The war against red squirrels continues.
They are either learning or I weeded out all the mouthy ones.
The one I got today stopped chattering when I entered the 150'-by-150' black walnut woods. Then he didn't utter a peep for the next twenty minutes.
I was easing my way out when I saw him silhouetted against the sky. He was perched, motionless, on a walnut branch twenty feet in the air. The base of the tree was about ten yards away from where I was standing and was a lone walnut in a clump of white pine.
The firearm I was carrying had no choke and throws VERY open patterns. It also has a red dot scope. It is the perfect tool for shooting game at fifteen yards and the load of #7 shot nailed him.
I am curious regarding the normal home-range of red squirrels.
I know I have a bunch of them in the large walnut tree along my west property line. I have been reluctant to hunt them because my neighbor immediately to the west has nervous dogs and often has grandkids (toddlers) over. I am not sure how she would respond to my pest control efforts.
It has been a couple of weeks since I thinned out the red squirrels on the east end of the 150'-by-150' woods. Now the western squirrels are diffusing their way east. I see the evidence on the ground. Pecan fragments. Sawtooth oak acorn fragments. Freshly chewed black walnuts.
Odds will tip back in my favor once the trees lose their leaves. They will be much easier to see. I expect the black walnuts to be naked in a couple more weeks. The oak tend to hang onto their leaves and the white pine, of course, stay green year-round.
I stopped keeping count around eleven red squirrels and guestimate that I am up to about fifteen.
The squirrels have been reading your stories, Joe. They're just sucking you in to finish you off.
ReplyDeleteCheerful fellow.
DeleteI got another one this afternoon. He was gnawing on a black walnut and I heard him from the other side of the woods. I made a successful stalk and kill.
I found that it pays to be patient. If they are not pushed hard, the red squirrels will move in dashes of ten-to-twenty feet and then pause. I assume they are assessing for danger. Wait for the pause and then squeeze the trigger.
Regarding them finishing me off, maybe I should upgrade from the single-shot. Do you advise belt fed or Claymores?
Artillery first. That'll take care of 'em!
DeleteA tree friend told me he shot over 40 red squirrels in his shed where he keeps his nuts and plant stuff, this year. He showed me all the young trees outside they planted from stolen seed.
ReplyDeleteDumb question, but why are you eradicating the squirrels?
ReplyDeleteI have seven pecan trees beside my driveway.
DeleteI want to harvest the majority of the pecans.
The squirrels started eating them about three weeks ago. Won't be many left if I don't discourage them.
Maybe you should follow our government's model, and pass a law. Then you can declare victory and start collecting evidence that you need another one.
DeleteI get it. Neighbor across the street has a big one and rarely sees a nut. He shots quite a few gray squirrels, but it doesn't seem to do much good. Hope it works better for you.
ReplyDelete