Squirrel feeder = refuge ?

[dewman]

Fellas who have followed me know me as an avid squirrel hunter/eater.(no brains) Around 100 a year. You also know of my accident last mid September which has severely limited my mobility. Anyway, for some chuckles my daughter bought me a squirrel feeder and corn for Christmas. My first thought was corn fed squirrel, yum, but said daughter has informed me that if I shot them to consume them that by Missouri statute I would be baiting, hence I would be a poacher. Also I should consider any part of the yard I mowed as part of the "sanctuary". This from a girl who both hunts and fishes. Question: You guys that do winter feeding of wildlife, are you ever tempted?Maybe just one?

[Red Angus]

I don't necessarily have a wildlife feeder, but if I did I certainly would entertain the idea of shooting a few squirrels off it.

So, being you can't shoot them, I heard of a alternative method on a podcast that may be useful to you. Use a #11 double longspring with no pan tension. Attach bait (peanut, corn kernals, sunflower seeds, etc.) to the pan with glue and then wire the trap to something such as a swing set or tree. Having not tried it yet I don't know whether it matters if the trap is vertical or horizontal, it was vertical in the explanation I heard.

[dewman]

I don't necessarily have a wildlife feeder, but if I did I certainly would entertain the idea of shooting a few squirrels off it.

So, being you can't shoot them, I heard of a alternative method on a podcast that may be useful to you. Use a #11 double longspring with no pan tension. Attach bait (peanut, corn kernals, sunflower seeds, etc.) to the pan with glue and then wire the trap to something such as a swing set or tree. Having not tried it yet I don't know whether it matters if the trap is vertical or horizontal, it was vertical in the explanation I heard.

Good to hear from someone. Was beginning to think there was a party and I was given the wrong address. Starting to think the two magazines are morphing into one. Outdoor Field & Stream Life? Remember seeing OL's shooting editor Snow posting on F&S site. Anyway. Can't see myself trapping the little rascals, that's beyond my January ambition. Gives me something to ponder about.

[Red Angus]

Good to hear from someone. Was beginning to think there was a party and I was given the wrong address. Starting to think the two magazines are morphing into one. Outdoor Field & Stream Life? Remember seeing OL's shooting editor Snow posting on F&S site. Anyway. Can't see myself trapping the little rascals, that's beyond my January ambition. Gives me something to ponder about.

I know the feeling.

👌 Just thought I'd throw the idea out. I'm thinking about trying it with one of my MB 450's on account of not having any longsprings.

[Solitario Lupo]

That’s a big no for me. I’ll stick food out for the deer but I’m in it for the racks so there would be no shooting in my yard. Plus I’m in a neighborhood where even if I wanted to I couldn’t. Those dang groundhogs.

[dewman]

I will NEVER cut a woodchuck (groundhog) any slack. I would sling arrows or hatchets if it came to it but they would receive no rest around me. I would be the boogie man that kept little chucks awake at night.

[PigHunter]

Pighuntress had a bird feeder I set up for her to watch from the kitchen window. The dang squirrels would of course raid it until empty, chasing off the song birds. It really pissed her off. So, I kept pressure on the tree rats with a liberal dose of pellets from the Crossman. That seemed to keep the problem in check.

The raccoons started raiding too and the chipmunk population skyrocketed. I killed and trapped a few of both but couldn't eradicate them. Eventually, Pighuntress had enough and now we no longer have a bird feeder. But, I do feed the yard deer through the Winter. Sometimes I'll take one with the crossbow but the feed has to be totally gone. Otherwise it would be considered baiting.

[dewman]

Pighuntress had a bird feeder I set up for her to watch from the kitchen window. The dang squirrels would of course raid it until empty, chasing off the song birds. It really pissed her off. So, I kept pressure on the tree rats with a liberal dose of pellets from the Crossman. That seemed to keep the problem in check.

The raccoons started raiding too and the chipmunk population skyrocketed. I killed and trapped a few of both but couldn't eradicate them. Eventually, Pighuntress had enough and now we no longer have a bird feeder. But, I do feed the yard deer through the Winter. Sometimes I'll take one with the crossbow but the feed has to be totally gone. Otherwise it would be considered baiting.

Never thought about unintended guests like coons, skunks, possums. I'll start keeping a closer eye. I sure as hell don't want to be boosting their population around here.

[Solitario Lupo]

We got our bird feeder in the fence. So squirrels will get it. Coons seem to leave it alone. Deer will jump the fence to get to it. Sometimes a skunk. Rats and mice will find it. The worst is when we get birds eating it and out of nowhere a hawk will swoop down to get one and usually does.