps because of the risks of unnecessary suffering and of trapping the wrong species, but lethal squirrel traps available if you choose to search online for them and some are legal in the UK.
The grey squirrel is not native to the UK and is classed as vermin. It is illegal to release one back into the wild after catching it. If you catch one you either have to keep it or kill it. They don't generally make very good pets, in fact they are usually amongst the nastiest animals you will ever meet, but I have seen orphans taken very young kept as pets.
Like Stuart I would say shoot them, although I also use traps. I only use live traps because of the risks of unnecessary suffering and of trapping the wrong species, but lethal squirrel traps available if you choose to search online for them and some are legal in the UK.
The grey squirrel is not native to the UK and is classed as vermin. It is illegal to release one back into the wild after catching it. If you catch one you either have to keep it or kill it. They don't generally make very good pets, in fact they are usually amongst the nastiest animals you will ever meet, but I have seen orphans taken very young kept as pets.
i really don't know for sure but i'd bet heavily that netting squirrels is against the law in britain, we are allowed to use long nets for rabbit/hare but they have to constantly attended AFAIK
Nets are legal under certain circumstances for certain quarry Stu.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69
More about catching and handling squirrels here:
http://www.greysquirrelcontrol.co.uk/index.php
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00...hniques/UKMHusbIndTech/Handle_M_Squirrels.htm
Hmmm, things didn't turn out as I planned picture-wise.
I had a call from a mate who said he'd caught a squirrel in a cage trap and could I come and dispatch it.
Well, I turned up after work and found nothing but an empty trap. My mate comes out and asks why I'm back again?
It would seem that the squirrel must've died of shock before I got to it - Perhaps this is case for snaring to be more humane than a cage trap.
My mate found it dead, assumed I'd dispatched it (but didn't want it) so had thrown it over the hedge.
Here's the weird bit, He said there was a Robin in the cage too, still alive and it flew off ok.
Anyway, I wanted the squirrel as ferret food and after a bit of searching found it, albeit rather wet from the rain.
Chewy enjoyed it anyway.
I had a call from a mate who said he'd caught a squirrel in a cage trap and could I come and dispatch it.
Well, I turned up after work and found nothing but an empty trap. My mate comes out and asks why I'm back again?
It would seem that the squirrel must've died of shock before I got to it - Perhaps this is case for snaring to be more humane than a cage trap.
My mate found it dead, assumed I'd dispatched it (but didn't want it) so had thrown it over the hedge.
Here's the weird bit, He said there was a Robin in the cage too, still alive and it flew off ok.
Anyway, I wanted the squirrel as ferret food and after a bit of searching found it, albeit rather wet from the rain.
Chewy enjoyed it anyway.
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Thank you for the contribution Bushwhacker! And thanks everyone else for the responses.
I generally don't care for laws.. You may not agree with that, but this is my opinion, be it risky or not. I've heard about people snaring squirrels that left them choking for hours. On a humane level I'd rather the animal have a fast death, so I'm trying to find other methods as well as direct hunting.
I generally don't care for laws.. You may not agree with that, but this is my opinion, be it risky or not. I've heard about people snaring squirrels that left them choking for hours. On a humane level I'd rather the animal have a fast death, so I'm trying to find other methods as well as direct hunting.
Interesting ...
Generally I don't care if you care for laws or not, though as long as you post on BCUK I'd made sure my posts (or the activities you post about on BCUK) are in compliance with the law if I where you.
Tony said:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45
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