Squirrels
Contributors to this thread:Small Game
From: In2dmtns
11-Jun-24
Any suggestions or advice on how to have way less squirrels. I've had live traps set since the spring and occasionally catch one or two but I would like to up these numbers. We live in an oak ticket so we have a ton of them. Feel free to PM me as well. Thanks
From: Catscratch
11-Jun-24
.22 shorts?
From: sundowner
11-Jun-24
I've got a supressed Ruger Precision 22 with subsonic rounds that works really well on squirrels.
From: bluedog
11-Jun-24
Pellet gun
From: spike78
11-Jun-24
Just curious why you hate the squirrels?
From: t-roy
11-Jun-24
Hmongs?….
From: Catscratch
11-Jun-24
Lol!
From: WV Mountaineer
11-Jun-24
Live box trap and a 22 short
From: Boreal
11-Jun-24
I have a bunch of these little red dogs around that are trained to keep the squirrel population in check.
From: t-roy
11-Jun-24
Do they work on Hmongs, Boreal?? ;-)
From: Boreal
11-Jun-24
No T-roy but........
From: Bou'bound
11-Jun-24
SSS
From: bentstick54
11-Jun-24
.22 rifle, pellet rifle, or bow hunt them. Many different ways to cook them. They’re good eating.
From: Huntcell
11-Jun-24
trapping works 24/7 , golden nuggets [corn] or wire a small portion of cob corn to trip pan, peanut in the shell are also deadly. squirrels are not to bright. It is a never ending process, as others quickly fill the void. they are tasty. Hint! skin them right away, tough to remove from a cold one.
From: INDBowhunter2
11-Jun-24
110 conibears with part of an ear of corn wired to the trigger will catch most of them pretty quickly.
From: In2dmtns
11-Jun-24
OK I appreciate the tips. Hunting yes that's the obvious, I've shot 15 in a month. I even have feral cats roaming the place, Can't even tell a difference. As to why I hate squirrels how much time do you have. Fruit trees, garden, bird feed, livestock feed, house, house siding, attic, basically anything they can destroy they will. For me they are yard rats. Looking for maybe a bait of some sort, or maybe just more box traps and bullets are the answer. Thanks for the ideas keep em coming.
From: t-roy
11-Jun-24
The only person that hates squirrels and chipmunks more than you, is me! Look into Goodnature A18 traps. They finally legalized them for use in the US. I finally got one just the other day, but haven’t had time to set it out yet, so I can’t say how effective they are, yet. They are NOT cheap, but if they work as advertised, they might just be the ticket.
From: spike78
11-Jun-24
Only 3 creatures I legit hate are mosquitoes, ticks, and mice. All others are fine with me.
From: Groundhunter
11-Jun-24
Huntcell,,, I trap alot. If you fail to skin right away, and they get stiff on you, just drop them in a bucket of water, they will quickly soften and skin easy
From: Bobby Ray Hart
11-Jun-24
They cut my telephone wire, cable wire, car wiring harness for 335 dollar repair, cut electric water wheel wire , cut hole in vinyl on house, built 6 nests under deck, get on bird feeder, many other destructive things.
From: drycreek
11-Jun-24
From: Sunset
11-Jun-24
Where did you order your Goodnature A18 trap, t-roy?
From: t-roy
11-Jun-24
Not sure Sunset. I had my sister order one for me and another one for my dad.
From: Coyote 65
11-Jun-24
https://goodnature.co/products/a18-squirrel-trap-kit
From: Sunset
11-Jun-24
Thanks, Coyote65!
From: In2dmtns
11-Jun-24
Holy crap t-roy I just watched two different videos. I think we may have a winner. I like that, and the fact it self loads and is ready to go again. Seems expensive but compared to the damage they do I would say wise investment. Thanks again for the ideas. I'll keep you posted, also if I come across anything new I'll pass it along.
From: Corax_latrans
11-Jun-24
Corax_latrans's Link
These are pretty effective, too. I don’t have a high catch rate, but my brother has been SLAYIN’ out in LA, where Grays are Invasive…. Neighbor feeds ‘em peanuts, so that’s what he uses for bait…..
No evidence of any slow deaths…
From: In2dmtns
11-Jun-24
Now could someone just make one of those for hogs...
From: BoggsBowhunts
11-Jun-24
Import some hillbillies from the ozarks, they’ll thin out the squirrels and eat like kings all fall
From: WV Mountaineer
11-Jun-24
Shoot them with your bow t-roy
From: Brian M.
12-Jun-24
Corax, that's my go to trap for grays. I've easily caught 2000 or more in my 26 years of Wildlife Control. Not as good on reds, but will work. Got a double on flyers once, otherwise useless on them. A mink, couple small opossums and a skunk. I don't recommend targeting skunks with it. And if you tinker with it a little, you will get 98% neck catches.
From: Corax_latrans
12-Jun-24
Yeah, I call it the Squirrel Bazooka. It picks off chippies from time to time as well.
Any baiting/setting tips? Peanut butter on the roof is kinda my go-to….
From: Brian M.
12-Jun-24
Take the pan off. Bend each end about 3/8" up. This brings the squirrel's head further past the strike bar. Cut a piece of 1/2×1/2" or 1/2×1" hardware cloth to kinda wrap around the top of pan. Reinstall. Push PB through the mesh. This forces the squirrels to put pressure on the pan to lick the PB under the mesh, resulting in quick neck catches. I also add 3 screws directly over the pan from the top. It's just enough of a barrier to make them duck and again put pressure onto the pan. I found it works well when using the trap as a pass-through without bait, so they slow down to duck under (positive set coming out of a building). I think the newer ones have holes drilled along the outer rim to screw to building or tree branches. If not, drill some.
From: Brian M.
12-Jun-24
I just looked at the wcs link again. It does have the holes drilled already and also has a safety lock. All of mine are 20+ years old with no locks, but still work well...mostly.
