Man vs Nature - again

[wdfifteen]

I'm always finding myself in these ethical dilemmas. I hate killing things - even snakes and spiders. But there comes a time ... a snake in my house? Dead. Raccoons killing my chickens? Dead.
We have a squirrel problem. They get on the deck and wreck the bird feeders, get into the BBQ grill and even chew the seals on the smoker to get inside. This week there were as many as 8 on my deck at once. I've tried all kinds of deterrents but nothing works for long.
So I started shooting them.
I hate it. I used .22 bird shot when they were jumping around on the bird feeders and it blows them off the bird feeders and they fall into the ravine under my deck and disappear - I don't see what happens to them. But there are so many now and they are so brazen they just come up on the deck like they own the place. Today I started using LRs on them because they just sit there tearing up my stuff and dare me to do something about it and I figured a bullet would finish them off fast.
No.
They fall on the deck, jump around, try to run, quiver - basically suffer - until I load another round and finish them.
I hate this.
The only other gun I have that is remotely appropriate is a 16 gauge shotgun that would probably do more damage to the deck than the squirrels do.

[stevej37]

Are they the full-sized squirrels or the shorter quicker ones that I call ground or red squirrels.
The reason I ask...the smaller ones are easy to trap with the new plastic clam-traps.

[Sooner or later]

You can't get rid of them. You are fighting a losing battle.

My dad tried trapping them. He would catch over 100 a summer. He finally gave up and placed a squirrel feeder to keep them out of everything else.

[aigel]

NFW does a .22 lr not finish off a squirrel if you hit it anywhere center mass. Think about it. It penetrates the entire animal. It is like you getting shot right through with a cannon ball. My bet is that they are having death twitches there for you on your deck. Something as squirrely as a squirrel doesn't just fall over dead like a sack of rice. It is not fun to watch indeed, but they are essentially dead when the brain starts firing randomly. And when you kill something, always remind yourself how that animal would die otherwise? None die of old age in bed, surrounded by their families. They all go out in some ugly way, usually eaten by a predator the latest when they are getting long in the tooth. I'd rather get shot ...

Last but not least. I have seen squirrel populations, just like rabbit populations, get really really dense and then crash. Probably due to disease. So you may just have to do this for this year and next year it may be a whole different story.

You know, squirrel gumbo is pretty good. Just sayin ...

G

[vash]

I agree with G.

It’s dead but doesn’t know it yet. A .22LR will hammer a squirrel.

If in doubt, you could get a hotter .22LR round. Is the rifle scoped? Head shots a problem?

[cabmandone]

Get a cat with an attitude. If you're good at climbing trees, go tear up their houses and say "There! How do you like it ya bunch of jackasses!"

[SiberianDVM]

When I was a kid, I shot 1 squirrel with a 22 and 1 rabbit with a .410. That was the extent of my hunting.

The weird thing was it took 6 hits to kill the squirrel, with a head shot being the coup de grace. They are so hyped up that a body shot with a 22 won't do it unless it's a heart shot.

[stevej37]

I caught 4 in one day with the traps. Went on to trap the rest in the next few weeks.
Soon after that..I started seeing black squirrels move in.
Now I just leave them alone...hoping for a balance.

[stevej37]

Here are the traps that work for the smaller squirrels. They have a removable bait tray that you can put crunchy peanut butter in. They will find it the first day.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FWMLW79/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The large fox squirrels will work the trap off on the ground....the smaller ones can't.

[cabmandone]

Get one of those bird feeders with the motorized ring that spins when a squirrel gets on it. It won't kill the squirrel or even stop them from coming but they're good for a laugh as the squirrel spins in circles.

[Jeff Higgins]

That really sucks, Patrick. I know exactly how you feel. We have had squirrel and rabbit infestations over the years, and are currently besieged by rabbits. Both can be horribly destructive. And, while I will happily shoot any rats that make the mistake of wandering onto my property, bunnies and squirrels are a much tougher call. I hate killing them. They have, however, devastated our garden in the past, and that's when the gloves come off.

You can't just shoot a squirrel. They are tough little critters. You have to shoot a specific part of the squirrel - head shots are the most immediately lethal, with shots through the vitals - the front half of the animal - a distant second. Shots aft of the shoulders will always result in a lingering, suffering death. Marksmanship is key, with an accurate rifle. More power won't do anything if you are not hitting them properly. Hitting them properly, my air rifles are plenty even for our massive gray squirrels.

I wish there were another way. I'll be interested to hear from others who have actually successfully taken care of a problem like this.

[doug_porsche]

[stevej37]

^^^ great video

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Are they the full-sized squirrels or the shorter quicker ones that I call ground or red squirrels.

They are adolescent gray squirrels. Under all the fur they probably aren't much bigger than a Barbi doll.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by vash

Is the rifle scoped? Head shots a problem?

LOL. It's my old Stevens single shot plinking rifle. (The one I killed my first rabbit with, after about 6 shots. - Props to Jeff, who has been there)
Hard to hit a Barbi doll in the head from 30 feet with one of these.

[stevej37]

The traps I showed will prob work. The nice part is there is no messy bait holder.
The cup attaches from the bottom and then just press the top down.
They love crunchy peanut butter.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

That really sucks, Patrick. I know exactly how you feel. We have had squirrel and rabbit infestations over the years, and are currently besieged by rabbits. Both can be horribly destructive. And, while I will happily shoot any rats that make the mistake of wandering onto my property, bunnies and squirrels are a much tougher call. I hate killing them. They have, however, devastated our garden in the past, and that's when the gloves come off.

Thanks Jeff. That's just the situation I'm in. Hate to kill 'em, but damn they are destructive.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by stevej37

The traps I showed will prob work. The nice part is there is no messy bait holder.
The cup attaches from the bottom and then just press the top down.
They love crunchy peanut butter.

I'm all for eradication. I did not like drowning chipmunks after I caught them in the Have-a-Heart but I did say "Shhhhhhhhhh" as they succumbed in the low end of the pool. Just like in Saving Private Ryan but without the blood letter blade.

I like the trap. One a day with the trap and cap one a day with the LR.

[ledhedsymbols]

Have you considered different ammo? Big difference between a cheap bulk round nosed lead .22 and a CCI Stinger or another high velocity hollow point.

This coming from a Montana kid who was told to switch ammo and aim better so I'd didn't spoil any meat from my rabbit kills...

[Brian 162]

One of the old guys I used to work with would shoot and kill one squirrel with a small rifle. He then would drape the body on top of the fence. It seemed to work, it scared off the other ones.