Ground Squirrels

[Double R]

Anyone have luck trapping ground squirrels?
Tips, tricks very much appreciated. I got two that I can’t seem to get trapped. I’m ready to go caddyshack on them.

 

[Neb]

Anyone have luck trapping ground squirrels?
Tips, tricks very much appreciated. I got two that I can’t seem to get trapped. I’m ready to go caddyshack on them.

Got any left over broccoli sprouts to use as bait?

Ben

 

[Peanut]

German Shepperds, works every time, even on squirrels, rabbits, small deer and nosy neighbors.

Seriously, I've tried live traps and sleepy creek #1 coil spring traps. I've never caught a ground squirrel. My sheppards do a pretty good job though, they also love mole hunting.

 

[Double R]

Got any left over broccoli sprouts to use as bait?

Ben

No but I will see what I can dig up. Great idea!
Have tried popcorn, chips, seeds, birdseed, peanut butter and peanuts so far.

 

[Curmudgeon]

I’m ready to go caddyshack on them.

That's what I was gonna say, lol. Lawn chair, 6 pack and a .22.

 

[Double R]

German Shepperds, works every time, even on squirrels, rabbits, small deer and nosy neighbors.

Seriously, I've tried live traps and sleepy creek #1 coil spring traps. I've never caught a ground squirrel. My sheppards do a pretty good job though, they also love mole hunting.

Haha if they came in the yard they would be gone. The dog doesn’t allow them. These two are smart.
I’ll look into that trap. Just spent $90 on a squirrel trap that got great reviews but nothing in days. They go all around it but have no interest in going in. So must be I don’t have the “right” bait. Wish we could just shoot the buggers

 

[Double R]

That's what I was gonna say, lol. Lawn chair, 6 pack and a .22.

I was thinking dynamite
Unfortunately we can’t shoot them where they are. Even with that there’s a season here from the second Saturday in September and runs until the last Sunday of January.

 

[Peanut]

Don't discount the .22 idea. This week dad has been sitting on his back porch shooting at crows in the garden. He's gotten 3. Of course my dad is the best shot I've ever seen and I'm military trained.

Set up a little .22 rifle range, the target just happens to be next to the ground squirrel den. Oops!

 

[backlash]

Here's a way to NOT do it.

 

[Double R]

Here's a way to NOT do it.

Now that’s what I’m talking about!

 

[Double R]

That's what I was gonna say, lol. Lawn chair, 6 pack and a .22.

One stays right at the road. No safe place to shoot it. But dynamite ………

 

[Peanut]

Gas isn't a bad idea though! Any compressed gas is very cold, leaked into a hole it'll push all the warmer air with oxygen out of the squirrel den. Nitrogen comes to mind. An inert gas like nitrogen can be purchased from any welding supplier. Just fill the den with cold nitrogen, the squirrels will either leave or take a very long nap.

Nitrogen doesn't go boom, doesn't poison, but when cold can be directed.

 

[Double R]

Gas isn't a bad idea though! Any compressed gas is very cold, leaked into a hole it'll push all the warmer air with oxygen out of the squirrel den. Nitrogen comes to mind. An inert gas like nitrogen can be purchased from any welding supplier. Just fill the den with cold nitrogen, the squirrels will either leave or take a very long nap.

Ok that’s genius! I have liquid nitrogen on the ranch for bull “goods”.

 

[Peanut]

You're set then! if you have hose and a regulator, just leak the cold nitrogen in slowly, 2 or 3 psi.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Here's a way to NOT do it.

I have to ask, did he get the gopher?

 

[UrbanHunter]

Ok that’s genius! I have liquid nitrogen on the ranch for bull “goods”.

And nitrogen is good because unlike CO2 or other gasses it is not foreign to animals (air is 70% nitrogen) and the animals will not spook, just die happily in that cool slumber....

 

[hashbrown]

We used to run a pipe off of the tractor exhaust into groundhog holes and let the tractor set there an idle for an hour or so. Figure it would work for ground squirrels as well.

 

[Double R]

I could do that with the little tractor. The exhaust comes out the bottom

 

[Pearl]

No but I will see what I can dig up. Great idea!
Have tried popcorn, chips, seeds, birdseed, peanut butter and peanuts so far.

They are having a feast

 

[Double R]

They are having a feast

They aren’t. They don’t want any of it They will if they go in any of the traps

 

[Grimm]

I say get a gilly suit and a nice .22 pellet rifle. A .117 will work but are you eating them or trying to rid your home/garden of pests?

 

[Caribou]

Don't discount the .22 short.

 

[SheepDog]

Double R,
Use the animals instincts against him. Tie a small rope or cordage to a branch in a tree. Tie the other end to a stake or large nail and put it in the ground.
Those critters love to play acrobatics. Let him get used to it being there and that playing on it is safe. After you have seen him playing - running up and down use some light snare wire and set loop snares about every 4 feet. He will hang himself in one of the snares. Remove him from the snare and leave them in place until there is no more traffic.
The snares are harmless to most house pets and birds and it will work 24/7 as long as it is in place.

 

[Terri9630]

We had someone dump off a cat that had been hit by a car and broken her hips. She never walked right after that but ground squirrels were her favorite and she was the only one who could catch the dumb things. She never got very big and would go down into the holes after them.

 

[Tim Horton]

Guy blows up yard.... Bwahahahhaha.... That is great.... Some people should not be left un attended..

For a couple summers at my old lake place I had an infestation of ground squirrels... They packed the hood of my outboard motor full of bedding costing about $100 to get it running...

I used wood platform Victor brand rat traps, with the plastic bait peddle.. I put brad nails up from the bottom where the kill bar would come down.. I baited them with a salted in the shell peanut wired to the bait peddle with florist wire and a bit of chunky peanut butter..

I always tied off the trap as if something wanted to consume the ground squirrel in the trap, they didn't drag off my trap and loose it... Where I could not keep the traps sheltered I built 1x8 boxes with a 2 - 2 1/4 in diameter entrance hole to house the trap... This to exclude grew squirrels, birds and other non target animals.. At times I had a dozen or more traps working at once... It was a lot of effort and a bit time consuming, but I did prevail until there population cycle went back to a more normal level...

Adjust, adapt, prevail....