• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

Squirrels.... I hate 'em.....

Rich Z

Rich Z

Internet Sanitation Engineer
Staff member
Every Spring I am plagued with squirrels that eat up the new shoots from one of my bamboo groves. Of course they pick my favorite one that is producing shoots around 6 inches in diameter (at least those that can escape the squirrel predations). I patrol the area regularly armed with my .17HMR rifle, or sometimes a 12 gauge, but they must run in, chew the hell out of whatever shoots they can find, then run off again. I've even offered a bounty of $5 a head to one of my workers when he has the time to take his 12 gauge out there. But there are apparently a WHOLE lot more of them then us out there.....

So I decided to try some different with a proactive deterrent spray. First off I tried some stuff that was supposedly designed for protecting plants from squirrels and rabbits. Called something like "Pepper Wax". So I sprayed the new shoots liberally, even spraying shoots that have previously been chewed on thinking they would be back for another bite or two. From what I could see the squirrels just thought it made the bamboo shoots more tasty and appealing. And I think the smell helped them locate the shoots more quickly as I would seek out the new ones and apply a coating of it in the hopes it would protect them. Sure didn't seem to be slowing them down any at all.

Well that didn't work.

So I went looking for something stronger. And found this stuff called "Wildfire" -> http://www.guardian-self-defense.com/wildfire.htm

Contains 18 percent of the pepper concentrate. I figured maybe coating the entire area with this stuff would be enough to persuade the varmints to stay out and leave the shoots alone. Ordered the stuff Wednesday, shipped Thursday, and arrived today.

So I took one of the spray dispensers down to the bamboo grove and just did some short bursts on a few of the shoots. I just caught the barest whiff of that stuff, and gawd damn!!!!! My nose was on fire, my eyes felt like they were being rubbed with sandpaper, and my chest started giving me some sharp pains...... I had to evacuate the area like immediately. Man, that stuff is NASTY! I think I'm going to have to use a face mask and be REAL careful with that stuff. Wind shifts the wrong way and I'd be down for the count for certain. I couldn't imaging being hit full in the face with a spray of this stuff. Just a short burst in a room would clear it in a hurry. I'm just now getting over the effects and my nose has stopped running. Like I said, NASTY stuff. If someone threatens you with pepper spray, don't think you are just dealing with something like what's in the pepper shaker on the kitchen table. This is a whole WORLD of difference!

So anyway, if the squirrels can ignore that stuff, then the bamboo is theirs. They must want it pretty badly.... Either that or I need to find a source of Claymores....... :hehehe:
 
RevXtreme 1 said:
good plinking practice!:D
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My Remington model 297 in .17HMR has taken quite a few of them. But mostly around the house. The bamboo grove they are tearing up is quite a distance from the house, so finding the time to patrol the area frequently each day is really tough to do. I just can't take the time to camp out there and wait for them.

I'm hoping spraying the area with that pepper spray every few days will keep them out of there. It's going to be pretty dicey spraying that stuff and trying not to get a whiff of it myself in the process. Basically check the wind direction, spray, then run like hell.....
 
Squirrels.... I hate 'em.....

I hate them too!! Bastards drink up all my beer!:lmao:
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:lmao::lmao::lmao:
 
I have a Logun Mark2 PCP air rifle that does a great job on tree rats. It has 34 ft lbs of energy in 22. cal and also has a mod for whisper quite shooting.

The gun can make one hole 5 shot groups at 30 yards all day long. It cost me over $1300, but does the trick everytime.
 
Ok Rich, I am sitting here lmao :lmao: at this post. Not because of what you are going through, but the image that is running through my mind. Can't figure out why my mind works like this, but it does. :shrug01:

All I can picture is you stalking the squirrels in your boxer shorts, a flack jacket but no shirt, hunting boots (untied of course), a hunting cap with the ear flaps hanging down, carrying a double barrel 12 gauge and mumbling with a speech impediment. :rofl1::rofl1:

I must admit that when I was a kid I probably watched way too many Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd cartoons!

:lmao::rofl1::lmao::rofl1:

Rich
 
Rich427 said:
Ok Rich, I am sitting here lmao :lmao: at this post. Not because of what you are going through, but the image that is running through my mind. Can't figure out why my mind works like this, but it does. :shrug01:

All I can picture is you stalking the squirrels in your boxer shorts, a flack jacket but no shirt, hunting boots (untied of course), a hunting cap with the ear flaps hanging down, carrying a double barrel 12 gauge and mumbling with a speech impediment. :rofl1::rofl1:

I must admit that when I was a kid I probably watched way too many Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd cartoons!

:lmao::rofl1::lmao::rofl1:

Rich
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:eek: You have spies here? How did you know?
 
I guess squirrels might be pretty tasty eating, but since you are what you eat, I think I'll pass.....
 
Well, you should have seen me today running around in the bamboo clumps wearing a gas mask and applying that super duper pepper spray to the bamboo shoots. Probably looked like some sort of alien, but it sure kept me from getting zapped by that pepper spray. That stuff is NO joke! If anyone EVER threatens me with that stuff, I will consider it as a threatened attack with a deadly weapon.

Wish I had remembered about that gas mask I bought years ago....... Actually I think I have two of them. I bought them thinking that living in the middle of the woods, might be handy to have if caught in a forest fire nearby. Pine smoke can be pretty bad on you in a large fire....
 
Tree Rats can be a pain in the ass.If you have bird feeders they love destorying all the feed inside.My Pellet gun has feld the local Hawk some tree rat a time or 2 :hehehe::hehehe:
 
If I can sell my business and get some free time on my hands, I'll see what I can do about a little local extinction program around here.... :hehehe:
 
Well you guys just come on around here and get all the squirrels you can. Consider this a squirrel eaters retreat. You pick 'em! :hehehe:
 
9T8Vette said:
Tree Rats can be a pain in the ass.If you have bird feeders they love destorying all the feed inside.My Pellet gun has feld the local Hawk some tree rat a time or 2 :hehehe::hehehe:
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I mount my feeders on a piece of TV antenna mast. About 1 1/4 in diam. Slip a 16 oz Gatorade bottle over the top,slide a 5 1/2 ft (or longer) 3 in PVC pipe over it.Stay at least 6 ft from any tree branch. Mount your feeder on this. They usually can't climb it and if they do spray the pipe with a little silicone spray lube. Fun to watch them jump up 4 ft and slide down. :D

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Scav
:wavey:
 
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