squirrel trouble

[Gary24]

Took a visit to plantation this week that i planted about 10 yrs ago,squirrels have ruined most of the oak i put in and chestnut,gutting,think theres more tree rats this year than ever.

[john k]

They are making growing quality hardwood pretty much impossible in a lot of areas.

 

We've lost Warfarin now, but there are some new traps on the way which hopefully won't be so labour intensive as they reset after a kill. Apparently they were invented for possums in NZ and have been reworked for grey squirrels and are going through some sort of certification process.

[Stumpy Grinder]

They are making growing quality hardwood pretty much impossible in a lot of areas.

 

We've lost Warfarin now, but there are some new traps on the way which hopefully won't be so labour intensive as they reset after a kill. Apparently they were invented for possums in NZ and have been reworked for grey squirrels and are going through some sort of certification process.

 

'Goodnature' traps. Very impressive. Work with a scent lure and reset after killing. Dead animal falls out and probably scavenged but the trap counts how many times it has fired. No need to check it. Could be the end for Grey Squirrels!

[Rushes]

Vermin control needed needed. Kania traps work well.

[Saw-sick Steve]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/30/how-to-eradicate-grey-squirrels-without-firing-a-shot-pine-martens

[Macpherson]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/30/how-to-eradicate-grey-squirrels-without-firing-a-shot-pine-martens

 

This is probably the reason there are no greys here in the north west, plenty of pine martens, although in Scotlands central belt, mature trees everywhere have been severely damaged by these uncontrolled pests.

[timbernut]

I saw a goodnature trap being trialed out on rfs visit to an estate last year and I thought they looked brilliant.

But I spoke to the vermin man who operates them yesterday (as he's moved in down the road from me) and he said they haven't killed anything with them! He reckoned fen traps most effective. I'm having major problems with them mullering my hornbeams, we shoot about 60/80 a year and it has very little effect. Part of the problem is there's another 100 odd acres of wood here and neither owners are inclined to do anything about em. What's needed everywhere is a combined effort to reduce numbers ( plus a massive pine marten breeding program )

[Gary24]

I been using mk4 fenn traps at home and they are good we had 18 so far

[csservices]

I been using mk4 fenn traps at home and they are good we had 18 so far

 

 

Always found fenn mk4's in a box to be the best thing for squirrels, many years ago when on yts I trapped a 180 in 6 weeks in a large block of mature oak woodland kept the buzzards happy too as they twigged onto me emptying the traps in a morning and would wait for a free meal 👍

[timbernut]

The guy I mentioned is coming to mine tomorrow to give me pointers on best trap placement, he said tunnels or traps on w/blown most effective.

There's good FC pdf on gs control and it appears that most of the damage to the hornbeams is done by juveniles in the spring, mostly at the base of the trees