Trapping Red Squirrels

According to Mr Internet, the key to making a common, wooden rat-trap into an effective trap for red squirrels is to add some points to prevent the squirrel from pulling out.  You can see the points sticking out a 1/2" in line with the words "THE ORIGINAL"  The other key point is to funnel the squirrels in over the front of the trap. Squirrels, as agile as they are, are likely to come in at angles that preclude the trap making a kill-shot.

The opening of the hardware cloth shield is bent inward to force the body of the squirrel to center over the front of the trap.

Baited with a half of a pecan and a few dabs of peanut butter for scent.

Another view. The hardware cloth shield pivots on some roofing nails. The next iteration will use deck screws and fender washers.

A slightly different view. The top of the shield is 4-1/2" high.

All squirrels are attracted to leaning poles, especially when the end that is on the ground is near short grass. I suspect they like running up poles in preference to pushing through tall, ground vegetation where predators might be lurking. I salted the leaning pole with three dabs of peanut butter, one high, one mid and one low. The top of the pole rests in the crotch of a walnut tree.

I need to control my red squirrel population. Last year they destroyed 90% of my pear crop. They did not eat the pears, just the seeds.

I also have some hazel nuts that I intend to harvest. I can use nets to stop the blue jays but nets will not slow down the squirrels.

I expect that I will need to go through three iterations of the trap set-up before it works well. That is part of being successful, to expect failures and to have a plan(s) to make changes to remedy short-comings.



Bonus picture

This is one of my coffee drinking buddies. He likes to fish. Michigan prohibits the sale of game fish. Tom gives them away. Last week he gave away sixty pounds of channel cats.