North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[sherwin <sherwindu@att.net>]

On 11/27/2013 12:11 PM, Alan Haigh wrote:
> I live about 50 miles southeast of Lee in southern NY and share his
> experience with the reluctance of grey squirrels to enter live traps.  I
> remember even using cantilever lethal traps that were affective the first
> season but either surviving squirrels were smarter (more cautious) or they
> somehow learned to avoid the traps.
>
> Wildlife behaves in variable ways region to region and animal to animal.
> For instance, when I first got my shotgun, squirrels would frequently run
> up trees for protection when I was onto them.  That was the perfect site
> for me to pick them off so now they never run up trees but instead scurry
> along the ground.  I was wondering how they were clever enough to learn
> this and seemingly pass it on to the next generation when my son pointed
> out that maybe I eliminated the animals who had it in their DNA to run up a
> tree during danger.  There's a research project just waiting for funding!
>
> Now, if I see a squirrel from a window it leaves in a panic before I get to
> the door.
>
> I have seen bucks in some areas near me but heads against fruit trees to
> get ripe fruit to drop but they never do that on my property and leave all
> fruit above the browse line.  Over the years I've seen several other
> examples of animal behaviors at one site that aren't duplicated elsewhere.
>
> A good squirrel dog can completely eliminate the problem if the squirrel
> must cross ground to get to the fruit.  If a dog has a squirrel treed he
> may wait until the squirrel drops, however long it takes.  In time the
> areas squirrels will avoid the trees.  But I'm only talking about the grey
> and red squirrels in my region.
>
> If you trap the squirrel it is a cruel thing to move it.  You can throw in
> irresponsible as well, IMO.  Experts say the squirrels are likely to be
> killed by established populations or starve to death.  Throw the trap in
> water and the squirrel will drown in a few short moments because of its
> high metabolism.  I don't recommend killing coons this way, however, unless
> you don't mind being cruel- takes them a long time for coons to drown.  If
> you are going to trap coons, it's best to have at least a high powered
> pellet gun and shoot it an inch above the spot between the eyes.  I try to
> be at least a bit kinder than mother when I need to kill vermin.  Of
> course, a squirrel probably has a different sense of time than coons.
> __________________
    Alan,

    High Speed Pellet Guns are illegal in my village and I could be
    arrested for firing one off, if I owned one.

    I think a low speed pellet gun would be more effective if it just
    sent a message to the squirrel that it is not welcome around
    your yard.  He would survive to keep out other squirrels in his
     territory, but avoid your's, at the same time.

   It is possible that relocation is an iffy business and some squirrels
   may not make it.  I would like to think that it is more humane to give
   them a chance to survive than to kill them outright.  I would like to
   see these 'expert' reports you refer to.

   If you watch all the nature programs on cable, the forest officials are
   always moving various animals away from populated areas to a more
   natural habitat.  Have you ever seen 'Turtle Man', who makes a living
   moving pesky animals away from people's homes?  There is a big concern
   here in Illinois about the killing of a young healty cougar who is 
theorized
   came from the plain states looking for a mate.  He did not kill any 
livestock,
   pets, or people in this trek.  People are clamoring for more humane laws
   to transport these animals elsewhere.

                       Sherwin