How do you catch squirrels?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How do you catch squirrels?

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:21:25 PM EDT

We have found out that there is at least one, maybe 2 squirrels, that have made their way into our attic. The wife has spotted them at least twice.
We had siding put on the house, thinking this would take care of it too, but the siding got chewed through, and now there is a hole where the roof meets the fireplace, and it/they are in and out again.
I don't really want to poison it, as I won't know where it dies. Wife won't let me shoot it, (mostly because she doesn't want a hole in the roof or ceiling,lol). so were are down to traps. We put one in the attic, but it either doesn't go that way, is too smart, or is not hungry when it is in the attic.
I could put it outside on the ground(two story house btw) but she is afraid to catch bunnies in the trap.
Is there a better trap than the standard food plate one, where when they lean on the plate to get food, it slams the door shut?

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:23:43 PM EDT

[#1]

maybe you can fumigate your attic, then patch up the holes in your wall. I mean just absolutely fog up you attic, till you can't even see in there. Then you might have to go in and do garbage detail.

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:27:48 PM EDT

[#2]

Either a small baited Have-a-heart trap to save the bunnies, or use a Conebear 110 if you can find entries and exits for it. The Conebear is a body grip kill trap that is excellent for holes as there is no way around it if it's placed properly (unlike a Victor rat trap for example).

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:28:04 PM EDT

[#3]

cage trap

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:28:09 PM EDT

[#4]

Air rifle

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:28:48 PM EDT

[#5]

that super silent .22lr ammo

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:30:46 PM EDT

[#6]

Aquila powderless is that super silent ammo...

What about one of those cages with the trap door.

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:30:52 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Air rifle

+1

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:32:29 PM EDT

[#8]

MOAB

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:37:05 PM EDT

[#9]

I told my wife I got 'em off a toilet seat, but I'm not sure she believed me.

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:37:41 PM EDT

[#10]

I've had good results with a live trap baited with peanut butter. What did you use?

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:40:27 PM EDT

[#11]

bait the trap with penut butter and set it in the attic , be sure there is no nest- babies seal hole with sheet metal behind and replace board > now if it was in the chimney we just grab the little sucker by the head with thick leather gloves and chuck him out the door ( we do this about once a month down here in our chimney sweep biz ..or drop a rope down the chimney and blare heavy metal music in the hearth area they usualy leave.) .......... try blairing music in your attic then board it up when he leaves maybe Sweep might have some other ideas

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:40:36 PM EDT

[#12]

Give this a try.

RedneckSkeet

608kb MPG

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:41:41 PM EDT

[#13]

Ruger 10/22

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:43:54 PM EDT

[#14]

hot female squirrel decoys, a pile of nuts, and a hammer

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:45:09 PM EDT

[#15]

Red Fox urine....available at Bass Pro Shop. Put some on a rag and hang it from the rafters. Squirrels will get the hell outta there. Plug holes. Do not get urine on your hands. Smells bad.

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:45:53 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Do not get urine on your hands. Smells bad.

Sound wisdom

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:47:21 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
We have found out that there is at least one, maybe 2 squirrels, that have made their way into our attic. The wife has spotted them at least twice.
We had siding put on the house, thinking this would take care of it too, but the siding got chewed through, and now there is a hole where the roof meets the fireplace, and it/they are in and out again.
I don't really want to poison it, as I won't know where it dies. Wife won't let me shoot it, (mostly because she doesn't want a hole in the roof or ceiling,lol). so were are down to traps. We put one in the attic, but it either doesn't go that way, is too smart, or is not hungry when it is in the attic.
I could put it outside on the ground(two story house btw) but she is afraid to catch bunnies in the trap.
Is there a better trap than the standard food plate one, where when they lean on the plate to get food, it slams the door shut?

.22pistol, aguila colibris. They won;t penetrate a wall board, ceiling or the like. but they will kill a tree rate this I know, not only from killing a tree rat with one, but taking out two oppossems too.

