Gray Squirrels

[MidMoTreasure]

I dislike gray squirrels with the flaming fire of a thousand burning suns. This is the time of year that they steal my apples and tomatoes. They do this during the day when I can't snipe them with a pellet gun. It is illegal to poison them (and frankly, I haven't heard of gray squirrel poison). There is a very effective device called the A18 Squirrel Destroyer but it only appears to be available in British Commonwealth countries.

What advice do you all have for the eradication of these furry little devils? The neighborhood stray cats are useless because the dementia-addled old ladies down the block feed them so much, they are not interested in channeling their inner savanna lion on the squirrel population. I use owl and snake decoys, but the squirrels in my neighborhood must have not covered common predators in squirrel school.

 

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[Tpmetal]

I dislike gray squirrels with the flaming fire of a thousand burning suns. This is the time of year that they steal my apples and tomatoes. They do this during the day when I can't snipe them with a pellet gun. It is illegal to poison them (and frankly, I haven't heard of gray squirrel poison). There is a very effective device called the A18 Squirrel Destroyer but it only appears to be available in British Commonwealth countries.

What advice do you all have for the eradication of these furry little devils? The neighborhood stray cats are useless because the dementia-addled old ladies down the block feed them so much, they are not interested in channeling their inner savanna lion on the squirrel population. I use owl and snake decoys, but the squirrels in my neighborhood must have not covered common predators in squirrel school.

weird they don't bother my garden...its the chipmunks that tear my stuff up. Get a trap and trap em then "dispose" of them later or eat em.

 

[bowwinkles]

Midmo, just try an alternative attractant like corn, away from your garden plants. Once they get use to finding that food they will not bother those live garden plants. I use sunflower seeds that is meant for bird feed. some of the bird seed that they are attracted to will also grow, so pick an area where having that growing does not matter. Indifferent from you, I do enjoy watching those little critters in my area. good luck

 

[Lenrac2]

Good Luck. My neighbor tried trapping and 2 moved in for every one he removed I think. They are always cleaning out my bird feeders. But they leave his garden alone. Let me know if you get a good solution. Cats here mostly worthless too although I have seen one get about 4.

 

[Tigerdude]

Get about 5 cajuns to hunt them. Guaranteed gone in a couple of days.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Try to co-exist with them. No need to kill everything you dislike in this world. I seriously doubt they're taking your apples and tomatoes. Probably woodchucks or maybe raccoons taking them at night. Or more likely, one of your neighbors is raiding your garden. Buy a trail cam and see who's actually doing it before killing anything. Geez!

 

[MidMoTreasure]

Try to co-exist with them. No need to kill everything you dislike in this world. I seriously doubt they're taking your apples and tomatoes. Probably woodchucks or maybe raccoons taking them at night. Or more likely, one of your neighbors is raiding your garden. Buy a trail cam and see who's actually doing it before killing anything. Geez!

I have seen them rip a ripe tomato from the vine and scurry off to their little squirrel hell-hole to devour it. Same for apples. I caught one yesterday running up the neighbor's tulip poplar tree with one of my big, green apples in its mouth. We are not going to coexist. We are going to destroy.

 

[MidMoTreasure]

Midmo, just try an alternative attractant like corn, away from your garden plants. Once they get use to finding that food they will not bother those live garden plants. I use sunflower seeds that is meant for bird feed. some of the bird seed that they are attracted to will also grow, so pick an area where having that growing does not matter. Indifferent from you, I do enjoy watching those little critters in my area. good luck

This makes the most sense. I will install a corn feeder at the property line. Corn is cheap, hell I find lots of full ears when I go field detecting after harvest in the fall. While I prefer going the A18 Squirrel Destroyer route, I think this will make my neighbors and animal lovers happier.

 

[smokeythecat]

Yes, I thought of supplying an alternate food source close to where they live. You're not going to starve them out anyway. I saw some guys make "squirrel catapults" on youtube. Probably illegal in some liberal states, however, it would be a riot to see one in action.

 

[releventchair]

Cubby sets with rat traps if you're going to eat them.

 

[newnan man]

Wow, killing squirrels because they eat some fruit & veggies? They are just trying to survive like all of us. They love my mangos, I still had plenty to eat too.

 

[MidMoTreasure]

Wow, killing squirrels because they eat some fruit & veggies? They are just trying to survive like all of us. They love my mangos, I still had plenty to eat too.

Yeah, we are not too fond of nuisance animals here. I have no moles in my yard and no house mice.

 

[Duckshot]

Well I tried googling "rent a cat" and all that came up was Catapiliar front end loader/backhoe rentals.

There is definitely a market for feline rental. Heck down in Florida half the tile roof houses have roof rats. But, if you buy a cat you got at least water it and perhaps feed it once the pests are gone, and everything that eats craps. So if a person could rent a professional feline that could kill rodents like nobody's business, then they wouldn't need to own a cat.

What the going labor rate for feline rodent eradicators these days? Minimum wage would be too much, maybe $2-$3/hr for a 24 hour work day? Or, is it flat rate? Maybe $20 a chipmunk?



No really, find their holes, put card board box with rat trap size hole in it over rodent hole, place rat trap in doorway of the box. Done! Don't even need to bait the trap.

 

[Duckshot]

Here is another one- put a five gallon bucket 3/4 full of bird seed in the garden with a couple, two or three 1x4 maybe 3' long boards resting on the rim of the bucket, and let the chipmunks feast on that for a couple days. Then, take that five gallon bucket and dump out all the birdseed. Fill the bucket up 3/4 full of water. Pour in a handful of bird seed, it will float on the water. Make sure to use enough birdseed to cover the water, but don't use too much. Replace bucket and boards. If you got too much seed over the water the chipmunks might climb out on it.

 

[RGINN]

We always hunted them for food. You probably got a squirrel season there so maybe get a hunting license and reduce the population a little. Most people used shotguns but we always used .22's. Maybe contact your local DOW and see what ideas they got. Also, I always wondered if those snake and owl decoys actually worked.

 

[MidMoTreasure]

Also, I always wondered if those snake and owl decoys actually worked.

They definitely do not scare away any squirrels, rabbits, or birds here. My neighbors have owl decoys as well and I have seen a squirrel on top of their decoy munching on a sunflower seed from their bird feeder.

Oh, according to the Dept of Conservation, nuisance animals and garden pests may be shot out of season. Our squirrel season does happen to be most of the year though.

 

[Kantuckkeean]

"But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself." - Rachel Carson

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[Duckshot]

Deep fried or New Brunswick stew? It's a struggle...

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Deep fried or New Brunswick stew? It's a struggle...

You'd have to pay me a million bucks to eat a rodent, which is what squirrels are...

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

While I prefer a direct and personal approach . . .

(Diana Chaser CO2 - and the supressor is effective).

The only thing that seems to work for chipmunks and grey squirrels in our yard is to make sure the dog (our Airdale) has access or OUR TURKEYS! I watched a grey squirrel stealing cracked corn in front of one of our toms and the bird paitently waited for the squirrel to pass in front of him and then suddenly poked it's beak through the top of the squirrel's skull in a quick peck! Seen them toss chipmunks in a similar fashion.

Don't be fooled that humans are nature's only "murderers".