The Chipmunk/Squirrel problem

[ScottinAtlanta]

Originally Posted by Sherry_AK

We've trapped them in a Havahart trap and relocated them (we use crunchy peanut butter). I don't care (and don't know) whether it's legal or not!

Right on! I trap the destructive pests and take them 60 miles north to my 30 acres in the mountains. They go from an urban, rather lazy lifestyle to a woodland filled with foxes, coyotes, snakes, owls, hawks, and lord knows what else. I call it my "welcome to reality" tour.

[lurley]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Right on! I trap the destructive pests and take them 60 miles north to my 30 acres in the mountains. They go from an urban, rather lazy lifestyle to a woodland filled with foxes, coyotes, snakes, owls, hawks, and lord knows what else. I call it my "welcome to reality" tour.

That's why we don't have them out here in the country, predators. Those same predators also go after my chickens though, and it's illegal to shoot the hawks although there is discussion about a new red tailed hawk hunting season. Fox, skunk, weasel, wolf/coyote are all able to be shot though, sometimes needing a nuisance permit, same as deer.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Just cannot believe it.
Sprayed that liquid fence like crazy when I got it. Stunk up the yard really good.
I knew rain was coming but it came quickly later that day and has almost rained on and off every since. Some extremely heavy and steady so not a scent of it remains.
It looks like it might finally be clearing up today.

Anywho! I found 4 baby rabbits in the corner of my garden last night cuddling together. They got fur and their eyes are open but they don't do much.

I have to boot these guys out!

I have two Labs and a Beagle. It seems the critters like our yard best! What's going on?

[Sherry_AK]

OK -- I'm convinced not to release squirrels on property other than my own. I have a place (owned by me) where I can take them. Sadly, I can't suppose they'll actually stay on my property once I get them there. But it's a nice wooded area and we even provide food and shelter for them there.

Thanks for the input.

Sherry

P.S. Now if I could only relocate the moose somewhere!!!

[Sherry_AK]

I felt like I should come back to this thread and clarify my position re squirrels.

In general, we enjoy having the squirrels around the yard, and take good care of them. It's only every several years that we get one or more of the little critters who become destructive. This was one of those years, and 3 of them were relocated before the problem was solved. We still have squirrels around the property and they are no longer causing problems in the garden.

I realized that my posts above made it sound like I'm out to get every squirrel around, and that's not so. So, I guess I'm partially to blame for my own problem in that normally we almost encourage them!

Sherry

[dice]

They do not bother my vegetables directly, but they make a big dent
in Sluggo or Worry-Free organic, iron phosphate based slug and snail
bait. It is expensive and the safest kind to use, so that is annoying.

It is all form factor, too. If it was some kind of sticky gel instead of dry
pellets, it would not look like food to squirrels.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Well, my baby rabbits have moved on. Once they were big enough to move out of the garden I sprayed heavily with that LIQUID FENCE. It helped not raining every day so the stink could stick around a bit.
Also, my one Lab that is really a chicken....she wears a Thunder Jacket to help her feel secure, all of a sudden started chasing them out of the yard. Guess she felt pretty confident going after baby rabbits.

Now if she can just do that with the chipmunks and squirrels, we will be okay.

In all honesty, looks like everything I have sprayed and sprinkled seems to be working. Not a lot of critters right now.
I am leaving town for a few days and hope everything stays that way.

Nice finding the first fruits of summer without any bite marks.

[Raffles]

Originally Posted by BigBrownDogHouse

Well, my baby rabbits have moved on. Once they were big enough to move out of the garden I sprayed heavily with that LIQUID FENCE. It helped not raining every day so the stink could stick around a bit.
Also, my one Lab that is really a chicken....she wears a Thunder Jacket to help her feel secure, all of a sudden started chasing them out of the yard. Guess she felt pretty confident going after baby rabbits.

Now if she can just do that with the chipmunks and squirrels, we will be okay.

In all honesty, looks like everything I have sprayed and sprinkled seems to be working. Not a lot of critters right now.
I am leaving town for a few days and hope everything stays that way.

Nice finding the first fruits of summer without any bite marks.

Good lab.

One of my old dogs hated squirrels and chipmunks. He wanted to kill them all.

I guess I'm not that tender hearted to vermin. If they leave my stuff alone they live. If they destroy my garden they go to sleep permanently.

My uncle used to tell about one woman who moved here and the first two years she told how she always planted extra for "her friends the animals". After a few years of her friends eating everything in her garden she started feeding them lead.