Grey squirrel management

[Baldbloke]

 

Shooting is good sport. Recently I’ve had a variant of greys, locally, smaller, a gingery brown with tufts on ears. Must be some mutation. Anyway, they still taste ok

 
Reds sometimes are black in north wales [emoji1]
 
 
Seen some in north wales nearly this black apprently they  imported  a batch from czech repulbic to repopulate and the the czech ones were dark brown /black
 

 

they also won't be helping the Scottish wildcat either if there even is any left.

 
Wildcats supposedly eat polecats.
 
EDIT: Meant to  write Wildcats supposedly eat pine martens[emoji57]

When I was a child and got my first air rifle I used to shoot greys in the woods near Soutborough in Kent. There were 4 or 5 pure white albino squirrels amongst the local population, which I reduced in number by one. Best success was from resting on my bedroom window until my Dad bolloxed me for chewing up the window sill with misdirected shots at the ground hoppers.

[Squirrely]

Yesterday, I returned to a wood that we had previously cleared of greys and it remains clear. That is not to say that it cannot be re-populated in the future. I also checked a wood cleared a few months ago and that also remains clear. It's a pity that a more concerted effort is not made countrywide. If anyone needs a hand in clearing greys in the East Midlands, please get in touch. There is no charge for our efforts. All that I would ask is that the wood owner makes a small donation to the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. 

[Mick Dempsey]

10 hours ago, Baldbloke said:

 
Reds sometimes are black in north wales
 
 
Seen some in north wales nearly this black apprently they  imported  a batch from czech repulbic to repopulate and the the czech ones were dark brown /black
 

 
 
Wildcats supposedly eat polecats.
 
EDIT: Meant to  write Wildcats supposedly eat pine martens

When I was a child and got my first air rifle I used to shoot greys in the woods near Soutborough in Kent. There were 4 or 5 pure white albino squirrels amongst the local population, which I reduced in number by one. Best success was from resting on my bedroom window until my Dad bolloxed me for chewing up the window sill with misdirected shots at the ground hoppers.

Can I ask where you got the info the wild cats eat pine martens?

[drinksloe]

41 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Can I ask where you got the info the wild cats eat pine martens?

 

I can imagine they will if they got the chance esp if PM was sick injured or old.

Wouldn't be an easy meal for them. Vicious sods

Most predators will eat anything they can and since they both lie in the same habitat.

PM are far more common in many parts of Scotland than made out.

 

There is evidence of PM predating on wildcat dens, young kittens, infact 1 wildcat charity stopped putting artificial nest/den boxes up for wildcats as they thought were getting too much predation in the man made boxes.

Most predators never pass up an easy meal no matter how rare the meal is.

 

 

Is it not Woburn that has the 'black' grey squirrels?

[rookery]

Thanks for the information on what guns to get from you 2 [emoji106]

[Paddy1000111]

Hate the bleeding things after today. Attacked me up a leylandii, ran up my back and jumped on my helmet! 

[Commando]

I got one. Bloody rubbish. Not one success

I read a couple of reviews saying that they had no success with the provided bait, but when swapped with peanut butter bait it worked well. Have u tried different baits or is the trap just generally shizen?

[Commando]

The dogs will “manage” them if they stray far enough from the trees[emoji2]

[Tippin Alaybye]

I read a couple of reviews saying that they had no success with the provided bait, but when swapped with peanut butter bait it worked well. Have u tried different baits or is the trap just generally shizen?

Yes. The bait they supply smells gorgeous. A bit like Nutella with vanilla. Tried peanut butter.
I now use a couple of Kania traps. They are good but I’ve actually had a wren nest in one as well as a mouse [emoji3061]

[Stere]

Quote

Can I ask where you got the info the wild cats eat pine martens?

On wikipedia entry for pine martens

 

 

 

European pine marten - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

 

Quote

 

Although they are preyed upon occasionally by golden eagles, red foxes, wolves, and wildcats, humans are the largest threat to pine martens

 

Assumed they would had referenced the info from a proper source   but can't find one so looks like a mistake....

 

Just looking up the size of them didn't relalize they are huge compared to other mustelids so its likely the wrong info.

 

 

 

 

On the wildcat page in wiki it is the opposite way round....

 

 

Wildcat - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Quote

In Central Europe, many kittens are killed by European pine marten (Martes martes), and there is at least one account of an adult wildcat being killed and eaten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Stere