Squirrel problems

[Killington Maple]

Merry Christmas to All!
Just wondering how many of you have recently discovered squirrel damage. The lower section of my lot has recieved heavy damage in the last month to the 5/16" lines.
You can always hear them as you are walking through the woods, but boy they're hard to see. They must be in stealth mode.
Any creative solutions to eradicate these little pests? I was thinking Havaheart traps, or a 22 magnum rifle, or if necessary, hand grenades.

[Dennis H.]

Just did a few repairs today.
I fired up the vac to check things out and wondered why the vac level was so low, So I went for a walk. Found them.

Pesky little guys!:mad:

[marc]

You're not alone with the squirrel damage. I have had the same trouble. I haven't seen them or heard them, but the damage is very discouraging. The little buggers chew the drop lines right at the top of the bend. I've tried the have a heart trap(not planning to have a heart), but the bait gets stollen without the trap getting tripped, I think they are too light for the trapping mechanism. I also have put rat traps screwed to the trees. Caught a mouse but no squirrel. This is all new tubing, I can only imagine how bad this will be when there is something in the lines that they are after. When I did my thinning I left some large Hemlock trees for wind protection and these are the problem areas. I plan to shoot all I see.

[nas]

Use the Havaheart traps, and release them at the competitions woodlot.:lol: Actually I find the best method is a 22 or 410. I sent my 11yo son out with a pellet gun and told him $5 per head. He came back with a cottontail:confused: At least we got some stew out of the deal:)

Nick

[shane hickey]

Nick, That's not funny I sometimes wonder where they all come from?
Every time I go to the woods I take my 10 guage and blow there nest apart
once in a while I'll get 1 I swear they breed loke rats

have a good christmas nick, I just thought that was funny

[Randy Brutkoski]

I have fixed at least 1000 squirell chews just in the last 4 weeks. It is very frustrating. Killed 79 of them last year. I guess that didnt even put a dent in them. I think i killed the retatded ones because i am not seeing them in there like i did last year, the smart ones that is. I like the grenade thing but why not just use claymores, you dont have to be there to have them taken care of.

[dnap63]

I've got a border collie named Belle that just hates squirrels. I just tell her to go get the squirrels and she will run them ragged. now I just have to figure out how to get the dog out of the trees.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Havahart traps work great. I have several that I use. Put whole peanuts in them and go back in a few days. You will have them little buggers. I set up other bait piles at the same time to get them coming, and when I have a squirrel coming there I set up a trap and presto no more squirrel.

I have close to 90 acres of woods and have been all over it within the last week and I have only seen 3 squirrel tracks. And I aim to get them gone as well.

[Dennis H.]

It is funny what they will chew on though.
The 2 repairs that I did yesterday also had chew marks on the stubby adapters, one was almost all the way thru!

[maple flats]

Since I started cleaning with hydrogen peroxide I have had very little damage. If I miss a section, I always find it come inspection getting ready for the next season.
I think a 22 or 410 at this point should help. Mepps and likely others buy the tails too for fishing flies and lures. I used to find chipmonks did some of the chewing too, but they are a smaller target and move lots faster all the time (and no tail sales).

[upsmapleman]

I think everyone has some damage. What seems to work for me is I put out mineral licks for the deer. The squirrels work these hard. I think the reason they chew the lines is for salt deposits left from your hands. We try to wear gloves of some sort when installing and reparing. My problem! BEARS! I repair 100's of bite marks a year. About the last week of season I always know when they come out of hibernation. In 1 night I can loose almost all my vacuum due to a bear traveling thru the sugar bush biting every main and latteral they cross.

Dale

[maple flats]

I think a 30-06 cures that. Get nuissance tags and fill the freezer. When comming out of hibernation they would have no fat and might be strong flavored.
What you use to clean with will have no affect for bears during the season, they can smell sugar thru the tubing.

[Tweegs]

C’mon guys, I like the squirrels….grilled, stewed, or with a little flour, salt, and pepper, deep fried.
I try to pop a couple for the tails, I tie my own flies, too. Craig’s list, for those of you in trout country, might be a good way to get rid of a few tails, and put a dent in your repair budget at the same time.

One old codger I used to know said he’d super glue a walnut to a rat trap. Said he’d hear the snap and holler in to his wife to get the grease hot. Now he could have been pulling my leg, he was the sort.

