Squirrel Trapping 101

[Oxford]

Well...it won't be long till my ten tomatoes vines will be bearing plenty of plump red tomatoes, which is inviting to squirrels in my neighborhood. And with tomatoes almost impossible to buy now because of the salamonia bacteria concern...I'm gonna be making a stong attempt to eradicate those pesky tree rats from my vegetable garden and yard.

I have my own live animal trap which I used last summer to catch squirrels. It's basically a standard wire mesh cylinder about 10" x 10" x 24" with trap doors located on both ends and a handle on top.

My plan is gonna change this time from executing those rascals with my .177 pellet rifle...to relocating them where they can't come home.

For bait I'll start out using kernals of yellow corn mixed with sunflower seeds on a small dish inside the cage.

So...what types of bait have others used? How far would a squirrel need to be taken to ensure it won't likely find home again?

I'm not interested in the squirrel meat...so that's not one of my options. I just want them out of my tomato garden.

[Legba]

This should do it.

MySpaceTV Videos: Squirrel Slingshot by Spike Mike

[ArkansasHunter]

Oxford take them to the woods some where, where sportsman can hunt them.
Squirel season.
As far as bait the corn and sunflower seeds should work.
A.H

[webs]

A smear or dab of peanut butter may work well also.I'm not a biologist but I would think if you re-located them 5 miles or more away you wouldn't see them again.

[NHmsj]

Hey, I know NH might be a bit of a drive from your locale, but I live in the SOUTHERN part of NH, so you'd save a little gas if you relocated them to my neck of the woods.

msj

[SwedeSteve]

LOL NH !! Any nuts, like P-nuts, in the shell will bring them in. I am sure the corn and sunflower will as well. Hey, I got it! Use tomatoes...

[Asphalt Cowboy]

I'll second salted peanuts in the shell. If ya got grapes that have started to turn put them in too. Them little shaky-tails love grapes, if they've started to ferment all the better. Squirrels can have a party in the trap instead of tryin' to escape.

[matt760]

i got it... put a dummy in the garden when your at work. the squirrels will start to get used to it then pull the ol switcharoo and take the dummy's place and just snatch them up with your bare hands...well maybe with gloves on. make sure the squirrels arent lookin though when you trade places with the dummy. and if that doesnt work put up a 12 foot electrified double layered razor wire fence...and dont forget the motion detection cameras and spotlights.... oh and gotta have lasers.... well and a 275 decible weather siren.... and booby traps....like the spikes down in the hole thats covered up.... and hire a 24 hour armed guard.... wait you dont want to kill them. just give the guard a tazer....or a tranquelizer gun.... almost forgot the moat. cant forget the moat... and buy and train a cougar.... did i leave anything out guys????

or maybe go total Wil E. Coyote on those sqirrels' asses. i'm talkin droppin anvils off cliffs, painting fake doors (or maybe fake tamatoes in your case) on walls, and bottle rocket roller skates. call ACME. im sure they've got a squirrel catching kit. every thing you need in one wooden crate with red letters.

[iflylow74]

If your gonna relocate them, I would be sure to take them more than 5 or 6 miles. I had a squirrel problem a while back and was doing some research on the web. I found several sites that said squirrels have been know to travel several miles to get back to home base. I just ended up shootin 'em. :-)

[andrew cochran]

Sunflower seeds have always worked for me. On squirrels and chipmunks. This year I've caught 13 chipmunks. I reloacate them across a river where thier are plenty of woods. If it's a squirrel I take it to my hunting property.

[tippmann7]

it isnt those black squirrels is it? we got them in my neighborhood, theres like 300 of them and thats not an exageration. they eat every thing and attack the other types of squirrels...i like watching it but they do get annoying and my friend tried to trap em but no luck, so i hope you dont have this problem.

[Bookman]

I have relocated a few squirrels in my time. I always take them across water before releasing them. If you have a river or stream nearby, drive over the bridge and let them go on the other side.

[Mike Franklin]

I love squirrels and dumplings.
Peanut butter works ok.
BTW, anything you put out for squirrels is also skunk bait.

[rondog]

I love that video!

[andrew cochran]

Originally Posted by Bookman

I have relocated a few squirrels in my time. I always take them across water before releasing them. If you have a river or stream nearby, drive over the bridge and let them go on the other side.

Good advice! That's what I do.

[forestgleaner]

depending on where you live, it is illegal to trap and release animals. Here in Pa, you have to sorry for lack of spelling or I would use one of those politcially correct terms, kill the animal. Now I know that doesn't happen every time. I know there are centers, and things that take in animals. The law was put in place do to the studies that those biologist do. They came up with 80% of the wild animals that were trapped and relocated, died. They are put into places where there is already population of similar, or even the same species. They are forced to compete for food, water, and dens.
That said, I love tomatoes, I have never eaten a squirel, mostly cause I didn't know how to clean them, and was always told it was messy and not worth it. Don't worry, the squirels I have taken in the past did not end up left in the woods, an older gentleman always enjoyed them. I think I would have to set lethal traps for them. Small conibear traps work great, the one meant for mink and muskrat. They are cheaper than live traps, and are easy to set and mantain. You do not need bait with them either, though if you wanted to get rid of the squirels quickly you could use bait.
I heard of a set up useing a marshmellow, a small branch or log, that is suspended with the marshmellow part way op the log. The traps are set on log, and the squirell then runs along the top of the log to investigate the marshmellow. he trips off the trap, and good by rocky.

[Oxford]

Dang! I've about laughed myself silly reading all the solutions some of you have tried or recommended. Sounds like you've had a similar problem so I dont need to "re-invent the wheel."

Right now my ten tomato vines are about four feet tall, and with lots of 1" green tomato's on them. So far those rascall squirrels haven't discovered them as something better to eat than grass roots, and other weird vegetables. But...when the first tomato is plucked and left 95% uneaten on the ground around my garden, all he l l's gonna break out again. And...they're gonna lose!

My live animal cage is ready for action, my willingness to use it is overflowing, and my tomato crop is probably getting more appealing to those varmints. So...run up the flag and start playing tapps because there's gonna be some "missing in action" squirrels in my yard ASAP.

[Oxford]

Pics below were taken today (6/22/08). The enemies are hiding up in trees making their plan of attack on those tomato's.

[SwedeSteve]

Just as a sidebar. If you can get across the water, so can the squirrel. Squirrels use roads !!

[Idaho Dave]

loved the video used to have them everywhere. Wife wouldnt let me shoot them. got 2 cats that kive outside and now the bushy tailed buggers almost never come here