squirrels, where are they?????

[Travis299]

as above, just not seeing them much at all, never known it this quiet. any idea why??? is this the same in your area???

michael.

Always about a dozen greys in my yard. Wife gets upset when I take one out & I have to be rather sneaky.

[ferrets123]

They are about,, trees are in leaf now so getting harder to see the sods.. haven’t seen a decline really in the area I shoot .

[On-the-target]

First one in ages appeared in my garden today.

[scorpiont10]

Shot 10 in the last 3 days from one feeder.

[capt hindsight]

Shot 10 in the last 3 days from one feeder.

Good, well done! shoot 10 more please!

As a member of a Red squirrel conservation group in Cumbria I find it quite disturbing that such a multi problematic species has been allowed to multiply and expand with such ferocity. Most non-shooters I chat with aren't aware that squirrels are omnivores and prolific nest raiders, some refuse to even believe it, and sadly many people don't know even realise that this is an invasive species from America.

In answer to th OP, we're struggling to knock them off in any decent numbers at the moment. The ones around here that have made it through winter and extremely wiley! I've actually been out since before 6am this morning and am writing this whilst sat in my hide, but not a squirrel in sight. They are definately here, the feeders are in daily use but ive seen nothing all morning. We are finding they are more readily spotting the hides and even the trail cams. I'm currently 36 yards from a feeder, the hides camouflaged, located behind a gap between two trees, and I set it up before first light - but I suspect i've been clocked, maybe time to move spot.

A couple of weeks ago we experimented by leaving pop up hides out for a day or so and kept cameras on the feeders. At one wood the feeder went completely untouched for 2 days despite the hide being almost 40 yards away. When the hide was removed the squirrels returned the following morning. We also have had greys getting camera shy, the last photos being them flicking their tales aggressively at the trail cam, then not returning until the camera had been taken in. I don't understand how, but a mature squirrel seems to be able to pass on any concerns it has about hides and cameras to others. This doesn't make sense to me as they are hardly living communally, perhaps they scent mark danger?

For those conducting grey squirrel control in areas where there aren't Reds, your still assisting conservation efforts greatly. Squirrels are very territorial and once juveniles have matured enough to fend for themselves they are driven off by the dominant adults. This results in young 'pioneer' squirrels that will travel great distances to find new territory. This ongoing displacement of young or weaker Greys causes a ripple effect, its what creates the ongoing expansion of Greys. The other negative impacts that Greys cause beyond the demise of the Red squirrel from squirrel pox are also important, songbirds, woodpeckers, trees, buds, unripe berries are all at the mercy of the American Grey squirrel. (Greys carry squirrel pox but are immune themselves).

By controlling Grey populations a vacumn effect can be created and this can reverse this outward expansion trend, its what we do in my area where the nearest known Reds are about 8miles away from where I shoot. Despite having woods in my locality that we can't get access into, the woods where we do have permission will suck up these pioneer squirrels. Occasionally we end up confident that we've cleared a wood out. In winter that wood may stay clear for several weeks even a couple of months. I have one wood like that at the moment, we've seen no activity on the feeders there since December. However in summer we will probably see 1-2 weeks respite max, but typically greys residing on a woods extremities will follow scent trails and take up the prime spot close to the feeder within a couple of days.

As someone passionate about Red squirrel conservation, I want to say thanks to others around the country that are trying to keep the numbers in check, when controlling Greys every bit helps.

[scorpiont10]

Good, well done! shoot 10 more please!

As a member of a Red squirrel conservation group in Cumbria I find it quite disturbing that such a multi problematic species has been allowed to multiply and expand with such ferocity. Most non-shooters I chat with aren't aware that squirrels are omnivores and prolific nest raiders, some refuse to even believe it, and sadly many people don't know even realise that this is an invasive species from America.

In answer to th OP, we're struggling to knock them off in any decent numbers at the moment. The ones around here that have made it through winter and extremely wiley! I've actually been out since before 6am this morning and am writing this whilst sat in my hide, but not a squirrel in sight. They are definately here, the feeders are in daily use but ive seen nothing all morning. We are finding they are more readily spotting the hides and even the trail cams. I'm currently 36 yards from a feeder, the hides camouflaged, located behind a gap between two trees, and I set it up before first light - but I suspect i've been clocked, maybe time to move spot.