Get some and check it out yourself if you want , set up a 2x4 at like 20ft and shoot it. You'll see it doesn't penetrate all that far, but it does have enough energy to crack the tree rats skull, hell it has enough energy at the muzzle to crack a humans skull(11ft/lbs IIRC). You get to do um like dirty rats should be done and you also taken her concerns(possibility of a hole in the roof or ceiling) and addressed them.

It's a win win situation.

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:47:43 PM EDT

[#18]

12gauge

ETA: I have never had to trap a squirl so I cant help ya any

Posted: 8/26/2004 1:59:43 PM EDT

[#19]

lol,
We did try the fox urine. It seemed to work for a few days, then it was back.
Hadn't thought of the low power 22, the air rifle I have would punch through sheet rock, and that was what I was going to use.
The trap we have is the cage type that has the spring loaded door. I put peanut butter on a cracker. Checked it everyday for a month. Never went near it as far as I could tell.
I heard about the killing traps from the pest control people. They want like 300 bucks to trap them. I could by 10 traps for that kind of money.
Can they be forced to walk into the cage trap? Or is this body trap smaller, so they don't know they are walking into one till they are in?

Posted: 8/26/2004 2:18:15 PM EDT

[#20]

Burn the place down, it's the only way to be sure!

Seriously, we used those cages and they worked pretty good. What you do with those big rats is your call once you catch 'em

Posted: 8/26/2004 2:27:10 PM EDT

[#21]

Like others have said. Get a Have-A-Heart trap and bait it with peanut butter.

I do this about once a year for customers that get squirrels in their attic when the enter in through the chimney chase of a factory built chimney.

When you catch them though, you need to take them several miles away to release them, otherwise they will just come back and find some other way to get back into the attic even if you block off the way they were getting in.

Had one customer catch one and I couldn't get out there soon enough to take it away so they just let it lose in the back yard. It went down the over head exhuast to the stove and ripped up the filter right above the stove.

If you have one, you probably at least have two. So after you catch one you'll need to reset the trap. Problem here is that these guys are smart so you'll need to check the trap several times a day. If the other squirrel sees what happens to it's mate, you won't catch it. Might want to consider placing two traps.

Posted: 8/26/2004 2:34:47 PM EDT

[#22]

In a tractor's nuts?

Posted: 8/26/2004 2:41:05 PM EDT

[#23]

I've caught a dozen in my hav-a-hart. Just make sure to size the trap to your squirrel. Littluns will escape out of the bigger trap. Use the single sided trap instead of both sides. They move fast.

Peanut butter or peanuts make great bait.

Posted: 8/26/2004 2:46:26 PM EDT

[#24]

I had this same problem at my last job. Use a hav a hart trap and an ear of corn in the trap. Set trap in area next to where they are wanting to nest in the attic. The corn is their "last meal". Repeat as nessary because there will be more than 1 that wants to set up home there. I was getting one a day for a few days then nothing for a week. Thats when I stuffed the hole. (see below)
Also when you get them out of the attic you will need to either take them a long ways from your attic (several miles) or kill them.
Then get some steel woll ( I used extra corse) and PACK the hole(s) that they were using to get in. Dont skimp in the steel. From what I was told they dont like chewing the steel. That will keep any that were out from using the existing area to get back in. Other than that, any out side would be good target practice.

Posted: 8/26/2004 3:23:42 PM EDT

[#25]

Ask John Kerry, he seems good at it !

Posted: 8/26/2004 3:28:03 PM EDT

[#26]

get a cat and put it in the attic

Posted: 8/26/2004 3:36:01 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
12gauge

ETA: I have never had to trap a squirl so I cant help ya any

But don't use #4 buck, it won't work. Zero wound value and all.

Posted: 8/26/2004 3:40:20 PM EDT

[#28]

So how long has your wife owned you?

Shoot the squirrel, tell the wife to shutup that squalling and get her ass back in the kitchen where she belongs and heat up the skillet. She's got some squirrel to fry.

Posted: 8/26/2004 3:41:24 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
I've had good results with a live trap baited with peanut butter. What did you use?

That usually works great, but when all else fails, I break out the RWS 350 Magnum air rifle. Either way the problem is eradicated.

