red squirrel vermin

I sit by the den window with a cup of tea, with the Whisper 1300, and watch the walnut tree…….I’m hunting.

Sounds like an enjoyable way to “hunt”. The cup of tea gives it an old English type of flair too. lol Thumb and middle finger on the cup handle?

LOL…… coffee’s hard on the innards anymore

Seven reds down so far this year, one more than all of last year already (scoreboard on garage door). Really need to zero that POS scope again.

I’ve now been alerted to the little holes I’ve been seeing here and there. We had the little short tailed shrews in the hot tub housing Off to buy some of those nasty mouse traps!

I’ve been using the Nash Mole Loop trap (attached) for years, have three of them and they’ve worked pretty well. I think my buddy uses the same one seen earlier in the thread but I’m not sure (also attached). Haven’t had any luck finding one to purchase. Hints appreciated!

Attachments:

1. 

   Rons-Mole-Trap.jpg
   

2. 

   Nash-Mole-Loop-Trap.jpg
   

I got the trap shown in the thread earlier at a Tractor Supply store.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

I got the trap shown in the thread earlier at a Tractor Supply store.

Checked the website for Tractor Supply and only “limited availability” at one store, Prior Lake.

Tried one of the plastic TomCat versions but never caught a mole in it … junk!

You definitely want the metal trap. I’d call and have them hold it for you if they have one. Best mole trap around.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

You definitely want the metal trap. I’d call and have them hold it for you if they have one. Best mole trap around.

Thank you, I appreciate the offer but as I stated I have three of the Nash Loop traps and they have served me well for many years. I’m looking to upgrade my abilities but it’s not urgent. All three are on the wall right now but I like tools and a new trap would be a new tool.

There’s a few variations that all look similar with similar names. If I walk into the store, it’s on the shelf …. it’s mine.

Hey Tom where you ever right about the new crop of Reds this yr. Its like there has been no end to them.! About the time i think i have got all of them 2 days later another 1 or 2 show up.Not sure how many i have taken out but its over 20 an under 30. Have not had any more coon for 3 weeks now. Last count on them was 17. . So have you got all of the reds at your place.? . . rrr

Tomorrow is garbage day and I have a bag in the freezer with maybe 15-18 reds and three bunnies to go out in it. The coon are raiding the oak tree in the back yard at night now so I may have to plink a couple of those too. Want some chipmunks to worry you Randy?

saugeye-steve wrote:

Do you smoke them?

He got Smoked!

I had to laugh at this. Down here Red or Fox squirrels are the most prevalent in our woods, well most of them. Our Red squirrels are not little like your yours, they are 2 or 3 times the size. Good Eats and fun to hunt. We also have Grey squirrels, not as many as we used to see. Lots of tales as to why. And we have these smaller, lean black squirrels that have been spreading outwards since my childhood. These black squirrels were aparantly a gift from Germany and let loose on the Rock Island Arsenal, Island. Well in my lifetime I have now encountered them 30++ miles from my Childhood home in Moline, IL. We rarely see grey squirrels anymore, in the country. Shame. But we dont have those Pine Squirrels.

WE have Fox squirrels here too Robby. They’re the largest of the squirrels. The red squirrels to which we refer are slightly larger than a chipmunk, about the size of a striped gopher maybe. And thrust me, while they can be cute, you don’t want them in your yard.

Can anyone tell me the best type of trap to use to catch a squirrel? I was told that they are too smart to be caught in a trap and they are ruining my flower beds and yard! These are just your normal everyday squirrels in Louisiana. Please help! Also what bait would I use?

They aint to smart i used to get them in live traps all the time.

D Babin wrote:

Can anyone tell me the best type of trap to use to catch a squirrel? I was told that they are too smart to be caught in a trap and they are ruining my flower beds and yard! These are just your normal everyday squirrels in Louisiana. Please help! Also what bait would I use?

Caught 4 in 36 hours last year in a live trap. All gray squirrels. I used peanut butter in a jar lid.

You have to have a fast closing trap for reds, they’re that fast! My favorite trap, link below, has a rather unique feature where the door of the trap is recessed. This has been handy for a lot of reasons. I made a sliding 1/4″ mesh door that has a golf ball size hole in it to block out greys but yet allow the smaller reds access to the peanut/peanut butter bait in the trap area.

http://www.safeguardproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/95-006_UniversalTrap.pdf

So far no joy The last red that was around was “trap smart” and required a pellet. The current count is eight. May try a solid door with the same size hole instead of the wire to make the access hole more obvious.