North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[david liezen <chandos49@hotmail.com>]

I have read in a couple places that squirrels teach their youngsters before 
they leave the nest some of the best strategies for handling food and where 
the good stuff is. I am happy to report the squirrel that ate all my apples 
from two trees died suddenly in a race against a car (no, not me, a neighbor 
in hurry) and there have not yet been younger squirrels onto the bonanza I 
plan for this yard. Yet.

Dave Liezen


----------------------------------------
> Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 00:35:15 -0600
> From: sherwindu@att.net
> To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [nafex] squirrel behavior
>
> 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
> __________________
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