Squirrel cull

2130martin

Well-Known Member
I am planning to make a special effort to get ontop of our Squirrel population at our Pheasant shoot.
I have used a few techniques,.22lr sniping,drey poking/shooting, in the past to varying levels of success.
What do you find most successful,this needs to be an efficient culling job not just a bit of sport,there are too many around!!
 
Trapping around your feeders. Making a hide and sitting still and using a PCP air rifle. Whispering Death at twenty to thirty yards.

Or...as fun....drey poking with a TEAM of guns will render the most immediate relief. And gets everyone involved. Open chokes and a maximum load of #7 or if you have them # 7 1/2 or #8 even better. Large spread and no holes in the pattern.

When I did this on my own land I did it single handed with no pole to poke just the old paper "Red and Black" Sellier and Bellot 1 1/4 ounces of #7 into the drey through a multi choke Greener GP using the quarter choke option. Even then in truth a quarter choke is too tight a choke as 1 1/4 ounces of #7 is devastating on any drey at fifteen or twenty yards. Cylinder choke is best if you have it or "skeet" if not.
 
the best option is basicaly to do as much as you can traping on top of the shooting methords youve mentioned is going to be best just keep the pressure on them
 
mmm not to sure about the Whispering Death (air rifle) they can be TOUGH little buggers , the last thing you want is the walking wounded performing for the local bunny huggers Christmas dog walk
 
Investing in traps is money well spent. They work round the clock and require nothing more than a daily stroll round your trap line in return. You can shoot all you like -and whether you do it with an air rifle or a shotgun it's an entertaining way to spend some free time- but if you're not trapping you'll never get on top of them.
 
Trapping is the only way to go if you want to make inroads. Using 12 traps this year I have culled over 300. Shooting alone will never get that number.
 
How do u deal with/avoid by catch?

I had 8 traps set to try and catch a single grey (think thats all thas left now) but was only catching jays and reds. Checking twice a day and traps were rarely empty but just never with greys.
I've stopped the now because of the bad weather, would do more harm than good if any reds were caught in a trap overnight in this weather

Never seen the grey at my squirrel feeders yet but 2 neighbours seem to see it every few days, think it must move between there gardens a few hundred meters apart

Totally out of courosity, would it be legal if i killed the Jays caught in the traps? I just let them go but would i be allowed to kil them.
I realise u can shoot Jays under GL but would u be allowed to after taking them in a non approved trap/method?
 
Last edited:
I use hazlenut butter spread over peanut butter sandwiches. The residual odour makes them eat their front legs off and allows a crack with a sharp stick.
 
Controlling squirrels is a bit like trying to stop the tide. Thet migrate over quite large distances especially at mating time, as has already been said trapping is the most effective method but need to be a year round effort.
 
Absolutely trapping. Air rifles are underpowered - soem years ago I saw my son and brother put 7 .22 airgun pellets into one and it was still going strong. I had a rimfire with Z longs and so finished him off with that.
The only problem with trapping is that you end the shooting sport. And for me, squirrel hunting in woodland is on par with shooting rats in a stinky farmyard.
 
Back
Top