Gray Squirrell trapping

donacarney

Hi, Anyone Gray Squirrell trapping any tips,bait,location in woods?

Sika98k

Nutella or peanut butter smeared on the plate of a Fen trap placed in a wooden tunnel approx 60cm long and wide enough for the trap. drill 3 holes at either end to place stakes through to prevent non target species getting in.
Got nearly 300 last year.

dodderangler

300??
Jesus that's some count. Any pics of the trap?
Seen one on that program on rte1 and she was releasing the greys. Why i Havint a clue. Saving forest or some sh1t
Keep it up

lb1981

A bit of sweetcorn will pull them into the trap as well

vapour_trail

Ive tried a lot of different baits and the one Ive had most luck with is a few bits of an apple cut into wedges. I use live catch traps though.

SeeZee

I heard peanut butter with almond essence stirred into it. Smell is sapposed to travel along way

donacarney

"Saving forest or some sh1t "
HaHa class,
yeah at the minute im using 2 traps both live ones, one single catch with a trap door on it and other multi trap with 2 walk under doors on it, so far only got 2 grays using bit of penut butter and barley.
going to mix all tem baits together today and try together.

vapour_trail

You have to remember though that if the food isnt natural to them they will be suspicious. They will actually be suspicious enough of the traps so make sure theyre well weathered. The area I trap squirrels is beside an orchard so I think thats why the apples work best in the traps. Ive tried all the usual stuff and the only other thing I had luck with was peanuts in the shell !

donacarney

vapour_trail wrote: »

You have to remember though that if the food isnt natural to them they will be suspicious. They will actually be suspicious enough of the traps so make sure theyre well weathered. The area I trap squirrels is beside an orchard so I think thats why the apples work best in the traps. Ive tried all the usual stuff and the only other thing I had luck with was peanuts in the shell !

Cheers, mine is beside an small orchard, so'll try apple alone in one trap later.

homerhop

We are using a mink trap. And it works quiet well. Won't use fenn traps as reds have been seen again after a long absence.

donacarney

homerhop wrote: »

We are using a mink trap. And it works quiet well. Won't use fenn traps as reds have been seen again after a long absence.

The mink traps are nice, how u getting on with the public braking them and robbing them?

Capercaille

dodderangler wrote: »

300??
Jesus that's some count. Any pics of the trap?
Seen one on that program on rte1 and she was releasing the greys. Why i Havint a clue. Saving forest or some sh1t
Keep it up

She was doing a long term research project on the grey squirrel. The squirrels are microchipped.

dodderangler

Capercaille wrote: »

She was doing a long term research project on the grey squirrel. The squirrels are microchipped.

that does not make it ok to release them though
I remember her saying about she was getting a head count on them
They don't need to be head counted
Need to be taken care of

homerhop

donacarney wrote: »

The mink traps are nice, how u getting on with the public braking them and robbing them?

Only had one robbed and that was caught on trail camera, door was knocked on and trap they "borrowed" was asked to be returned. They blamed their kids for taking it.We never said they were on camera so I think shocked at the fact we knew they had it. No problems since

Capercaille

dodderangler wrote: »

that does not make it ok to release them though
I remember her saying about she was getting a head count on them
They don't need to be head counted
Need to be taken care of

What would be the point of microchipping them if your just going to kill them? Emma Sheehy's research project is on the effect of Pine Martens on Grey squirrel numbers.

homerhop

Was she not involved in red squirrell numbers too?

Lastin

Tell me the one again about pine martins only eating greys that is a great one

dodderangler

Capercaille wrote: »

What would be the point of microchipping them if your just going to kill them? Emma Sheehy's research project is on the effect of Pine Martens on Grey squirrel numbers.

That's the point
There's no point microchipping them because they're an invasive species and should be killed

Suppose she'll microchip mink next

donacarney

homerhop wrote: »

Only had one robbed and that was caught on trail camera, door was knocked on and trap they "borrowed" was asked to be returned. They blamed their kids for taking it.We never said they were on camera so I think shocked at the fact we knew they had it. No problems since

Yeah i do be having trouble with robbing and braking, releasing my catches, tinking bout trail cam but afraid tht be robbed 2

vapour_trail

donacarney wrote: »

Yeah i do be having trouble with robbing and braking, releasing my catches, tinking bout trail cam but afraid tht be robbed 2

Simple solution. Woodies or any good hardware shop has those rolls of chain they sell by the metre, you know the ones like for blinds, holding the plug for the sink and small gauge chain for holding up flourescent lights in the workshop?