No problems with them so far here, near as I can tell. Being on gravity, unless a line actually came down, damage wouldn’t be so obvious from a distance though. Probably should get my butt out there and have a closer look. Put on a cotton glove and run your hand over the lines? If the glove snags, you’ve got something worth looking at…just a thought.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

[morningstarfarm]

Oh Man..TREE RATS..best answer is a .22 and terriaki marinade..grill quickly and presto...the best revenge is dinner!

[maplecrest]

rat traps and peanut butter nailed to non maple trees will solve your tree rat problem

[farmall h]

Merry Christmas all. The best way to get rid of the squirrels (long term) is to cut as much softwood out of your orchard. Also, an SKS chinese assault rifle w/22 shot banana clip is quite effective. At least it is lots of fun and makes the snow fly!:lol:

[nas]

Maybe it's my imagination, but the squirrel damage at my place seems the worst near the hickory trees. I will leave them for this year, but if it seems that way again next year, the hickories will go.:evil:

Nick

[Haynes Forest Products]

Nail rat traps to the tree and instead of peanut butter use a small peice of tubing cleaned in milk house cleaner.

[sugarmountain]

I agree with maplecrest, rat traps nailed to a tree with some peanut butter is the way to do it! tell your local trapper to go easy on the fisher cats around your place and that will help too! Some of you guys really eat those nasty little things?

[nhmaple48]

I have posted this before and was criticized by some,but it works.Nail a tuna can to tree,fill with antifreeze.It's sweet,they love it.

[red maples]

.22 is the most fun with out damage to lines. I grab a seat in woods (drag out my lawn chair) with 20 gauge and sit and wait its relaxing and you get to look at the trees. and OH yes squirrel is very good!!! you can poach them and pick the meat for soup, or you can bread them and fry them. Or pick the meat and make salad. Grey squirrel that is red squirrels not worth the effort!! My wife just looked over my should and said," that's very red neck of you!" :rolleyes::lol: I said you married me??!!! she just walked away:lol:

[TapME]

I have a pellet gun and anything within a 150ft is fair game if it's squirel. It make great bait for the cyotes who are also on the list. larger weapon for them buggers ofcourse

[Thad Blaisdell]

coyotes eat a lot of squirrels, .........

[3rdgen.maple]

Ahh the good ole squirrell. Heres a trick for you guys who want to sit and pick the little critters out of those trees. Get someone to walk in the woods with you. Once you get to your spot you will notice every dang one of them plays hide and seek. Once you are settled into your advantage point send the other person home and watch them come back out and if you are stealthy enough you can get quite a few of them this way.

[lew]

Coyotes chew tubing also. I wouldn't have believed it myself unless it had happened to me. They (or more likely "it") took down enough to effect about 200 taps in a 2,500 tap woods. All in one area. He chewed off the pieces into 1 to 3 foot sections then dragged them over to the edge of the woods where there was a severe drop off. A great vantage point for a predator. From this location you can easily see 50 acreas through the woods. Any way, he put the pieces in one pile and made a bed out of them. About 6 - 8 inches deep and it was very evident that he had slept there many times. He had a packed trail through the deep snow to get there. After repairs were made, he never made any other damages on the tubing.

[red maples]

Ahh the good ole squirrell. Heres a trick for you guys who want to sit and pick the little critters out of those trees. Get someone to walk in the woods with you. Once you get to your spot you will notice every dang one of them plays hide and seek. Once you are settled into your advantage point send the other person home and watch them come back out and if you are stealthy enough you can get quite a few of them this way.

before you send them home have then circle around you about 150-200ft If there are any squirrels around you they will come to your side of the tree if not try to escape right at you.

[TapME]

coyotes eat a lot of squirrels, .........

And cats and small dogs and oh never saw a cyote climb a tree. Sure did see him eat some lead though.:) We have coy-dogs here and they are getting into everthing they can so we just fight back best we can.

[bigtreemaple]

I visited a guys woods once who had bird feeder platforms placed around with boxes of dry instant potato flakes for the squirrels to eat. He claimed the squirrels would eat the flakes then die when the flakes expanded in their stomach. I am not sure this works but he was serious about the plan, had those platforms in several places.

[peckfarm]

Coyotes chew tubing also. I wouldn't have believed it myself unless it had happened to me. ... Any way, he put the pieces in one pile and made a bed out of them.

If you ever come across this again I would love to see a picture.