Shooting Pesky Red Squirrels

Even though squirrels are hell bent on world domination, they still taste yummy fried up with some country gravy and biscuits. Seasons and species will vary depending on what part of the country you live in but they are all the same and are evil little creatures. Don't ever let their cute antics fool you into letting your guard down.

I do try to keep my war on them evil tree rats confined to the actual season. But I still battle them during the off time if they are trying to invade my house in any way. Missouri does allow you to shoot nuisance animals out of season if they are destroying crops or property or are a danger to people. Trying to break into my home is a valid reason to eliminate them out of season.

22250Rem said:
I'm guessing that the state keeps the season on them open all year with no bag limit because of all the problems I hear about them causing? Any of the collective knowledge on this site have an answer for that one? My inquiring mind wants to know.
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I am curious to why NY has a season for grays but not reds. In most states the season is for all species of squirrels that are native to that state. Missouri use to have a different limit for flying squirrels but I couldn't find anything in the updated hunting regulations.

And yes I did say "flying squirrels" We have to worry about the airborne shock troops dropping from the trees along their brothers flying in for a surprise air attack.
 
For those of you who trap, I recommend the Kania trap....it works superbly well. Gray squirrels here are about as troublesome as the red squirrels in NY. They get into everything and eat my peaches, apples and various garden vegetables. So I have to trap and shoot about a dozen per year in my yard just to tread water. When they are big enough I eat them, but most of mine are downright puny, as they are overpopulated relative to food sources here. They take about half (or more) of the seed we put out for the birds, and keep pulling our suet feeders out of the trees.
 
Excellent trap. Will have to try one. Using a have a heart style with the spring loaded door. The problem is the squirrels tend to damage it.
 
dh1633pm said:
I have a body count of 26 now in less than a year. They invade your house. Chew their way in and make it smell. You can’t get rid of them except total war. Bait ‘em, trap ‘em, shoot them, and whatever else you have.
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When I was younger, we had a neighbor (old man) behind us who used to trap squirrels, take them out to the country, and release them.

When he and his wife finally moved, he had trapped almost a thousand squirrels (he tracked the numbers in his garage).

I remember Dad laughing and saying all he's doing is making more room for more squirrels to move into the neighborhood!
 
I have some big Grays that are going to get it. Tired of cleaning up the mess they leave on my back patio. And something is chewing holes in my cushions on my patio Funiture. Thought it was a pack rat at first. Coopers hawk beat me to it.
Wife has seen a chip monk and a gray squirrel both chewing on things on my patio. Bought two new air pistols for the occasion. (Live in town)
Haven't gotten to use them yet, due time, due time. I have time off coming up in a couple weeks and I'll stake them out.
 
Years ago, my father in law asked if I had a pellet gun he could borrow. I had a couple of really cheap chinese break barrel .177s that I had bought for about $12 each.
He returned it to me at the end of summer, remarking on the 10-20 yd. accuracy on red squirrels in his back yard. He had killed 24 squirrels with 26 pellets in a very liberal neighborhood and no one around him had an inkling that such slaughter of cute little animals was going on in their midst.
I never really got to talk with him about his time in Europe circa 1942-1945, but I think he was a sharp guy..
 
dh1633pm said:
The neighborhood is inundated with Red Squirrels. They invade your house and garage. Aggressive and invasive. I caught as many as I could last summer using traps. Got about 22 of them in the last year and they keep coming. Lately I have taken to shooting them off the squirrel feeder using my trusty Gammo Swarm 22 (although their mag loader has broken) and my Weihrauch HW97K. With the German brand bringing much better accuracy and the Gammo more punch. I have a Bushnell Banner Scope Mounted. Its a killing machine for squirrels. I use crossman .177 pellets. They don't go far after a good shot. Just nudge open the side house door when the Squirrel is eating their last meal from the feeder and silently shoot. Their bodies are always gone by the next day.

View attachment 1128158
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I see that NY allows red squirrel to be taken anytime. But with a bow, crossbow or a firearm. Not sure an air rifle qualifies..


Protected Wildlife
In New York State, nearly all species of wildlife are protected. Most species, including endangered species, songbirds, hawks and owls are fully protected and may not be taken. The few unprotected species include porcupine, red squirrel, woodchuck, English sparrow, starling, rock pigeon, and monk parakeet. Unprotected species may be taken at any time without limit. A hunting license is required to hunt unprotected wildlife with a bow, crossbow, or firearm.

https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27801.html
 
https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27801.html If you go further down the page in that link, to "General Small Game Regulations", it states that air guns are legal for squirrels. Thanks for the link. I've squirrel hunted with my air gun during the regular squirrel season just for the challenge of it. Also with a 22 cal. Ruger Single Six just for the challenge. Nothing with the handgun yet, but I'll admit to missing two shots with it during the fall season for grays while I was out swapping SD cards on trail cams. Maybe this coming season....
 
Congrats! I've only seen one red since that one I got last weekend, and that was this morning. He didn't even hang around long enough to allow me to get the pellet gun. They are here but luckily not in great numbers. One side of our attached garage is only a bit over ten feet from the property line and state owned woods. Don't want 'em near the garage cause then it's easy access to the attic. Guess I'll have to keep terrorizing them.
 
22250Rem said:
One side of our attached garage is only a bit over ten feet from the property line and state owned woods. Don't want 'em near the garage cause then it's easy access to the attic.
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That's really it, its not about shooting them, although good target practice. Its about keeping them out of your house and garage where they will reek havoc.
 
I heard too many stories of them getting into garages, attics, etc. so I plan to shoot or live trap as many as I can. Last year I got a couple in a Havahart trap and relocated them a few miles from here in a big pine woods, ( heard they like pines), but now It's no more Mr. Nice Guy and it's war. Legal to shoot 'em all year so I will although I've only seen one all week. At least we aren't overrun with them yet. I want them to be terrified of coming anywhere the house.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
When I was younger, we had a neighbor (old man) behind us who used to trap squirrels, take them out to the country, and release them.

When he and his wife finally moved, he had trapped almost a thousand squirrels (he tracked the numbers in his garage).

I remember Dad laughing and saying all he's doing is making more room for more squirrels to move into the neighborhood!
Click to expand...
Could have been the same squirrel.
Dad, trapped a mouse in his basement one time in a havaheart trap and took it to the woods to let it go.
The next day he trapped another one, looked like the first one, he took it to the woods a 1/4 mile away, Next day it's in the trap again.
Now he takes some house paint and put a spot on the back of it's head to see if he's imagining things or what.
He take this little mouse a mile down the road and throws it out in a field.
A week later that same mouse is in his trap again, white spot and all. He stomped it then and figured lesson learned. We never figured a mouse that small would travel a mile to get back a particular house. He passed a whole other farm on the way.
Those little rodents are relentless.
 
If you might be thinking on taking a small game hunting trip. Might I recommend, Missouri's Mark Twain nation forest. So many great trips for quizzers. Cottontails abound. Local people very friendly.
 
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