Get yourself 1.5 or 2 metres of the light gauge chain. it will cost I think about €2.50 per metre. If you get one end and secure it to the trap by making a loop and joining the links either with steel wire wrapped so tight that it couldnt be opened by hand or open a link and join and then pinch closed. On the other end get a small lock as most euro discount shops have them or tescos. You can then secure the cage to a tree or limb.

I hope I explained it clear enough. Youll figure your own way to join the chain anyway

Capercaille

dodderangler wrote: »

That's the point
There's no point microchipping them because they're an invasive species and should be killed

Suppose she'll microchip mink next

What don't you get? It's a research project.

dodderangler

Capercaille wrote: »

What don't you get? It's a research project.

Underlining a word isn't getting your point across
She's out trapping an invasive problematic animal and then releasing that problem back into the wild instead of dispatching the problem
Project or not she's not helping

OpenYourEyes

dodderangler wrote: »

Underlining a word isn't getting your point across
She's out trapping an invasive problematic animal and then releasing that problem back into the wild instead of dispatching the problem
Project or not she's not helping

She's studying Greys, Reds and Pine Martens and the interactions between them - getting an idea of how Grey populations in key areas are likely to fare in the future. Whilst going out and controlling greys is one way of getting rid of the problem of that invasive species, it isn't possible or feasible to do it in every wood they live in - as is evident by the fact that there aren't people doing it everywhere, and the fact that there has been no significant decrease in their numbers. Her research is likely to identify areas where nature is likely to sort out the problem over time, to the benefit of two protected species.

So her research will shed some light on the futures of two protected mammals, and the future of one invasive one in certain areas and if/how their numbers might decline. I think it's worth re-releasing a small number of greys to obtain this info. Knowledge is power against invasive species and it'll ultimately help contribute to controlling their numbers in Ireland and elsewhere.

For example her research might tell us that 'nature' is likely to stop grey's expanding in the south-west and is likely to make their range contract in the south-east. This info can then be used to prioritise trapping and controlling greys in the north-east and the middle of the country. (just a rough example)

Capercaille

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

She's studying Greys, Reds and Pine Martens and the interactions between them - getting an idea of how Grey populations in key areas are likely to fare in the future. Whilst going out and controlling greys is one way of getting rid of the problem of that invasive species, it isn't possible or feasible to do it in every wood they live in - as is evident by the fact that there aren't people doing it everywhere, and the fact that there has been no significant decrease in their numbers. Her research is likely to identify areas where nature is likely to sort out the problem over time, to the benefit of two protected species.

So her research will shed some light on the futures of two protected mammals, and the future of one invasive one in certain areas and if/how their numbers might decline. I think it's worth re-releasing a small number of greys to obtain this info. Knowledge is power against invasive species and it'll ultimately help contribute to controlling their numbers in Ireland and elsewhere.

For example her research might tell us that 'nature' is likely to stop grey's expanding in the south-west and is likely to make their range contract in the south-east. This info can then be used to prioritise trapping and controlling greys in the north-east and the middle of the country. (just a rough example)

100% agree.

Lastin

What will the pine martins eat when the population has expanded from eating the greys?

OpenYourEyes

Lastin wrote: »

What will the pine martins eat when the population has expanded from eating the greys?

They're fairly general in what they eat - they'll eat carrion, berries, rodents and small mammals, small birds, eggs, probably the odd Red Squirrel etc.

donacarney

vapour_trail wrote: »

Simple solution. Woodies or any good hardware shop has those rolls of chain they sell by the metre, you know the ones like for blinds, holding the plug for the sink and small gauge chain for holding up flourescent lights in the workshop?

Get yourself 1.5 or 2 metres of the light gauge chain. it will cost I think about €2.50 per metre. If you get one end and secure it to the trap by making a loop and joining the links either with steel wire wrapped so tight that it couldnt be opened by hand or open a link and join and then pinch closed. On the other end get a small lock as most euro discount shops have them or tescos. You can then secure the cage to a tree or limb.

I hope I explained it clear enough. Youll figure your own way to join the chain anyway

Was tinkin tat alrite, but decided against it onlt takes 2 rocks banging chain,but den again it shows its not for takin,if thy try say just seen it der tought sum1 lost it..