Grey Squirrels

[crobinson]

Hi All,

 

Take a look at this: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM1TMsNnF98]Grey Squirrel Bark Stripping - YouTube[/ame]

 

Anyone suffer bad damage this year?

Any thoughts on most effective control methods?

 

Thanks

[Stubby]

Fully moderated .410 ?

[crobinson]

A lot of time involved shooting all the time. Any experience with Warfrain/instant kills?

[sandspider]

Live traps then shooting?

[GrahamW]

Great article in the RFS Quarterly Journal recently on grey squirrel control. After many years research and trials in their own woodland the authors say that the only way to significantly control numbers is by the use of carefully sited, instant kill traps such as the Kania.

 

It's a long and in depth article and definitely worth reading.

[woodyguy]

Live trapping works well and I keep my numbers down quite successfully. You catch a dozen or so over a couple of weeks then there are none for a month then just the odd one. I restart when you see several. Seems to limit damage and they're suckers for cashew nuts!

[matelot]

I've had good results with live trapping as well. We normally use peanuts.

 

If you had a rimfire I'd imagine smearing peanut butter over a tree trunk would bring them out into the open.

[spandit]

Difficult to guarantee a safe shot with a rimfire, better use an air rifle or .410

[Jon3012]

Kania trap everyday of the week. Shooting them with a rimfire on the ground or air rifle in the tree is good fun but not an efficient use of time. Warfarin could very soon be restricted so I would brush up on your trapping skills.

[Graham]

I used to love shooting them in Sept when they're collecting acorns and nuts Used an FAC air rifle. Not an efficient use of time but very gratifying and they fed the ferrets.