Squirrels... a question

[harvey_s]

OK, now I understand they can damage woodlands even if I don't see it (even though thats where they live mostly and most animals don't wreck their habitats - with the notable exceptions of humans who do it on industrial scale) and they can in some instances damage house wiring in attics.
But if your garden doesn't contain woodlands bar a few trees and these aren't overhanging your house - should a national magazine be advocating their destruction in your back yard just because some people are bored in lockdown?

Plus if they are so destructive... Why exclude red squirrels, OK they may be the indigenous species, but surely a squirrel is a squirrel - No?

[angrybear]

These are genuine questions....

This month in Airgun Shooter magazine is a sizable article about back garden squirrel shooting.
Now I'll be honest from the start - I like the little critters and beyond the danger they represent to the red squirrel - I don't understand the problem they create that requires their eradication and particularly to someones backyard.
Can someone explain what the issue is or are people just looking to shoot anything?

The issue is that they are an alien invasive species & as such legally should be dispatched at any & every opportunity, it's also illegal to release a trapped grey back in to the wild.

I think I’m right in saying you are not allowed to shoot any back yard wildlife .

With the exception of rats.

While all wildlife is inherently protected by law you can shoot vermin, pest & alien invasive species.

No, the Red does not cause the same damage as the grey.

[ashf9999]

What they do do is f*** up bird feeders - even some of the 'squirrel-proof' ones. Got some Mason & Cash nut feeders with very heavy gauge mesh (stamped circles in 1mm plate - certainly not thin for a feeder) and over the course of a couple of months the little sods peeled two open at the seam...

[FPoole]

Presumably they don't normally move into peoples houses do they?
And I'm guessing most people don't have too many young trees in their gardens either.
But even then they seem to populate many woods without detriment to where they live...

Any potted plant is fair game for them. They also seem to love chewing on the woodwork of the house. They also love the wiring under the cars bonnet and will find any way possible to get in the attic. As long as they stay out in the trees and don't start running all over the roof, I'm ok with them. Oh yeah,they are also very fond of lead flashing on the roof. I've replaced more lead vent pipe flashings than I can remember.

[BRYAN3]

I have just dug up my strawberry's because the greys were eating ALL of them before even letting them ripen.
They also like the gooseberry's and are probably about to start on them any day now.
They are little schitts.

[Phil Russell]

There is no doubt that some people suffer from grey squirrel damage and I can appreciate that these people want the squirrels gone. So be it, I have no objections with that.
In the garden at our home we have a healthy wild bird population as well as a family (?) of greys. The greys used to live in a large tree at the side of the road but the new neighbours had the tree removed so the squirrels decamped to a large apple tree in their back garden. We enjoy watching them. There seems to be four of them, one with virtually no tail that we refer to as 'Stumpy'. There is a very large ash tree on the border between us and next door .. the squirrels play on it. They also play in our garden and can be most amusing. Yes, they are a pain at times.. planting walnuts all over the place, digging occasional holes in the lawn but generally we co-exist quite happily. They take food from the bird feeders but so do other so termed pests ... magpies, pigeons etc. We like to think that by eating the food provided for them they will not need to go egg hunting.
Rats are another matter; they are eliminated whenever the opportunity arises.
Cheers, Phil

[Barryg]

Just learn to live with them we have a nice garden and we get foxes, badgers, moles, squirrel ect. But the biggest problem is cats.

[nuggs]

A friend of mine purchased a small wood of about 8 acres a couple of years ago and noticed a few squirrels.
He also noticed how quiet the woods were with hardly any birds and nests and this was June.
An English mixed tree woodland should be alive with life so he asked me if I could reduce the squirrel population and see if this would help!
Well after 18 months the difference is incredible .
His wood is surrounded on 3 sides by larger woods but in 2 years I have taken nearly 300 squirrels
The once silent wood is now alive with song and every nest box he has put up is being used.
We have some bird feeders up at a favoured site and have ticked off over 25 species of bird from that spot alone.
I still spot the occasional squirrel but they are now a rare species in my wood. JOB DONE.

[hammo]

Help our ecology and also eat healthily .
I really enjoy a pan fried squirrel.

[Spix]

Can someone explain what the issue is or are people just looking to shoot anything?

Take a look here: Forestry Research : Controlling Grey Squirrels in Forests and Woodlands

and then read this pdf booklet - safe download in a new window - updated information on methods of grey squirrel control.

[Phil Russell]

Just learn to live with them we have a nice garden and we get foxes, badgers, moles, squirrel ect. But the biggest problem is cats.

Just over a year ago we began getting visits from a badger but they stopped after a couple of weeks. This year he (she?) is back with, at times, a friend. While nice to have (is it?) they have so far taken out about 6ft of beetroot row, produced a few small holes in the lawn and a larger hole maybe a foot deep in a flower border, presumably looking for rats? There was a rat tunnel in the hole and we can only hope the badger was successful and took out a rat nest. We have tried to discover where brock gets into the garden by using trail cameras but have so far failed.
The occasional fox visits but this is quite rare now compared to maybe 10 years ago. Rabbits are most uncommon apart from ones our cat brings back from the fields. The cat is a good ratter but only really for young ones; he seems quite happy to sit and watch adults! Maybe he has learnt not to meddle with big ones. He also just sits and watches grey squirrels and they watch him, at times from only 6ft away.
Happy days.
Cheers, Phil

[MartynB]

one with virtually no tail that we refer to as 'Stumpy'

Probably had an encounter with a cat

[MartynB]

A friend of mine purchased a small wood of about 8 acres a couple of years ago and noticed a few squirrels.
He also noticed how quiet the woods were with hardly any birds and nests and this was June.
An English mixed tree woodland should be alive with life so he asked me if I could reduce the squirrel population and see if this would help!
Well after 18 months the difference is incredible .
His wood is surrounded on 3 sides by larger woods but in 2 years I have taken nearly 300 squirrels
The once silent wood is now alive with song and every nest box he has put up is being used.
We have some bird feeders up at a favoured site and have ticked off over 25 species of bird from that spot alone.
I still spot the occasional squirrel but they are now a rare species in my wood. JOB DONE.

Good to hear, I won't shoot them unless they start raiding birds nests, same with magpies

[rapidresponse1]

id only shoot a squirell in my garden if t was causing damage

[SRV1]

In our local area, over the last 20 years the numerous bird species have declined, a pleasure was to be had waking to their morning singing......Now, it is dominated by Magpies and Crows, one is lucky to see the odd Robin. The seagulls were a pain in the arse, especially on rubbish collection days, but, thankfully have moved on as the recycling containers are robust enough to deter destruction.