Huge NEST in the attic, would fill half pickup bed!

[5030]

oh good make them someone elses problem..... why? Just shoot them.

Squirrel stew is good. We shoot them in the spring. Here you can have 10 in possession and kill 5 per day.

 

[hube2]

I had weasels in my attic. After getting rid of them I stuffed steel wool into the corner molding of my siding. This is where they were getting in. Direct access from the ground to the attic.

 

[MossRoad]

oh good make them someone elses problem..... why? Just shoot them.

I've always been tempted to drop the groundhogs off way out in the country... by your place!

Just kidding. I just let them go out in our back area if they come too close to the house. They get the message. Only the young ones looking for new homes come up near the house.

We've got a friend that's well over 90 years old now. For years and years, he live trapped squirrels in his back yard because they'd bring the walnuts onto his back porch and eat them, staining everything. He'd take the squirrels out in the country (by my place, we found later) and drop them off. He'd get 40-50 each year. Never made a dent in the population. More would just move into the void.

So I don't think shooting them will make much of a difference. They'll just keep coming. Best to keep them from getting into the house or out buildings.

I've heard they make a good stew, though.

 

[fishdrivel]

I had weasels in my attic. After getting rid of them I stuffed steel wool into the corner molding of my siding. This is where they were getting in. Direct access from the ground to the attic.

Squirrels are not discouraged by steel wool.
To fill sqirrel holes, push wadded up 1" chicken wire into the hole and fill with spray foam. Good seal and squirrel proof. Make sure it is wadded up good so they cannot get through holes.

Oh, and yes they make good stew!
I can say from personal experience that you'll never get tired of eating them once they eat the ignition on your new truck!

 

[MossRoad]

I have another friend that had a raccoon in his attic. Came in through a vent in the gable. So he sat outside one evening with his .22 waiting. It poked it's head out. Instead of waiting for it to come all the way out, he shot it. It ran back inside all the way to the other side of the house and wouldn't die. He had to go up into the attic, crawl all the way back there, and shoot it again, hoping he wouldn't miss and put bullet holes through his other gable end. Then he had to haul it out.

I'd never shoot an animal in our on my house, as you're likely to make more damage that you'll have to repair.

Exclude it, or live trap it, and then either dispatch it away from people/structures, or let it go. Then repair the opening(s).

 

[MossRoad]

The squirrel stew trifecta is in play....

 

[fishdrivel]

I have another friend that had a raccoon in his attic. Came in through a vent in the gable. So he sat outside one evening with his .22 waiting. It poked it's head out. Instead of waiting for it to come all the way out, he shot it. It ran back inside all the way to the other side of the house and wouldn't die. He had to go up into the attic, crawl all the way back there, and shoot it again, hoping he wouldn't miss and put bullet holes through his other gable end. Then he had to haul it out.

I'd never shoot an animal in our on my house, as you're likely to make more damage that you'll have to repair.

Exclude it, or live trap it, and then either dispatch it away from people/structures, or let it go. Then repair the opening(s).

Raccoons are very easy to catch in a very good live catch trap.
Use sardines for bait and put heavy gloves on when you are carrying the coon and trap.
They do not recommend carrying coons off far away because this spreads disease. Drop the trap, coon and all in a water tank. Wait a long time before taking trap out!

 

[ericm979]

I was advised NOT to patch the hole in the screen until after I got rid of the tree rats. They often chew their way out and cause more damage.

They make a one way excluder just for that. You block the hole with it. The critters can go out but can't come back in. I used one when something was living in the old drainage system under the barn.

 

[MossRoad]

Raccoons are very easy to catch in a very good live catch trap.
Use sardines for bait and put heavy gloves on when you are carrying the coon and trap.
They do not recommend carrying coons off far away because this spreads disease. Drop the trap, coon and all in a water tank. Wait a long time before taking trap out!

As someone who almost drown when I was a kid, I'd just shoot it. Drowning is an awful way to go.

But, if you bait a trap with sardines, you might catch me... I love those things!!!

 

[fishdrivel]

As someone who almost drown when I was a kid, I'd just shoot it. Drowning is an awful way to go.

But, if you bait a trap with sardines, you might catch me... I love those things!!!

I might be heartless but when dispatching an unwanted animal, I'm not usually concerned with "last days care"

I'm also not prone to use my weapon for everything!
(chpping meat, drilling holes, harvesting mistletoe, etc.) LOL