Squirrels... a question

[harvey_s]

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?

[Unframed Dave]

They do a shed load of damage to young trees, you wouldn't want one in your loft chewing your electrics, quite tasty.

There's a start, but while they stay out my loft, they're safe in my garden.

Dave

[MrGreengrass]

There is only one thing that should be shot in backyards...rats...there is a no good reason for killing anything else.

[mdunn]

they take young birds and eggs. atb mick

[harvey_s]

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...

[Unframed Dave]

They do massive amounts of woodland damage.

Dave

[harvey_s]

they take young birds and eggs. atb mick

Presumably in a back garden cats provide a bigger risk to the birds don't they?

[bighit]

https://theconversation.com/grey-squ...ull-stop-75470

causing fires https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/ne...urate%E2%80%9D.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/n...re/7410553.stm

[brian747]

There is only one thing that should be shot in backyards...rats...there is a no good reason for killing anything else.

Yes their is ,the landowner wants them gone so as I am his trusted pest controller, so they will go
in a humane manner as all my shooting is carried out which is why I have a large amount of shoots,
x19 at last count, and the land owners only allow a trusted friend 0n 3-4 of my shoots ,all the others they will only me
allow me access , tree rats I probably shoot 20 a month .
atb brian

[DEAN C.]

Presumably in a back garden cats provide a bigger risk to the birds don't they?

Squirrels will often take eggs and chicks, cats are just as bad(we have one but luckily it prefers mice and a few voles), and Magpies are the other issue and threat to eggs and chicks. This year around our garden and buildings we have had Great tits nesting, Blue tits, Goldfinch, pied wagtail, a thrush, a wren, Whitethroat, Blackbird, pheasant, and a Robin, that I know of.

Squirrels Rabbits and Magpies are the only things I shoot nowadays, but only to protect the large number of nests on our place, I am lucky enough to have a little bit of land and the trees I have planted(about400) are being targeted by rabbits sometimes, squirrels on the more established trees, although the Deer have nobbled four 2 year old 4 foot birch saplings in the last week.

I like to see a few squirrels but they are a nuisance, and I usually wait till there are more than a couple. The foxes like them as a food supplement.

[B&W FOX]

One of the invasive species on natural England website that needs eradicating.

[DEAN C.]

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...

About 20 years ago they wreaked havoc in my grandmothers bungalow roof, damaging most of the wiring, and they had started living in an old cottage roof I have just knocked down where I have just built my new house. I picked four off on the roof as they were coming in. If you look closer to the trees around you will start to notice bare branches all over, that is grey squirrel damage. My uncle is a woodland Ranger and very ecological and he advocates eliminating them too. Its a shame as they are lovely to watch.

[DEAN C.]

There is only one thing that should be shot in backyards...rats...there is a no good reason for killing anything else.

I can understand your feelings, but it depends how big your back yard is. None of us should go round shooting anything for no reason.

[Steve Zodiac]

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

With the exception of rats.

[Barryg]

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?

I perfer to watch them than kill them
https://youtu.be/DsuVLsDyln4