Posted: 8/26/2004 3:54:27 PM EDT

[#30]

I usually catch squirrels playing with themselves. Really! I think that's why their nuts are so big.
I'll just be sitting there in my deerstand when I'll glance my Swarovski 8x50s up to the trees to see what the commotion is all about, and I'll catch them red-handed... or at least blistered-pawed.

Posted: 8/26/2004 4:03:37 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
I usually catch squirrels playing with themselves. Really! I think that's why their nuts are so big.

Two pages and 30 posts later and no one has posted this...

Yeah, it's waaaaay too jaded, but someone still has to do it.

Posted: 8/26/2004 4:35:50 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
I usually catch squirrels playing with themselves. Really! I think that's why their nuts are so big.
I'll just be sitting there in my deerstand when I'll glance my Swarovski 8x50s up to the trees to see what the commotion is all about, and I'll catch them red-handed... or at least blistered-pawed.

People make sexual refernces about rabbits and whatnot....I've never actually watched rabbits, but let me tell you about squirrels......we're talking perpetual motion....they chase each other all over a tree, then stop, go at it in a blur for a few seconds, then chase each other some more, then go at it again, then chase each other, and so on.......I get tired just watching them.

Posted: 8/26/2004 4:48:47 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
So how long has your wife owned you?

Shoot the squirrel, tell the wife to shutup that squalling and get her ass back in the kitchen where she belongs and heat up the skillet. She's got some squirrel to fry.

You sir are obviously not married.
Besides, if I missed and did shoot a hole in the roof, I would never live it down.

Ok peanut butter didn't seem to work, or I didn't put it close enough. I will see about getting an ear of corn.

Is it dangerous to put the traps on the roof near the hole, or blocking the hole? It is near the edge of the roof, so will they knock themselves off thrashing about trying to get out?

Would it be easier to trap them on the ground?

I will probably pick up a few more traps this weekend.

Posted: 8/26/2004 4:56:09 PM EDT

[#34]

A guy I work with had a really bad problem with squirrels in his attic. He lives in a 120 year old house that is pretty much impossible to seal. He ended up buying a few of those electronic gizmos that give off a sound that humans can't hear, but drives squirrels crazy. It has now been over a year and his squirrel problem is completely gone. Now he has coons living up there-go figure.

Posted: 8/26/2004 5:07:17 PM EDT

[#35]

Thank you thank you! I did not post (purely) for the sophmoric humor. They really do yank!!!

Quoted:
Quoted:
I usually catch squirrels playing with themselves. Really! I think that's why their nuts are so big.
I'll just be sitting there in my deerstand when I'll glance my Swarovski 8x50s up to the trees to see what the commotion is all about, and I'll catch them red-handed... or at least blistered-pawed.

People make sexual refernces about rabbits and whatnot....I've never actually watched rabbits, but let me tell you about squirrels......we're talking perpetual motion....they chase each other all over a tree, then stop, go at it in a blur for a few seconds, then chase each other some more, then go at it again, then chase each other, and so on.......I get tired just watching them.

Posted: 8/26/2004 5:08:10 PM EDT

[#36]

By the nuts, of course!!!!!!!

Posted: 8/26/2004 5:57:28 PM EDT

[#37]

WHAT!!! No one suggested Tannerite?

If you must capture them alive, use a live trap with peanut butter spread on the trip tray.

Posted: 8/26/2004 6:02:13 PM EDT

[#38]

I solved my problem by shooting them with a high powered (adult) air rifle. After stacking up the bodies of the furry little rats in the backyard, they no longer trash my garage, nor eat my flowers.

Death -- A permanent squirrel problem solution!

Posted: 8/26/2004 6:27:17 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
I solved my problem by shooting them with a high powered (adult) air rifle. After stacking up the bodies of the furry little rats in the backyard, they no longer trash my garage, nor eat my flowers.

Death -- A permanent squirrel problem solution!

Remember, them trashing your yard is not an excuse to kill them. You must trap them and take them to the humane society.