A couple of weeks ago we experimented by leaving pop up hides out for a day or so and kept cameras on the feeders. At one wood the feeder went completely untouched for 2 days despite the hide being almost 40 yards away. When the hide was removed the squirrels returned the following morning. We also have had greys getting camera shy, the last photos being them flicking their tales aggressively at the trail cam, then not returning until the camera had been taken in. I don't understand how, but a mature squirrel seems to be able to pass on any concerns it has about hides and cameras to others. This doesn't make sense to me as they are hardly living communally, perhaps they scent mark danger?

For those conducting grey squirrel control in areas where there aren't Reds, your still assisting conservation efforts greatly. Squirrels are very territorial and once juveniles have matured enough to fend for themselves they are driven off by the dominant adults. This results in young 'pioneer' squirrels that will travel great distances to find new territory. This ongoing displacement of young or weaker Greys causes a ripple effect, its what creates the ongoing expansion of Greys. The other negative impacts that Greys cause beyond the demise of the Red squirrel from squirrel pox are also important, songbirds, woodpeckers, trees, buds, unripe berries are all at the mercy of the American Grey squirrel. (Greys carry squirrel pox but are immune themselves).

By controlling Grey populations a vacumn effect can be created and this can reverse this outward expansion trend, its what we do in my area where the nearest known Reds are about 8miles away from where I shoot. Despite having woods in my locality that we can't get access into, the woods where we do have permission will suck up these pioneer squirrels. Occasionally we end up confident that we've cleared a wood out. In winter that wood may stay clear for several weeks even a couple of months. I have one wood like that at the moment, we've seen no activity on the feeders there since December. However in summer we will probably see 1-2 weeks respite max, but typically greys residing on a woods extremities will follow scent trails and take up the prime spot close to the feeder within a couple of days.

As someone passionate about Red squirrel conservation, I want to say thanks to others around the country that are trying to keep the numbers in check, when controlling Greys every bit helps.

Squirrels in the woods where I control them are used to seeing many people everyday (public park) so my hide consists of my trigger stick in front of me with my camo Gun bag opened out and tied to the trigger sticks handle, had one yesterday so close that I had to look along the side of the barrel to line him up!!

[Muskett]

Great reply Capt hindsigh; the forum should be an education system too.

The best squirrel magnet is a walnut tree. A good friend of mine averaged 120 grey squirrels a year off a walnut tree that was conveniently 25m from his rural office window.
My next place I'll be planting one outside my home office.

[stealth]

when i put up this post i//we were not seeing many at all[ still arnt] think captain's post is interesting but i dont think i can agree, had one[the only one i seen in 4 hours] walk past my hide about 4 foot away, stop, look around and walk off into a bush never to be seen again.this has happend before so i think they take no notice of hides etc.here's hoping they start coming out to play again soon, quiet, very quiet.

michael.

[capt hindsight]

when i put up this post i//we were not seeing many at all[ still arnt] think captain's post is interesting but i dont think i can agree, had one[the only one i seen in 4 hours] walk past my hide about 4 foot away, stop, look around and walk off into a bush never to be seen again.this has happend before so i think they take no notice of hides etc.here's hoping they start coming out to play again soon, quiet, very quiet.

michael.

Yeah it interesting to hear other people's experiences, some of my friends in the Midlands find the lengths I go to very amusing, as they have greys running around there feet in public parks. The woods I shoot are all private and pretty much the only people who come to them are shooters from our local syndicate or poachers. The woods get shot fairly regularly with shotguns by pigeon shooters. Squirrels are such fast learners, they see a person here and they bolt.

Edit - I shot one yesterday, and saw another, both late afternoon. Bumped into one of my friends at dusk, similarly he's finding they are more active in the late afternoon at the mo.

[njc110381]

Plenty in my garden, they seem to make their way up the river bank and then nip over to my pheasant feeder. I've knocked a few on the head with traps and intend to shoot them too now I've fitted a tuning kit to my HW80 and can shoot the thing somewhere near straight!