Squirrel Deterrents

[Stringmaker]

I have two squirrels who are frankly taking liberties with my garden hospitality and now it's personal.

Between them they have wrecked three bird nut feeders (admittedly you have to admire their ingenuity and intelligence in getting into them), but now I want them to clear orf.

I remember from Kepis' thread about cats, the option that seemed to work as a deterrent (that is the active word here, I can't shoot them) was coffee grinds.

Does anyone have any success stories with any deterrents?

Thanks in advance!

[Harvestman]

Catapult? A dead squirrel can reasonably be classed as deterred, and for a bonus dead squirrel is delicious

Oh. Just re-read your post and saw the bit about not shooting them.

Shoot for a near miss?

Ok, I don't have any helpful suggestions. I'll shut up.

[Stringmaker]

Thanks for the attempt anyway!

[British Red]

COil of brass picture wire. Hang the feeders from a high branch on a 3' loop of wire so that the feeder hangs in mid air well away from other branches. Impossible for squirrels, easy for birds

[blacktimberwolf]

The squirrels are doing the birds a favour........shouldn't have nut feeders during the breeding period as the parent birds feed the nuts to the chicks ( who need insects & other creepy crawlies) who then choke......october to march is the ideal time for bird feeders.....Remove the nuts & no more squirrel problem either

[Stringmaker]

The nut feeders themselves are fine mesh so there is no choking risk as the pieces are small, but I take your point about the type of food on offer.

I like Red's tip about making the feeder physically impossible for the varmints to get to; I don't think the tree we hang it from is as tall as needed but I shall have a look for a better hanging option.

Thanks folks, appreciated.

[ged]

If you can't shoot them, can you trap them? Then of course you'll have to kill them.

[The Lord Poncho]

Why can't you shoot them just out of interest? Is it communually owned land maybe?

[Stringmaker]

It's my back garden and the only firearm I have is my 12 bore; I'm sure there will be a bylaw about that somewhere...

I did consider a trap; there is plenty of FC land nearby where I could tip them out. If I can get them to go elsewhere though it is the easiest and laziest option.

[Adze]

There's squirrel shooting...

...and then there's shooting squirrels:

[British Red]

It's my back garden and the only firearm I have is my 12 bore; I'm sure there will be a bylaw about that somewhere...

I did consider a trap; there is plenty of FC land nearby where I could tip them out. If I can get them to go elsewhere though it is the easiest and laziest option.

Oddly its illegal to release them once trapped so I wouldn't go that route. Certainly not a job for a 12 bore in a domestic garden - maybe chat up a local air rifle shooter if all else fails

[Stringmaker]

Oddly its illegal to release them once trapped so I wouldn't go that route. Certainly not a job for a 12 bore in a domestic garden - maybe chat up a local air rifle shooter if all else fails

I didn't know that; thanks for the warning!

I am currently liking your picture wire/mid-air hanging suggestion as the best bet.

[treelore]

Add chilli pepper seeds, they work well in stopping treerats....on a personal note i would by a live trap, bait it with nuts. Once youhave your pest put on a thick glove and tip the said pest into a sack and thenusing a priest or the like dispatch with a hard blow to the head!!
You can also buy/make a tunnel trap with a fenn trap No.5/6to rid you of your tree rat, if you use this method either the live trap or thefenn you must check the trap at least once in a 24hr period, but it best practiseto check in the morning and evening.

[njc110381]

It's my back garden and the only firearm I have is my 12 bore; I'm sure there will be a bylaw about that somewhere...

I did consider a trap; there is plenty of FC land nearby where I could tip them out. If I can get them to go elsewhere though it is the easiest and laziest option.

Less than 50 feet from the centre of a public highway and causing a disturbance to it's users is an offence. More than 50 feet and done safely, not so much an issue.

I use a .410 Hushpower shotgun for squirrels in my garden, that and two BMI Magnum bodygrip traps in squirrel boxes.

Where abouts are you? If you're local you can borrow my hush on your SGC for 72 hours without needing to notify the police of a transfer. That's quieter than a spring air rifle and near enough turns them inside out at close range!

[astle9]

my deterrent is my lurcher, obviously not directed to hunt by me but she loves a good squirrel kill.

[British Red]

I use a .410 Hushpower shotgun

Me too

Did you go for the single shot or the pump?

[Big Si]

Air rifle all the way for me. I must have dispatched a good thousand over the last ten years. I don't want to think about the amount of rabbits. Where are you in the UK, if your close I'll pop over if you want?

Si

[Stringmaker]

Thanks for the offers of a mini-cull chaps!

So far, the picture wire trick seems to be working.

I'll keep you posted.

[calgarychef]

What a great way to practice your trapping skills whether it's a live trap or kill trap it wuold be fun.

[treelore]

i love to use my mossberg 500 stealth, i've only just got it and loving it !!! i still beleave a shotgun,set of poles and a good terrier is the best way to deal with then