Posted: 8/26/2004 6:32:55 PM EDT

[#40]

Put some chicken wire over it while they are in there. Wait several days, let them get hungry and thirsty. Then remove the wire in the morning or evening for an hour or two. Replace the wire or fix your hole.

Posted: 8/26/2004 8:14:59 PM EDT

[#41]

Here's a sporting alternative to the air guns and super colibris. Bait them and shoot them with a paint ball gun. Ruduced risk of holes in the walls/ceiling unless you freeze them (so you accidentally left them in the cooler). If you use room temp, the paint will wash off. Chilled paintballs can dent the drywall. It'll meet the wife's criteria of no holes and no blood.

Posted: 8/26/2004 8:22:22 PM EDT

[#42]

You should get a beagle they have worked wonders for me.
Give him a few minutes he will come out with the Squirrels in his mouth.

Posted: 8/26/2004 8:40:42 PM EDT

[#43]

After you catch your squirrel(s), don't kill them. You can have some fun to make up for the trouble they've caused:

1, Catch squirrel in trap.
2. Get a BIG old purse from the wife.
3. Open purse at cage door, open the cage door...squirrel will dart into the purse.
4. Quickly close purse. Tape a dollar bill to the outside of the purse.
5. Drive to the projects.
6. Lay purse down on sidewalk, dollar bill facing up.
7. Retreat to a safe viewing area.

Hilarity guaranteed to ensue. Repeat as necessary until squirrels are all gone.

Posted: 8/26/2004 9:17:55 PM EDT

[#44]

Do you want them dead or alive?

There's a very effective snare/trap you can build that will take care of the problem. It's taught in military survival schools and in the manuals. Get a stout stick (you'll soon see why) and put brass snares throughout its length. You can even bait it with peanut butter, but that's not necessary. Lean the stick up against their path of ingress and egress usually this is against a tree. Make sure it's anchored well. Being naturally lazy they will climb up the angled stick instead of straight up a surface. They will get caught in one of the snares. The commotion your first squirrel raises will pique the curiosity of any other squirrels who will come check it out. Be prepared to have a stick full of dead squirrels.

I've heard squirrel is good with Stove Top Stuffing.

Posted: 8/27/2004 12:26:59 AM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
Do you want them dead or alive?

There's a very effective snare/trap you can build that will take care of the problem. It's taught in military survival schools and in the manuals. Get a stout stick (you'll soon see why) and put brass snares throughout its length. You can even bait it with peanut butter, but that's not necessary. Lean the stick up against their path of ingress and egress usually this is against a tree. Make sure it's anchored well. Being naturally lazy they will climb up the angled stick instead of straight up a surface. They will get caught in one of the snares. The commotion your first squirrel raises will pique the curiosity of any other squirrels who will come check it out. Be prepared to have a stick full of dead squirrels.

I've heard squirrel is good with Stove Top Stuffing.

amen to that

Posted: 8/27/2004 4:12:54 AM EDT

[#46]

that they are good with stuffing?

There are too many ways up to my roof. So I have no idea where they would come from.

I will try traps on the ground for a bit. The one in the attic they seem to avoid like the plague.

Posted: 8/27/2004 5:55:44 AM EDT

[#47]

Some people recommend hunting the squirrels you spot in the back yard especially the females. When the females go missing the males tend to leave the territory.

GunLvr

Posted: 8/27/2004 7:32:20 AM EDT

[#48]

Quoted:
Here's a sporting alternative to the air guns and ~~super~~ colibris. Bait them and shoot them with a paint ball gun. Ruduced risk of holes in the walls/ceiling unless you freeze them (so you accidentally left them in the cooler). If you use room temp, the paint will wash off. Chilled paintballs can dent the drywall. It'll meet the wife's criteria of no holes and no blood.

No super colibris, ya got to use the regular ones. The supers will penetrat further and may pop a hole in drywall depending on thickness. They are about 200FPS faster than the regular colibri. At least when we ran some through a chrono one day they were. For indoors the regular ones are the best to use. And if you use them in a rifle with a 16in or longer barrel they are pretty damn quiet too.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How do you catch squirrels?

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