Getting rid of, or gathering squirrels

[Sylvain]

This will catch them AND cook them as well.

And if you leave your window open you can even get some served directly on the dinner table.

 

[churchmouse]

around here they are called tree rats and I make a hell of a gravey or gumbo out of them !!

Used to set up over the corn fields at great grandads with my cousin. We would get 3 or 4 (ground hogs) every time we went and they would cook them up. Not one of my favorites. They loved them. I was busting them with a 30-06 and you had to make head shots so there was something left to cook or my aunt would kick my A$$. She said if you are not good enough to hit-em in the head, leave-em be. If I hit anywhere but the head I left them in a ditch. Aunt was a mean one.

 

[Kmcinnes]

I just give my boy the bb gun and say have a good target practice son! lol

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Okay, any ideas for muskrats? Those are the effers that are destroying my dam.

 

[churchmouse]

Okay, any ideas for muskrats? Those are the effers that are destroying my dam.

High ground, a really good .243 with a nice glass and patience.


Live trap and some bait.....

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Okay, any ideas for muskrats? Those are the effers that are destroying my dam.

find the lodge, and put a live trap at the bottom of the entrance. you can often trap the whole family after a day or two.

 

[churchmouse]

2 water traps, 6 total so far.

 

[Glock22c]

Man i hope the DNR section of big brother ain't reading this thread... yall might have some splainin to do...
Good ideas .... putting some if them into practice though? ?? I'd wait till the SHTF...

 

[churchmouse]

Well, you could be right but, Over the winter I had 2 incidents in the attic at the daughters house next door. Both electrical, both were fried tree rats chewing on the electrics. Could have burned down the house. Had to fix the venting they tore through as well. Had the cable man out 3 times this year because the same group of marauders ate up the cable lines. My elderly neighbor had all the stuffing tore from he stored lawn furniture by, you guessed it, our friends the tree rats. You could see 3 nests with the stuffing hanging out.
I am putting in the garden for the first time in several years and they will not be feasting on my goody's. Scared to shoot-em as a miss could hurt some one. Have to revert to other methods. Its me or them........

 

[patience0830]

Well, you could be right but, Over the winter I had 2 incidents in the attic at the daughters house next door. Both electrical, both were fried tree rats chewing on the electrics. Could have burned down the house. Had to fix the venting they tore through as well. Had the cable man out 3 times this year because the same group of marauders ate up the cable lines. My elderly neighbor had all the stuffing tore from he stored lawn furniture by, you guessed it, our friends the tree rats. You could see 3 nests with the stuffing hanging out.
I am putting in the garden for the first time in several years and they will not be feasting on my goody's. Scared to shoot-em as a miss could hurt some one. Have to revert to other methods. Its me or them........

I like the bbl idea. Kinda like a turtle trap only it has to close off the top when it catches one. put a 1" pipe fitting with a valve in it in the bottom and attach an exhaust hose from the car. Or just half full of green antifreeze. I'm far enough out in the woods that I usually just shoot the offenders. If I don't eat 'em the dog does. I usually bbq the little morsels.

 

[bwframe]

I have been doing something similar for a long time with chipmonks. I fill 5 gal bucket with water and cover the top of the water with sunflower seeds. then run a board up to the top of the bucket on the outside like a ramp. put some sunflower seeds on that also. they get to the top see the seeds inside and dive right on in. it's a solid method for sure.

The Saturday morning radio home improvement guys call this chip and dip.

I've shot them with air rifle and live trapped them. This sounds more productive.

 

[BCCS]

Anyone have an idea for a coon in the attic. I have already tried a live trap and the thing just flips it on its side and gets the bait. Since I live in a development using a gun is out of the question, but maybe with frangible ammo?

 

[churchmouse]

Anyone have an idea for a coon in the attic. I have already tried a live trap and the thing just flips it on its side and gets the bait. Since I live in a development using a gun is out of the question, but maybe with frangible ammo?

I would use a .22 short in the attic. I have a high velocity pellet rifle but a coon is hard to put down that way. Just be dead sure of your shot and take it.
That or some kind of bait that would put it in sleepy land. Your choice. If it is destroying your home it is time to take action before it does serious damage.

 

[Rob52pars]

All these methods sound great. Normally I just throw some corn on the ground and wait by the kitchen window with my wicked pellet gun. I'll try the bucket method.

 

[ductileiron98]

My dogs are smiling as I type this ! Thanks for the post..

 

[Roscoe38]

These post are more fun than the Sunday comics. I have several munks and a a couple squirrels notched on my Gamo 177.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Took a shot at a rat last evening. He seems to surface at 7pm sharp, daily. 00 buckshot. It scattered pretty good at the distance I shot from so I'm not certain if I got him. Gonna go walk around shortly to see if he's a floater yet, if not there's always tonight. This time I'm gonna go set up around 6:30 a bit closer to the water and load up with 00 buck again but a 3.5" magnum this time (18 pellets vs. 9).

 

[churchmouse]

Just returned home from the Vigo Co. meet and shoot. Great time and spent some rounds. Checked the bucket traps, both occupied and both occupants were cold. That is 8. Had no idea there were so many tree rats living close by.

 

[spearheadersarge]

Great use of an easy method to kill the critters! that is fabulous!

 

[ThrottleJockey]

No floaters, but he hasn't returned either. Hopefully he returned to his den and died.